Ever notice how much the outcome of a football season is influenced by surprises? For example, how well would the Spartans have done last year if the play of our linebackers had not been a good surprise? Honestly, I expected that unit to take a step back last year considering that the Spartans needed to replace Greg Jones and Eric Gordon. Yet, the linebackers turned out to be one of the strengths of the team.
Surprises can also work against you, however. For example, the running game was supposed to be the strength of the team, last year. The "three-headed monster" (Baker, Bell, and Caper) was supposed to carry the team. But it turned out that the offensive line struggled more than most of us expected. I expected some struggle but not so much that the Spartans would end up last in rushing yards in the B1G and 78th in the country. Clearly, that was not a good surprise. If not for the surprising dominance of the defense (honestly, who expected the Spartans to finish in the top 5 in defense?), the weakness of the running game may have produced a losing season.
So what would be a good surprise for next year? Well, as everyone knows, the Spartans are losing all of their starters from the passing game: Cousins, Cunningham, Martin, Nichol, Linthicum, and Celek. That's pretty devastating. So if we only get one good surprise next year, it would be nice if it came in the form of an explosive passing game.
It would be nice if Andrew Maxwell turns out to be Andrew Luck II, but I'm not greedy. I would count it a nice surprise if Maxwell simply played as well as Kirk Cousins did in his junior year. It would be spectacular if at least two of our talented receivers for next year would play as well Keshawn Martin and BJ Cunningham did this year. But I would be happy if they played as well as Martin and Cunningham played in their junior years.
How important is it for the Spartans to get a nice surprise from their passing game? Well, I would go as far as to assert that if the Spartans experience no other surprises -- that is, if the O-line, D-line, running backs, linebackers, defensive backs, and special teams all play as well as I expect them to play -- then they could compete for a national championship. Of course, things never work out so neatly. If the universe surprises us with a great passing game, it will probably balance itself by taking away our D-line (perhaps Jerel Worthy proves irreplaceable), or something else.
Unfortunately, surprises are by definition unpredictable. But they are so common that we might as well assume that some big ones are going to occur this fall. The probability that all the surprises will fall our way are relatively low. But you never know.
Surprises can also work against you, however. For example, the running game was supposed to be the strength of the team, last year. The "three-headed monster" (Baker, Bell, and Caper) was supposed to carry the team. But it turned out that the offensive line struggled more than most of us expected. I expected some struggle but not so much that the Spartans would end up last in rushing yards in the B1G and 78th in the country. Clearly, that was not a good surprise. If not for the surprising dominance of the defense (honestly, who expected the Spartans to finish in the top 5 in defense?), the weakness of the running game may have produced a losing season.
So what would be a good surprise for next year? Well, as everyone knows, the Spartans are losing all of their starters from the passing game: Cousins, Cunningham, Martin, Nichol, Linthicum, and Celek. That's pretty devastating. So if we only get one good surprise next year, it would be nice if it came in the form of an explosive passing game.
It would be nice if Andrew Maxwell turns out to be Andrew Luck II, but I'm not greedy. I would count it a nice surprise if Maxwell simply played as well as Kirk Cousins did in his junior year. It would be spectacular if at least two of our talented receivers for next year would play as well Keshawn Martin and BJ Cunningham did this year. But I would be happy if they played as well as Martin and Cunningham played in their junior years.
How important is it for the Spartans to get a nice surprise from their passing game? Well, I would go as far as to assert that if the Spartans experience no other surprises -- that is, if the O-line, D-line, running backs, linebackers, defensive backs, and special teams all play as well as I expect them to play -- then they could compete for a national championship. Of course, things never work out so neatly. If the universe surprises us with a great passing game, it will probably balance itself by taking away our D-line (perhaps Jerel Worthy proves irreplaceable), or something else.
Unfortunately, surprises are by definition unpredictable. But they are so common that we might as well assume that some big ones are going to occur this fall. The probability that all the surprises will fall our way are relatively low. But you never know.
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