Wilner likes our chances...

[79COUG]

Seems very optimistic about our chances this fall...
Good article.

Pac-12 football: The Hotline’s post-spring practice predictions for the 2022 division races

Utah remains the favorite in the South while Oregon is our selection in the North. But it’s easy to sketch scenarios in which neither team claims its division trophy.

www.mercurynews.com

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Seems very optimistic about our chances this fall...
Good article.

Pac-12 football: The Hotline’s post-spring practice predictions for the 2022 division races

Utah remains the favorite in the South while Oregon is our selection in the North. But it’s easy to sketch scenarios in which neither team claims its division trophy.

www.mercurynews.com

Well, we've seemed to fill the most important part of the offense with a very talented player, and that usually is a strong indicator of team success in football, so... if we can keep him on two feet and play a little D we should be ok.

 

[mikalalas]

Well, we've seemed to fill the most important part of the offense with a very talented player, and that usually is a strong indicator of team success in football, so... if we can keep him on two feet and play a little D we should be ok.

WSU probably will be ok on defense.

And WSU might be, have ok RB's.

And with Renard Bell, Stribbling, Sammy Moore, Ollie, etc, semi awesome WR corp.

But the OL is still a serious concern, problem, hole, etc, and WSU still needs at least a Transfer OL, to be ok, semi ok, on the OL.

If the OL doesn't get better then Cam will have a harder time, and the probably ok RB's will have a harder time, and WR's will have a harder time on shovel passes, screens.

If WSU doesn't get OL fixed, WSU will win about 4,5,6,7 games, depending on defense.

If WSU's OL is, gets fixed, then WSU gets about 7,8,9,10 wins.

I think that Dickert will probably get the OL fixed thru either a transfer, an or development, etc.

 

[COUGinNCW]

Seems very optimistic about our chances this fall...
Good article.

Pac-12 football: The Hotline’s post-spring practice predictions for the 2022 division races

Utah remains the favorite in the South while Oregon is our selection in the North. But it’s easy to sketch scenarios in which neither team claims its division trophy.

www.mercurynews.com

I’d rather our guys have a chip on their shoulder.

 

[chugspig]

Sammy Moore? Lmao

 

[95coug]

Seems very optimistic about our chances this fall...
Good article.

Pac-12 football: The Hotline’s post-spring practice predictions for the 2022 division races

Utah remains the favorite in the South while Oregon is our selection in the North. But it’s easy to sketch scenarios in which neither team claims its division trophy.

www.mercurynews.com

I wish I could get paid for predictions like these. Some of them sound a lot like one of our resident posters.

'I think the Cougars will finish second. Or maybe 1, 3, or 4. Looks like they could be pretty good, or they might not be very good.'

Seems to cover all the bases.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

I wish I could get paid for predictions like these. Some of them sound a lot like one of our resident posters.

'I think the Cougars will finish second. Or maybe 1, 3, or 4. Looks like they could be pretty good, or they might not be very good.'

Seems to cover all the bases.

better than most years, which is usually "Cougars will finish 9/10/11/12"

 

[roses04]

Don't worry, there will be a sports writer or two that will pick the Cougs to finish last in the division. A lot of Wilner's predictions say a lot about how poor the conference is over all. Other than Oregon in the North, the rest of the teams are all a pick'em for 2nd place, the Cougs might have the best QB in the conference, so he picked the Cougs. And other than Utah, and expectations at USC, no one in the South is much of a threat either. Is this the year UCLA finally looks good under Chip? Maybe, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. ASU is falling apart, they did get a QB from FL, AZ and CO, have been a mess for a couple of years now, do they look better this year?

 

[BiggsCoug]

Don't worry, there will be a sports writer or two that will pick the Cougs to finish last in the division. A lot of Wilner's predictions say a lot about how poor the conference is over all. Other than Oregon in the North, the rest of the teams are all a pick'em for 2nd place, the Cougs might have the best QB in the conference, so he picked the Cougs. And other than Utah, and expectations at USC, no one in the South is much of a threat either. Is this the year UCLA finally looks good under Chip? Maybe, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. ASU is falling apart, they did get a QB from FL, AZ and CO, have been a mess for a couple of years now, do they look better this year?

