Sun Belt Breakdown (ESPN)

[moonshine]

Some good insight. The defense almost quadruples the sack output over the last six games (22) as compared to the first half (6). The D also improved dramatically in the last six games in yards given up per play. Woody needs to focus on the 64% of TDs allowed in the red zone as well as the 19 rushing TDs allowed in the red zone.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/ ... rs-preview

[moehler]

wow, just reading the article you would have never guessed we were the top defense in the SBC, and third best offense last year, not saying the writer didn't make good points, just kinda painted a picture of a team that just was "okay", and not one that had a very successful 1 year in the FBS.

[JTApps1]

I thought the same thing. Either way I'm still pumped to see App included in these yearly previews!

[hapapp]

Only NMSU, GA State, and Troy were worse in the red zone. Remember the layout of the article was to present both positive and negative aspects of each team.

[Yosef84]

In light of the season stats, it's easy to see why a reviewer might be conservative in projections. The mid-season turn around was amazing, but there will be those who question which is the "real" App State. I think those of us who were watching the games know that the first half of the year was the anomaly, but I am an unapologetic homer, so I'm always optimistic going into a season.

As others have already pointed out, the format for this write-up was to highlight both the positives and the negatives.

For the record, our red zone D will improve as our special teams. If we start giving our opponents a longer field, that red zone D won't get tested quite so often.

I am more excited about this season than I have been since Armanti graduated. Is it September yet?

GO APPS!!!

[AtlAppMan]

I always like to hear big kudos on how we turned everything around and will take 2015 by storm. However, it is only fair that until we put together a full season of consistent top level play we will not convince any neutral party of our ability to compete. I am not offended by the luke-warm review but truly believe we will come out of the gate strong this year. I feel like many of the contributing problems of our lack of performance in the last several years may now be behind us and the team is genuinely focused now.

If we want to take the next step to become another Boise St then we need to make a statement game a Clemson this year.

[moehler]

agree with everything you said, the Clemson game is going to be an important for us to get an idea how good this team is going to be, realistically, I don't think we can win the game, but I think we can make a game of it for 3 quarters, from what I have read our secondary better get ready, if you believe the early publication predictions, their receiving corp is going to be one of the best in the country.

[bigdaddyg]

Obviously the special team's gaffes have been beaten to death but facts are facts. If we convert fairly routine XP's and short field goals the final 6 game win streak (even though it was awesome) would not have necessarily stuck out so much. We had a short week and a trip to Statesboro for a Thursday night game- could not have been a more unfavorable scheduling situation. Horrible road loss to Southern Miss, back home, then back to GSU on the road. Write off the Michigan loss (it was what it was), a give-away game to Southern Miss due to the kicking game and then then the back to back roadies on the short week. All that being said we pretty much agree that 9-3 should have been the final record. Despite the obvious personnel changes that needed to be made, and were made, we should have been no worse than 3-3 for the first part of the season. You never know what you will get from 18-22 year old young men but I will take a conservative breakdown. I see the fate of next season resting solely on the line play. LT will obviously be a key as will the ability to apply pressure to opposing QB's. We should be nasty at LB and the running game should be relentless. Typically a concern with playing Clemson in Death Valley, particularly in August is the oppressive humidity and team depth. We should be able to rotate enough bodies in and out to combat the heat factor. We just can't give up the big play and if the line can allow us to pound the ball with our stable of backs we can hopefully keep the clock rolling and limit Clemson offensive opportunities.

[moehler]

I think we will give Clemson fits for periods of the game on both sides of the ball, I think we will surprise them with our overall team speed, especially at the linebacker position, and they will be starting alot of new players. But the big question mark is the offensive line, last year it got much, much better as the season progressed, but still alot of question marks on this unit, if that unit can come togeather and become one of the better units in the SBC, I cant see a reason why we won't contend, or maybe even the favorites, to win the SBC.