How will we score points this year?

drt7891

Redshirt
Dec 6, 2010
6,727
0
0
It has been a long time since an MSU offense has this many question marks. Dak Prescott was 80%+ of our offense last year. He was our leading rusher and had developed a pass attack that was as good as any in the SEC.

That lynchpin is gone. We now have questions now at O-Line (a group that was nothing short of a pile of garbage last year), Running Back (2015 was the most pathetic group of RBs I've ever seen wear Maroon and White) and QB (the sole reason we were able to win 8 games in 2015).

So my question is.. In 2016, where will our points come from? Will we be able to rebuild a formidable rushing attack? In 2015, the only "bright spot" in this group (if you can call it that) was Holloway, but even then, he can't be expected to carry the offense on his shoulders. Will someone else step up and become a reliable running threat? This group is wide open and worries me the most. Without a running game, we are likely done, and I can't point to one single guy that I can say with confidence can get it done. My hope is someone will grow into that role.

What about QB? Damian Williams had a good spring, but can he lead this offense? Will Fitz be serviceable? Can he hit open receivers and run the Option well enough to keep defenders off of him? Yet another huge question mark.

Can we even freaking block, or will it be more of the same story?

There are A LOT of questions going into this year, and there aren't many bright spots that I can see as of yet. Someone will have to step up because if they don't, we can't score points. If that's the case, we aren't beating Arkansas or Auburn, or even Kentucky (yes, I know how bad they were last year. But they all have talent and will probably be able to score points) and can even bring South Carolina and BYU into question.

So what unit can carry our team offensively this year? Who will step up and give us production when we need it? Last year it was Dak and Dak alone. Can we figure out how to score points without him?
 

coastdawg94

Redshirt
Sep 23, 2012
16
0
0
I'm no expert at this football thing, but if I had to guess, I'd say we're either going to hand the ball to a man who in turn carries it into the end zone, or throw the ball to a man who then either runs into the end zone or is already in the end zone. Maybe even have a man kick the ball through that fork looking thing. Possibly a combination of all three.
 

boatsandhoes

Junior
Sep 6, 2012
2,151
208
63
I'm afraid it will be a struggle.

Untested QB play, a Hevesy Oline, no clear rb threat. I think the d will be solid, but they will end up being on the field too much because we wont be able to keep the ball in league play.

My only hope is that during the boobie days I thought our Oline was going to suck, and we managed to run the ball effectively. we don't have a boobie. maybe we'll stumble into someone sustainable at RB, and use holloway as an Ontario mccaleb.....but I don't see it.
 

rugbdawg

Redshirt
Oct 10, 2006
5,251
0
0
In short, there was a reason Mullen was trying to leave. You nailed the reason. We are gonna SUCK offensively.
 

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
15,043
5,569
113
Are we really that spoiled by Dak that we're "worried" about our current QB situation? Have we forgotten pre-2012 that easily?

Are we worried about green QB's being able to perform behind a garbage offensive line, with no proven everydown back to rely on? Yes. And I'd say it's been 2009 since we've really had to worry about a QB performing. If this were still 2009 or earlier, we wouldn't have to worry. We would be able to rest easy knowing there was no chance our QB would perform, and just focus on looking for positive signs for the next season.
 

drt7891

Redshirt
Dec 6, 2010
6,727
0
0
In 2009, we had Boobie Dixon, too. If we didn't have a good passing QB, we could at least feel good about him being an every down back. We also had some good o-lineman that year, too (Sherrod).

Can't say those things this year.
 

xxxWalkTheDawg

Redshirt
Oct 21, 2005
4,262
0
25
Are we really that spoiled by Dak that we're "worried" about our current QB situation? Have we forgotten pre-2012 that easily?

no kiddin. I never thought we would have near the success we did with Ralph under center. Then we beat Michigan with him in one of the best bowls we had been to in years. Every QB on roster is a better passer than Relf was.
 

thf24

Redshirt
Jan 28, 2011
1,334
3
38
Are we worried about green QB's being able to perform behind a garbage offensive line, with no proven everydown back to rely on? Yes. And I'd say it's been 2009 since we've really had to worry about a QB performing. If this were still 2009 or earlier, we wouldn't have to worry. We would be able to rest easy knowing there was no chance our QB would perform, and just focus on looking for positive signs for the next season.

I guess I just don't understand why some of you insist on deciding we're going to be bad two months or more before the start of the season. The tone suggests to me that we might as well not even play because it's already a foregone conclusion. It is what it is at this point, and I prefer to just sit back and see what happens before resorting to doom and gloom before anything's even happened.
 

