Answered my own West Florida question, they're FCS

West Florida as in Division II West Florida, or did they move up to FCS? No comment on the Griz, can't allow them a single excuse.

I forgot about Tim Walsh, he was a good coach. Aside from Pokey and Mouse, that's the only success they've had.

Maybe it's the baseball in me, but hope should be springing eternal up in PDX. New year, new coaching staff, a group of guys that know how to win with limited resources, WHY NOT come out to support the boys and catch the #6 team in the country to see what you're aspiring to be.

For some reason, I want to change my earlier prediction on Idaho @ Cal Poly. I think the Mustang defense carries the day, CP in a semi-close game. The rest of my picks stand:

Aggies big.
NAU in a close one.
Lil' Hawks big over VMI.
Griz.
Weber in a close one.
Bobcats big.

There will be pre-game festivities I'm sure if you wander the parking lot, probably starting around 0900 or 1000. If there is a specific lot designated for the visiting team, I would start there from past experience. I've wandered many a parking lot in my time, made a few friends, and enjoyed some good conversation without any plans. Sort of my life strategy :rofl:

Sounds like the guy

Word on the street is that the Vandals' QB is a pain in the ass livewire with his feet. Transfer from Fresno State. I like the CP Linebackers though, should be an interesting matchup

(I'll add on to your sentence and thought) because the LBs were often manipulated out of the box by formation, and the one LB position that requires a run-stuffer, tackle-to-tackle type was manned by an outstanding pass defender.

DL depth and size is improved. Nice mix of veteran leadership and talented youth.
LB group improved with the return of Porter and there are potentially some young guys coming up.
Safeties are solid. Rex likely a mid-season return which makes the room even better.
Corners are ELITE.

That leaves us with any scheme improvements, TBD. Don't think for a minute that Coombs & Co. didn't spend this entire off season thinking about stopping the run.

My hope: fewer Safeties, an extra LB, and maybe, just maybe, some 5-down/Bear looks. With our Corners, there are endless possibilities.

God bless the fullbacks with their concussions out there, they were a breed apart. I found it funny as the Spread evolved to 11/12 personnel groupings and coaches tried to get 6'4"-6'6" Tight Ends to do the Fullback's job. Those fools would crumple and fold

Jeez that's small! What year would that have been?

Back in those days, the TE was essentially an extra Tackle. If they were undersized and catching passes they were sort of outliers. I remember the Biggs-era having some longer, athletic Tight Ends ahead of today's curve. Guys they would send vertical at times, which in the 1990s-2000s was very unique.

Thanks for the insight on the QB trap, that is absolutely playing with fire but they must have seen something in a formation they liked. I agree that the QB run is an option in boot concepts, absolutely. Most of the play action I witnessed was pull protection stuff in the pocket. He would get outside with a TE or WR bluffing or on a quick flat route, which would be the first read. Moving the QB and varying launch points is good football in my opinion

The beer garden was an early 90s attempt at budget enhancement. Little known fact: Jimi Hendrix played Devonshire Downs in '69 in front of over 50,000 people! Had to be the crowning moment for that dump. Other performers included Joe Cocker, Jethro Tull, Ike & Tina Turner, Three Dog Night, etc. Newport Jazz Festival, guessing the cig manufacturer was the title sponsor? Fitting

I'm calling a 4-win season for the Cougs: Duquesne, Utah State, SDSU, and Colorado State. Huskies and K-State in back-to-back road games in incredibly difficult places to win may influence the story of the entire '26 season.

Traditional West Coast Offense is 21 Personnel, use of an outstanding, pass catching Fullback rather than a 3rd receiver. Think 80s 49ers. Roger Craig was a college fullback turned tailback. Rathman in the 90s (pure FB). If you hunt down any Bill Walsh play diagrams online, you'll see the Fullback and the Tight End are huge in that offiense.

The West Coast was an offshoot of Paul Brown's great offenses of yesteryear. Walsh gives him the credit, along with Don Coryell. As I've studied the game, what is known today as the Air Raid (Mumme, Leach, Kingsbury, Lincoln Riley) is actually the West Coast from 10/11 personnel with the QB in the shotgun. Leach was greatly influenced by Walsh and the West Coast guys at BYU, he just didn't have Fullbacks and Tight Ends when he started calling his own plays so he evolved. At least this is how I understand it.

4-2 Nickel I guess since they tend to play with 3 Safeties out there. They list one DE as a LB, but it's a 4-down structure at the end of the day. Those dudes never really drop except on rare occasions from what I saw. I would like to see more 4-3 maybe, or 5-down against the heavier, 12 Personnel looks they see in conference play. Hopefully MSU and Illinois State taught them that lesson

I gave up my sports betting career after hitting semi-"big" on an Army-Navy game back in the mid-90s in Laughlin.

Good question. As far as finding a descriptor, I would call it a Pro Style Offense. They are a 11- and 12-personnel base, lots of motion and window dressing (similar to McVay with the Rams) to present core concepts, and so many shifts and motions (Shanahan-esque in that regard). Get the ball out quick to the playmakers, and take vertical shots with play action. Nice mix of zone and gap scheme runs, great screen team. Pro Style in the McVay/Shanahan/Lafleur mold.

Porotesano is a very good football player. You can't play as much for a top program like he has and not be. Is he Left Tackle material, meaning, long enough, to play LT for a National Championship contender? Time will tell. Skill and technique are there though.

At least Devonshire Downs had a beer garden. And you could lay a three team Big Sky parlay at the window :rofl: