Quarterback: The Chris Todd thing doesn't surprise me much. He has experience, which is invaluable in the SEC wars. He has also played in somewhat similar offenses, so he should be able to pick things up well. I hope we can redshirt Rollison. Looks like he could be very good at some point down the road, but it is rare when a true frosh QB can make much of a difference.
Defense: I am extremely worried about the depth, particularly at LB and in the secondary. Much has be written about this already. My worry is augmented by the fact that Malzahn wants to snap the ball on offense so many times. I like that idea in theory, but I don't know that increasing the number of plays in a game by 20-30 percent is the best prescription for a thin defense.
Special Teams: This is another depth related worry. The Tuberville era saw many starters playing on special teams. Ronnie Brown played on the punt coverage team in 2004. Ben Tate was on both punt and KO coverage last year, I think. Many teams do this because of the limited practice time that can be devoted to special teams. With only 75 scholarship players, I think the temptation will be to play less experienced and/or talented players on the coverage teams. This could make us vulnerable to long returns. Of course, KO coverage was very spotty the last two seasons, so there may be nowhere to go but up.
The Left Ear of the Spread: My worry here is mostly for Wayne. And the spread's left ear.
Overall Thoughts: I have no idea what this season will be like. Very little will surprise me, though. I would be surprised if we went 14-0. I would be surprised if we lost to Furman. But, between those poles, anything could happen. Weird feeling.
Thoughts are appreciated.
I am trying, Trigger.