BertleTheTurtle

Redshirt
Nov 4, 2013
302
29
28
In the words of Frank Ricard "We can't have anyone freak out out there, okay? We've got to keep our composure! We've come too far. There's just too much to lose! We've got to keep our composure!"

This team is going to be fine. We aren't a 9-10 win team like we've been the last couple of years, but that's to be expected when you have lost as many of the core pieces as we have. There's no doubt in my mind that our defense will be better and keep us in a lot of games. The offense is young and we'll take our beatings along the way, but I expect this OL to much improved over last year. This line was pieced together after the departure of our 2014 veteran laden OL. For the most part, there was limited experience that returned last year. They all had their asses whipped a time or two last year, but they gained experience and now they'll have another spring and summer to continue gelling. I actually don't think they are going to be nearly as bad as last year. Not great but not bad either. I fully expect the offense to go back to running the football from the QB position which will help mask some of our OL weaknesses. At the WR position, while we lack size, I think we have a veteran group of guys who are probably the best route runners of any WR group in the last 20 years. I think we see improvement from the RB position, though still not great. Williams needs to be our featured back with Holloway coming in as a change of pace back. My biggest fear isn't our QB, rather Mullen's choice of who starts at QB. I think we have more talent (while unproven) than we've ever had at the QB position, and everyone is just scared because we lost the best player to ever put on the maroon and white (which is justified). These kids can flat out play and every single one of them has better arm strength than Dak had. I don't think any of them will be the next Dak Prescott, but I think Fitz and Tiano can both be winners at State, but it won't be without taking a few lumps along the way.
 

Palos verdes

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
1,839
36
48
If I had been coach last year, Dontavian Lee would have had about 600-800 yds rushing, and about 7-10 rushing td's.
 

Uncle Ruckus

All-American
Apr 1, 2011
15,226
6,591
113
What makes you have fuzzy feelings about our QBs? Because of spring scrimmages or the time against garbage opponents? Just from what I've seen that will be on the field with our young, inexperienced qb's, I'm not expecting good things out of them. I'm also an eternal pessimist with MSU sports
 

CochiseCowbell

Heisman
Oct 29, 2012
15,374
13,779
113
Agreed. I think we are in a better position QB wise than the following SEC Teams:

All with the exception of... UM, UT, LSU, BAMA,...

I'm not a depth chart expert, so y'all tell me. I think we're better off than UGA, AUB, USCe, TAMU, VANDY.

Good topic for B&B tomorrow, HD6.
 

Moe Cabelle

Redshirt
Feb 16, 2016
456
0
0
Given our lack of game time exp, I feel remarkably confident we'll be fine with our qb play. Sure there will be some mistakes made, but I see Mullen returning to what he does best and that is slamming that big bodied qb up the field for consistent yardage. I think fitz looks the part and throws 10x better than relf ever did. This will open things up for the tbs and wrs. We get back to qb slamming and if fitz gets hampered, its Taino. I see us in a bowl game easy, top end as much as 8-9 games in Reg season.
Dak was the man but any 4 of these qbs would have been upgrade from all croom years.
Except for Staley- nice kid and measurables but it seemsDan isn't going pass first unless he has to. Staley does not look quite the runner to me no matter how much he resembles cam. My 2 cents
 

ronpolk

All-American
May 6, 2009
9,409
5,310
113
What makes you have fuzzy feelings about our QBs? Because of spring scrimmages or the time against garbage opponents? Just from what I've seen that will be on the field with our young, inexperienced qb's, I'm not expecting good things out of them. I'm also an eternal pessimist with MSU sports

Chris Relf is what gives me a good feeling that one of our QBs will be good. I don't mean Dak good but at the very least, we will get a Relf type performance.

If Mullen could make Relf work I think he can make one our current QBs work.
 

thf24

Redshirt
Jan 28, 2011
1,334
3
38
What makes you have fuzzy feelings about our QBs? Because of spring scrimmages or the time against garbage opponents? Just from what I've seen that will be on the field with our young, inexperienced qb's, I'm not expecting good things out of them. I'm also an eternal pessimist with MSU sports

No one can go indefinitely without playing a non-veteran QB. Instead of freaking out about it and writing them off two months before they get their first chances, I'm going to wait and see what happens.
 

HD6

Sophomore
Apr 8, 2003
10,019
108
63
6 of the last 7 national champions won behind a first year starter. Quarterback is a slightly overrated position in college. If you have great talent elsewhere, wins and losses take care of themselves. When you don't, you need a Dak Prescott to bail you out.
 

gymdawg.sixpack

Redshirt
Aug 26, 2012
1,724
0
0
Come oct a lotta folks on here are gonna eating some words. Nick is gonna be a really good qb....i amao think we win 9 this yr
 
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