ACC Preseason Poll

[007]

I realize this will sound harsh, but if you are surprised or upset by being picked dead last in the conference - not just in the division but the entire conference - then you haven't been paying enough attention to the history. Perception is reality until it isn't. We are a mind-numbing 30 games under .500 since joining the ACC (22-52). If we want to change the perception of the program, maybe we need to start by winning more than 2 conference games per season.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I realize this will sound harsh, but if you are surprised or upset by being picked dead last in the conference - not just in the division but the entire conference - then you haven't been paying enough attention to the history. Perception is reality until it isn't. We are a mind-numbing 30 games under .500 since joining the ACC (22-52). If we want to change the perception of the program, maybe we need to start by winning more than 2 conference games per season.

SU is certainly better than Ga Tech. I can't believe somebody actually picked them to win the division. Probably the same person who picked BC to win their division.

 

[orangecuse]

I realize this will sound harsh, but if you are surprised or upset by being picked dead last in the conference - not just in the division but the entire conference - then you haven't been paying enough attention to the history. Perception is reality until it isn't. We are a mind-numbing 30 games under .500 since joining the ACC (22-52). If we want to change the perception of the program, maybe we need to start by winning more than 2 conference games per season.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I’m not shocked we were picked last in the Atlantic, but I’m dumbfounded by our lack of respect for players on the preseason all ACC team. We have players that are ranked on NFL boards higher than players picked for the preseason team. I guess it’s time to show up and prove people wrong.

 

[TheCusian]

The one game I was referring to was Rutgers. How do you not run Tucker in the second half? That was insane and no excuse for it. That win wouldn’t have helped us with ACC standings but we would have gone bowling

FSU, Wake and Clemson one could argue were lost on coaching. I’m not going to say we’d win for sure but there were definitely some boneheaded time management decisions.

Yeah, Rutgers game critique is very fair.

The rest were close enough, I have a hard time pinning those on any one decision that wasn’t a 50/50 call to begin with. Time management stuff is especially hard to nail down in 3 pt games. Leave too much time and you give them a shot, use up your time and you can torpedo yourself.

I don’t think there’s nothing to criticize - just that we tend to focus on the highly visible decisions that tend to be crap shoots.

 

[TheCusian]

I realize this will sound harsh, but if you are surprised or upset by being picked dead last in the conference - not just in the division but the entire conference - then you haven't been paying enough attention to the history. Perception is reality until it isn't. We are a mind-numbing 30 games under .500 since joining the ACC (22-52). If we want to change the perception of the program, maybe we need to start by winning more than 2 conference games per season.

I’m not surprised at all. The best way to look at these polls isn’t “this is where they will finish” but more a “this is my best bet on where they are the most likely to finish” by a profession that is adverse to going out on a limb in front of your peers

I just think they aren’t thinking it through fully based on our personnel. Taking the easy way out

 

[DoctorBombay]

All this teeth gnashing is totally beside-the-point and much ado about nada, imo.
Winning cures all ills. We haven’t won, consistently, for years now.
So yes, we’re continually perceived as sucking, and we generally live up to that perception.
“You are, what your record says you are”. Nuff’ said.

 

[721Comstock]

All this teeth gnashing is totally beside-the-point and much ado about nada, imo.
Winning cures all ills. We haven’t won, consistently, for years now.
So yes, we’re continually perceived as sucking, and we generally live up to that perception.
“You are, what your record says you are”. Nuff’ said.

144% this.

We've had, what? 4-5 winning seasons in the past 2 decades?

So, while we may have some nice talent at several positions this year, until Syracuse Football actually wins on the field, it's super easy to just assume they won't.
Because that's what has happened 75%-80% of the time in this millennium.

 

[Orijinal]

144% this.

We've had, what? 4-5 winning seasons in the past 2 decades?

So, while we may have some nice talent at several positions this year, until Syracuse Football actually wins on the field, it's super easy to just assume they won't.
Because that's what has happened 75%-80% of the time in this millennium.

Hear, hear. It's time to make things happen. It's time to see actual results. Enough placing our hopes on potential. These kids and staff have got to get it done

 

[dollarbill44]

If Garrett’s arm has improved this team can compete with anyone on the schedule, Anae and Beck are going to put our receivers in spots to succeed unlike Sterlin Gilbert did. If Garrett can put the ball where it needs to be, our offense will be hard to contain. On defense the only question mark is the line. And all the line has to be is average and the talent we have behind them will be able to make it work. I think this team is being criminally slept on.

His arm is fine, it's his footwork that caused most of his problems last year. I'm hopeful Coach Beck can get that improved.

 

[dollarbill44]

Yeah, Rutgers game critique is very fair.

The rest were close enough, I have a hard time pinning those on any one decision that wasn’t a 50/50 call to begin with. Time management stuff is especially hard to nail down in 3 pt games. Leave too much time and you give them a shot, use up your time and you can torpedo yourself.

I don’t think there’s nothing to criticize - just that we tend to focus on the highly visible decisions that tend to be crap shoots.

I think it's fair to criticize time management when you run out of time because you called 2 TOs in a row without running a play, or when you run out of time in the first half on the opponents 1 yard line because you had to burn your last TO after an opponent TO because you only had the wrong personnel on the field coming out of said TO.
Those are things that greatly impact game outcomes.

 

[TheHaze315]

His arm is fine, it's his footwork that caused most of his problems last year. I'm hopeful Coach Beck can get that improved.

