[NU Sports] Football Talk

[Tom Maycock]

> With a healthy Persa we go 8-4, GO  CATS!!!


I'd say *at least* 8-4. 

I expect a season very much along the lines of 2008-2010, where the team is 
talented enough to be in almost every game (if not every game), with a bunch of 
close games where the difference between 6-6 and 10-2 (11-1?) comes down to a 
few plays here and there. 

Consider last year: even with a shaky defense and a new starting QB, the Cats 
easily could have had 9 wins, maybe 10. Maybe more if Persa hadn't been injured. 
I figure Wisky was probably the only game we had very little chance of winning 
even with a healthy Persa. 

Everything else was doable, and the Cats were somewhat unfortunate not to pull 
out one or two of those. 

Of course, we were also fortunate not to have given away games against teams we 
were better than (Minny, CMU, Indiana). 

If Persa is close to his form of 2010, and barring other major injuries, the 
offense should be significantly better this year at nearly every position. 
Defense is the issue. I expect more consistency than last year, but there are 
some holes to fill. If there is a drop-off there from 2010, it will be a long 
year. If they can just improve a little bit, well, that second half of the 2011 
season could get very interesting. 

Tom