We Win 2 or We Win 8

[FullMetalBuzz]

I agree with OP due to our schedule having a big difficulty cliff.

If we’re ööööty again we will be lucky to have 2 wins. Likely WCU and Duke.

If we make it up to ACC average this year then we should have 3 likely wins, 7 toss ups, and 2 ass beatings. That puts us at 7 wins for the year. I don’t see much middle ground between 2 and 7.

 

[Jmonty71]

BASED ON WHAT???

To start, based on Collins and his lack of game management skills. Also, putting in the quality of teams, we are playing. Yeah, we got a QB coach for Sims, however; that doesn't = better play. Sims can't control the blocking (or lack of) that the O-line will provide. I guess the question is, what have they shown, to do better? I see wins against WC, Duke and VT. I hope I am wrong. I really do. But, there is nothing that tells me this team is magically better.

 

[GoldZ]

We’re you? Did they chant ACC?

No, but tv sure captured it.

 

[ibeeballin]

Chip Long offenses are successful with good TEs. The stats back that up. He's pretty open about using the position group to shift looks and take advantage of the personnel grouping the defense gets stuck in. He failed at Tulane because he didn't have the players at that position that were versatile enough to take advantage of those mismatches.

Last year's results aren't indicative, but the statistics bear out that there is a strong correlation between returning productivity and improving record.

Ok, still back.

You don't think it's a bad sign that we were the outliers on when we held spring practice and spring game? Tons of interviews and comments about how strange it was. No interviews about going to a more normal practice schedule.



Not convinced, why don't you try convincing me why year 4 will actually be different?

Tulane offense wasn’t his offense. Looked more like what Fritz wanted to do.

Utilizing & reliant are not the same. 2016 Memphis offense wasn’t TE reliant. Notre Dame TE pre & post CCL remain some of the best in the country.

Are you really going to say with a straight face that if the production of a Swilling, Carpenter, & Thomas returned you be excited? Gibbs is amazing but we were 3wins with him. Only guy i would want back for this season Cochran

Spring practice time is irrelevant. Folks would’ve complained if we did it in May.


Reason to be optimistic:

Normalcy- No pandemic restrictions. No off-season deaths to grieve (RIP Big B & Simba), no one going into the season ineligible

Growth- Vast amount of production may be gone but their were a lot of guys who gained experience. Ready to see the Kennards, King, Allen, Edwards, Vaipulu etc of the world


Our opponents:

Other than maybe UGA, every we team play has just as many questions or more questions than we do.


Buckle up & enjoy the ride

 

[GoGATech]

You don't think it's a bad sign that we were the outliers on when we held spring practice and spring game? Tons of interviews and comments about how strange it was. No interviews about going to a more normal practice schedule.

Why was that so strange? He explained the thought process behind that was since we had new OC putting in his system, he wanted to be able to install it as quickly as possible to get guys familiar with it and have an even longer "offseason" to continue learning the playbook/calls/assignments, etc. He also did not want spring break to fall in the middle of camp and break it up. What would be an advantage of having spring ball later?

Not convinced, why don't you try convincing me why year 4 will actually be different?

I'll give it a shot. And it may not convince you, I'm not sure it's totally convinced me but these reasons are why I am able to remain optimistic:

-new OC with P5 experience and success, his schemes make quicker QB reads and get the ball out faster (helps out a weaker OL)

-new QB coach with P5 and NFL QB coaching experience gives us a dedicated coach to help develop Sims and other QBs (they needed it)

-experienced and talented QB depth (loved Yates but I just don't believe he had the size to play QB in P5 football)

-new secondary coach with P5 experience and fresh group of starters for most of that room - this seemed to be the weakest unit on defense last year and now we have new leadership there and new players (that are all highly rated)

-new DL coach with P5 experience and depth on DL - Zeek, TK, Scott, Douse, Stone, Carson, two 4* freshman that could play

-depth at DE - White, Sylvain, Robinson, Kennard, Harris, Collins

-new WR coach with P5 experience and players with size at WR/TE - Jenkins 6'7", Blackburn 6'5", Leonard 6'5", Benson 6'4", etc.

-OL transfers that can start and will provide more quality depth

Until this year, we had only two assistants (Key and Dixon) other than CGC himself that had any P5 experience. Now 6 of our 10 assistants have multiple years experience in P5, many with success. I think that will play a bigger factor than we realize. Couple all that with our schedule and I can surely see more than 3 wins and easily 6 if we show any sort of improvement. There are a lot of unknowns and new faces for some of our ACC opponents.

 

[ibeeballin]

To start, based on Collins and his lack of game management skills. Also, putting in the quality of teams, we are playing. Yeah, we got a QB coach for Sims, however; that doesn't = better play. Sims can't control the blocking (or lack of) that the O-line will provide. I guess the question is, what have they shown, to do better? I see wins against WC, Duke and VT. I hope I am wrong. I really do. But, there is nothing that tells me this team is magically better.

