Advocate AAC breakdown:

For Discussion of Conference & Conference Teams other than Tulane
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OGSB
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Advocate AAC breakdown:

Post by OGSB »

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tulaneoutlaw
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Re: Advocate AAC breakdown:

Post by tulaneoutlaw »

Hmm, first I've seen of Tulsa as the winner in the West. Memphis is the trendy pick, then probably Houston and Navy. Tulsa lost quite a bit.
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long green
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Re: Advocate AAC breakdown:

Post by long green »

Memphis is a solid pick due to their returning QB. I think Houston does no better than third and while I wouldn't be surprised if they fall off the map due to the coaching transition they've got a solid-looking defensive depth chart and a tested college QB. But the fact that he's not the running threat Ward was may expose their OL and what I thought was a solid but not frightening group of skill players. Navy should still be solid but I have a hard time seeing someone replicate Will Worth's insane efficiency at QB. He was actually better than Keenan Reynolds because he could throw teams off the LOS with his passing (while running for 1200 yards and 25 TD's). If anyone really surprises it will be SMU, who has a slightly lighter schedule. Tulsa will take a few lumps while replacing their QB. You can find a better athlete but he still has to learn. That applies to us, too, but we're not replacing a ten-win AAC starter.

I got nothing as far as the East is concerned. Too many new coaches and I don't think one of them was a slam-dunk great hire. I take that back. Even as a retread, Randy Edsall should make UConn tougher in Year One. Not great, but a tougher team that doesn't quit. It's like they hired Rick Dickson as AD after Edsall left the first time. As for the others, no, I don't think Charlie Strong was a great hire. At best he'll be for USF what Skip Holtz has been for La Tech.
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tulaneoutlaw
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Re: Advocate AAC breakdown:

Post by tulaneoutlaw »

I don't think Strong's ability matters much in year 1 at USF. He's shown he can win with a good qb (Bridgewater at Louisville) and Quinton Flowers is a beast. Combined with a weaker schedule and I think they win at least 10, with a real shot at going unbeaten. I'll be very surprised if they don't win the East.

Now when Flowers leaves, that's a different story. My inside sources from Texas say he was in over his head there and that may be the case in Tampa too.
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long green
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Re: Advocate AAC breakdown:

Post by long green »

That's why I think the Skip Holtz analogy may work. He failed at USF while that was a "BCS program" but he has done well at La Tech. One big advantage Strong has at USF - let me say first that I am guessing as to the mindset of the average USF football fan - is that he is a much more popular hire there than he was at Texas, where he was clearly a consolation hire. If his love of coaching wasn't destroyed in Austin he can succeed at Tampa.
And may our enemies, if they exist, be unconscious of our purpose. - From The Lady Vanishes
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