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It looks pretty bright to me.... I guess I need to send a copy for Finescum.... flead from another board..a good read...
Next fall we will start 11 underclassmen on defense (Harris ahead of Evans at LB). Evans is the only Sr. on the entire 2 deep on defense. IOW, we will have 21 of the top 22 return in 2009. To take it a step further, 32 of the top 33 players (3 deeps at every position) on defense will return in 2009. That is absolutely incredible (thanks to the 2004 signing class).
We will start 3 seniors on O next fall (Lester, Green and Bosley). However, Pugh would be starting at center but for the need at RT. Enter J. Johnson, who I believe wil get significant snaps at RT next fall. Berry, Isom and Eddins are waiting for Green to graduate. That will be a war in the spring of 09 for teh LG spot. We will be a much better OL with Pugh at center and JJ at RT. Incredibly, all these guys will be sophomores next fall (Johnson a freshman), return in 09 as juniors and '10 as seniors. In '09, we will return 8 of the starting 11 and 30 of the top 33 players on O (in the 3 deep). In '10, we will return on offense the entire starting OL and TEs (of which all will be drafted in the NFL draft: Ziemba, Pugh, Ramsey, Johnson, McKenzie and Eddins). Tate, Fannin, Smith and Hunt will all still be here as will the entire WR corp except Billings, Dunn and Rod Smith.
The next 3 years will be an incredible run for AU football. Other than the one DT spot, we will field a team at every postion as good or better than anyone in the conference. If one of those guys will step up (andit is not like we are weak in talent), we will make a run the next 3 years.
And then what? Is 2011 the downfall? Well, this next recruiting class will tell the tale. In the next two recruiting classes, OL and LB will be huge needs.
