Looking Ahead to Next Year

gtapp · Post by **gtapp** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 9:54 am

It is probably too early to look to next year but with a bye week I thought, "why not"?

How will the Cat D look next year?

I think it will be improved, if for no other reason than "how can it be any worse"? We lose our best two LB's but have some depth there and we get back most of our D-Line and secondary.

How will the Cat Offense look next year?

OUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! If we had everyone back except Travis I would be worried, but we also lose our best two O-Lineman, our top four (4) receivers and our top two RB's. I don't think the RB situation is a problem with the exception of depth. The O-Lineman we have coming up look pretty good but there are no Jeff Bolton's in that group. But the QB and WR situation looks grim to me. Kramer has always said that he plays the best players no matter if they are Seniors or Freshmen. Assuming that is true than none of our returning receivers are good enough to be in the top four. The loss of Gatewood alone is going to be tough. Imagine where this team would be if we didn't have just two players (Gatewood and Lulay). I am afraid that next years Cats will resemble this years griz. Improving Defense and a struggling offense with a young QB.

I know Kramer will add some JC players and maybe a couple of drop down players so that could help. Most JC players (not all) do not contribute the first year (even Gatewood sat out a year). Unless unforseen events occur we could be in for a long year next year.

How will the griz look? Any griz out there care to make a prediction?

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:34 am

I think next year you will see a more balanced offense from us. We really need to get the running game going and we have some young guys on the OL that can get things done if they work hard in off season. Chris Smith/Brian Beniger/Hanson (CMR) and some others should be able to fill in. Figs and Bolton will hurt, but we should be okay I think. RB we should have filled 2 deep with Taito and Groves and you can guarantee that Kramer will get 1-2 JC WR's into camp next year I am betting. We do have some good one's on the move up in the ranks though too. Gatewood and Guinn played their first year last year (neither sat out) and they both started off the first 3-4 games rough, but really gelled by the end of the year. We need a good mix of JC/Current WR talent next year. Carpenter I think is going to do fine if we can protect him for long enough. He throws a very good ball and is a lot niftier on his feet than people give him credit for.

I think the biggest thing going into next year is getting our players to work hard in the offseason, work on fundamentals (tackling/blocking) and get them ready to play as a UNIT as we will not have the RED HEADED HOUDINI to do it all for us next year. We can get the job done in other ways though. I would love to see us actually become SCARY with the running game again. That really pumps up the crowd/players when you can just rip through an oppossing teams defense at will and then if they line up 8-9 in the box go deep on them with the passing game.

We still have 8 games left to play this year though

So I'm not getting ahead of ourselves.

NEXT UP - NAU - (ALL HOME GAMES ARE HUGE FROM HERE ON OUT).

BE THERE NEXT WEEK .. BE LOUD

spider · Post by **spider** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:44 am

CARDIAC_CATS wrote:I think next year you will see a more balanced offense from us. We really need to get the running game going and we have some young guys on the OL that can get things done if they work hard in off season. Chris Smith/Brian Beniger/Hanson (CMR) and some others should be able to fill in. Figs and Bolton will hurt, but we should be okay I think. RB we should have filled 2 deep with Taito and Groves and you can guarantee that Kramer will get 1-2 JC WR's into camp next year I am betting. We do have some good one's on the move up in the ranks though too. Gatewood and Guinn played their first year last year (neither sat out) and they both started off the first 3-4 games rough, but really gelled by the end of the year. We need a good mix of JC/Current WR talent next year. Carpenter I think is going to do fine if we can protect him for long enough. He throws a very good ball and is a lot niftier on his feet than people give him credit for.

I think the biggest thing going into next year is getting our players to work hard in the offseason, work on fundamentals (tackling/blocking) and get them ready to play as a UNIT as we will not have the RED HEADED HOUDINI to do it all for us next year. We can get the job done in other ways though. I would love to see us actually become SCARY with the running game again. That really pumps up the crowd/players when you can just rip through an oppossing teams defense at will and then if they line up 8-9 in the box go deep on them with the passing game.