It will be interesting to see how UCLA handles NIL. Chip needs to pay guys to get guys. He doesnt wanna recruit.

 

[95coug]

Don't worry, there will be a sports writer or two that will pick the Cougs to finish last in the division. A lot of Wilner's predictions say a lot about how poor the conference is over all. Other than Oregon in the North, the rest of the teams are all a pick'em for 2nd place, the Cougs might have the best QB in the conference, so he picked the Cougs. And other than Utah, and expectations at USC, no one in the South is much of a threat either. Is this the year UCLA finally looks good under Chip? Maybe, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. ASU is falling apart, they did get a QB from FL, AZ and CO, have been a mess for a couple of years now, do they look better this year?

USC is going to be the popular pick in the south again, and probably until Lincoln Riley either leaves or falls on his face. And considering their general resources, they probably should be a popular pick. Utah should be up there based on recent performance, and the fact that they always seem to be able to reload.

Other than that, I can't really argue with any of it. Oregon is probably the slight favorite in the North. Us, OSU, maybe Cal and maybe UW could probably make a run if we get good play in the right areas. We're probably the most likely from that group. UW and OSU both need better QBs, Cal needs an offense. Stanford seems to be on the decline, and there's not much reason to think that they'll turn around this year.

My (not so) bold prediction: once again, there will not be an undefeated Pac-12 team - certainly not from the north. And, once again the Pac-12 will not be represented in the playoff.

 

[mikalalas]

I wish I could get paid for predictions like these. Some of them sound a lot like one of our resident posters.

'I think the Cougars will finish second. Or maybe 1, 3, or 4. Looks like they could be pretty good, or they might not be very good.'

Seems to cover all the bases.

I think WSU could finish 2,3,4 in conference.

All Wilner is doing is giving a semi likely semi probably range of what WSU would likely do at BEST, What WSU would do at AVERAGE, What WSU would do at worst.

It's hard to pin down how good or bad WSU will be.

I disagree with Wilner's 1st place at best projection.

I think WSU would instead finish 2nd in conference at best.

And I disagree with his 2nd at average, as I think WSU would finish 3rd at likely average.

And I think WSU could finish either 4th,5th at worst, 1 spot lower then Wilner.

The problem with Wilner's projections, is he is only going by best case, good scenarios, thinks the OL will be ok, all Rosy, Pie in Sky like in his projections.

He is just not getting the very valid concerns at, about the OL, RB, and Safety, CB, secondary(WSU lost a lot at safety, CB, secondary).

 

[CougFan1980]

We got a light schedule after USC with a lot of home games. We can easily go 10-2 or 7-5 our only sure losses our AT Wisconsin and AT USC! Rosebowl or bust this year with the schedule we have! GO Cougs!

 

[etowncoug]

We got a light schedule after USC with a lot of home games. We can easily go 10-2 or 7-5 our only sure losses our AT Wisconsin and AT USC! Rosebowl or bust this year with the schedule we have! GO Cougs!

We don't have a sure loss on the schedule. It's unlikely that any team runs the schedule but we can win each individual game we play.

 

[mikalalas]

We don't have a sure loss on the schedule. It's unlikely that any team runs the schedule but we can win each individual game we play.

Wisconsin is a bad noncon game. 50 to 75% thats a loss.

That's important because it can semi likely be the difference between 5-7 vs 6-6, 6-6 vs 7-5, 7-5 vs 8-4, 8-4 vs 9-3, 9-3 vs 10-2.

It effectively lowers the wins result by 1 win.

And it's the part of scheduling that can be controlled. Better to get a easier game.

That's what SEC does, that's why most to almost all their teams are 6-6,7-5,8-4, bowl games, build their programs, recruit, have more wins, etc.

Scheduling Wiscy was, is terrible. Dickert NEEDS easier wins, not body bag games like Wiscy.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Wisconsin is a bad noncon game. 50 to 75% thats a loss.

That's important because it can semi likely be the difference between 5-7 vs 6-6, 6-6 vs 7-5, 7-5 vs 8-4, 8-4 vs 9-3, 9-3 vs 10-2.

It effectively lowers the wins result by 1 win.

And it's the part of scheduling that can be controlled. Better to get a easier game.

