SoCon 2022 Predictions and Power Rankings - Weeks 0 & 1

[bonarae]

Scalp or no scalp, I'll take the spread for Mercer...

[OrangeAndBlack]

Scalp or no scalp, I'll take the spread for Mercer...

That's what I want as well!

[FUBeAR]

So, 2 Chatt fans here picked Chatt to barely squeak by Woffy; one by 1 point & the other by only 1 score…

But…Chatt’s HC says he’s not really worried at all about Wofford (3:38)…

https://www.local3news.com/local-news/utc-football-coach-rusty-wright-visits-local-3-news-studio/video_644070bf-3484-51c9-b2c2-99629dc5c1ab.html

Guess he’s focused on Eastern Illinois in week 2 instead. Understandable, with the way Woffy looked last year and the YardYappers are picked to finish last in the SoCon. Guessing Chatt may look to save their Starters legs for the Playoffs, so really wouldn’t expect to see many of their stars play…probably treat it like an NFL Pre-season game.

[Milktruck74]

I guess I subscribe to the Joe Pa school of thought... I'd rather win by 3 and keep the next one guessing than win by 53 and show all my cards!

[Mocs123]

But…Chatt’s HC says he’s not really worried at all about Wofford (3:38)…

https://www.local3news.com/local-news/utc-football-coach-rusty-wright-visits-local-3-news-studio/video_644070bf-3484-51c9-b2c2-99629dc5c1ab.html

Guess he’s focused on Eastern Illinois in week 2 instead. Understandable, with the way Woffy looked last year and the YardYappers are picked to finish last in the SoCon. Guessing Chatt may look to save their Starters legs for the Playoffs, so really wouldn’t expect to see many of their stars play…probably treat it like an NFL Pre-season game.

Please, quit trying to stir the pot. I think Coach Wright's quote was (when asked about preparing for Wofford) "I'm not really worried about Wofford right now, I have enough to worry about with Chattanooga now" meaning that you're not game planning on scheming for your first opponent at this point (filmed BEFORE our first practice), but instead are focused on fundamentals, getting ourselves better, nailing down some rotations, etc. As with any year or opponent, we won't start really game planning for our first opponent (getting a scout team to start running their stuff, etc) until the week before.

Having been involved in football your entire life, you know better than anyone the cadence of summer camp, and preparation. And I'm sure you didn't really listen to that interview and get the impression that Coach Wright didn't think the Terriers were a worthy opponent, but you did think I can take this one sound bite, completely out of context and post it to get people stirred up. Perhaps FuBEAR has a future in politics, or even better creating political ads.

Anyone who thinks they are going to coast through ANY game in the SoCon this year is in trouble, because unlike a lot of conferences, there are no easy games currently.



As for my pick for a close game vs. Wofford. I know Wofford will probably focus on stopping our running game (at least that's what I would do). We have a great stable of running backs, but do have three new offensive linemen and as you would know better than most - it can take some time for a line to gel and become a cohesive unit - even if the individual players are talented. Perhaps the coaches know, but I'm still not sure who starts in a couple of those cases.

If the Terriers go all in on stopping our running game, we need to beat them with the passing game on offense. Does anyone even know who our QB is going to be? I don't. I'm pretty sure it will be either Preston Hutchinson or Cole Copeland, but that's about it. Hutchinson would be playing his first game for the Mocs and Cole played fair last year, but wasn't exactly Joe Montana. I think our wide receiver room is really talented and will be really good - but they are young and thinking it may take some time to build chemistry between the wideouts and the QB could take some time.

If Conklin doubles down against our running game as I expect, it's certainly not a stretch to think that our offense might start slow and not score a ton of points.


As for Wofford's score, I do think our defense will be really good, particularly the front seven. We do have to replace three starters in the secondary, and while I know we have some pretty good players "waiting in the wings" there, they are still young and there will be a learning curve. And lastly, while I agree the Terriers record has been really bad the past two years and Coach Conklin is probably smart to check his brake lines every time he gets in his car, the Terriers are not devoid of talent, and being that the Mocs were picked first in the pre season polls, I think they will go all out to knock the big target off.

