Next year's schedule...

[bugboy]

Next year\'s schedule...

I was thinking about our schedule and what we need to do in order to be successful...

1) In the first 4 games, we need to be at least 2-2. Anything less and we're sunk. Most likely, we can get our 2 wins against BYU and Clemson, but those are tough games.

2) Between UNC, NC State and MD...we need to go at least 2-1 against those 3. We'll be favored over UNC, but not against the other 2. It will be challenging to win 2 of 3 against these guys.

3) We absolutely must beat Duke, Vandy and Wake. Without beating all 3 of these guys, our season will go in the tank.

4) That leaves UVA and UGA. We need to win one of these games at least. It's time to break the hex against UVA in Charlottesville. I'm not counting on a win against UGA, although anything can happen in that game.

As I see it, based on the above...8-4 will be a very good season. 7-5 is attainable, but not great. If we win 8 games against that schedule, then that means Chan is doing one helluva job. That's a big IF. Based on how the team played at the end of '02, I don't see 8-4, but if we play like we did against UVA/NCState, anything can happen. Of course, I say all of this while realizing that 4-8 or even worse is a distinct possibility. I prefer to be optimistic though.

 

[beeware]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

I am not sure why anyone is scared of this schedule. We have plenty of talent to go against this schedule.

If we had the Maryland coaching staff with our talent level....do you honestly think they would be worrying about having a losing schedule or maybe making it to 7 or 8 wins?
They would be thinking ACC championship unless proven otherwise.

Isn't it amazing how expectations around here have dropped? Weren't we supposed to be going UP to the next level instead of down?

 

[mustard]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

IMHO, if we improve on the throw and catch, we will win 6 next year if all other aspects stay the same. However, if our throw and catch stays the same or decreases, we go to a 3-9 at best.

 

[Wrecked]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

Originally posted by ncjacket:

I also get tired about the complaining about none of our QBs "being developed". It's a two way street. You can't develop someone if he doesn't have it OR rush it if he needs more time. Just look at Gannon and Johnson. Both were considered busts after their first few years in the league. Gannon was actually out of football for a season. Bilbo may still be the guy, we'll see if he puts in the time and if things start to make sense to him. If not, one of the freshmem may be the man. Why are the same people who felt we should have handed it over to Bilbo last year (when all reports say he wasn't ready) saying it would be a disaster to turn it over to a freshman. Maybe one of those guys has more football smarts and will pick things up right away.

Regardless, I have to agree with Beeware, we have enough talent to compete with our schedule if we get good QB play, just like this year. Where some of you assume we won't because of your disdain for our coaching staff, I prefer to be optimistic and wait to see what develops.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">The reason we say none of our QB's were developed is because with the hiring of Chan, the expectation was this great NFL offensive coordinator could develop QB's. I agree that the player has to do his part, but a Coach can also motivate a player to step up. The fact is our QB play regressed as the season went on. That was a failure of our coaches and our players. The sad thing is, it was supposed to be a strength of this staff. Also, Bilbo was a redshirt which is a huge difference from a true freshman. If we sign a true freshman with the talent to start, he should.

 

[bugboy]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

Originally posted by mustard:
IMHO, if we improve on the throw and catch, we will win 6 next year if all other aspects stay the same. However, if our throw and catch stays the same or decreases, we go to a 3-9 at best.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">That's the key, IMO. We have to improve. If we stay the same as we were at the end of 2002, it could be a bad year.

 

[GTTerrific]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

It's a tough schedule, but that's good in my opinion.

Beeware makes some excellent points. We don't need to be scared of the schedule. Competing is what it's all about.

As others have pointed out QB play will be the key as it always is. That's how I see it anyway.

There will be injuries. Can count on it. Always are. Keeping key guys healthy is always important. Year before last when Smith went down it made a huge impact. With out Tony and Gathers last year it make a huge impact. Having the big time play makers on the field as much as possible is important. When and if it happens have to be tough and fight through it.

Like the schedule. Let's go to BYU to start the season and set the tone.

Go Jackets!

 

[mustard]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

Have to get this out of my system.

Suggs grew up claiming GT as his school and wanting to play for the white and gold. When he graduated, he jilted GT for the glitter of Utenn. After the glitter wore off, he wanted to divorce his beloved Utenn and pick up where he left off with the one that was faithful. And of course GT took him back.