That's what SEC does, that's why most to almost all their teams are 6-6,7-5,8-4, bowl games, build their programs, recruit, have more wins, etc.

Scheduling Wiscy was, is terrible. Dickert NEEDS easier wins, not body bag games like Wiscy.

We should be playing Wisconsin in Pullman this time. We played there last time. Even Wyoming got a home game vs Texas!

 

[mikalalas]

We should be playing Wisconsin in Pullman this time. We played there last time. Even Wyoming got a home game vs Texas!

Still at least a semi bad game, 50/50 at semi extreme best, and only because if at home.

 

[etowncoug]

Wisconsin is a bad noncon game. 50 to 75% thats a loss.

That's important because it can semi likely be the difference between 5-7 vs 6-6, 6-6 vs 7-5, 7-5 vs 8-4, 8-4 vs 9-3, 9-3 vs 10-2.

It effectively lowers the wins result by 1 win.

And it's the part of scheduling that can be controlled. Better to get a easier game.

That's what SEC does, that's why most to almost all their teams are 6-6,7-5,8-4, bowl games, build their programs, recruit, have more wins, etc.

Scheduling Wiscy was, is terrible. Dickert NEEDS easier wins, not body bag games like Wiscy.

Wisconsin isn't Ohio St, Penn St, or even Michigan. They have a whole lot of tough kids who play within a system and will grind you out over 4 quarters. Facing the Air Raid is going to cause them problems if we execute.

 

[mikalalas]

Wisconsin isn't Ohio St, Penn St, or even Michigan. They have a whole lot of tough kids who play within a system and will grind you out over 4 quarters. Facing the Air Raid is going to cause them problems if we execute.

Ohio St, Penn St, Michigan, is National Championship, playoff, tier 1, Top 3 to 7 to 10 to 13 ranking.

Wisconsin is typically ranked about 9 to 11 to 13 to 15,:tier 1.5,tier 2, semi consistently to consistently.

They are a semi body bag game in Wisconsin, and a tough grind, close, 50/50 win/lose, at semi extreme best.

Yes as Air Team that executes would normally give Wiscy a tough match up in Seattle/Pullman.

Yes QB Cam Ward, and WSU could, would, maybe even should give Wiscy a tough game NORMALLY.

But this isn't a NORMAL situation.

Despite Dickert's half season audition, it's still technically his first ever head coaching year.

AND there are still OL questions, possible, semi probably holes at OL.

AND the Secondary lost a lot, and will be tested.

AND While the RB Corp will just barely be serviceably ok at best, the questionable OL semi probably won't be good enough for the RB's to be good enough.

Now I am not saying that's cause for bad season, but the FIRST game of the season, an or noncon, if it's not first game of season, needs to be a semi gimme level game.

Which leads to the last reason, combined with all the above reasons, that since the Wiscy game will be the FIRST game of the season, or in noncon, an since WSU will be new, inexperienced, etc, in the Noncon Wiscy game, combined with all of the above, then at semi extreme best it would be about 50/50 at semi extreme best, that Wiscy would be a tough, close, win/loss at home in Seattle/Pullman.

So still a good, ok chance that Wiscy would be a loss, which is not good, because that might keep a normally otherwise 6-6, 7-5,8-4 WSU team into a 5-7, 6-6, 7-5, either no bowl, borderline bowl, etc, team.

WSU at least this year, NEEDS a EASY Noncon schedule, so that WSU can go, get about 6-6,7-5,8-4,,9-3, instead of 4-8,5-7,6-6,7-5,8-4

This is what a WSU type in WSU's shoes this season would do in the SEC. They would schedule a easy Noncon, and have a 7-5,8-4,9-3 season, win a bowl game, and because of that recruit better, well, build program better well.

That's the blueprint.

And this is something WSU can, should control, etc, as WSU can set, determine how strong, or weak their noncon is.

And if they scheduled a contract game this year with a Wiscy+ type about 5 to 10 to 15 years ago, WSU can reschedule, cancel, replace Wiscy game with a easier game, etc.

The Wiscy game, is just a semi bad game, this season, and is semi bad noncon scheduling.

If you guys don't see this, that, then your heads are in the pie in the sky clouds, wearing crimson colored glasses, drinking the crimson color Kool Aid.