We still have 8 games left to play this year though So I'm not getting ahead of ourselves.

NEXT UP - NAU - (ALL HOME GAMES ARE HUGE FROM HERE ON OUT).

BE THERE NEXT WEEK .. BE LOUD

Gatewood redshirted his first year at MSU. He is in his 3rd year at Montana State. Eddie Sullivan, Rick Gatewood, and Demetrius Williams all came the same year, from JC's.

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:11 am

spider wrote:
CARDIAC_CATS wrote:I think next year you will see a more balanced offense from us. We really need to get the running game going and we have some young guys on the OL that can get things done if they work hard in off season. Chris Smith/Brian Beniger/Hanson (CMR) and some others should be able to fill in. Figs and Bolton will hurt, but we should be okay I think. RB we should have filled 2 deep with Taito and Groves and you can guarantee that Kramer will get 1-2 JC WR's into camp next year I am betting. We do have some good one's on the move up in the ranks though too. Gatewood and Guinn played their first year last year (neither sat out) and they both started off the first 3-4 games rough, but really gelled by the end of the year. We need a good mix of JC/Current WR talent next year. Carpenter I think is going to do fine if we can protect him for long enough. He throws a very good ball and is a lot niftier on his feet than people give him credit for.

I think the biggest thing going into next year is getting our players to work hard in the offseason, work on fundamentals (tackling/blocking) and get them ready to play as a UNIT as we will not have the RED HEADED HOUDINI to do it all for us next year. We can get the job done in other ways though. I would love to see us actually become SCARY with the running game again. That really pumps up the crowd/players when you can just rip through an oppossing teams defense at will and then if they line up 8-9 in the box go deep on them with the passing game.

We still have 8 games left to play this year though So I'm not getting ahead of ourselves.

NEXT UP - NAU - (ALL HOME GAMES ARE HUGE FROM HERE ON OUT).

BE THERE NEXT WEEK .. BE LOUD
Gatewood redshirted his first year at MSU. He is in his 3rd year at Montana State. Eddie Sullivan, Rick Gatewood, and Demetrius Williams all came the same year, from JC's.

Hmm, didn't know that. I thought Guinn and him came together that same year and Sullivan and Williams were the year before. We are definately going to need some of our younger receivers to step up next year Sullivan/Gatewood/Guinn etc.

DaGriz · Post by **DaGriz** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:05 pm

How will the griz look? Any griz out there care to make a prediction?

This should be our rebuilding year. I'm not sure what we lose as far as lineman. We lose Talmage at WR. All the rest of our WR's are Frosh. or Soph's. We have Hilliard one more year and if Cole is our starter at QB he's only a freshman. Most of our D is young also, we lose MacIntyre at LB and Saenz on the line.

JahGriz · Post by **JahGriz** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:58 pm

How will the griz look? Any griz out there care to make a prediction?

Posted this on another board last week.

I actually think the Griz will be better next year. We really only loose two guys who will be hard to replace with existing talent; Talmage and Saenz, though possible an O-line guy or two, as I haven't seen the younger guys, but hear a few are going to be very good. Still, there will be a loss in experience at the O-line, anyway you look at it.

Looking at the D:

No drop off loosing MacIntyre, because we�ll have Joyce, Utterback, Ryan, possibly Hawthorne (seems to be injured all the time, rarely see him play), Muckie, though a safety, really, may put on a few pound and is actually looking pretty good at LB. Add the younger guys Lebsock, Corwin, and others. Where is the drop off?

No drop off loosing Safety Tyler Thomas. Brother Torry is possibly already better, add this year of experience and his greater speed than his bro. Van Cooper is stepping up, IMO. He is fast, hard hitting, and seems to be in the right place more this year. He is also making plays on balls, instead of waiting for the guys to catch the ball, then making the tackle. He�ll continue to get better, and will have the system down much better with the additional experience. Lebsock will be back. Then there are the younger guys, who will add depth, any one of which may be good. Only dropoff I see is in depth.