Now, he has not done well at GT and it galls me in the context of the jilting. It is time for GT to reward the faithfulness of the other QB's.

Sorry gang. Just venting I guess, to no one in particular.

 

[Big Buck]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

ncjacket, if we have to go to the freshmen this year and none of them develope would you be willing to look askance at the coaches? I can't help but remember how the performance of Godsey dropped off in the very first game that BOB took command and he didn't improve in his senior year.
I am aware that the player has to be coachable and by that I mean not only to be attentive to his coach but to put in the study to be able to carry it to the playing field. What I'm fearing is that BOB isn't a good teacher and thus he has problems communicating his desires to his QB. In my work I have seen a lots of guys that had a lots of head knowledge but they lacked the communication skills to relate it to others in an intelligible manner and i'm wondering if this is what we are witnessing on Saturday afternoons. One thing for sure, there is something amiss.

 

[ncjacket]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

bigbuck, you have a point on BOB and I don't know the answer to it. It seemed to me that GG was given much less freedom to change plays, etc, than he had under Fridge but that's just me watching on TV. The reason I don't put all the blame on the coaches is as follows:

1. Suggs has been around. He had more experience that any other first time starter for Tech in many years. But he was making the same mistakes at the end of the year that he was making in the beginning. If anything, it was worse. With the reps he was getting, the film work, etc., I just don't see how coaching could be the issue. Especially after his stint at TN. He evidently just can't cut it at the D-1 level.

2. Numerous posters have made comments on both boards about Bilbo just not getting it yet. There has been no break in that theme from coaches or players that he is having trouble getting the offense figured out. His play to me supports that. He makes a great play and then a very bad one. No coach would willingly limit their offense the way we did in the SVB by choice, no matter how bad a coach they are. Even Gerry Faust had more in his offensive package than we showed with Bilbo in the game. His comments after the bowl game acknowledge that and, to his credit, he took responsibility and seemed to understand what he needs to do to win the job.

Sure, there may be a QB coach out there who could have coaxed more out of the position. And it's easy now to say we should have gone with Bilbo from the start and used the year as a learning experience. Personally I don't think that would have been fair to the seniors. Because as bad as our QB play was we could have won at least 3 more games with a few breaks or if guys had made some plays.

So yeah, I have questions about the coaches. But I also put some responsibility on the players. If we go with a freshman next year, our offense will have to be very basic and our defense better be ready. Sort of like Joe's first year. But what I'm confident of is that the coaches are going with the guy who is best prepared to help us win. I just hope whoever it is next year is better prepared than they were this year. And if they aren't we will probably see some changes in the staff. Whether it's the whole staff or not I wouldn't want to speculate on. That's the nature of the business.

 

[Father WASP]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

When Gailey was hired it was for the purpose of bringing in an "experienced", seasoned head man who could maintain our level of play and avoid "rebuilding" a program that didnt need rebuildiing. Gailey said so himself.

Now, we are considering entering the Auburn game with a true freshman at QB because none of our existing QB's were developed, and we have a stated need to get more physical, despite having gone into spring to evaluate such things. We are struggling on the recruiting front, quite possibly ending up with the worst class in the ACC next to Duke.

Expectations have indeed been lowered.

 

[ncjacket]

Re: Next year\'s schedule...

FatherWasp, don't understand your point here

"and we have a stated need to get more physical, despite having gone into spring to evaluate such things"

are you saying we should wait until spring to figure this out, or that we should have known after last spring? Either way, I think we all know the answer, we weren't physical enough coming out of last spring and the coaching staff knew it, they just couldn't do anything about it at that point. It will be a focal point this year.

I also get tired about the complaining about none of our QBs "being developed". It's a two way street. You can't develop someone if he doesn't have it OR rush it if he needs more time. Just look at Gannon and Johnson. Both were considered busts after their first few years in the league. Gannon was actually out of football for a season. Bilbo may still be the guy, we'll see if he puts in the time and if things start to make sense to him. If not, one of the freshmem may be the man. Why are the same people who felt we should have handed it over to Bilbo last year (when all reports say he wasn't ready) saying it would be a disaster to turn it over to a freshman. Maybe one of those guys has more football smarts and will pick things up right away.

Regardless, I have to agree with Beeware, we have enough talent to compete with our schedule if we get good QB play, just like this year. Where some of you assume we won't because of your disdain for our coaching staff, I prefer to be optimistic and wait to see what develops.