His arm mechanics are far from great, but I agree with the footwork point. I have faith specifically in Beck, which is one of the main reasons I’m high on this team. I think Garrett is able to make a nice jump with the improved coaching he’s getting.

 

[TheCusian]

I think it's fair to criticize time management when you run out of time because you called 2 TOs in a row without running a play, or when you run out of time in the first half on the opponents 1 yard line because you had to burn your last TO after an opponent TO because you only had the wrong personnel on the field coming out of said TO.
Those are things that greatly impact game outcomes.

Agreed on those things being bad generally and would prefer them not to happen* and that they can make a coach look bad and can contribute to a loss.

* If we got into the wrong play or had bad personal on the field, it's bad - but that second TO could have saved a TD or a penalty. That can be worse. But fair example for sure.

1st half issues generally have less impact overall - as mistakes can be made up for.

 

[Cuse12]

Depth. We have pieces to compete with the best if it's just the 1's vs 1's. Usually by the second half of the schedule, our 2's and 3's don't seem on par with other schools. That and a QB who hasn't shown much consistency in the air, and our offense becomes predictable/one dimensional.

Yeah good point that’s not said enough. Two positions have devastated our program, QB and WR. And mix in the OL a few times lol

But our passing game has been so horrible it’s ruined everything with the team. Defense had no rest, etc

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I can't believe the prediction is upsetting or even surprising. Once the stench of "bottom-feeder" gets associated with a program, it takes a lot of air freshener to remove it.

We all have Orange-colored glasses and we all think to ourselves "if X happens, and if Y happens, and if Z happens, then by golly we could have a really good year! That's our job. I never do a preseason prediction because I can't bring myself to predict a loss in any game. It's a stupid superstition of mine that has obviously not resulted in us being successful in most years, but it is what I do. No matter the opponent, I always think "yeah, we could win this."

The world outside our little Orange one is different, however. They don't say if X,Y, and Z happens then SU won't finish last. Their assessment is more high-level. They don't play the "if" game; SU has to show them. Respect has to be earned and until we can show everyone that we can win more than two conference games in a year...and in fact, many more than two...then nobody is going to give us respect. It is not the pundits' job to change how we are perceived, it's SU's job.

 

[dollarbill44]

1st half issues generally have less impact overall - as mistakes can be made up for.

I'm not a subscriber of that theory. You only get so many possessions in a football game. They should all be treated as important, especially in the red zone and especially on the last possession of a half where there isn't the consolation of at least pinning the opponent deep when you fail to convert. If it's failed execution, fine, things happen during a play and the other team desrves some credit too. If it's clock/TO/personnel mismanagement, it shouldn't be dismissed as being less important to the game because it happened in the first half.
If you execute better in the first half, you can have more margin for error in the second half.

 

[donniesyracuse]

I think it’s so weird that we can have:

- the best RB in the ACC maybe country, Heisman contender
- an NFL LT
- a top 2 LB corp in the ACC
- an NFL CB and a top duo at CB

And people are like yeah, last in the division

(Questions with the passing game, DL obviously - but it’s still nuts)

I think one could probably identify at least six stand-out players on most teams in the big 5. I don’t know enough about other programs to complete that exercise, but I believe it to be true. Six guys is a very small percentage of a roster.

 

[TheCusian]

I think one could probably identify at least six stand-out players on most teams in the big 5. I don’t know enough about other programs to complete that exercise, but I believe it to be true. Six guys is a very small percentage of a roster.

Yeah, but *we* have not had that level of player at that many positions since 2018?

Also note, I didn’t say standout. What we have this year is somewhat unique for us over the last 20 years.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Yeah, but *we* have not had that level of player at that many positions since 2018?

Also note, I didn’t say standout. What we have this year is somewhat unique for us over the last 20 years.

But people are comparing this team to other teams in the division, not past Syracuse teams.

 

[TheCusian]

But people are comparing this team to other teams in the division, not past Syracuse teams.

Correct. So our chances should be better? If everyone has “6 standout players” and we usually don’t have an NFL LB, RB, OT, CB - doesn’t that mean we have more of a shot than the same old?

 

[donniesyracuse]

Correct. So our chances should be better? If everyone has “6 standout players” and we usually don’t have an NFL LB, RB, OT, CB - doesn’t that mean we have more of a shot than the same old?

Not necessarily, the other six teams could be better or worse than previous years. Some teams might have more than six standout players.

 

[TheCusian]

Not necessarily, the other six teams could be better or worse than previous years. Some teams might have more than six standout players.

You should def go back and read what I’ve written already. Glad you ended up where I did.

My point is very simple. We have highly rated guys and are still expected to finished last - that’s weird for us. Extrapolate what you want from there.

 

[donniesyracuse]

You should def go back and read what I’ve written already. Glad you ended up where I did.

My point is very simple. We have highly rated guys and are still expected to finished last - that’s weird for us. Extrapolate what you want from there.

You said it was “nuts.” I don’t think it is. I don’t think having six excellent players is a good predictor of one’s place in the standings.

 

[longtimefan]

Yeah, Rutgers game critique is very fair.

The rest were close enough, I have a hard time pinning those on any one decision that wasn’t a 50/50 call to begin with. Time management stuff is especially hard to nail down in 3 pt games. Leave too much time and you give them a shot, use up your time and you can torpedo yourself.

I don’t think there’s nothing to criticize - just that we tend to focus on the highly visible decisions that tend to be crap shoots.

The Wake game--going for 2 in the 3rd quarter was a bone-headed decision.