To achieve success this season, Carolina needs to....
- Thread starter TarHeelNation11
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...start serving beer at Kenan concession stands.
With the current Kenan concourse layout, you'd miss half the game standing in line for beer.
I think you hit the nail on the head. I would add putting more pressure on opposing QB's and running the ball effectively to alleviate some of the pressure on Mitch, who isn't quite as mobile as Quise.
The running game should be ELITE this season with T.J. and Elijah. One thing that isn't discussed much -- as good as Marquise was at powerful and speed ball carrying, he was pretty average (read: not good) at reading the defense on the QB read option. It almost looked like he made up his mind before getting the snap that he was going to keep it no matter what or hand it off no matter what. Hopefully Mitch will be better at this.
I agree. Quise had a lot of confidence in his running ability but sometimes thought run first a little too often. I think Mitch will let the defense dictate what he does with ball. I love our stable of backs so if the OL continues to improve, our running game should thrive. I do think Mitch will prove to be an accurate passer and defenses will have to defend the whole field.
Attitude.....maintain the same positive attitude is the biggest key. Our O-line will be very experienced and talented. We have 2 great, veteran running backs, proven on the field, a QB that has looked like he's an excellent passer and very consistent and a stable of great receivers. If we have the mental part right, we should be unstoppable on offense, as we were for the latter part of last season.
Special teams: looks to be as good or better.
Defense: We had one of the best, if not the best, passing defense in the nation and should be very good there. Our biggest weakness was the O-line but a lot of guys were young, got injured and had some like 4 star talent Strowbridge redshirted. I really think we'll be good there.
The biggest question mark are the linebackers, imo. We just don't know yet.
Assuming all this is correct, especially on the offense, the key is the defense being a little better overall and much better on the D-line so we just get those few extra stops that would have meant the difference in the games we lost. If the offense is as good as last year, we can outscore teams with just a little better defensive performance. I don't expect our defense to be dominant, elite or anything like that against elite offenses but if the D-line can not get blown out, we should get those few extra stops and win the kind of games we lost last season.
The schedule is a lot tougher. We have to be tough mentally.
Special teams: looks to be as good or better.
Defense: We had one of the best, if not the best, passing defense in the nation and should be very good there. Our biggest weakness was the O-line but a lot of guys were young, got injured and had some like 4 star talent Strowbridge redshirted. I really think we'll be good there.
The biggest question mark are the linebackers, imo. We just don't know yet.
Assuming all this is correct, especially on the offense, the key is the defense being a little better overall and much better on the D-line so we just get those few extra stops that would have meant the difference in the games we lost. If the offense is as good as last year, we can outscore teams with just a little better defensive performance. I don't expect our defense to be dominant, elite or anything like that against elite offenses but if the D-line can not get blown out, we should get those few extra stops and win the kind of games we lost last season.
The schedule is a lot tougher. We have to be tough mentally.
I think we can all agree shoring up the run defense is the largest on field issue.
I would also like to see the team get a bit more support this year in the stands, but I am under the impression that the wins we put up last year will help that going forward. If next year's team can show that 2015 wasn't a fluke we could easily be the next Clemson.
I would also like to see the team get a bit more support this year in the stands, but I am under the impression that the wins we put up last year will help that going forward. If next year's team can show that 2015 wasn't a fluke we could easily be the next Clemson.
Absolutely true, especially on offense. The one place we were never completely settled was on the defensive line, which (coincidentally?) was also the weakest position group IMO. We really need to recruit and/or develop quality depth there.
Also don't forget Webb flunking out before the season even started, and someone else whose name escapes me. Webb was a 4* recruit mind you, not just a warm body.
Yes. The other kid was Shawn Underwood and we also lost JJ Patterson who was moving over from OL. Both were 300 pounders. We need to avoid underclassman attrition like that for this upcoming season.
And we need Jeremiah Clarke to kick ass and take names academically so he can be on the team in the fall.
To achieve success this season, Carolina football needs to...
...have good, consistent performances from Mitch Trubisky.
I know most of us, myself included, are just assuming/expecting Mitch to be really good, but in all honesty we do not know if that's going to transpire. We're all focused on defensive improvements, but I sincerely hope Mitch doubles down in spring practice, summer workouts, and fall camp to really hone his craft. It will help that Caleb Henderson and Nathan Elliott are both quality QBs and will push MT every day in practice.
Gonna make a bold prediction here: MT is assumed to be much more of a pass-first QB but I'm predicting this season that Trubisky runs for 500 yards. And that predicted number is net yards, mind you.
...have good, consistent performances from Mitch Trubisky.
I know most of us, myself included, are just assuming/expecting Mitch to be really good, but in all honesty we do not know if that's going to transpire. We're all focused on defensive improvements, but I sincerely hope Mitch doubles down in spring practice, summer workouts, and fall camp to really hone his craft. It will help that Caleb Henderson and Nathan Elliott are both quality QBs and will push MT every day in practice.
Gonna make a bold prediction here: MT is assumed to be much more of a pass-first QB but I'm predicting this season that Trubisky runs for 500 yards. And that predicted number is net yards, mind you.
One of the things I'm most curious about next season is how the fans react when MT has a bad game. And he will have a bad game. Everybody does. While I certainly hope he continues to build on and surpass what Marquise achieved, it feels like the MW detractors constructed an unrealistic expectation about what MT will do when he's finally handed the reigns.
