Anyone interested in doing a position by position "SWOT" analysis for the MU SC game?

Just an FYI, no trolling or anything. Just trying to be excited for this year when MIZ is supposed to suck. Hoping to at least have some good battles and contend. I don't think any game is a gimme this year for MIZ. I think SC and Miz both have a lot to fight for this year. Luckily for SC, y'all haven't had all the bullshite protests on your campus.

I don't have a lot of inside info this summer. Hoping to get invited to the next scrimmage next weekend where I might be able to share some general observations.

Cockopotamus, Conway, MikeBoss, CIYE, 88, CNB, all those guys, and others, know posxpos as well or better than do I this season .... btw, where is CIYE?

This is really the first season in almost 50 years where I recognize that I'm just not as up with the info as the younger guys on the position breakdowns. I mean I hear a lot of second hand stuff about what's going-on and occasionally I'll run into a coach or someone connected .... I dunno, I guess I've just hit that age and stage where I'm handing off the baton. One of my Goddaughters told me I was looking older earlier tonight. Damn.

CYE is not banned he just decided to leave due to getting the banhammer over posting the uga arrest topic invitation on the rant over and over when they kept deleting it. I'm sure lew or the other uga admin had something to do with it.

After that CIYE said he had had enough with the hypocrisy and decided he wouldn't be back. Its in a thread on our board CNB talked with him about it.
Do miss the guy though.

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One of my Goddaughters told me I was looking older earlier tonight. Damn.

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You aren't older. You are well seasoned. Since I am beginning to put on the years myself that is my story and I'm sticking to it.

From what I have picked up on both boards USC vs Mizzou is shaping up to be the shootout game of the SEC this year. Both teams are predicted to have offenses that can score on anyone and have defenses that seem to be a bit shaky going into the season.

Missouri should have the better running game. USC should have the better passing game. Probably will be a wild one.

If this was an Arkansas game I'd call it one of my high blood pressure games.

Sorry folks got tied up working on A&P homework, I'll try to get it done tomorrow around 2ish

I can do a breakdown based on strictly what is being reported but like Rooster, true inside info has been quiet as shite. People playing a lot of stuff really close to the vest.

Speaking of people looking old, I ran into Spurrier in the Columbia airport yesterday.

OK lets do this. Because it is so long I will edit this post in several installments. Basically the theme that will be returned to in almost every position across the board is this: our starting 11 is good. They can keep us competitive in every game except for potentially Clemson. However, our subs are full of question marks. Because of that, there isn't a game on our schedule that I could 100% rule us out of winning, but there is also no game on our schedule other than Wofford and La Tech that I can 100% rule us out of losing.

EDIT: Also, i'm not 100% on what a SWOT analysis actually is so I'm just going position by position to talk about where we are atm.

Offense

QB

Jake Bentley is going to take a step forward this year both because that is statistically when every player takes a step and because the offense will be a little more open to him. With no one really having a firm grasp on the scheme last year, a lot of what was done left no room for change at the LoS. If the Defense was able to game prep effectively and predict what we were going to do in a specific package, the play was doomed from the start. This year Jake is being given the freedom to audible out of bad looks at the line which will help everything including our OL. Behind him is Michael Scarrnechia. I think MS has only had 1 pass in a game, could be wrong about that but its not important for this right now. Word on him is that he has progressed further than was initially expected and if Bentley goes down he obviously wouldn't be as good but he is good enough that the loss wouldn't be completely on him, if that makes sense.

