Winning football games

[hiveredtech]

Guys

I have been thinking a lot about our roller coaster ride this year. I think it is safe to say when you looked down our schedule before the season and picked W's and L's....it has not turned out even close to what you thought. Some good...some bad. However, we are not alone in this category. Just ask Wisconsin, Miami, Maryland, Marshall, Washington State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, etc. etc.

As I look back at our second rise for the past 15 years, in the late 90's, we won all of the games that we were supposed to. This is probably because of consistency in coaching and consistency in bringing in the kids that fit the conditions at the time...as well as a built-in confidence and pride within our team. However, a common complaint was that we were not able to win the games against the big teams. Highly ranked teams like FSU and others gave us a lot of trouble...even blowing us out. We rarely won games we were not favored in. One could even argue we lost games we should have won in 2001 when we were 7-5 reg. season.

My opinion is that it is harder to get your team to believe it can win the big games than it is to develop the maturity in your team to win the games it should win. That would come with consistency in coaching, practice, schemes, player development, game preparation, etc.

To sum it up, I would rather be able to win the big games we should not win...than to win the games we should at this point...simply because I believe the latter should be easier to improve on. Time will tell.

 

[law_bee]

I agree completely. The confidence that has come from the big wins is ireplacable. If this was CG's 4th or 5th year I would be more concerned but this is still a new system.

CG has not called this a "rebuilding year," but when you start a true freshman we can all read between the lines. I think we are on the cusp of moving to the next level but it is going to take some time.

The win over Maryland was HUGE! That is clearly the biggest win we have had in 3 years.

Fridge came in here with a more talented team and we sent him packing.

 

[midatlantech]

Very interesting point and of course we all hope it turns out to highly accurate.
Go Jackets.

 

[Wrecked]

Originally posted by law_bee:
The win over Maryland was HUGE! That is clearly the biggest win we have had in 3 years.

Fridge came in here with a more talented team and we sent him packing.

<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Yeah, Maryland's backup QB was full of talent. How many snaps had he taken prior to that game. Tech won because of superb defense that "FSUed" the other team's starter. To call it out biggest win in the last three years is ludicrous . Beating NC State for the third straight year or the Auburn game was a bigger win THIS year. In the last three, beating a ninth ranked Stanford with an interim coach or an undefeated State team with AJ Suggs on the road is bigger.

As for us being on the cusp, that my friend is wishful thinking backed up by nothing I have seen on the field. I see a program sinking into the mediocrity of 5,6,7 win seasons year in and year out. I don't want Chan Gailey gone, but this mindless praising of him when he has accomplished squat yet is disheartening, especially when it comes from people of supposed intelligence.