I say................
Amid all the hype that non-BCS programs such as TCU and Boise State are recieving, it is easy to forget that one of the armed force academies is slowly turning into the most successful independent team in the nation. Navy has posted eight or more wins in eight consecutive seasons and has not lost to either of their rival schools, Air Force and Army, during that time. The Middies have also beat Notre Dame the last two times they have played them, so for now, they are the independent team to beat. Not the Irish.
The offense finished 119th in the country in throwing the ball a year ago. Why is that not a concern? Because they attempted fewer than 100 passes in the entire season. Navy employs the triple option offense, and QB Ricky Dobbs is a master at it, rushing for 27 touchdowns a year ago, a single season record for a QB. I know that Navy's schedule is a far cry from the SEC, but even Tebow never did that. The Middies finsished fourth in rushing and all the key players are back to do it again.
The defense is better than advertised as well, giving up only 19.4 points per game last season, good for the 18th best scoring defense in the country. Navy returners starters almost everywhere expect for a few new guys at linebacker, the secondary should be great, and the line is nothing to scoff at either. Navy should finish at least at 18 again this season.
The schedule has to have the Middies excited. Only four teams will line up against them that played in a bowl last year. Of those four, Central Michigan and East Carolina lost their head coaches this offseason, and both will be rebuilding on offense. Neither of those teams is likely to see bowl action again this year. From BCS conferences, the schedule includes ACC lightweights Maryland, Duke, and Wake Forest. On paper, Notre Dame and Air Force are the only games that should even be a challenge. There are also only four true road games. The Middies can very realistically go unbeaten, but even then, the BCS is likely to snub them. The schedule makes Boise State look like an SEC program.
Prediction: 11-1 and whatever bowl falls to them.
19. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech cannot realistically expect a repeat of last season, with the exception of maybe getting it's ass handed to it by a Big 10 team in their bowl game, but their is more than enough talent to have a good season in a very weak ACC. The Jackets return a lot of experience, but lost three of the teams four biggest playmakers in Derick Morgan, Jonathan Dwyer, and DeMaryius Thomas to the NFL.
The offense will be good again this year, even without Thomas and Dwyer. The fact is that no one else in the ACC runs anything resembling the triple option, giving the Jackets a huge advantage in every game, because defenses get only one week each season to prepare for them with no previous experience. QB Josh Nesbitt is back, but many question whether he can be effective throwing the ball without Thomas lining up at reciever. Thomas was the target of over half of Nesbitts passes in 2009, and he completed fewer than half anyways. Nesbitt will have to be more accurate if the Jackets want to do big things. All the best players on the line return, but without Dwyer and Thomas, there may not be enough playmakers to be as potent as last year.
The defense is very, very fast but they are not very tough, ranking only 56th in scoring defense last year. The pass defense is especially poor and losing their top pass rusher in Morgan will not help matters.
The schedule is pretty mild, skipping Florida State and Boston College in conference play is a huge plus. However, of the teams five really tough games (Georgia, North Carolina, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Clemson) only Miami is at home and all of those teams are just as good if not better than the Jackets anyways.
Prediction: 4th, ACC Atlantic.
18. Penn. State Nittany Lions
I can't lie, this team does, and always has bored me to no end. I just can't make myself write about them. I think they'll finish 4th in the Big Ten and you can read Rivals preview for them here.
No comments:
Post a Comment