Is Sanders our single most important player for the offense this upcoming season?

[18IsTheMan]

I know the OL overall is an issue and needs to be much improved. WR is an area of concern. We'll be starting an untested QB. Defense was a liability last year. Question marks abound.

One thing we know for sure, if you're going to win, you've got to be able to run the ball. Plain and simple. An effective running game opens up so much. I'll assume the OL is going to be as improved as they say it is. Given that, we definitely need Sanders to be his 2022 self. I'm excited about Sellers, and he flashed (literally just flashed) his athletic potential last year, but we can't afford to let him take the kind of heat last year that Rattler did game after game. An effective Sanders will do so much to keep defenses honest and open up the passing game.

Beyond the offense, an effective run game helps us put together sustained drives, which helps the defense. We were 118th in 3rd down conversions last year, putting our D out on the field with short turnarounds more often than not.

If we can have something close to the 2022 Sanders and identify a capable #2, give Sellers some breathing room to operate the offense, let the D get some breaks, then I like our potential.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

I know the OL overall is an issue and needs to be much improved. WR is an area of concern. We'll be starting an untested QB. Defense was a liability last year. Question marks abound.

One thing we know for sure, if you're going to win, you've got to be able to run the ball. Plain and simple. An effective running game opens up so much. I'll assume the OL is going to be as improved as they say it is. Given that, we definitely need Sanders to be his 2022 self. I'm excited about Sellers, and he flashed (literally just flashed) his athletic potential last year, but we can't afford to let him take the kind of heat last year that Rattler did game after game. An effective Sanders will do so much to keep defenses honest and open up the passing game.

Beyond the offense, and effective run game helps us put together sustained drives, which helps the defense. We were 118th in 3rd down conversions last year, putting our D out on the field with short turnarounds more often than not.

If we can have something close to the 2022 Sanders and identify a capable #2, give Sellers some breathing room to operate the offense, let the D get some breaks, then I like our potential.

Agree. We struggled gaining 3 yards on running plays which is something consistently needed to have a respectable offense and be able to move the chains. Sanders needs to be the workhorse and hopefully Braswell has continued to improve.

 

[Gradstudent]

IMHO, Sellers is the most important player, if he plays like Cam Newton plays with him on NCAA, we will be good to go!

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

IMHO, Sellers is the most important player, if he plays like Cam Newton plays with him on NCAA, we will be good to go!

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Gonna need help from the running game.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Gonna need help from the running game.

Yeah, ineffective run game + true freshman QB is a recipe for disaster.

 

[Gradstudent]

Gonna need help from the running game.

I agree 100%, about the importance of the running game, but this was not the question, it was not about a facet of our our offense, but the question is about a specific player.

I can see scenario where if Sanders is out, and Howell or another back is the lead back, we still have a productive running game.

But if Sellers is out, I think we are in bigger trouble then if Sanders was missing a game. Which is why my answer for the most important player is Sellers.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I agree 100%, about the importance of the running game, but this was not the question, it was not about a facet of our our offense, but the question is about a specific player.

I can see scenario where if Sanders is out, and Howell or another back is the lead back, we still have a productive running game.

But if Sellers is out, I think we are in bigger trouble then if Sanders was missing a game. Which is why my answer for the most important player is Sellers.

If Sellers goes out, though, we have Ashford, who has 16 or something SEC starts under his belt. He should at least be safe as a game manager if we have a solid run game with Sanders.

I don't know what we have in Howell as he is coming from the MEAC.

Obviously, yeah, we're going to need both Sanders and Sellers to live up to potential/hype. But I think Sellers needs an effective Sanders to be effective himself.

 

[Gradstudent]

If Sellers goes out, though, we have Ashford, who has 16 or something SEC starts under his belt. He should at least be safe as a game manager if we have a solid run game with Sanders.

I don't know what we have in Howell as he is coming from the MEAC.

Obviously, yeah, we're going to need both Sanders and Sellers to live up to potential/hype. But I think Sellers needs an effective Sanders to be effective himself.

Hopefully neither Sanders nor Sellers get injured but that usually not the case with our team, we may get a answer to this question as the season progresses, but I do like Howell which impacted my answer, and could see some other backs stepping up as well.

 

[Snake006]

Sellers is the most important. To me Sanders is a big question mark. He was a stud then got injured. After that was very average. Don't know if we will see the hungry Rocket that has something to prove, or the cautious Rocket playing not to get hurt again.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Yeah, ineffective run game + true freshman QB is a recipe for disaster.

He was a true freshman last year.

 

[Maccmaine12]

Yeah, ineffective run game + true freshman QB is a recipe for disaster.

He’s not a true freshman. But I agree a good run game would be good for any QB. It’s going to be harder for teams to defend when you have a QB like Sellers on the roster tho