As crappy as that game ended….

[CousCuse]

This was about as predictable a loss as anyone could have seen since 2017, but for less positive reasons. I’m not going to chalk it up as “the refs always take these from us”.

im typically as optimistic as anyone but today was a day to handle business. Aside from 2018, we’ve struggled to do that.

FSU runs this conference and they could not take 0-5 or there would have been a total meltdown in Tallahassee. So they jobbed Syracuse who has no pull in the ACC at all. That's the bottom line. But in doing so they might aide in getting the only African-American coach in the league fired. That doesn't seem right.

 

[RF2044]

I did not watch the whole game mostly I just followed it but you know I have a feeling that Florida State he's going to turn the corner oh, I mean they obviously have talent and sometimes coaching staffs take longer to implement their systems and all that & FSU coach did very well at Memphis.
So what I'm getting at is that as bad as we played that last Drive I think we outplayed them that's when you should have one or at least could of. I seen a lot of positives on the offensive side of the ball. The defense you don't have to worry about. I was worried the whole season that the defense was going to have to keep us in every game but if the offensive line continues to progress and Schrader does the same we can make some noise!

Agreed.

Huge missed opportunity today, but I'm confident that the offense will continue to improve. Most teams won't be able to shut down the running game. And we started to see today what Shrader can do. He'll be even more effective when the running game is something that teams less talented than FSU need to sell out to stop.

And for the record, no Taj today.

 

[NineOneSeven]

That's what you took from my post?

I'm really tired of this crap. You were ringing alarm bells all week about how we were going to get smoked. Then, we go toe-to-toe with FSU and could / possibly should have won, and now it's all about how how the coaching failed.

We sure did. They also were 0-4 and lost to Jacksonville state. I get they have talent, they’ve lost close games, etc. They were 0-4. This loss stings especially given how it happened.

 

[RF2044]

We sure did. They also were 0-4 and lost to Jacksonville state. I get they have talent, they’ve lost close games, etc. They were 0-4. This loss stings especially given how it happened.

No argument there -- the loss stings.

We had the fourth win in the hand, needed to score that TD at the end instead of settling for a game tying FG.

But I'm sure you can appreciate how a big portion of the board is now talking out of both sides of their mouth. Week leading up to the game, the offense sucks, FSU "really isn't an 0-4 team," we are going to lose because they are so explosive and we can't match up, etc.

Then we lose in the closest of fashions, with Shrader playing well despite FSU selling out to shut down the running game, no Taj, a lousy break at the end with that blatant hold that went uncalled, and with that awful lateral situation, and now it's that the coaching let us down.

 

[Trueblue25]

No argument there -- the loss stings.

We had the fourth win in the hand, needed to score that TD at the end instead of settling for a game tying FG.

But I'm sure you can appreciate how a big portion of the board is now talking out of both sides of their mouth. Week leading up to the game, the offense sucks, FSU "really isn't an 0-4 team," we are going to lose because they are so explosive and we can't match up, etc.

Then we lose in the closest of fashions, with a lousy break at the end, and with that awful lateral situation, and now it's that the coaching let us down.

What I said this week is I don’t like the matchup and its a classic cuse trip up game. No playing both sides. We needed to handle business and we lost. Im over it and don’t think it tells the whole story to act like we were robbed by the refs. We found ourselves in that position.

 

[RF2044]

What I said this week is I don’t like the matchup and its a classic cuse trip up game. No playing both sides. We needed to handle business and we lost. Im over it and don’t think it tells the whole story to act like we were robbed by the refs. We found ourselves in that position.

"We needed to handle business and we lost"

Brilliant analysis.

I spent the entire weak reading predictions from posters -- including you -- who predicted that we were going to lose this week for an endless number of reasons. Then, we come and out play well enough to win, and the narrative changes to how we blew it and should have won.

I'm not going to apologize for pointing out that the blatant hold was a missed call. It 100% was, and should have been called.

We score a TD instead of having to settle for a game tying FG when we had first and goal inside their 10, and we're singing a different tune. We convert, and we probably win. We didn't, and here we are.

