Another thing. If it was HIS choice to not play in the spring game, quite frankly, scares me even more. Probably half the battle in recovering from that type injury is mental. If he doesn't trust his body, he won't be the same player.
I believe he is fine. Like the saying goes better safe than sorry. I'm sure he could play but really there is no need, just the spring game.
I think this team has all the makings of a solid Championship Run. But we have a very strong schedule, having to go to WVU, Bama, and even Moo U. Of course the other tough matchups, Oregon in Arlington, Auburn, Florida, and Arky at home are no walk in the parks either. I put a ton of emphasis on our ablility to move the chains, sustain drives and rest our Defense more. Plain and simple, we need to get more offensive snaps per game and present a dual threat offensive attack, I hope Kragthorpe brings it! This may be the year that the national championship game has at least 1 one loss team in it. I just dont see great chances for "Any" team to run the table this year. So to answer the original questions, its tough but if you would like a guess: 1) 12-1 2) 80% 3) 80% 4) 50%
On what do you base this? I have no insider info to speak of, so all I can do is apply common sense. Common sense tells me that if he was "fine", he would've played. The guys that were "fine" played, risking injury on every play. - FWIW, I've never thought he would be back ready to go for the spring, and there is no reason for me to believe otherwise now. He didn't play in the spring game. If someone was at any of the practices, I'd love to know if he participated full contact, or just participated in the drills. Considering he was held out of the spring game, I'd lean toward non contact spring. That's OK, he may still be ready and 100% for the fall. But he isn't "fine" now...so we don't know if he'll be the same or not. Again...unless someone is willing to provide some evidence that he participated full contact to this point.
You are getting a little bogged down IMO. He busted his ass this spring in drills, running, blocking dummies, workouts, etc... He wasn't sitting their doing nothing. He just wore a green jersey like the QBs and the other injured players. Remember we had like 16 or more players that did not play in the spring game. Pretty common to hold players from full contact in the spring because they do not want to risk any setbacks at this stage so there is no question he is 100% for the fall. Especially given how far he came in a very short amount of time given the extent of the injury. Both he and the coaches agreed. Doctors cleared him. Sure something could happen between now and Game 1 but something would have to happen to keep him out of the starting lineup game 1 which is what really matters. If game 1 was next weekend he would be good to go and would have practiced full contact in the Spring to prepare. Also a side note, when he wasn't in the full contact drills he was the vocal leader of the defense and like a coach on the field.
1) What do you think our regular season record will be? 10-2 2) What do you think our chances are (in percentages) of winning the SEC West? 59.72% 3) Of winning the SEC? 51.24% 4) Of winning the National Championship? 28.99%
GOOD! Every bit of that is good. I said many times I have no inside info, and basically asked for someone to provide any they had. It worked. I know YOU have inside info, but you were being very vague about it. I wanted to know he participated in 'full contact' anything...but had nothing to go on that said he did. Drills are one thing...hell, Chad Jones is doing drills now. But full contact is different. And yeah, I'm VERY glad to hear he's emerged as a leader. I wasn't too worried about a dropoff in talent, but was concerned about leadership. Good to hear. You gotta know this...there's a difference between a sprained ankle guy or pulled hammy guy wearing a green jersey, and someone recovering from an injury like Sam's. With Miles, mums the word on that kind of stuff. For all I know, Chris Tolliver just taking some time off, because we never hear the whole story from Miles. We hear rumors. Last season, some guy on another site claimed Chris Tolliver was in a hospital with a career ending knee injury. Turns out, Chris Tolliver got a concussion that day...and probably wasn't even at the hospital. But Miles and Co. weren't saying, so it's left open to interpretation. My only contention is/was, when I see him on the field, I'll know he's back.
1) What do you think our regular season record will be? 10-2, we'll probably split the difference between Oregon and WVU, then split the difference between Alabama and Arkansas. If we have above average QB play, I say we go 11-1 or 12-0. 2) What do you think our chances are (in percentages) of winning the SEC West? It's got to be between us and Alabama, right? Perhaps they will have a QB controversy, and drop an extra game or two, finishing 9-3 and giving us the advantage, even if they beat us, which is very possible this year on the road. I say we edge them out in the West. 65% 3) Of winning the SEC? If we get in the game, 100%. No one in the East can take us down in the big game. 4) Of winning the National Championship? 35 to 50%. LSU!