Stop the run. Our offense will be dynamic and our pass defense should be solid. A close second would be to generate a pass rush. If we can do these 2 things, we will win 10+ games again this year.
If Mitch nets 500 yards rushing, our offense will be explosive. It adds another dimension.
In order for Carolina to achieve success, Mitch Trubisky has got to stay healthy....Last year, we were pretty healthy for most of the season, and will have to be this year with NO proven backup behind MT....Our OL had a few health issues last year, but our depth and experience helped us overcome injuries, in that area....LBer experience is minimal heading into this season, and worries me more so than our DL at the moment....Do agree that Clarke needs to get his academics in order, and Crawford needs to stay healthy, and get some much needed game-experience early in the season when we bang heads with the Bulldogs and Noles....Will also be interesting to see how much growth and improvement that we'll see from our young DL this coming season, and would like to see both Nazir Jones and Jalen Dalton emerge as a force in the trenches....As for our Secondary, I'm not worried at all about that group, and believe that we will have one of the better pass defenses in the country this year if those guys improve as much as they did last year, and there's NO reason to believe that they won't be better than last year with Lawrence, Miles and Steward back there, and I expect Mike Hughes to really make his presence known this year in the Secondary....
Overall, We have a proven backfield in Hood and Logan, a proven WR core with depth, an experienced OL with depth, and a QB who will have his High School TE target Fritts to also throw too, so we should once again be very potent offensively....Defensively, we improved by leaps and bounds last year, but we are still very young on the line and at LBer, and will have to grow up pretty fast in order to slow down the Georgia rushing attack in the opener....
Our Kicking game and special teams should be among the tops in the Conference next year, which is also a big plus heading into the 2016 season....
Tougher schedule as mentioned, but we should be experienced enough now to handle it on offense....But again, defensive depth and experience at DL and LBer will be the thing to watch early this coming season....
Bottom line: We need to beat Georgia in the opener to gain some National prestige!
Overall, We have a proven backfield in Hood and Logan, a proven WR core with depth, an experienced OL with depth, and a QB who will have his High School TE target Fritts to also throw too, so we should once again be very potent offensively....Defensively, we improved by leaps and bounds last year, but we are still very young on the line and at LBer, and will have to grow up pretty fast in order to slow down the Georgia rushing attack in the opener....
Our Kicking game and special teams should be among the tops in the Conference next year, which is also a big plus heading into the 2016 season....
Tougher schedule as mentioned, but we should be experienced enough now to handle it on offense....But again, defensive depth and experience at DL and LBer will be the thing to watch early this coming season....
Bottom line: We need to beat Georgia in the opener to gain some National prestige!
I think these two guys could be the answer in the middle of the DL. Jones was hampered a bit by an injury, and Dalton only got reps in the latter half of the year, but both have tremendous upside.
I'd still prefer Dalton as an edge pass rusher, but I'm not paid to make those decisions.
Good thread! I'd say win the turnover margin. Create turnovers like last season, hold on to the ball a little better, and we'll have good results.
I think improvement in run defense has to be the big one, especially with our early matchup with Georgia and playing Florida State.
How we handle UGa's 5* RB's will be an excellent preview of our run defense progress.
We just have to be more physical at the line of scrimmage. I know that's easier said than done, but that's where we've had trouble. Last year, we didn't have the bodies, especially late in the season.
Clarke flunking out would be a major blow to a DL that needs to be much tougher against the run and provide a better pass rush.
Offensively, the team should be better next year. Considering Ferranto's entire career, we return 5 starters on the OL, as well as a very good back up group. Fritts will be a much bigger threat next year than Singleton was this year. Our starting trio of WRs should be the best in the ACC, and we willl have at least back up WRs ready to play well at the start of the season. Hood should be 1st team All ACC, and Logan is a high quality #2 RB. Trubisky, with virtually no game experience, already reads Ds better than MW did and passes with considerably more accuracy.
We should win the Coastal, if the D takes a step up.
I agree and hope Crawford comes on strong; Clarke gets his academic stuff worked out and does the same; Naz Jones is healthy and has a monster season; Dinkins although came in as a DE develops as well for DT, and we can have Dalton play DE.
We could actually have a very formidable starting D-line and it be one of our strengths provided everyone is healthy and takes another step up in development.
Georgia's new offensive line coach is Sam Pittman, who left the same position at Arkansas to take the job. Heels fans should remember Pittman as the OL coach at UNC from 2007-2010. He built the line that featured 5 guys who played in the NFL: James Hurst, Jonathan Cooper, Russell Bodine, Travis Bond, and Brennan Williams.
Yeah, Pittman is a good Coach for sure, but so is Kap....Plus, Kap seems to be recruiting potentially even better OL than Pittman did when he was here, and it will be interesting to see how many of our present OL make an NFL roster in 2017 or 2018....We all know that Landon Turner is a sure-fire NFL talent that will be on somebody's roster this fall!
Can't wait for that first game matchup with the Bulldawgs!
Turner was recruited by Butch Davis's staff (and probably Pittman), but the rest of your point is correct. Kap-recruited guys definitely have legit NFL chances (Crowley, Heck, Sweet, etc.)
THAT was true of the ACCCG and USC games in "beautiful" Panther Stadium as well!! NOT my favorite venue!
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