You bring up blocking but UVA replaces their Top OL

FSU has 4 consecutive losing seasons and CGC actually beat them

Pitt loses the first overall QB taken & the Biletnikoff award winner expected to be better?

Ole Miss lose a NFL QB, 2 NFL RB and bring back 1 starter at WR. They lost their top 8 tacklers while giving 420yds/gm. They were 2014 GT on defense. Can they get those opportunistic TO again

UCF Qb is in Oklahoma and Keene is not someone I’m personally high on


So on and so forth

 

[BainbridgeJacket]

Tulane offense wasn’t his offense.

Wrong.


If you're so confident, let's wager.
2 wins or less - you buy me a bottle of Oban 18
3-7 - push
8 wins or more - I buy you an equivalent bottle

If either of us gets a bottle, there's cause for celebration. Either a new coaching hire or our program is in a good position. If there's a push, it's somewhere in between.

 

[BainbridgeJacket]

Why was that so strange? He explained the thought process behind that was since we had new OC putting in his system, he wanted to be able to install it as quickly as possible to get guys familiar with it and have an even longer "offseason" to continue learning the playbook/calls/assignments, etc. He also did not want spring break to fall in the middle of camp and break it up. What would be an advantage of having spring ball later?

You'll have to ask the multiple reporters and coaches who wrote articles and brought it up in interviews or just realize we were the only ones who did it which in and of itself is strange.

Also, don't hype up the secondary coach's P5 experience when the secondary he was responsible for last year was statistically worse than ours and dead last in P5.

 

[GoGATech]

You'll have to ask the multiple reporters and coaches who wrote articles and brought it up in interviews or just realize we were the only ones who did it which in and of itself is strange.

Also, don't hype up the secondary coach's P5 experience when the secondary he was responsible for last year was statistically worse than ours and dead last in P5.

I don't remember anybody making that big of a deal about it and still don't see why it is so strange.

And sure MSU was dead last in passing YPG but that is a skewed stat because they also play a lot of teams that have pass heavy offenses. They played the # 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 13, 26, and 27 passing offenses in the country and had the most passes attempted against them last season. Western Kentucky was #1 passing offense by 40+ yards and they had a ton of passing attempts and yards against MSU which helped skew that average. If you go by yards per attempt they were #60 because they had so many attempts against them last year. Guess who was dead last in that category? Yep. GT. MSU had 244 more passes attempted against them last year than GT!!! Can you imagine what we would've given up with 244 more pass attempts against us?? I'll tell you. We gave up 9.8 ypa last year so 244 more attempts would have accounted for 2391 more yards meaning we would have given up over 100 more ypg passing than MSU. It's not even close how much worse we were. So yeah I believe it will be an upgrade.

 

[BuzzLaw]

This is probably the weakest in conference schedule we’ve had in decades. There’s no reason not to win the Coastal.

IIRC, Geoff has yet to beat a team that finished the regular season above .500. For whatever reason, he’s been given another year to produce wins. He needs to get it done in a big way.

 

[Techfan02]

I don't remember anybody making that big of a deal about it and still don't see why it is so strange.

And sure MSU was dead last in passing YPG but that is a skewed stat because they also play a lot of teams that have pass heavy offenses. They played the # 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 13, 26, and 27 passing offenses in the country and had the most passes attempted against them last season. Western Kentucky was #1 passing offense by 40+ yards and they had a ton of passing attempts and yards against MSU which helped skew that average. If you go by yards per attempt they were #60 because they had so many attempts against them last year. Guess who was dead last in that category? Yep. GT. MSU had 244 more passes attempted against them last year than GT!!! Can you imagine what we would've given up with 244 more pass attempts against us?? I'll tell you. We gave up 9.8 ypa last year so 244 more attempts would have accounted for 2391 more yards meaning we would have given up over 100 more ypg passing than MSU. It's not even close how much worse we were. So yeah I believe it will be an upgrade.

Yea this is correct along with the fact that it's a whole secondary coach, and not 2 different positions,this will have more of an impact than people seem to realize.

 

[1982Jacket]

Four wins. Measurable progress. And if you can't see it, it'll be because you don't want to.

 

[Jmonty71]

You bring up blocking but UVA replaces their Top OL

FSU has 4 consecutive losing seasons and CGC actually beat them

Pitt loses the first overall QB taken & the Biletnikoff award winner expected to be better?

