"despite MF having a far superior offensive line and running game." Hmmm? Didn't Hitt, Barksdale, and Black all play on the OL for the 07 team? I know Black and Hitt started. Carnell Stewart, a fifth year reserve DT, was converted to OT and was a starting OT on the 07 team.
OK...did you bother to look at the rushing stats from 2007 to 2009? You have an explanation for the delta there? 1.5 ypc on first down matters. Or do you think that's a statistical fluke? Do you think Ciron Black and Lyle Hitt in 2007 equalled CB and LH in 2009? You think the CB of 2007 would have been undrafted like the CB of 2009 was? His knees were shot last year...probably was the cause of his conditioning not being great either. Great guy but not the same player in 2009 as 2007, and Lyle Hitt wasn't either. You left out Herman Johnson, and Carnell Stewart was a devastating run blocker, which our RT last year was not (although you could argue Stewart wasn't as good a pass blocker as we had in 2009). You really think the run games and offensive lines were equivalent in 2007 and 2009, and the only difference was the QB? Is that an argument you're trying to make?
JJ hasn't been good enough to win games for us himself, but he's been plenty good enough for us to win games.
I think we will see him connect with Sheppard the most imo. It sounded like JJ and RS had a real good connection on the field. No doubt RR is going to have a great year. TT is a ? for me b/c he is up and down. He drops some, but makes some great catches as well.... For me, I am not worried at all about the passing game b/c that is not wats needed to win in the SEC. It HELPS, it helps a lot, but a STRONG D line and Run game is NEEDED for the long haul in the SEC...