OL
Our biggest weakness last year and will remain our biggest weakness on offense this year. Word is that the unit has progressed in the off season for a variety of reasons. With the new OL coach, the technique used will be different than last year, more of a smashmouth brute strength approach as opposed to a finesse approach which none of our guys sans Bailey have any hopes of using effectively. The interior of our line is said to be a strength right now. A big issue that we had last year was injuries. Our starting Center, Knott, had a hand injury and missed all of the offseason lifting work. Starting RG, Helms, had some sort of leg injury that literally required him to have a painkiller shot pregame just to be able to play. Both of these have been said to take strides both in their level of play and their overall strength. LG this year is looking like Donnell Stanley. He was our starting RG the first game of last year and got hurt the very first series and never really found his way back onto the field. He's big country and had the goods the whole time so he should do ok. The Tackles are where we are still fluid. LT is still a battle between Young, who started RT for us most of the year last year and Daley, Juco All American transfer. My money is on Daley taking the majority of the snaps at LT this year but because he just got here it may take him a while to win the job. If he does win the job then Young could be looked at to switch back to RT, a position currently held by our best overall lineman Zack Bailey. Bailey has played LG for us most of the time and depending on how the tackle battle plays out, he could be looked on to move back inside. Again, outside of these starting 5 + 1, we know NOTHING about their backups. Nothing is being said about them whatsoever. Scary stuff.

TE

Holy boner alert Batman. TE is by far our best and deepest position. Hayden Hurst 6'5 250lbs of ridiculous athleticism. "Ginger Jesus", trademark pending, is 1st team preseason All SEC and is the definition of security blanket. KC Crosby is more elusive and was called on last year to play more slot really than anything. Because of this Hurst had to play literally almost every offensive snap last year so getting him some rest from time to time will be great. Crosby I believe was tied for total touchdowns and I also believe led the team in receiving TDs. That combination of speed and having the body size of a TE creates easy separation in the red zone Behind them we have Jacob August who is more than capable and played quality snaps. Kyle Markway has, imo, always been our best blocking TE but hasn't really been called on to do much else. Kiel Pollard was GA's 6A offensive POY out of high school at WR, bulked up to TE but with the guys in front of him hasn't seen the field much. He should see more PT this year.


RB

Talent level in this group has been flipped in a relatively short time by first time D1 Position coach and father of Jake, Bobby Bentley. A guy that no one is really talking about in the Preseason is UNC Transfer and former 4* RB Ty'son Williams. He and Rico Dowdle will be our 1-2 punch in the backfield this year. Both are bigger backs in the 215lb+ range I believe. They run with power but from what we hear Williams has a touch more break away speed. We really won't know what to expect of him until the lights come on however. The guy that is the most underrated imo by both our own fanbase and the media is AJ Turner. He is a slightly smaller back but has great speed, great hands and runs like a bigger guy. Never afraid to lower his pads and go for a few extra yards. The one aspect of this group that no one seems to be talking about is fumbles. We lost the shootout bowl game to USF after having 3 fumbles, at least 2 of which I remember being within the 10 yard line. Hopefully that improves.


WR

Finishing out the Offensive side of the ball is the Receiving corps. This group has gotten a big time upgrade at talent but like I mentioned in the opener what we know about the depth here is all coming from practice. Deebo Samuel and Bryan Edwards are legit and I don't think many would argue that. Shi Smith will be our starting slot and he is a guy that everyone in our camp is high on. To me, even though he is a smaller guy, he plays with an edge. He's got attitude to him. Kinda reminds me of Steve Smith in that regard. Ortre Smith is a guy who will play a good many snaps this year. Our biggest WR and some suggest if he continues to grow into his body, his frame is enormous, that he may get to look more like a TE than a WR. Chad Terrell is probably the guy that didn't get as much attention in the last recruiting class due to the 2 smiths, both smiths were 4*s and were #1&2 prospect in SC last year. However, Terrell has been said to really be coming along. He is in the mold of Edwards and Ortre in the sense that he is a big body type while still having the speed necessary to get separation. Having more depth this year will help out our first teamers we just need to make sure these guys can do it when the lights are on before we make all americans out of them.

Yeah I will finish up as the day goes on but our game will come down to whose defense sucks less. Both offenses should be fine.

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The guy that is the most underrated imo by both our own fanbase and the media is AJ Turner. He is a slightly smaller back but has great speed, great hands and runs like a bigger guy. Never afraid to lower his pads and go for a few extra yards

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I really like this kid and for the exact reason you stated, I hope he doesn't get lost in the shuffle of the bigger backs.

absolutely true. With as many TE's as we have I knew one would get lost in the shuffle. We have legit been lining up in 3 TE sets as well as 3 WR sets. Crazy depth there. Continuing above.