OK, here's 12 reasons why we won't be any better than we were last year.
1. O-Line still has yet to prove it can protect the quarterback and make holes for the
2. running backs. No depth, limited talent. Speedy and BLock look fine in flashes, but have never shown the ability to churn out 25-30 carries per game.
3. New DB coach.
4. New WR coach (probably a reason for hope, actually)
5. Lack of reps for Hansen. If we believe that Hansen is the guy - and just about everybody not named "Dan Hawkins" does believe this - then Hansen needs to be getting as many reps as possible. That's not happening.
6. Unproven WRs. Other than Scotty, who out of this group has done anything here? Simmons? Ummmm, no.
7. Special teams. Hard to say it could get any worse, but it could. There's nothing that indicates we'll be any better in this area. Hope, perhaps. Evidence? None. At this point, it's all pure speculation.
8. DB depth - we have none. Lose one guy and we're in a world of hurt.
9. Preparation and playcalling - nothing to suggest we'll be any better this year than we were last year in these categories.
10. Half the games are on the road. Guh.
11. Offensive identity? We still don't have one. Last year it was all about "downhill running". That worked out really well. No idea what kind of offense they'll try to put together this year.
12. Dan Hawkins. There's only so much "get your horns out", "cinch it up", and "Bring your lunchpail" that you can hear before the messenger becomes a clown. We've crossed that line. He is a fool. A football jester. It's hard to take somebody seriously when he tells you, with a straight face, that Toledo just played an "awesome" game. No Dan, they didn't, you just played really, really poorly. This deal is not "about to pop". The sooner you start working on actual football preparation and give up the witty platitudes, the better.