No drop off loosing Lance Spencer - even though he is good, and big. We�ll still have Dlouhy, who is playing lights out. Murphy, one of the best in the BSC, and Bierman. Bierman will pick up where Spencer left off, he is good and athletic. Add Stadnick and Haile, and younger guys for depth.
Where is the drop off?

I don't see a drop off loosing Edwards either. He is not a man cover guy, but is great at disquising coverage in zone. He has fooled more than one QB in to thrown him an INT. But having Wilson (best corner right now if you ask me), Clark, and up and comer Parks all back. I think any drop off would be offset by having better man coverage guys. Depth may be a problem, we�ll see how it shakes out, I can�t think of who else we have there, unless they move QJ back, which would extinguish the one speed element we have at WR.

We will have a drop off loosing Saenz, I think. But I'm hoping a younger DT in addition to Mettler will step up immediately. Kain, hopefully, will be back. Carleson will have additional experience and size. Of course Mullan will be back. After that, I�m not sure. Might be wise to get a big transfer, much like I would have liked to have seen this year.
Add to that the fact that young guys constantly step up and perform. There is always a young guy or two who do this, next year should be no different.

Offensively, we will gain QB experience, and WR experience. We may not have world beaters at these positions, but it is even worse when they don't have experience. We will loose 3 starting Olinemen, but there are guys to fill in. I don't think we'll know how that will turn out until the beginning of the season next year. Experience will be the biggest loss. But certainly there are some young guys who have a lot of potential.

RB, we do loose Waller. But have starter Hilliard back. Along with Brady Green who, I think, has started to show he can run well when playing with the ones, as opposed to being thrown in with 3 minutes left with the twos and threes, and asked to run the ball up the middle 20 times in a row.
Also, I believe the Griz got a great RB in Thomas Brooks-Fletcher. He was already doing good thing in practice before getting hurt. I watched him drag tacklers quite a ways. And better even, he slashed thru holes like a knife thru butter. Smooth, fast, and strong. Great catching ability, and super eyes. He reminds me of the offensive Joyce. A guy who just has a great feel for the game. Who knows where Rigehtti will fit in, or Brandon Utterback.

TE, we don't use. fa'get'about'it. Though H-Back Ross Brunelle is stepping up. A great blocker, not bad hands, not overly athletic, but enough so to block and catch the infrequent pass. Add some young guys who could be an asset here like Bodein and Klaboe, and others probably I can�t think of. Heck, the Griz landed one of the top prospects in MT in Carson Bender, who is already 6�4� 240.

That leaves WR. What can I say, I don't have a lot of faith. I think Quinton Jackson will progress and be good, his speed can�t be overlooked. Eric Allen could be good, he has all the athletic ability needed, but is missing something out there. Only a Soph, new to the area and system. He needs to step it up.
Bagely and Ferriter are starting to catch the ball, but I don't see them doing much after the catch, still making progress. We�ve got no great WR coming back next year. But someone could step up. Loosing Talmage will be pretty big, some is going to have to fill his shoes and then some if we are going to get it done thru the air. We�ve got guys who are now making catches, the next step is to have guys do something big with the ball after the catch. We�ll see.

So, the O next year will be a big question mark. There is always potential, but I see more on D than O, again.

I'm seeing more and more each week out of our young WR's. So if they continue to develop the O could be pretty good too. Even Eric Allen, who hasn't done really anything to speak of this year, had one real nice catch and seemed to play with more fire today.

Eastcoastgriz · Post by **Eastcoastgriz** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:45 am

gtapp wrote:It is probably too early to look to next year but with a bye week I thought, "why not"?

How will the Cat D look next year?

I think it will be improved, if for no other reason than "how can it be any worse"? We lose our best two LB's but have some depth there and we get back most of our D-Line and secondary.

How will the Cat Offense look next year?

OUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! If we had everyone back except Travis I would be worried, but we also lose our best two O-Lineman, our top four (4) receivers and our top two RB's. I don't think the RB situation is a problem with the exception of depth. The O-Lineman we have coming up look pretty good but there are no Jeff Bolton's in that group. But the QB and WR situation looks grim to me. Kramer has always said that he plays the best players no matter if they are Seniors or Freshmen. Assuming that is true than none of our returning receivers are good enough to be in the top four. The loss of Gatewood alone is going to be tough. Imagine where this team would be if we didn't have just two players (Gatewood and Lulay). I am afraid that next years Cats will resemble this years griz. Improving Defense and a struggling offense with a young QB.

I know Kramer will add some JC players and maybe a couple of drop down players so that could help. Most JC players (not all) do not contribute the first year (even Gatewood sat out a year). Unless unforseen events occur we could be in for a long year next year.

How will the griz look? Any griz out there care to make a prediction?

That we will be playing in our 14th consecitive post season game.

BWahlberg · Post by **BWahlberg** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:12 am

Probably the biggest questions for the Griz next year will be DT and WR.

We'll lose Saenz who is the heart of the D line, but he also didn't play yesterday and the D line and LBs played well in a make-shift 3-4. Kerry Mullan is stepping up, and it looks like Beirman will be our next Lance Spencer, a great and powerful pass rusher.

Next year's WR corps will be two Juniors, Allen and Bagley, and the rest that return will be sophmores. We loose the big game experience of Talmage, and his catching ability. With JT gone that leaves only one guy that has shown similar ability to catch the ball, Ferriter. For all that athleticism and size a lot of our WRs have, they still have a tough time catching the ball.

jagur1 · Post by **jagur1** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:17 am

& Talmage didn't play yesterday either.

VictorG · Post by **VictorG** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:57 am

Palmer from Missoula Big Sky redshirted this year for the Griz. He has good size 6ft 3 and speed (track 100 meter man in HS). It will be interesting to see what he can do next year.

Swilly3224 · Post by **Swilly3224** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:37 pm

VictorG wrote:Palmer(s) from Missoula Big Sky redshirted this year for the Griz. He has good size 6ft 3 and speed (track 100 meter man in HS). It will be interesting to see what he can do next year.

there is two of them...

VictorG · Post by **VictorG** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:42 pm

Yes there are. Jace and Ty. I can't remember which is which. Both could be very good players for the Griz but I think Ty ( if he's the receiver) will be an impact player before his brother.

grizband · Post by **grizband** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:10 pm

Ty Palmer is the receiver. What I like about him is not only his speed, but also his jumping ability. He was a long jumper in high school, and he may have also high jumped.

mquast53000 · Post by **mquast53000** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:48 am

I think we will see a running attack next season. Kramer has always been a big fan of running the ball, and with Groves only getting better I have a feeling he will become the go to guy in our offense. I hope that our passing game is at least average, but I really have a feeling that we are going to see a run oriented offense. Now we will just have to wait and see if we fans can handle a slower paced offense!

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:19 am

mquast53000 wrote:I think we will see a running attack next season. Kramer has always been a big fan of running the ball, and with Groves only getting better I have a feeling he will become the go to guy in our offense. I hope that our passing game is at least average, but I really have a feeling that we are going to see a run oriented offense. Now we will just have to wait and see if we fans can handle a slower paced offense!

Passing is pretty, but running keeps the other offense off the field. I know what type of offense our DEFENSE wants and that is a good balanced hard nosed running attack.

VictorG · Post by **VictorG** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:34 am

mquast53000 wrote:I think we will see a running attack next season. Kramer has always been a big fan of running the ball, and with Groves only getting better I have a feeling he will become the go to guy in our offense. I hope that our passing game is at least average, but I really have a feeling that we are going to see a run oriented offense. Now we will just have to wait and see if we fans can handle a slower paced offense!

I thought I heard this last year and this spring! Try, try again!!

I think you will get more running next year because you'll be loosing so much of your passing game.

Looking Ahead to Next Year

Looking Ahead to Next Year

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