MGN Dynasty: Reloading For Year 3

I finally have a defensive line

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Last we left you we were mid-season of a struggle fest. I don’t quite want to compare us to FSU ‘24 but it is something like that. We finished the opening season 10-3¹ and lost to the teams the real life squad has a low-probability against. I don’t hate it. We jumped up and bit Texas Tech, which doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore now having seen some real life football these past couple of weeks.

We won a bowl game. We ended the year ranked and started the next season ranked as well. Blooding a new freshman(RS) QB and swinging and missing on some offensive and defensive lineman in recruiting hurt us, however. They were always going to be young — or transfers — and the lack of depth on the roster hurt. We simply could not stop the run. We had two DTs for our 3-3-5 and while I had some depth along the DE spots, and using them in the 4-man looks we have (Nickel Over etc) it took a toll. Vailea was asked to play a lot of pass-rusher DT, but also a lot of Please Stop The Run stuff.

I finished 6-7 including a couple of heartbreakers down the stretch.

I beat Tulsa 38-14, and then Tulane 38-19 but then dropped the games to Memphis 52-32 and then FAU 38-24. Both were way closer than they looked. I was down 21-0 to Memphis but stormed back and took the lead. Then I just couldn’t stop their back who had 174 yards on the ground. I threw a pick-six late as I was forcing the ball down the field.

Similar in the FAU game, I was going score-for-score until I fumbled as I crossed the endzone with McCollum. Review said it didn’t matter. They go down and score. I was about to tie the game.

My 6-6 record was good enough for the Frisco Bowl vs Arkansas State and that game saw me nearly win it … only for my TE to drop the game-winner on 4 verts. He was hit as he should have caught it but still a loss.

Stylistically, I could not run the ball with authority, as I would end the best games with 3.0 yards per carry. My line is too young and too overwhelmed. This also affected my downfield passing game, and if I couldn’t scheme up my first or second read being open it was dangerous. Cash McCollum is not a speedy QB and this means I am lumbering for what yards I can get if I don’t see it open. It was quite ridiculous seeing their pass rush just throw my line on the ground in four spots.

Still, I was able to throw the ball well. The QB has a cannon for an arm so I could simply throw it over the defense, or drop far back and still fire it in there. Cash threw for 4,715 yards and 40 scores against 17 INTs. Sides had 1648 receiving on 77 grabs and 16 scores. The kid has 98 speed so these Air Raid crossers really open up the game. The lack of pass protection and run game meant that I had to throw the ball when I shouldn’t have sometimes, and those led to some turnovers.

I fired the DC, as I wanted a 4-2-5. It worked much better in the bowl game, and I got two safeties. Yes, two tackles in the endzone. I suddenly had some push. My linebackers still get run over, however, including the QB truck-sticking my guy and scampering 77 yards for a score.

Charlotte won the league in a very weak conference. I am upset. I forget who won the natty — it was between Michigan and Clemson I believe. I just do not care.

Recruiting

The roster is okay. I am really young at all positions and I think they will be solid players in this program eventually, but they aren’t up to snuff for every-down play even though that is what I am asking of them.

The first year I missed hard on DTs. I got snipped for some solid players and didn’t have any backups. That left the depth chart thin, and while I would rather have noone taking up a scholly than a scrub, it hurt me as there was simply not enough heft along the front three.

As I said, my D+ defensive coordinator wasn’t doing it for me. That 3-3-5 simply requires you to have a good DT — Rod Brown was amazing for me. When you have a sophomore DT who gets knocked on his ass every play, you are asking for trouble. To get any semblance of solidity I was bringing heavy pressure and showing blitz. It worked when I needed it to, but I also gave up big plays over the top. When I could play something like a neutral defense only the worst teams could not take advantage. That is to say I would get picked apart if I brought anything less than 5 or 6 man pressure. It was high-risk stuff.

That 4-2-5 I used in the bowl game brought some different looks and while I probably will go for like a 4-2-5 multiple maybe, I like it. Playing online I actually like using the 4-3 base defense or even the multiple one — the 4-3, 3-4 stuff. I don’t think I have the roster for that so I will go with the 4-2-5. I spent a lot of time recruiting transfer portal and stray DTs and DEs. I had some but I need an influx of talent. I missed out on some game-changer linebackers though. I can always find safeties and DBs. I landed only 16 recruits with one 4-star and 10 3-star guys. It isn’t amazing but I finished 2nd in the league last year so I have young talent. I was hoping for some win-now dudes late.

In trimming the roster I cut a QB who was a Scrambler but only 80 speed. McCollum started out a 76 but ended as an 80. He threw for nearly 5K last year and so he’s my number one guy with a bullet. I have a dude at 90 speed — an athlete I took as a flyer last offseason — but he’s a project that needs time to become a good Air Raid QB.

My running back room is led by Evans with some speedy guys behind him. My WR room is led by Sides with speed and some size there. My 4-star WR is likely my slot guy, but I might put Sides there and see what happens elsewhere. I’ll play with that some.

My TE room is still not what I want. I had more danger — around 50 catches for 500+ yards in this position — but also a lot of drops. I was thinking of going to some more two-TE sets that I liked from USCs playbook. Dunno if I want to make that switch now.

The line up front is older, more experienced. I moved some dudes around and have some freshmen depth. It isn’t where I want it to be, but it should be much improved from last season’s disaster. In all the offense is an 82.

Defensively, I am rated an 85 — that really is all because my secondary depth is ridiculous. I have five 86+ corners, and my safety depth chart is equally ridiculous. The guys who played DT are better, and stronger and I moved over a DE who had 97 strength. After the offseason training he is now my best DT. The linebackers are de-emphasized in the new scheme, and Homewood can play a little DE. This is fine, but I have some decent depth here.

I’m excited. We had what I will call my Dabo year, in which the depth caught up to me. I didn’t know how that first transfer portal would work and it was tougher getting quality than I thought it would be. The second year recruiting I spent more time targeting talent and not filling out the recruiting board. My Team Needs says I have Bs or B+s across the board. I feel confident. My recruiting plan is to find starter-level talent at QB, HB, and DE. I will look for development talent in the secondary, the defensive line, and the offensive line. Beyond that I will just try to fill holes. I missed out on some 4-star linebackers last offseason. I will try for them if they are there but it was a lot of wasted recruiting hours. SMU stole four guys and I lost out to Texas on some offensive talent.

Head Coach MGN MeanGreenNation had a great first year, a rebuilding second, and is expected to challenge for the league title in year three. That’s next update.

1. I wrote 9-4 in a previous post but I had that wrong.