Next Year Expectations

[utucats]

So I know that this is premature but I wonder if some of us don't get a little optimistic when predicting next season's success after our year is over. It's almost like a coping mechanism to believe everything will be great the following year. Also, I think that preseason predictions are conversely a little pessimistic. It's almost as if, with the season fast approaching, we hedge our bets to some degree to shield ourselves from a let down if the season doesn't go as planned.

With that in mind, I'm curious what opinions/expectations are for next season considering we are still playing football this year. We have an idea about our accomplishments for 2018 are so what do we expect in 2019? Who do we think will be next year's QB? Do we continue our progress? What will it take for us all to believe we are continuing a positive trend?

[mslacatfan]

First- before someone jumps in with a "We need to focus on the playoff game".... please just shut up. The TEAM needs to focus on the playoff game. We (an online chat forum for bobcat fans) can talk about whatever we want.

Next year: I expect the team to compete for the big sky title, and have a deep playoff run.
-Defense overall should be as good or better. Obviously Yates/wright/fananono is a big loss. But this team has a ton of talent on D coming back.
-Offense, expect them to be more balanced. Baumen or Rovig at QB. Running game/OL should dominate.
-Where will Chuck Norris play?... excuse me, I mean Troy Andersen. He will be a starting LB, with between 5-10 plays at RB.

also, we will win 4 in a row against the griz.

[kennethnoisewater]

I would guess the only position the Cats are worse at next year is DL, but that group should still be solid. Every other group either adds somebody or just gets more experienced. Assuming a serviceable QB can be found and the Cats make a lateral move there, they're automatically better at LB. If there's improvement there, it might be an impressive season.

Regardless of QB, I'd predict MSU upsets somebody and gets upset by somebody. I think they can finish 9-3 pretty realistically, and possibly better. Obviously some things could go south and it could be 6-6. I really believe the growth is a slow burn at MSU since they've invested heavily in the trenches. I think next year things start paying off, and they get a couple splashes that help right away.

[seataccat]

For me it's all about how the team competes. One play in the Cat/Griz and the entire complexion of this year would have been different but I would have still considered the season a success. Sometimes you win and sometimes you don't, but it's obvious that the players have bought into the system and are competing hard. It's always nice to win cat/griz and make deep playoff runs but I will be satisfied with the continual progress in the culture and obvious depth building of this team. The wins will come.

[RobertoGato]

This exercise is completely pointless, but out of boredom:

• @TTU: L
• SEMO: L
• @WIU: W
• NFS: W
• NAU: W
• @CP: W
• SCS: W
• @UND: W
• SUU: W
• @UNC: W
• @UCD: L
• UM: W

9-3 overall; 6-1 in BSC play

[DriscollCat]

I will be focused strictly on Cat Griz 2018 until Saturday morning



You guys have fun moving on. This one deserves to be relished.

[utucats]

First- before someone jumps in with a "We need to focus on the playoff game".... please just shut up. The TEAM needs to focus on the playoff game. We (an online chat forum for bobcat fans) can talk about whatever we want.

Next year: I expect the team to compete for the big sky title, and have a deep playoff run.
-Defense overall should be as good or better. Obviously Yates/wright/fananono is a big loss. But this team has a ton of talent on D coming back.
-Offense, expect them to be more balanced. Baumen or Rovig at QB. Running game/OL should dominate.
-Where will Chuck Norris play?... excuse me, I mean Troy Andersen. He will be a starting LB, with between 5-10 plays at RB.

also, we will win 4 in a row against the griz.

I was expecting to hear something about not looking ahead so thanks for heading that off.

I agree with you on the expectations. I think we will see a drop off on the d line. Yates, Wright and Fa'anono will be tough to replace. I expect that group to be kind of like the situation we've had this year at LB. Our guys have made some big plays at that position and have fought through a ton of injuries so I don't mean this negatively but it is hard to pretend that losing Mac wasn't a huge loss for that group. Other than the DL group I think we have a chance to improve at most positions.

I also think that TA will find his way to another position. I myself would like to see Bauman under center. With his size and arm strength he has all the tools necessary to be a good one. I'm really torn about how TA will be used. With the fury that Ifanse runs with you'd think that we could move TA to primarily a defensive role but TA is soooo productive on offense. I think that is going to be a tough decision for the coaches.

