[NU Sports] Isn't anyone else excited over the 2005 Cats?

[Tom Maycock]

--- Jim Bendat <thehaze at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Okay, Roy, I'll join in.  I'm very fired up.  

Me too. Then again, I usually am fairly optimistic about the upcoming
season. Call me crazy.

But I do think this should be a good team--probably better than last
year.  

Concerns? Well, will the retooled offensive line be as good as last
year? If so, I suspect our running game will be as good as last year if
not better, and definitely expect the passing game to be better.

On defense -- if everyone is healthy (a big if), it seems like we could
be better than last year. The big question mark (as always) would seem
to be the defensive backfield, and pressuring the QB. 

Let's see--about the schedule:

Non-con doesn't look too bad. No idea about ASU, but I would think the
first 5 games are all potentially winnable. I'd love to see 4-1 coming
off of those, particularly if it included a 2-0 Big Ten start. 

Those final 6 games look real rough, for *any* decent football team.
Realistically, going 3-3 through that stretch wouldn't be a terrible
performance by any means. Let's see, 7-4 (5-3). Yeah, I could live with
that. Give me a nice bowl win, and I'd be real happy.

But at this point, anything is possible. Put it this way--I certainly
won't make any plans that would prevent me being in Pasadena for the
Rose Bowl should that option arise.

And I think I'll try to let someone else worry about firing/not-firing
the coach. Life's way too short to worry about that stuff. 

Tom