re: Phil Steele Top 40 Countdown UPDATED 6/24

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So he has Mizzou out of the top 40. Interesting.

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But he has MU predicted at #18 in the AP pre-season poll...

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Yea, its strange. Oh well.

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I don't understand if this Top 40 is a week 1 Power Poll, a end of the season prediction or what? If anyone can clarify what this "Top 40" is ranking or predicting I'd appreciate it... TIA...

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they'll once again have a mediocre OL

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We've been mediocre on the OL in every year of Richt's tenure and we seem to do pretty well offensively. I can think of only two years we haven't been in the top half of the conference. Joe Cox turnovers happened one year and AJ Green was suspended for 4 games with a freshman QB the other year. Over the last few seasons we have more plays of 20+ yards than anybody in the country except for aTm. I'd love for us to have a dominant OL, but we've found ways without one. Aside from that, Theus and Andrews have 3 years of experience. Kolton Houston is probably our most talented OL from past reports and he finally got to play last year - he started 6 games last year. I feel completely comfortable at both tackle spots and at center. IMO those are the 3 most important OL positions when breaking in a new QB.

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but there will be a drop off in production

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Probably some, yes, but Richt/Bobo QBs seem to produce yardage every year. It's not like Murray had the good fortune of producing a ton last year anyway. His production was way down from 2012 given his own injury and the amount of injuries at the WR/RB position.

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Gurley is a beast, but Keith Marshall won't be 100%.

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I don't know why this is the popular sentiment around here. Everything I've heard is hunky dory on the Marshall front. Even if he's not 100% we're in MUCH better shape at RB than we were last year. Two 5 stars RBs as opposed to a white kid we flipped from Tech at the last minute and a kid we originally recruited to be a DB.

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if you're going to have a mediocre OL, you'd better be elite everywhere else on offense... mason is good, but not elite.

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We have arguably the best RBs in the country (247 ranked us 1st) and arguably the best group of WRs in the conference (ESPN said 3 and Athlon's said 2). We also have 3 very good OL. As long as we find somebody to fill in it adequately at the two guard spots, we'll be fine unless Mason turns the ball over a ton like Joe Cox.



I think most people understand the offense will be fine, but undersell the talent in our front 7 on D and the depth we have at CB. We're thin at safety, but it's not like the defense is a train wreck from a talent standpoint like most would have you believe.

Finally, nobody is talking about our special teams much, if it all. Marshall Morgan is very good and it's his 3rd year starting. Colin Barber has been very good at times and it's his 3rd year starting. Our coverage units were good over the past few years. We ranked in the 120s in both kick returns and punt returns last year. As long as those two groups improve we will have some of the best special teams in the conference. It didn't help that we were relying on Malcolm Mitchell and he went down after the first drive last year.




Homer Mode: [ON] Off

I'm assuming Georgia's omission thus far means they are in the top 6. If so...

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So he predicts

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See his 2013 "predictions" in my post above.

I can't keep up with everybody on here. I'm assuming it was about Mauk, but aside from that, I want to know more.

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If you don't like it, don't read him

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Im not reading him. Im reading this thread on the SECr. Pointing out how much he was off last year is bad? It provides some context doesnt it?

I suppose I could, but I've never attempt to gain access to another team's board. May look into it.

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I suppose I could, but I've never attempt to gain access to another team's board. May look into it.

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They even let me post over there a little bit...