Pretty sure either Chris or Brent said before the season started that Dekkers was going to get poached by an SEC team or leave for the NFL after this past year. I mean come on.
Hype Train Reminder and '23 Projections
- Thread starter Jeremy
- Start date
It comes down to coaching and adjustments. I don’t really want to blame the players. They are all talented and obviously excellent football players. You don’t get on a D1 field without it. The routes we were running did not exploit gaps, nor did the WRs correctly adjust to scrambles by the QBs. Hunter rarely went down his progressions because the routes and time in the pocket didn’t allow it. We did not adjust to what the defense was showing us over the course of the game or season.
Some of the blame fell onto the players not running routes correctly, but I personally feel that the player excuse can only work a few times early on, if you can’t coach them, either the QB or WR, to correct than that is on you.
Careful with this. These new programs will now be on an even playing field financially. A program like Houston could be scary with its potential financial capabilities and recruiting areas.
I think the new adds are great peers. Houston and BYU especially have really high ceilings. UCF and Cincy will probably have good and average mixes. None are unbeatable but all add true peer-level competition.
I don't know who said it, but there was reporting out there that the staff was saying we would've been so much better in 2022 with Dekkers instead of Purdy. That's the stuff I remember.
I'm just glad Fickell moved on from Cincinnati. He could've hurt our Ohio recruiting.
To be fair, Dekkers has all the physical tools needed to be really, really good. The question is if he can put it all together mentally AND at the same time have the OL, WR, and TE groups step up to help.
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After 2021 I will never believe the hype again
That’s what made 2017 such a fun year. I had zero expectations and we balled out.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Was that reporting? I remember one poster in particular pushing that, but he's verrrrrrrry optimistic when he looks at things.
At first glance our schedule looks tough compared to other Big 12 schools, but I think a lot of the teams in the league this year have more question marks than most years. We know Texas is talented, but if they lose to Alabama by 50 they may just pack it in for the year. We know their culture sucks. Oklahoma still needs to prove they have a decent coach. It sure didn't look that way last year. And the fact Texas Tech was picked 4th in the preseason should tell us all that we are not really that far from the top of the league this year. We know CMC will have these guys ready to compete and in most games. The days of Cyclone teams having ZERO chance against certain opponents is a thing of the past.
I think the concern with Dekkers is the non-physical part of the game. If or when he plays, he needs to be much better reading the defense and better making decisions.
Yeah I said in another thread that I think our #4 hardest schedule will drop into the teens when all is said and done. I think overall the league is down this year.
Oklahoma MAY recover from last year's debacle following the mass exodus after Riley left, but they're not Top 5 good.
I'm actually higher on Texas than some here because I think little by little Sark is making the right moves with each class to change the culture. Not sure they're "back" yet, but should be stout. The big unknown is how they adapt to losing 2 of the best backs in the country.
I figure that Saban and Alabama will be ready for Texas in Tuscaloosa this year after such a close game last year. I could see that one get ugly.