[FUBeAR]

Please, quit trying to stir the pot. I think Coach Wright's quote was (when asked about preparing for Wofford) "I'm not really worried about Wofford…

you…think…take this…and post it to get people stirred up. Perhaps FuBEAR has a future in politics, or even better creating political ads.

Jeez…FUBeAR gets criticized for taking a man for his word.

He said he’s not worried about Wofford. FUBeAR takes that to mean he’s not worried about Wofford, his Team’s next opponent on their schedule.

FUBeAR took him at his word when he said he decided to shut down the Mocs & quit the 2020/2021 Season. Well…he also said that the Mocs Players were the ones who decided to quit and shut down the season. But either way, FUBeAR took him at his word that the reason for quitting was because in 2021 the Mocs were going to have a very special Team that would be competing for a National (implied) Championship beyond their certain (implied) SoCon Championship and they quit 2020/2021 to focus on their 2021 FCS National Championship. Obviously, the Mocs stay focused on their futures - from the Head Man down to the Players.

That’s why FUBeAR assumes he meant he was focused on Eastern Illinois. Do you think he meant further ahead? Maybe even past North Alabama to Illinois and (really) getting that P5 scalp that Mocs fans have imagined they did get from Kentucky in 2021?

Hey, FUBeAR appreciates a visionary who is always looking ahead!

…just as Woffy’s Coach Conklin was looking ahead to his next job the same day they replaced Mike Ayers name with his on the Head Coach’s door in the Tearyer Football Office.

Forward-looking Coaches, the kinds who are always looking ahead, as Coach Wright & Coach Conklin seem to be, are the kinds of leaders FUBeAR wants to see heading up at least 7 of the 9 SoCon programs.

[Milktruck74]

Coach Wright & Coach Conklin seem to be, are the kinds of leaders FUBeAR wants to see heading up at least 7 of the 9 SoCon programs.

May be forward looking, but a peak back at his winning percentage shows his winning percentage is higher than both of your teams over the last three years...but keep straddling the fence, you may fall into a winner, or may get unintentionally castrated....

[FUBeAR]

May be forward looking, but a peak back at his winning percentage shows his winning percentage is higher than both of your teams over the last three years...but keep straddling the fence, you may fall into a winner, or may get unintentionally castrated....

Huh? Unlike the NCAA & the SoCon, but like America (well…what once was America), FUBeAR counts quitting as losing, so he looking at the SoCon WINNING %’s of 4 Head Coaches in question, he gets…

Hendrix 31-23 (includes 0 quits) .574
Cronic 12-9 (includes 0 quits) .571
Wright 15-17 (includes 4 quits) .469
Conklin 19-26 (includes 3 quits) .422

Surely, an ex-athlete, an OLman of your stature & status is not gonna succumb to the current namby-pamby-ness of our current society and treat quitting as if it’s not losing. Please don’t shatter the high esteem which FUBeAR currently holds for you by choosing the Everybody Gets a Trophy Team!

[Milktruck74]

There are liars, Damn Liars, and then there are STATISTITIONS!!! I had a stats prof once tell me if you torture the data long enough it'll tell you exactly what you want to hear...so keep torturing it!!!!

[FUBeAR]

There are liars, Damn Liars, and then there are STATISTITIONS!!! I had a stats prof once tell me if you torture the data long enough it'll tell you exactly what you want to hear...so keep torturing it!!!!

LOL - That why you brought some arcane statistic in response to FUBeAR complimenting the Head Coaches of the Mocks and the Tearyers (hmmm….the 2 quittin’ Teams) on their seemingly relentless capacity to ignore the ‘now,’ and, instead, keep themselves and their Teams focused on the greatness that their futures will always, undoubtedly, hold for them?