OK--Like everyone else, I figure that the biggest danger for us THIS weekend is enough over-confidence for us to look bad in the first half again...we WILL win this game, going away. I'd like to think, though, that even that much big-headedness is unlikely, at least consciously: Muschamp & Co. won't LET that happen. This "tough, disciplined and steady"-thing they stress, while it's begun to show itself when it counts, hasn't been sustained in any way so far...they need the kind of go-out-and-get-it-done-from-start-to-finish type of effort, and they know it. Film of last week's game, especially that 1st half, the sloppiness, penalties and uneven play, should put things in proper attitude and perspective.
There are things, then, that we can accomplish in this week's practice AND game: both in play among our starters and experience among the back-ups. Just as important perhaps is having a couple of weeks here to get a little healthier, give some of the "walking wounded" a chance to get back nearer 100%--that goes both for players who are playing through it, and hopefully maybe a couple or three that HAVEN'T made the field yet. Along with our difficulty yet pulling ourselves together for a whole-team, whole-game effort, my other large concern is of course with that overall health of both offensive and defensive squads. Last season's "bad luck" in that regard has seemed to continue into the beginning of 2012--it hasn't cost us a game yet, but it clearly has weakened us in every way. Going into October, again (presumably) 4-and-0, and again stepping up in terms of quality of SEC-opponent, it will be far too easy to also repeat last year's eventual outcome unless we can improve on ALL of the aforementioned factors to SOME degree.
I have my own ideas as to where and how we need to do better in all of these, but I'd like to hear YOURS. What needs working on IN-game? Who needs to step up? Who maybe needs a week or two to heal here--either among starters or would-be starters who have been slowed by injury? Who ISN'T getting-it-done, and maybe needs to be sat-down, or at least played LESS if we CAN'T get the obvious guys ahead of them healthy enough to get more reps--and who should be moved UP in the depth-charts to see if THEY can contribute? Where is the balance-point between getting our offense, especially our young QB, more work and more diversity and experience in our attack, and limiting how much we show FUTURE opponents while at the same time getting the back-ups (especially Brisset) experience, for the sake of depth?
Come on, GE: I KNOW you have thoughts, feelings and ideas on all of this and more.
There are things, then, that we can accomplish in this week's practice AND game: both in play among our starters and experience among the back-ups. Just as important perhaps is having a couple of weeks here to get a little healthier, give some of the "walking wounded" a chance to get back nearer 100%--that goes both for players who are playing through it, and hopefully maybe a couple or three that HAVEN'T made the field yet. Along with our difficulty yet pulling ourselves together for a whole-team, whole-game effort, my other large concern is of course with that overall health of both offensive and defensive squads. Last season's "bad luck" in that regard has seemed to continue into the beginning of 2012--it hasn't cost us a game yet, but it clearly has weakened us in every way. Going into October, again (presumably) 4-and-0, and again stepping up in terms of quality of SEC-opponent, it will be far too easy to also repeat last year's eventual outcome unless we can improve on ALL of the aforementioned factors to SOME degree.
I have my own ideas as to where and how we need to do better in all of these, but I'd like to hear YOURS. What needs working on IN-game? Who needs to step up? Who maybe needs a week or two to heal here--either among starters or would-be starters who have been slowed by injury? Who ISN'T getting-it-done, and maybe needs to be sat-down, or at least played LESS if we CAN'T get the obvious guys ahead of them healthy enough to get more reps--and who should be moved UP in the depth-charts to see if THEY can contribute? Where is the balance-point between getting our offense, especially our young QB, more work and more diversity and experience in our attack, and limiting how much we show FUTURE opponents while at the same time getting the back-ups (especially Brisset) experience, for the sake of depth?
Come on, GE: I KNOW you have thoughts, feelings and ideas on all of this and more.
