These are the two topics more than any analysis of units or returning players that will impact our season.
1.) Do we have a strong leadership core on both sides of the ball for 2015?
Offensively, we certainly have a lot of obvious candidates - Goff, Lasco, Treggs, Borrayo, Rigsbee are all upperclassmen, all have leadership roles on the team and/or leadership personalities. Goff is the key. If he's hyper competitive and determined to win, then we're all aces.
Defensively is where we need leadership more badly and it's more of an unknown. Scarlet was the emotional leader last year until he went down and now he's gone. We have a lot of older players in key roles: Jalil, Kragen, Nickerson, Barton, Jefferson, White, McClure, Kelly, Kearney. Of that group or beyond, whose going to step up and lead this defense? Personality wise, McClure and Nickerson are obvious candidates. McClure's injury is a factor, tough to lead from the training room. Would love to see a DL or two step up here - If not Jalil or Kelly, perhaps Looney who has been around for a year already and apparently is a work out demon.
2.) Has Dykes created a resilient, confident, improve every day, trust your teammates and play your guts out culture?
I think the team has played really hard and I believe the approach to S&C have had a positive impact. Beyond that, the jury is out IMO. The Dykes team don't seem to have the same swagger that many Tedford teams and almost all the Snyder teams (even when he was losing) seem to have. My personal observation is that there was a lack of leadership on the team last year. Not enough leaders and not enough responsibility on those leaders. Take that with a boulder of salt as my insight is very limited.
1.) Do we have a strong leadership core on both sides of the ball for 2015?
Offensively, we certainly have a lot of obvious candidates - Goff, Lasco, Treggs, Borrayo, Rigsbee are all upperclassmen, all have leadership roles on the team and/or leadership personalities. Goff is the key. If he's hyper competitive and determined to win, then we're all aces.
Defensively is where we need leadership more badly and it's more of an unknown. Scarlet was the emotional leader last year until he went down and now he's gone. We have a lot of older players in key roles: Jalil, Kragen, Nickerson, Barton, Jefferson, White, McClure, Kelly, Kearney. Of that group or beyond, whose going to step up and lead this defense? Personality wise, McClure and Nickerson are obvious candidates. McClure's injury is a factor, tough to lead from the training room. Would love to see a DL or two step up here - If not Jalil or Kelly, perhaps Looney who has been around for a year already and apparently is a work out demon.
2.) Has Dykes created a resilient, confident, improve every day, trust your teammates and play your guts out culture?
I think the team has played really hard and I believe the approach to S&C have had a positive impact. Beyond that, the jury is out IMO. The Dykes team don't seem to have the same swagger that many Tedford teams and almost all the Snyder teams (even when he was losing) seem to have. My personal observation is that there was a lack of leadership on the team last year. Not enough leaders and not enough responsibility on those leaders. Take that with a boulder of salt as my insight is very limited.
