As fired up as people seem to be getting from Friday

[GoSU96]

this is still, until proven otherwise, a .500 team.

It is starting to fill out a full roster 1-85, and those players as a whole are starting to look like a D-1 team. Hopefully the days of being smaller and slower across the board than the opponent are over.

When Marrone keeps saying "there's a lot of work to do", he means it. There is a lot that needs to happen to get to the point where they can be considered a "good" team.

 

[Cuseregular]

yep even though I predicted 7-5, it can go in reverse and worse in a heartbeat depending on the usual factors. We gotta have some good fortune and good luck sooner or later, right? Well lets hope this is the year and if so they'll be above .500

 

[All4SU]

this is still, until proven otherwise, a .500 team.

It is starting to fill out a full roster 1-85, and those players as a whole are starting to look like a D-1 team. Hopefully the days of being smaller and slower across the board than the opponent are over.

When Marrone keeps saying "there's a lot of work to do", he means it. There is a lot that needs to happen to get to the point where they can be considered a "good" team.

I think that's all true. And the fact is, this team could be appreciably better than last year's squad and still go .500. (Though I think there is more potential for improvement on that.)

The objectives have to be:
1) Win more games than lose.
2) Get to a bowl game.
3) Get the fans excited about the team.
4) Build momentum for next year's move to the ACC.
5) Recruit like mad men.

 

[GoSU96]

yep even though I predicted 7-5, it can go in reverse and worse in a heartbeat depending on the usual factors. We gotta have some good fortune and good luck sooner or later, right? Well lets hope this is the year and if so they'll be above .500

I'm going to wait to see how thinned the ranks are by the end of camp before making any predictions. People better accept that there are going to be guys hurt and unavailable for some or all of the season by 9/1.

 

[Faegan]

People better accept that there are going to be guys hurt and unavailable for some or all of the season by 9/1.

My hope is that the team is in better shape than in years past, and that this is minimized. Every football team is going to be dinged up to some degree, it's just a matter of to what extent. I would hope that the older guys that have been in the strength and conditioning program for at least a year will be able to weather the Fort Drum/Camp storm.

 

[RF2044]

this is still, until proven otherwise, a .500 team.

It is starting to fill out a full roster 1-85, and those players as a whole are starting to look like a D-1 team. Hopefully the days of being smaller and slower across the board than the opponent are over.

When Marrone keeps saying "there's a lot of work to do", he means it. There is a lot that needs to happen to get to the point where they can be considered a "good" team.

Today's article about the OL highlighted that fact. I am confident that in 2-3 years, we're going to see a jump in the performance of the OL. We're stocking the pipeline with solid prospects, but it is going to take a few years for things to pop.

But I'm hoping that we see improved play from both the OL and the skill positions this year. Still feels like we're "thin" [relatively speaking] on playmakers, but clearly we're starting to add weapons.

 

[JeremyCuse]

My hope is that the team is in better shape than in years past, and that this is minimized. Every football team is going to be dinged up to some degree, it's just a matter of to what extent. I would hope that the older guys that have been in the strength and conditioning program for at least a year will be able to weather the Fort Drum/Camp storm.

Good point, every team has injuries but two out of three years under Marrone SU has been devestated by injuries with multiple starters out for the year or out for significant portions of the season. I think we all understand that injuries are a part of the game and you are going to lose players for the season but we seem to have been hit harder then average over the last couple of seasons.

 

[MikeSU02]

this is still, until proven otherwise, a .500 team.

It is starting to fill out a full roster 1-85, and those players as a whole are starting to look like a D-1 team. Hopefully the days of being smaller and slower across the board than the opponent are over.

When Marrone keeps saying "there's a lot of work to do", he means it. There is a lot that needs to happen to get to the point where they can be considered a "good" team.

I'm still under the impression that we will fall between 4 and 7 wins this year.

When you ask me the day before the Northwestern game, however, I will guarantee you this teams runs the table and goes 13-0. Just the way it is.

 

[JeremyCuse]

If this team is 6-6 people should be happy, the OOC schedule is ridiculous and the offensive skill weapons are either young, unproven, or coming off injury/suspersion, there are real question marks outside of Lemon. The O line is trying to rebuild and is out its best player until October at the earliest.

