Quote Originally Posted by PAPADON:
Yo! Optimist. You are very right, Georgia should give Hawaii a whoopin. Yes, the SEC is bigger, stronger and richer in the athletic budget. How come Alabama at home, couldn't rump Hawaii last year? Why is the spread is only 9.5 pts? With a much superior program and players, shouldn't it be much higher? Like 21 or more points?
One thing for sure, you are winning the profanity battle.
Alabama did bump us last year.
The difference between this year and last year? No avoidance issues with the BCS...We did lose to Boise St., Alabama, and Oregon St. Those were close losses.
This year? Big avoidance from the BCS. Starting with MSU paying cold-hard-cash to get out of their contract with Hawaii, the big boys just did-not-want-to-play-us. Who can blame them?
Oh yeah, and we had no close losses. We had close wins.
Our strengths this year: Passing dept. The shoot aspect of our game has never been stronger.
Our weaknesses: The run has been a W.I.P. this year. Last year, we had a top-ten producer in NCAA all-purpose yds at this position. This year, we have been working in three defacto freshman running backs. They are speedier, but they need to learn to hit the gaps...and most importantly....BLOCK!!!!
Our Offensive line lost three starters to the NFL. The replacements have been great, but they are young, and hadn't been starters before.
Defense suffered early with a transition from 3-4 to 4-3...along with a change in DC's. 2 monster DE's and a captain at SS also departed for the NFL. The result?...a W.I.P. Defending the RUN has not been the weakness...except in the early stages of the transition....(La Tech).
Avoidance of the Big Money Programs stuck us with (2) FCS opponents. Colt was effectively out for (5) games with the cupcakes and injuries. Hawaii would love to have a thirteenth game...but no...no...no...no one wanted that to happen.