Dawn of a New Dawg

Well...it’s almost here! The post-Stafford/Moreno era begins in a little over a week.

Both guys, along with a few of their teammates (MoMass, Ellerbe, Southerland, among others) will be missed, but are on their way to NFL stardom and the fortunes that will be made and lost as a result. I wish them all well, as I do any former Damn Good Dawgs! I find myself becoming a “fan” of whatever team they are with, if only for a split second.

It’s time to usher in the year of Joe Cox and I truly believe we will surprise some people who don’t give us too much respect this early in the season. Much has been made to try and equate Joe Cox to our last “Joe” (Joe T. III, a damn good Dawg, in his own rite) in that he will be a decent football player, with an average arm who is expected to come in and simply manage the gameplan. To these people, I say, “Joe C is no Joe T!” Joe Cox brings with him a winning tradition and attitude that goes back to his youth. Joe C. was
31-0 as a starting QB at Independence High School out of Charlotte, N.C. Anyone who follows high school football understands that, even though North Carolina is most known for its BBQ and Basketball, Independence is a major force in the state when it comes to some good, old fashioned football. A perennial powerhouse program in the state, Independence has a long tradition of winning and I believe this tradition and the atmosphere that the kids who come from that program grow up with is a big reason this year’s Joe is no Ordinary Joe.

I’ll have more thoughts on the season as we get closer to kickoff with Oklahoma State. Suffice it to say that Okie State has about as much hype heaped on it as the Dawgs did last year, comparatively speaking. Whereas the Dawgs typically start the season in the top 10 to 15, Oklahoma State has rarely, in its history started a season in the top 10, as they have this year. Will they be able to live up to hype, the expectations and the extravagant new “T. Boone Pickens Stadium” opening date with our Dawgs?

We’ll see...and not a moment too see!