Preseason Projections

[Bigdaddyg1]

Hopefully we will have a couple of guys on defense who can take charge on the field and keep the other players in position. We were all frustrated last year by either the lack of tackling or simply guys being completely out of position. I miss those days (not that long ago) when we swarmed to the ball.

[BambooRdApp]

The below is one of the big unknowns for me going into the season. Joey Dimes was not perfect, however, he could get it done.
QB questions...WR questions....and the trenches on both sides of the ball. I realize we have brought in transfers. However, you never know until they play the game. At some point (or maybe several points) during the year, we will need the QB and WRs to shine. .. whether in a Zac Thomas way (pass/run combination) or a joey/Chase kind of way (primarily passing)..
Will be interesting to see how it all plays out... Charlotte game cannot get here soon enough.

Joey Aguilar threw for a career-high 424 yards and two touchdowns, including a 36-yard, go-ahead score to Makai Jackson late in the third quarter. Jackson finished with 86 yards, compared to 129 on seven catches from Kaedin Robinson and 108 on five receptions from Christan Horn.

[Saint3333]

I can't argue too hard against a 6-6 prediction, but if we start 5-2 we aren't going 1-4 the last five.

[AppStFan1]

https://x.com/sunbelt_sports/status/1955637446701461924

I can't argue too hard against a 6-6 prediction, but if we start 5-2 we aren't going 1-4 the last five.

That is what I am thinking. If we can start 5-2 we should finish 8-4 at least. I don't see us losing to both Marshall and Arkansas State in Boone unless we got a lot of drama going on within in the team or a lot of major injuries.

[kornegaylw]

Losing to Marshall & SoMiss, teams who had 52% roster change (56 & 54 transfers respectively) and new coaches will be a tough pill to swallow

Yes I know we have a new coach and have 31% (31 new transfers)...

SoMiss is our "Show us who you really are" game...UNCC will be interesting, Lindenwood should be a blow out so SoMiss should be when we see it click.

[BambooRdApp]

Losing to Marshall & SoMiss, teams who had 52% roster change (56 & 54 transfers respectively) and new coaches will be a tough pill to swallow

Yes I know we have a new coach and have 31% (31 new transfers)...

SoMiss is our "Show us who you really are" game...UNCC will be interesting, Lindenwood should be a blow out so SoMiss should be when we see it click.

Many So. Miss transfers are from Marshall following the coach who left.marshall. The turd put a 50 spot on us last year. Unfortunately, I was there to watch it live. Not sure that would be tough to swallow....So. Miss probably kept some good players and then added quite a few MU players...

[Bootsy]

Huff will have things clicking in short order down in Hattiesburg, so I don’t see USM as an easy out.

Marshall is a bigger question mark than App this season, so who knows which way that game will go.

[kornegaylw]

Losing to Marshall & SoMiss, teams who had 52% roster change (56 & 54 transfers respectively) and new coaches will be a tough pill to swallow

Yes I know we have a new coach and have 31% (31 new transfers)...

SoMiss is our "Show us who you really are" game...UNCC will be interesting, Lindenwood should be a blow out so SoMiss should be when we see it click.

Many So. Miss transfers are from Marshall following the coach who left.marshall. The turd put a 50 spot on us last year. Unfortunately, I was there to watch it live. Not sure that would be tough to swallow....So. Miss probably kept some good players and then added quite a few MU players...

True and fair...SoMiss will be a quality team...If they look good quickly Huff will be onwards and upwards in short order.

[JTApps1]

I don't think Marshall was all that good last year, nor do I think Huff is a great coach. He was on the hot seat in Huntington, but was able to win the division by being slightly better than a bunch of mediocre teams. Even in our game we have them a lot of points due to poor play on our end.

[AtlAppMan]

https://x.com/sunbelt_sports/status/1955637446701461924

I can't argue too hard against a 6-6 prediction, but if we start 5-2 we aren't going 1-4 the last five.

That is what I am thinking. If we can start 5-2 we should finish 8-4 at least. I don't see us losing to both Marshall and Arkansas State in Boone unless we got a lot of drama going on within in the team or a lot of major injuries.

Agree, agree.
I have to believe that our team will improve as season progresses. For that reason, I don’t see the season playing out this way (finishing 1-4).

[Bigdaddyg1]

How does every Belt break down in terms of returning starters from last year? If every team turned over a majority of their roster I don’t see how anyone can reasonably predict records. I know it’s just like the polls but who exactly did this prediction? So basically we will be pretty good for 7 games then the wheels will fall off? If we go 6-6 I’d say that for the most part this will be closer to the norm for most good G5 teams. It’s now come down to who can pony up salary money, who is shady and who gets lucky. A 10-2 G5 team will be extremely rare.

[ArmantiWaterSafety]

I see a Sunbelt title in our future.

I will not speculate on how far into the future that may be.

[BambooRdApp]

Good interview with Coach DLo on the radio yesterday. No definitive details on position battle....but selling the App..St.....nice job

[AppStFan1]

Good interview with Coach DLo on the radio yesterday. No definitive details on position battle....but selling the App..St.....nice job

Agreed! He is selling App and his experience for sure! I am surprised we have folks who sound worried and feel like they need to know who the starters are by now. There is likely going to be a lot of turnover every year so we just have to get use to the fact we aren't going to have 15+ returning starters every year anymore. This makes it harder for early opponents to prepare for us and nothing wrong with that.

[AtlAppMan]

Good interview with Coach DLo on the radio yesterday. No definitive details on position battle....but selling the App..St.....nice job

Agreed! He is selling App and his experience for sure! I am surprised we have folks who sound worried and feel like they need to know who the starters are by now. There is likely going to be a lot of turnover every year so we just have to get use to the fact we aren't going to have 15+ returning starters every year anymore. This makes it harder for early opponents to prepare for us and nothing wrong with that.

You are correct and as many have said on this site, this is going to be more the norm for most G5s and many P5s for the foreseeable future. Many teams will have more churn year over year so the predictions will be more difficult. I think the more reliable predictor (and to a large degree as in past) will be the reputation and track record of the coach.

[hapapp]

How does every Belt break down in terms of returning starters from last year? If every team turned over a majority of their roster I don’t see how anyone can reasonably predict records. I know it’s just like the polls but who exactly did this prediction? So basically we will be pretty good for 7 games then the wheels will fall off? If we go 6-6 I’d say that for the most part this will be closer to the norm for most good G5 teams. It’s now come down to who can pony up salary money, who is shady and who gets lucky. A 10-2 G5 team will be extremely rare.

Based on Lindy's, only USM and Marshall have fewer returning starters than we do (5). Of course, USM has a slew of Marshall's starters. Only GA Southern has double digit numbers for returning starters.

[AppStFan1]

Good interview with Coach DLo on the radio yesterday. No definitive details on position battle....but selling the App..St.....nice job

Agreed! He is selling App and his experience for sure! I am surprised we have folks who sound worried and feel like they need to know who the starters are by now. There is likely going to be a lot of turnover every year so we just have to get use to the fact we aren't going to have 15+ returning starters every year anymore. This makes it harder for early opponents to prepare for us and nothing wrong with that.

You are correct and as many have said on this site, this is going to be more the norm for most G5s and many P5s for the foreseeable future. Many teams will have more churn year over year so the predictions will be more difficult. I think the more reliable predictor (and to a large degree as in past) will be the reputation and track record of the coach.

People just have to get use to it. I think Loggains is being smart for not wanting to rush to put anything out but he has been feeling out the roster. I think he has a leader for the starters but need to keep them all competing and we all know that just because you don't start in week one does not mean you won't start or even have a huge year and be All-Sun Belt. It is going to be almost impossible to have 20 returning starters as a G5 going forward.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

I’d say based on last season, not returning a lot of starters is a good thing. Especially on defense.

[spacemonkey]

The new stat should be how many players on your roster started somewhere last year. LOL.

Break it down.
High school
FCS
G5
M2
P2.

[BUTCH1991]

Preseason Bottom 10 https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... -bottom-10