My prediction is next year Yote fans will see a much faster, stronger and improved football team. The 2016 recruiting class has one common theme "SPEED" and by the looks of the incoming 2017 recruits the theme continues. They lost games to very solid teams by very few points, when you add some of the 2016 and possibly 2017 recruiting class I can see these games ending with a USD win! If you look at the roster this is a very young football team with a lot of promise. Coach Nielsen and his staff won't let us down.
at Drake - Win
at Bowling Green - Loss due it being on the road
vs North Dakota - Win
at Western Illinois - Win
vs Youngstown State - Win
vs Indiana State - Win
at Illinois State - Loss
vs Southern Illinois - Win
at Northern Iowa - Win
at North Dakota State - Loss due it being in their house
vs South Dakota State - Win in the DOME!
8 and 3 at worst 7 and 4 Youngstown on the road will be tough!
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usdcoyotesports.proboards.com/post/new/1852#ixzz4VZ2cai00I really like this prediction. I think it is nearly spot on. Of course in the MVFC it can always go either way, but I really feel good about where this staff has us going.
Breaking it down by position, I see the following:
QB: Improved - Both experience and depth should be better with another year under their belts.
RB: Neutral - The lose of Bauma will hurt from a leadership perspective, but I see a great amount of upside with speed, vision and elusiveness from the likes of Mike Fredrick and others.
TE: Improved - We lose Potter, but get everybody else back and add more depth.
WR: Improved - Everybody is back and we add even more young play makers.
OL: Improved - Losing Kennedy and Banks will sting, but I think the added depth will more than make up for it. We bring in a JUCO G/C that should contribute immediately AND, if things go right with recruiting, I think there may be one more immediate starter that could be added into the fold.
DE: Improved - Mertlik graduates, but the rest return. Look for BIG contributions from Cline, Kramer and Richardson from last year's class. Also, I wouldn't be shocked to see a guy like Chuol, Coker or Schultz in this year's class step up early.
DT: Neutral - Much like last year, losing size in the seniors (Bredl and Maag) hurts. Fortunately we got two big kids from Harrisburg last year and a load of size this year. I suspect we will have some young contributors.
LB: Improved - I realize this may be going out on a limb with so much loss from Seniors, but I kind of think this is addition by subtraction. I think we were lacking in the talent department here and I think our staff has done well to find either big bodied guys that can fill positions or guys with vastly improved speed. Look for contributions from Jake Matthew, Romontay Hill, Ian Nordell and even some of our former safeties (similar to Graham).
S: Neutral: It isn't easy to make up for the loss of a leader like Warner, but our depth here gives us a ton of options. I expect to see improved speed and range here. I am curious to see if Reed gets time here in 2017.
CB: Improved: This may be my dark horse for most improved next year. We return major contributors in Harris, Judge, Rambo, and others. I have also heard impressive comments about Mark Collins Jr, who redshirted.
P/K: Worse - It would naive to think that anybody can just walk through the door and replace Mr. Reliable, Miles, next season.
ST: Improved - This is everything but our P/K. With better recruiting the last two years, I expect to see more young talent and speed get opportunities to contribute here.