I'd like to hope that we win the conference next season and I think we will be capable but a more reasonable expectation is for us to be in the hunt. I do expect us to spend the entire year in the top 25. I think our next step to continue this trend is to beat one of these top 10 teams that we have been competitive with but unable to get over the hump. Who knows, maybe we can accomplish that this year!

[utucats]

For me it's all about how the team competes. One play in the Cat/Griz and the entire complexion of this year would have been different but I would have still considered the season a success. Sometimes you win and sometimes you don't, but it's obvious that the players have bought into the system and are competing hard. It's always nice to win cat/griz and make deep playoff runs but I will be satisfied with the continual progress in the culture and obvious depth building of this team. The wins will come.

I think that is a great point of view and reminds me of when Coach talks about culture. Sometimes the ball doesn't bounce your way but having the guts to never give in and keep competing will put you in a position to capitalize when it does, just like in this year's Cat griz.

One of the reasons I love Choate is the way his players talk about him and the way they never quit. I think that is a representation of the man at the top and as long as Coach has the locker room I think we will continue improving.

[utucats]

I will be focused strictly on Cat Griz 2018 until Saturday morning



You guys have fun moving on. This one deserves to be relished.

Cmon Driscoll! You know you can't help yourself. Throw your two cents in. Beating the griz is something we do regularly around here these days. Onto bigger challenges!

[AFCAT]

Find a quarterback that can throw. Nothing against Troy, so settle down. Win the Big Sky. Beat the griz. Win at least two playoff games.

[JimboCat]

First- before someone jumps in with a "We need to focus on the playoff game".... please just shut up. The TEAM needs to focus on the playoff game. We (an online chat forum for bobcat fans) can talk about whatever we want.

Next year: I expect the team to compete for the big sky title, and have a deep playoff run.
-Defense overall should be as good or better. Obviously Yates/wright/fananono is a big loss. But this team has a ton of talent on D coming back.
-Offense, expect them to be more balanced. Baumen or Rovig at QB. Running game/OL should dominate.
-Where will Chuck Norris play?... excuse me, I mean Troy Andersen. He will be a starting LB, with between 5-10 plays at RB.

also, we will win 4 in a row against the griz.

This is exactly how I see it. The only thing I will add is, we will bring in some more QB competition. So Rovig or Baumen or QB not on roster yet. Choate will bring in more competition and depth for sure.

[catbooster]

My expectation is that after a hard fought, emotional Cat/griz game (immediately after the whistle), both teams will quietly gather on their sideline, remove their helmets and place them neatly in a row, then walk or jog to the middle of the field, shake hands with the other team and thank them for a good game.

Then the losing team will walk or jog back to their block house/lockerroom and the winning team will pose for a few photos with the trophy before walking/jogging to their block house/lockerroom. They may wave at their fans while doing this, but all fingers must be equally extended for the wave.

[gtapp]

So much can change in one year. Players develop, they quit, transfers come in, they get hurt. Too many variables but based on what we know today:

I expect the Ofense to be better for the obvious: Matt MIller has an entire off season and we should improve at QB.

I am worried about the Defense. The secondary should be the best and deepest in the BSC. The D line loses three players we don't have replacements for and our D line depth is not there next year. At least not right now. Also the only LB that played well this year was Collins and he graduates. Chapman we know can play but was injured most of the year. People seemed to like Kanow but he was hurt also and has yet to demonstrate his ability. We don't know if Hill is coming back. If all three recover we should be ok but if not that would be my biggest concern.

[utucats]

My expectation is that after a hard fought, emotional Cat/griz game, both teams will quietly gather on their sideline, remove their helmets and place them neatly in a row, then walk or jog to the middle of the field, shake hands with the other team and thank them for a good game.

Then the losing team will walk or jog back to their block house/lockerroom and the winning team will pose for a few photos with the trophy before walking/jogging to their block house/lockerroom. They may wave at their fans while doing this, but all fingers must be equally extended for the wave.

I literally laughed out loud at this and then had to make up a BS story when someone in the office asked me what was so funny.

[utucats]

Find a quarterback that can throw. Nothing against Troy, so settle down. Win the Big Sky. Beat the griz. Win at least two playoff games.

You settle down!! No, I'm with you. I think Troy CAN throw but I don't think the coaches planned on having him be the long term solution at QB. He held down the job for a season and got us through a tough situation but I fully expect him to be playing somewhere else next year.

Anyone think we will ever see Murray again?

[DriscollCat]

I will be focused strictly on Cat Griz 2018 until Saturday morning



You guys have fun moving on. This one deserves to be relished.

