[NU Sports] my two cents

[Abrahamson, Alan]

 1. I would also like to say I'm glad to see Mr. Schooler back on the list.
 2. I think the problem is our defense. I had thought many times over the past month that we had made real strides in our defense -- that it had matured. Then came the debacle in Hawaii, which I stayed up late to watch, all the way to the last execrable play.
 The reason we were so good in 95 and 96 was fundamentally, as is always the case with championship teams, defense. That is where I believe we need to get better next year. Our linebacking corps is strong, probably the strength of the team. But why, oh why, year after year, is our secondary so porous? This seems to me to be a problem that ought to be fixable.
 Our offensive line loses some guys and Noah Herron is gone, and he is a warrior -- I've enjoyed watching him as much or more as DA1 and DA2. But Basanez will be a senior and ought to be terrific, and the receiving corps ought to be first-rate as well. So I have some confidence for the 2005 season -- although I have the same trepidations I had going into this year. Could be 8-3, could be 4-7. 
 3. I doubt very much that RW gets fired, unless Murphy wants his own guy. The Cats are competitive and the kids are graduating. Plus, the Wheeler issue is not resolved in court.
 4. The issue with 6-6 is that our expectations have changed, and rightly so. In years gone by, 6-6 and 5-3 conference, would be cause for rejoicing. Now we expect better. I think we have a better record if we fix our defensive woes.
 - Alan