Ole Miss lose a NFL QB, 2 NFL RB and bring back 1 starter at WR. They lost their top 8 tacklers while giving 420yds/gm. They were 2014 GT on defense. Can they get those opportunistic TO again

UCF Qb is in Oklahoma and Keene is not someone I’m personally high on


So on and so forth

I am not worried, nor care about other teams and their loses/problems. It does not matter, if we go out and lay an egg (or crap the bed). So, Pitt has a new QB?? Big deal.. I am sure their new QB will do perfectly fine against or pitiful defense. Ole Miss reloads talent better than we do. I get it. You are looking for silver linings. However; this tune can be sang, the last 2 years, for us. Yet, we managed to still suck. I hope I am wrong. I really do. However; before I look in other team houses, we need to clean ours. It starts with Collins, next to that play calling, next to that Sims and his QB play. I think those 3 things HAVE TO improve or we will see yet another 3 win season. I respect your opinion. In fact, I hope you are right. However; I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Buzz_404]

This is probably the weakest in conference schedule we’ve had in decades. There’s no reason not to win the Coastal.

IIRC, Geoff has yet to beat a team that finished the regular season above .500. For whatever reason, he’s been given another year to produce wins. He needs to get it done in a big way.

Clemson game is most important game of the season, we get smoked, 2-3 win season, we keep it close, we got a shot at a bowl, we win, 8+ wins and the coastal is ours to take, momentum is important

 

[Jmonty71]

Clemson game is most important game of the season, we get smoked, 2-3 win season, we keep it close, we got a shot at a bowl, we win, 8+ wins and the coastal is ours to take, momentum is important

I disagree. We cannot gauge how well we do, based on this one game. We could very well lose by 3 to Clemson and lose every game. On the other hand, if we lose by 30, would could win 6 games. I think if we barely lose to Clemson, it may give us a false sense of security.

 

[ibeeballin]

I am not worried, nor care about other teams and their loses/problems. It does not matter, if we go out and lay an egg (or crap the bed). So, Pitt has a new QB?? Big deal.. I am sure their new QB will do perfectly fine against or pitiful defense. Ole Miss reloads talent better than we do. I get it. You are looking for silver linings. However; this tune can be sang, the last 2 years, for us. Yet, we managed to still suck. I hope I am wrong. I really do. However; before I look in other team houses, we need to clean ours. It starts with Collins, next to that play calling, next to that Sims and his QB play. I think those 3 things HAVE TO improve or we will see yet another 3 win season. I respect your opinion. In fact, I hope you are right. However; I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

This might the silliest thing written on here. “I’m not worried about other teams” Well who are we suppose to play and matchup with?

 

[Jmonty71]

This might the silliest thing written on here. “I’m not worried about other teams” Well who are we suppose to play and matchup with?

We (as a team) need to get better. End of story. I don't care what UCF, Ole Miss, Clemson and such do. If they get better, good for them. If they lose talent, ok?? We still have to stop beating ourselves, we got to still go on the field and perform. So, yeah... I'm not worried about what other teams do and don't do. To add. This, to me, is a set up for an excuse, should Collins fail. Instead of saying WE played bad, WE coached bad... You are already putting the context of the other team mattering more. To me, that is what is silly...

 

[GoldZ]

This might the silliest thing written on here. “I’m not worried about other teams” Well who are we suppose to play and matchup with?

ibeeballin, you have played much too much football to not have heard multiple coaches say wtte: take care of our own business and we will be fine....or, let's control what we have control over, which is ourselves. In other words...stop making unforced errors. Of course, those coaches would have said it more colorfully. I could be wrong, but that is what I see Jmonty71 saying.

 

[GoGATech]

ibeeballin, you have played much too much football to not have heard multiple coaches say wtte: take care of our own business and we will be fine....or, let's control what we have control over, which is ourselves. In other words...stop making unforced errors. Of course, those coaches would have said it more colorfully. I could be wrong, but that is what I see Jmonty71 saying.

That's coachspeak and motivational tool to get the most from your guys. You 100% have to match up well with who you're playing. What teams gave CPJ fits all the time? Big talented DL and fast LBs. You couldn't scheme for that. Another coachspeak favorite of mine, "physical superiority cancels all theory." Imagine if we played UGAg 12 times this season. It doesn't matter how much we improved or how much better we play, if we play them 12 times, we're going 0'fer right now. So yeah it's silly not to factor in what our opponents are losing/gaining when trying to predict our record or gauge our success.

 

[GoldZ]

That's coachspeak and motivational tool to get the most from your guys. You 100% have to match up well with who you're playing. What teams gave CPJ fits all the time? Big talented DL and fast LBs. You couldn't scheme for that. Another coachspeak favorite of mine, "physical superiority cancels all theory." Imagine if we played UGAg 12 times this season. It doesn't matter how much we improved or how much better we play, if we play them 12 times, we're going 0'fer right now. So yeah it's silly not to factor in what our opponents are losing/gaining when trying to predict our record or gauge our success.

Matching up is a duh for anyone having played a down. Making unforced errors is a LOT more than coach speak, which is why Saban goes berserk when it happens, instead of hugging the offender when he comes off the field.
Considering match-ups and reducing unforced errors are not either/or issues, you do them both, or sit on the bench or stand in the unemployment line.