The defense is improved on the line and in the secondary but the LB core is still undersized for a BCS level D1 unit and we still have no idea if we can generate any sort of pash rush without constant blitzing.

People should be looking for improvements across the board just as much as the W/L record. If the Offense can finally take a step forward and put up consistent points and the special teams play can finally stop looking like a bad highschool team we should be in good shape for the future.

 

[rrlbees]

Today's article about the OL highlighted that fact. I am confident that in 2-3 years, we're going to see a jump in the performance of the OL. We're stocking the pipeline with solid prospects, but it is going to take a few years for things to pop.

But I'm hoping that we see improved play from both the OL and the skill positions this year. Still feels like we're "thin" [relatively speaking] on playmakers, but clearly we're starting to add weapons.

I doubt our fanbase, me included, are willing to wait on a 7 year plan for the OL or the team for that matter. I see some posters, not you, are already laying the groundwork, for excuses if we lay an egg again. I'd like to see people start predicting when they expect the program to be back to your standard 8-4/9-3 program. Marrone felt it was a 5 year plan. I get the feeling some fans don't care what our record is on the field (the only place that matters) as long as they can point to some meaningless sign of "progress".

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[JeremyCuse]

I doubt our fanbase, me included, are willing to wait on a 7 year plan for the OL or the team for that matter. I see some posters, not you, are already laying the groundwork, for excuses if we lay an egg again. I'd like to see people start predicting when they expect the program to be back to your standard 8-4/9-3 program. Marrone felt it was a 5 year plan. I get the feeling some fans don't care what our record is on the field (the only place that matters) as long as they can point to some meaningless sign of "progress".

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I agree with this 1000%, as I have noted before the Offense needs to take a step forward this year or changes need to be made. Personally I just don't see this team going beyond 6-6 way to many ? marks and to many tough games.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I doubt our fanbase, me included, are willing to wait on a 7 year plan for the OL or the team for that matter. I see some posters, not you, are already laying the groundwork, for excuses if we lay an egg again. I'd like to see people start predicting when they expect the program to be back to your standard 8-4/9-3 program. Marrone felt it was a 5 year plan. I get the feeling some fans don't care what our record is on the field (the only place that matters) as long as they can point to some meaningless sign of "progress".

I think your post sounds kind of harsh, but I have the exact same concerns.

I keep reading on here that it takes so much time to see improvement. Does it really, or is it just comforting to think that when you're not seeing as much improvement as you once thought you should?

At some point if we're bad we're just bad, even if we're not as bad as we used to be. I'm really hoping that's not our program.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

this is still, until proven otherwise, a .500 team.

It is starting to fill out a full roster 1-85, and those players as a whole are starting to look like a D-1 team. Hopefully the days of being smaller and slower across the board than the opponent are over.

When Marrone keeps saying "there's a lot of work to do", he means it. There is a lot that needs to happen to get to the point where they can be considered a "good" team.

Go, this is about as good a post as I think you've ever written in terms of objectively analyzing the team.

That said, given your generally sunny disposition it concerns me somewhat that you're the one that authored it.

Agree though - having a full stable on the roster and getting guys to D-1 size are good developments, but those are good developments other teams enjoy, and a lot of other teams still aren't very good.

 

[SoBristol]

Natural for every fanbase to be pumped after week 1 on preseason practice. And, that includes every fanbase for all the teams on our schedule. Just as pumped -- and some have more reason to be pumped.

Biggest improvement for SU -- defense should be better as the LBs have a tad more experience and have added a little muscle. More DBs in the mix -- and possibly a pass rush. More size in the DL so we don't get rolled on every 3rd and 2.

On offense, we aren't a lot different than last season. I expect we struggle until Pugh is back and the kids (Broyld & Thompson) get their feet wet.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Go, this is about as good a post as I think you've ever written in terms of objectively analyzing the team.

That said, given your generally sunny disposition it concerns me somewhat that you're the one that authored it.

Agree though - having a full stable on the roster and getting guys to D-1 size are good developments, but those are good developments other teams enjoy, and a lot of other teams still aren't very good.

Good post, as Bees noted not a great feeling when you are allready limiting expectations before we played one snap.

