Most improved teams from '12 to '13

I would think that is likely a good bet. USM was better than an o for team last year.

All that's left is for us to live up to the hype. Hasn't happened the last few years so... We'll see.

It was quite perplexing to see 8-10 win talent losing every game.

If Marshall can find a decent defense they could be a Top 25 team. OK, maybe a little more than decent but their offense will take them a long way.

Southern Miss is a no-brainer. They are cream and cream rises to the top. But...Neil Johnson's regime put them in a helluva hole. Even if this year is spent getting back on track with only four or five wins, that's still a pretty good turnaround.

(07-06-2013 09:53 AM)USM@FTL Wrote:  It was quite perplexing to see 8-10 win talent losing every game.

Asshat coaching and not being in shape will do that.

Everything I have heard from the player side is a polar opposite from last year. After sitting down with Monken, it was easy to see why.

We may not win 7 or 8 this year b/c of the brutal road schedule, but it will only be a matter of time before Monken and co. do some really good things here.

(07-06-2013 10:20 AM)GrayEagle Wrote:  If Marshall can find a decent defense they could be a Top 25 team. OK, maybe a little more than decent but their offense will take them a long way.

Southern Miss is a no-brainer. They are cream and cream rises to the top. But...Neil Johnson's regime put them in a helluva hole. Even if this year is spent getting back on track with only four or five wins, that's still a pretty good turnaround.

Ellis Johnson or E-lllllllllllloss Johnson.

I can see Marshall and USM being rated high on that list since they both had room to improve alot. It was perplexing to see USM be that bad in 2012. I expect the USM 2012 coach lost his team early on, and they just lost the spirit to compete that year. And the coach was just that bad.

I'll definitely take that. USM really seems to make sense as well. They couldn't get much worse than they were last year, and they're usually a top team, so being drastically improved is really just common sense. I'd say we'll be 2 of the top 3 teams in the East this year. (Maybe MTSU)

Not really an out on a limb pick by Phil Steele. USM had terrible coaching and Marshall is returning a veteran team with an excellent offense and senior QB....

Junior QB.

(07-07-2013 09:07 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  Junior QB.

Oh I thought Cato was a senior this year. Lucky y'all having him for 2 more seasons.

(07-07-2013 09:00 PM)RonBurgundy Wrote:  Not really an out on a limb pick by Phil Steele. USM had terrible coaching and Marshall is returning a veteran team with an excellent offense and senior QB....

The thing is Steele for the last 9 years has basically blasted Marshall. He hasn't predicted more than 5 wins since 2004. And he was never high on us when we were in the MAC. He only predicted us to win it one year, 2001, which Toledo won, 41-36 over Marshall.

(07-07-2013 09:36 PM)RonBurgundy Wrote:  

(07-07-2013 09:07 PM)MUsince96 Wrote:  Junior QB.

Oh I thought Cato was a senior this year. Lucky y'all having him for 2 more seasons.

Yup. He'll end up being a four year starter.

(07-08-2013 09:10 PM)lmckay92 Wrote:  Yup. He'll end up being a four year starter.

I just wish DOC would have red shirted him his Freshman year, especially if he knew he wasn't going to renew AJ Graham's scholarship. That year in the weight room I think would have done Cato well.

Marshall landed on Phil Steele's Most Improved Defense list today as well. He listed us as the 7th most improved rushing defense and the #1 most improved scoring defense. He projects us to hold opponents to 12 fewer points per game in 2013.

Had Marshall's defense held opponents to 12 fewer points per game in 2012 we could have ended the season 10-2. We lost 5 games by 10 points or less.