[NU Sports] Cat pre-season report card

[mlinhardt at netzero.net]

Are these grades relative to us in the past or to every other team in the country?

I can't compare us to the rest of the nation, because not only do I not see everybody else play, but because there is still a talent gap.

By most definitions A+ NFL pro-bowler, A multi-year NFL starter, A- NFL backup, B+ NFL draftee, B superior college player, B- good college player, etc.  By those ratings Castillo might be our only A in recent memory, but he needs more time in the league.  Napo(A-), Gardner(B+), Bates(B+), Fitz(B), etc.

Relative to us:
QB - B- Bacher is evolving and has played 1/2 of a season.  The sweetspot(A- grade) for NU qbs starts after a full season under center -- Zak and Bas are notable examples.

OL - B- IMO they have been a fairly anonymous crew, which can be good -- no holding penalties.  Sacks are low, but our short yardage rushing could use some work.  A lot of this was a RW thing -- I cringed when I saw the power-I on third and short.

RB - B Sutton has to stop fumbling, otherwise he looks to be on track for a good year similar to Jason or Noah, but not '95 DA or '00 DA2.

WR - B We have a pair of WRs in Lane and Peterman that could approach the Bates-Musso combo.  With KT as the Teddy Johhson look-a-like we potentially will have a breakout season assuming Bacher evolves and the O-line protects.

DL - A- We might have the second best D-line that I recall with '95 being the tip-top.

LB - D None of the returnees are anywhere near our average '95 on crews.  No Napo, Bentley, Gardner, Roach, etc.  Kadela just does not impress me.

DB - C without Brendan B with him.  We have no proven lockdown corner, but Brendan makes things happen.

ST - Incomplete We have no Sam V, Brian G, or Paul B on our team.  Sharrick needs to concentrate on evolving as a corner.  Who knows?

Coaching - B- recruiting looks good, but given the MSU meltdown gameday might need some work.

Relative to the rest of the nation our coaching always gets a bump of at least one grade given our academic requirements.  On a pure talent level there is no way we can compete with any strong football school, yet we manage to hold our own since '95.


-- "Dennis W. Brandt" <tbng at comcast.net> wrote:
I always do this at the end of the season, but I thought I would try to 
offer realistic expectations of what I expect them to do this season.  It 
will be interesting to compare pre-season predictions with actual scores 
(mine, that is)between the Illinois and bowl games.  May I be on the low 
side in every case.

OL - C+  There are returning starters here that should improve play.  (Will 
Rees play or not?)  They will not be in the Michigan or Wisconsin class but 
should be adequate barring injury.  Better play here will obviously affect 
the QB and RB ratings.  Depth, as usual, is an issue.

QB - C+  Bacher has the potential to be a B if he cuts down on the mistakes 
and gets help from the OL.

RB - A-  Sutton will get his 1,500 yards barring injury to him or Bacher. 
The question is his backups and who will carry the ball on 3rd and 1, an 
area that has haunted the Cats.

WR - C  There is depth here but no one spectacular.  The loss of Brewer has 
hurt.  Someone has to step up and be the guy who defenses must cover.

DL - C  Lots of returners from on a line that was dreadful last season in 
the first half but improved in the second.  They MUST generate a pass rush, 
something that is not traditional on NU's DLs.  How the DL plays. as usual, 
will be the key to the Cats' overall success.

LB - C  Kadela should be steady, and perhaps Jeske will live up to his 
billing, but there are ifs here.

DB - B-  Could be even better if the DL plays well.

ST - I  Who the heck knows how we'll kick?  Who knows about ther coverage 
and return teams?

Depth - D  What else is new?

Coaching - B-  Will improve over last season's tragic start.  Fitz will 
become one of the nation's best - eventually.

Intangibles - C  Playing three home games before mostly empty seats will not 
help enthusiasm.  We will need three out-of-conference victories and an 
upset over Ohio State to really get the motor revving.

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