 

[OrangeDW]

 

[Cuse#1]

Agreed.

Huge missed opportunity today, but I'm confident that the offense will continue to improve. Most teams won't be able to shut down the running game. And we started to see today what Shrader can do. He'll be even more effective when the running game is something that teams less talented than FSU need to sell out to stop.

And for the record, no Taj today.

Agreed with what you said but I'm a little worried maybe just paranoid but Taj I know he's kind of like a junior Terrell Owens so I was hoping that this isn't some kind of like you know I want the ball type thing LOL I hope I'm wrong I'm sure I sure I am but you know they don't tell anything so who knows.

 

[Trueblue25]

M

"We needed to handle business and we lost"

Brilliant analysis.

I spent the entire weak reading predictions from posters -- including you -- who predicted that we were going to lose this week for an endless number of reasons. Then, we come and out play well enough to win, and the narrative changes to how we blew it and should have won.

I'm not going to apologize for pointing out that the blatant hold was a missed call. It 100% was, and should have been called.

We score a TD instead of having to settle for a game tying FG when we had first and goal inside their 10, and we're singing a different tune. We convert, and we probably win. We didn't, and here we are.

I think there’s a number of posters who fit into whats upsetting you far better than I do.

I did not post that FSU would blow us out. **correction, guess I did predict a double digit loss so I’ll own that. I did post thinking we’d lose and this game would be harder than it should be. I did not provide endless reasons why I was concerned about this matchup other than we’ve not performed in Tallahassee in the past, it is a bad matchup considering our lack of a passing game, and its an easy trip up game SU’s fallen victim to in the past and there’s little reason not to see it happen again.

Our run game continues to look dominant. Shraders showing promise in the pass game even despite Taj’s absence. Our D won’t always be perfect but with Wax, Jones, Chestnut, etc. we’ll always have a fighting chance.

IMO the players fought and kept us in there. We did go toe to toe with 0-4 FSU and lost. There’s reasons to be optimistic about the team/players. I think Dino’s overly conservative and its cost us. Pittsburgh in 2020 and Rutgers this year being other examples.

 

[PhatOrange]

"We needed to handle business and we lost"

Brilliant analysis.

I spent the entire weak reading predictions from posters -- including you -- who predicted that we were going to lose this week for an endless number of reasons. Then, we come and out play well enough to win, and the narrative changes to how we blew it and should have won.

I'm not going to apologize for pointing out that the blatant hold was a missed call. It 100% was, and should have been called.

We score a TD instead of having to settle for a game tying FG when we had first and goal inside their 10, and we're singing a different tune. We convert, and we probably win. We didn't, and here we are.

I definitely said all week we are going to lose and I believe I predicted 27-13 or something like that. didn’t see us scoring more than 13 points. The offense sure as heck surprised me and looked capable at times. I’m not much of a coach blamer though but man sometimes Gilbert is lost with his play calling.

Anyhow I do think that us missing our punter today had a huge impact on the game today. We missed him big time. Taj not so much and Courtney did a good job stepping up. What I saw from the offense today gives me some hope.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I didn’t personally think it looked like a catch but it was very hard to tell. To me it looked like it wasn’t a catch at all and a review might have found some amazing catch in there.

No, that was a catch. He got his hands underneath the ball.

 

[RandomGuy]

Was Cisco on the sidelines? ( if so? Right on. Love it)

 

[capeorange]

i don't know how to do it but it's in the game thread, he tweeted out "I know what I'm worth." Seems to indicate he's displeased about something. Given his antics on the field (pouting when he doesn’t get the ball, flipping the bird last year) it's gotta be disciplinary. We've probably seen the last of him and that may be a good thing.

Here's his tweet

 

[kcsu]

You don’t know crap about Dino, he knows more about football I his pinky then you will ever know.

Then he should display that knowledge because at this point he is sh...ing all over himself on game day

 

[qdawgg]

And for the record, no Taj today.

That was actually a positive. The ball got passed around to different players. Nobody seemed to complain when they didn’t get the ball thrown to them or when the ball wasn’t perfect. Maybe the WR’s are better when Taj isn’t around. FSU passing defense is atrocious but guys were getting open and making plays and that doesn’t usually happen more than twice a game.