 

[OrangePA]

Yes.

Marrone needs time.

The Program needs at least three more years.

 

[RF2044]

I doubt our fanbase, me included, are willing to wait on a 7 year plan for the OL or the team for that matter. I see some posters, not you, are already laying the groundwork, for excuses if we lay an egg again. I'd like to see people start predicting when they expect the program to be back to your standard 8-4/9-3 program. Marrone felt it was a 5 year plan. I get the feeling some fans don't care what our record is on the field (the only place that matters) as long as they can point to some meaningless sign of "progress".

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I don't view it as a seven year plan--I view it as an accurate depiction of the raw materials at OL. My opinion only, but the depth / talent we're amassing is starting to actualize at just about every positional unit other than OL [you could also argue WR, although my expectation is that some of the concerns there will die down once we get to see what some of the unproven players like Kobena / Hale / Cornelius / etc. can do, plus we add Funderburk next year]. We had some of the WORST--literally the worst--OL play during the GRob timeframe, and the attrition that happened when Marrone took over compromised depth everywhere, including OL, and continued that trend.

I hope that what I'm saying doesn't come off as an excuse, because that's now how it is intended. OL generally take a year or two of being in a college S&C program and learning the offense to be ready. So I look at the bulk of players comprising our two deep [and the third team], and most of those guys are true frosh or second year frosh, with the exception of a couple of players. So logically, it stands to reason that this unit's best days are ahead of them.

That said, we need to show improvement THIS YEAR. Some tangible improvement to help the offense go. Like you say, we can't wait 2-3 more years for the pieces to snap into place. We need better play this year, and then this unit will be positioned well [and in the future], with the vast majority of players returning in 2013.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yes.

Marrone needs time.

The Program needs at least three more years.

Three more years for what exactly?

 

[BlueCurtain]

Start competing against non-directional schools for the majority of scholarship offers -- that's the quickest path to improvement. You can only coach up inferior talent to a certain degree.

 

[alphaorange]

For me, I just want to see improvement on a year to year basis. It doesn't have to be dramatic but it has to be tangible, obvious improvement. I. for one, do not feel that he has peaked and I think it takes a considerable amount of time to rebuild a program from the ground up without cheating. Every year the team improves should buy him another year. It may not always show in wins and losses depending on SOS , injuries, and that sort of thing, but you should be able to see it getting better.

 

[Orangello]

At some point your offense needs to start producing points especially in this putrid conference. Hackett remains my biggest concern.

 

[All4SU]

... and the attrition that happened when Marrone took over compromised depth everywhere, including OL, and continued that trend.

I don't think the attrition is what hurt our depth. I don't think we had depth to begin with. A roster full of players is not depth. Depth is a roster full of guys who can play. We're not there yet, but we're pretty close, and we're a LOT closer than we were three years ago...four years ago...five years ago...

 

[All4SU]

At some point your offense needs to start producing points especially in this putrid conference. Hackett remains my biggest concern.

It's funny, Hackett is WAY down on the list to me. I've never bought into the whole play-calling thing. When plays work, it was a good play call. When it doesn't, you're a schmuck. For the most part, I don't think that we as fans can see what they're trying to set up from series to series, or game to game. We just don't have the information at our disposal from practices. I think coaches play the cards they're dealt. Good teams execute plays and win games. Mediocre teams, not as much. I'll agree with those who say HCDM/OCH have played things close to the vest. But that's a different argument than play calling IMHO.

 

[rrlbees]

Yes.

Marrone needs time.

The Program needs at least three more years.

"At least" 3 more years? For what? Did Marrone or anyone ever say it will be "at least" 7 years before we are a good program again? If that is the case, he was the wrong guy. And if people are expecting too much before 7 years, then how the heck did we win 8 games including a bowl in year 2???

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[007]

this is still, until proven otherwise, a .500 team.

It is starting to fill out a full roster 1-85, and those players as a whole are starting to look like a D-1 team. Hopefully the days of being smaller and slower across the board than the opponent are over.

When Marrone keeps saying "there's a lot of work to do", he means it. There is a lot that needs to happen to get to the point where they can be considered a "good" team.

Two comments:
1. Amen, brother
2. This was not .500 team last year