Cmon Driscoll! You know you can't help yourself. Throw your two cents in. Beating the griz is something we do regularly around here these days. Onto bigger challenges!

Haha! Like Derek Marks said, "Beating the griz is the new standard."

That being said, coming from behind 22-0, winning on a goal line stand moments after it looked like we might have lost two different times (once when it looked like Eastwood might have barely crossed the the goal line, then when it was called back because timeout had been called). To do all that at their house, to win 3 in a row for the first time in 33 years, and with how long the pain from a loss lingers - I'm going to nurse this win for all it's worth!

I've been ecstatic constantly from the moment I realized it was a turnover and not just a 3rd down stop.

Okay, maybe I'll just throw this in quickly: I like the direction. As much as I like Matt Miller, I'm confident that Coach Choate is going to bring in some new OC that blows our minds. And I am hopeful that if we get a passing qb, we might be in the conference title race. The one thing that bridles my optimism is that when one thing gets better, another seems to get worse. In the preseason, it looked like we were going to be the best defense in the conference (in my opinion) because our LB corps was the strength of our defense, we had up and coming defensive backs and maybe the best D line in the conference. All of a sudden, LBs are a real liability. I hope it all comes together, but I'm not betting the farm just yet.

Oh yeah, and we take the 4th game of our 5 game win streak against the griz

[Camo_Cat]

Simple:

Beat the Sky. Own the State.

[utucats]

I will be focused strictly on Cat Griz 2018 until Saturday morning



You guys have fun moving on. This one deserves to be relished.

Cmon Driscoll! You know you can't help yourself. Throw your two cents in. Beating the griz is something we do regularly around here these days. Onto bigger challenges!

Haha! Like Derek Marks said, "Beating the griz is the new standard."

That being said, coming from behind 22-0, winning on a goal line stand moments after it looked like we might have lost two different times (once when it looked like Eastwood might have barely crossed the the goal line, then when it was called back because timeout had been called). To do all that at their house, to win 3 in a row for the first time in 33 years, and with how long the pain from a loss lingers - I'm going to nurse this win for all it's worth!

I've been ecstatic constantly from the moment I realized it was a turnover and not just a 3rd down stop.

Okay, maybe I'll just throw this in quickly: I like the direction. As much as I like Matt Miller, I'm confident that Coach Choate is going to bring in some new OC that blows our minds. And I am hopeful that if we get a passing qb, we might be in the conference title race. The one thing that bridles my optimism is that when one thing gets better, another seems to get worse. In the preseason, it looked like we were going to be the best defense in the conference (in my opinion) because our LB corps was the strength of our defense, we had up and coming defensive backs and maybe the best D line in the conference. All of a sudden, LBs are a real liability. I hope it all comes together, but I'm not betting the farm just yet.

Oh yeah, and we take the 4th game of our 5 game win streak against the griz

Wow, you might be the only person I've heard talk about a new OC. I think Miller is a star and we'll need to give him opportunity to keep him. I think he'll get the permanent position in the offseason. I'd truly be shocked if we brought in somebody else.

[utucats]

So much can change in one year. Players develop, they quit, transfers come in, they get hurt. Too many variables but based on what we know today:

I expect the Ofense to be better for the obvious: Matt MIller has an entire off season and we should improve at QB.

I am worried about the Defense. The secondary should be the best and deepest in the BSC. The D line loses three players we don't have replacements for and our D line depth is not there next year. At least not right now. Also the only LB that played well this year was Collins and he graduates. Chapman we know can play but was injured most of the year. People seemed to like Kanow but he was hurt also and has yet to demonstrate his ability. We don't know if Hill is coming back. If all three recover we should be ok but if not that would be my biggest concern.

If we are in rough shape at LB I'd think that would make the coaches decision on what to do with TA easier and he would find his way into that group.

[AFCAT]

My expectation is that after a hard fought, emotional Cat/griz game (immediately after the whistle), both teams will quietly gather on their sideline, remove their helmets and place them neatly in a row, then walk or jog to the middle of the field, shake hands with the other team and thank them for a good game.

Then the losing team will walk or jog back to their block house/lockerroom and the winning team will pose for a few photos with the trophy before walking/jogging to their block house/lockerroom. They may wave at their fans while doing this, but all fingers must be equally extended for the wave.

Does that mean I should dispose of my feces in the normal fashion and not save it for the game?