 

[ORRange]

Dino has only come back to win 5 games when trailing at the half...in his whole head coaching career. Let that one percolate.

 

[qdawgg]

Dino has only come back to win 5 games when trailing at the half...in his whole head coaching career. Let that one percolate.

But he knows more about coaching than any of us do b/c he’s been doing it longer. So it doesn’t matter…….

 

[ADKDave]

Bitter ending. But I had fun watching until how it ended. We felt relevant in that game. Haven’t been able to say that in a while. Hopefully we can win more games but will take away some positive vibes from that game.

 

[CusefanATL]

Here's his tweet

Imagine having a legit shot at breaking school career records and just throwing it all away.

What is his worth?

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

How many years did you spend in the college football ranks ?

These kinds of arguments are strange. I'd imagine Dino knows more about football (particularly the x's and o's) than most everyone on this board. I mean, he's getting paid $3.5+ per year for that reason. But, I mean, he's a football coach - this isn't astrophysics (I assume you need to be really, really smart to work in that arena).

Most avid football fans can determine when it's a good time to punt vs go for it.

 

[RF2044]

That was actually a positive. The ball got passed around to different players. Nobody seemed to complain when they didn’t get the ball thrown to them or when the ball wasn’t perfect. Maybe the WR’s are better when Taj isn’t around. FSU passing defense is atrocious but guys were getting open and making plays and that doesn’t usually happen more than twice a game.

I think an offense with a QB like Shrader, who's going to scramble, doesn't need a true, traditional #1 WR that the passing game is structured around. You need a bunch of guys who can get open, and then the QB spreads it around taking whatever's there.

Taj has been a selfish prima donna his entire career -- that's not an insult, BTW, elite WRs often seem to be quirky. But his act has worn thin, and he doesn't seem like a team oriented guy. Would prefer for him to play, but maybe it's addition by subtraction.

 

[TheCusian]

These kinds of arguments are strange. I'd imagine Dino knows more about football (particularly the x's and o's) than most everyone on this board. I mean, he's getting paid $3.5+ per year for that reason. But, I mean, he's a football coach - this isn't astrophysics (I assume you need to be really, really smart to work in that arena).

Most avid football fans can determine when it's a good time to punt vs go for it.

I think that’s an argument that no one is good at it lol. Anytime someone is like “this is easy! Anyone can do it! These guys who get paid millions are wrong!” I think there’s more to it.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Gilbert/Babers decided to play not to lose against Rutgers, Liberty, and FSU and have gone 1-2. If not for a huge play by the defense it would be 0-3. I just hope they realize this now and begin to play a bit more aggressive offensively. We will see. Shrader can throw it, just give him the chance. If it’s not there he can still scramble and turn a broken play into a positive

If they played not to lose yesterday, wouldn't they have gone for FGs on the two 4th downs yesterday instead of going for it? Being aggressive on those occasions cost them 6 points. I'm not saying I disagree on going for it either time, it just contradicts what you said.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Three takeaways for me:
(1) Dino has always been shaky as an in-game coach. We’ve all witnessed some dubious decision making by him over the years, too numerous to name here. No confidence in his game management whatsoever.
(2) Shredder was the right choice. We’re not in that game w/ TD at the wheel. JMHO
(3) Yes, we should’ve won the game had we taken care of business. But also yes, we got screwed by the officiating. The 2 things are not mutually exclusive- you can have both!

I’m still peeved at the ending and I find “moral victories” loathsome as a proposition, but also, I’m overall encouraged that we can go bowling this year. We look improved…and competent.

 

[syrBossHogg]

That was actually a positive. The ball got passed around to different players. Nobody seemed to complain when they didn’t get the ball thrown to them or when the ball wasn’t perfect. Maybe the WR’s are better when Taj isn’t around. FSU passing defense is atrocious but guys were getting open and making plays and that doesn’t usually happen more than twice a game.

It's a small sample size, but I think Shrader is also much better at reading the defense than TD who locks on to Taj a bit.

Was nice to see Courtney Jackson make some plays