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Expectations for the Spring Game

Jhollenbeck41

Graduate Assistant
Nov 29, 2018
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Been to the last two now, so I understand that you can't really take spring games that seriously, but what do we have for expectations going into this one?

My main one is visual, physical, positive changes in the size of our Lineman overall. Specifically Cam Jurgens, Ethan Piper, Bryce Benhart, Turner Corcoran, and Ty Robinson.
 
Kicking game improvement

OL and DL line play
linebackers. QB progressions and decision making. Very tough to get much from a controlled scrimmage but still want to see AM look good and see how the young QBs fare. Always fun to get a look at some new faces.
 
I was at last years and it was pretty basic/ boring. So I would be shocked if this year we are able to get much more out of it. Frost is going to keep things pretty vanilla. However, I do hope we see some more up tempo style of play. I hope we see Martinez, quick, crisp, and running and passing all over the field. If not him then McCaffrey, we need a QB to step up and play lights out this year. I don't care who it is. We can't have another showing at the QB position like last year.
 
The only really measurable aspect of the team that you can put any stock in from a Spring game is the kicking team. Does one of our kickers have a strong enough leg to routinely drive kickoffs into the end zone? Do the punters have the physical ability to boom punts and flip a field? Those are truly objective things relating to physical ability that are very straightforward. Everything else is contrived and controlled way too much to learn anything of real value.

Also, it must always be remembered that the Spring game is our team playing against ourselves. Thus, if the offense dominates it does not mean it is worth a shit. It might just mean our defense stinks. And vice versa. You don't know a damn thing about the quality of your overall team's talent until they play in real games against somebody else.

Sorry, but I am not putting ANY stock in winning the offseason this year. Sick of that. Time for this program to put up or shut up.
 
The only really measurable aspect of the team that you can put any stock in from a Spring game is the kicking team. Does one of our kickers have a strong enough leg to routinely drive kickoffs into the end zone? Do the punters have the physical ability to boom punts and flip a field? Those are truly objective things relating to physical ability that are very straightforward. Everything else is contrived and controlled way too much to learn anything of real value.

Also, it must always be remembered that the Spring game is our team playing against ourselves. Thus, if the offense dominates it does not mean it is worth a shit. It might just mean our defense stinks. And vice versa. You don't know a damn thing about the quality of your overall team's talent until they play in real games against somebody else.

Sorry, but I am not putting ANY stock in winning the offseason this year. Sick of that. Time for this program to put up or shut up.
After last years hype this is exactly what I think was going on. Media and even coaches were singing praises of this position group or that or a certain player. They weren't wrong or trying to over hype things. What they were seeing is bad on bad. Bad on bad will always make one area or another look really good. IE Our D looked very good against our bad O at times. Our O looked very good against our bad D at times. As I like to say, Iron sharpens Iron. Rust just creates more rust. We had lots of high quality rust on both sides of the ball last year.
 
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No injuries is what I hope for. What I expect? Mixed reviews as to who the starting QB should be
 
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I see the "body type and change" mentioned a couple of times. I can remember lots of talk over the years about gains in the weight room overall and players who were "lifter of year" who never saw the field.

I want to see a more athletic team overall. That means stronger, more flexible, better conditioned and mentally stronger. Looks are often deceiving. Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane. I don't want that to be true.
 
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No injuries is what I hope for. What I expect? Mixed reviews as to who the starting QB should be
This is what I’m tired of. Hearing about how half the starting lineup is hurt and missed half of spring practices and the staff down playing it stating they are being held out for precautionary reasons. Just sick of it. Championships are won in the off-season. Can’t develope in spring if you ain’t practicing. Our team needs reps especially since they missed bowl practices.

and anyone whose ever played sports knows it’s a little different playing in front of a crowd. Need to build confidence and the best place to do that is in front of an audience.
 
This is what I’m tired of. Hearing about how half the starting lineup is hurt and missed half of spring practices and the staff down playing it stating they are being held out for precautionary reasons. Just sick of it. Championships are won in the off-season. Can’t develope in spring if you ain’t practicing. Our team needs reps especially since they missed bowl practices.

and anyone whose ever played sports knows it’s a little different playing in front of a crowd. Need to build confidence and the best place to do that is in front of an audience.
100000000000000000000% agree
 
This is what I’m tired of. Hearing about how half the starting lineup is hurt and missed half of spring practices and the staff down playing it stating they are being held out for precautionary reasons. Just sick of it. Championships are won in the off-season. Can’t develope in spring if you ain’t practicing. Our team needs reps especially since they missed bowl practices.

and anyone whose ever played sports knows it’s a little different playing in front of a crowd. Need to build confidence and the best place to do that is in front of an audience.

No kidding...play them. Unless it is a real injury, play them. It is in April...they have tons of time to heal up and this is as close as game experience that they can get.
 
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I expect to see a lot of top ranked recruits some seeing NU for the first time and seeing one of our best recruiting tools in our bag.. 90k at a glorified practice.. thats what this is.. id expect to see some rust from the offense simply because the new OC and the offense is usually behind the defense at that point in the season.. I expect to see some kids on our team having some fun again!! Lets tee it up
 
Stands packed and pumped up. Hope outweighs past results in the spring.
 
This is what I’m tired of. Hearing about how half the starting lineup is hurt and missed half of spring practices and the staff down playing it stating they are being held out for precautionary reasons. Just sick of it. Championships are won in the off-season. Can’t develope in spring if you ain’t practicing. Our team needs reps especially since they missed bowl practices.

and anyone whose ever played sports knows it’s a little different playing in front of a crowd. Need to build confidence and the best place to do that is in front of an audience.
Play to win......versus hiding behind the sheets and playing not to lose.
I like it
 
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