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Message: [QUOTE="HtownOrange, post: 2260578, member: 622"] I understand your POV, I believe many people are overlooking the advances and experience gained from last season. - #1 QB misses 4 games due to injury, #2 steps up - Defense decimated by injury - Players on both sides of the ball learning new system - S&C program was behind the curve - New staff - New System - OL was raw - Underclassmen were pressed into significant playing time - The Wake game was played in shadows of a hurricane (fluke weather, we likely would have won the game otherwise) - No significant running game (in part due to OL) - Should have won the Pitt game, nearly did so with a backup QB, decimated defense, etc. - Played well in a few games against high profile teams - Pulled an upset over highly ranked VPI Which brings us to this season: - #1 QB is healthy, bigger, stronger - #2 QB proved he can play in the system (see Pitt game) - Fr QB is doing well in practice, has the physique to play if necessary (or picks up the system better than expected) - FR RB looks the part and will see playing time - Other RBs have more time in S&C and a more experienced OL - OL has more depth, experience, S&C - Receiver Corp looses two talented receivers but appears to have stoked up quite well ( I expect more passing yards and rushing yards, in line with HCDB's targets) - Defense is mostly healthy, has more experience, depth and S&C - DL losses will hurt, but any improvement on defense anywhere will only help other defense areas - This team was essentially a 6-6 team last season (Wake, Pitt), there is no reason to expect a drop off from that level - The kids believe in this system; it's fun, fast and furious - All but the Freshman know what they are up against, no surprises! - 2nd year in system: stability, consistency, camaraderie, knowing what is expected of self, each other. staff and team as a whole - This is the year the offense will fully gel (around the mid-point of the season) - The kids know they can win (VPI) I understand there are variables, the same with every team out there. Managing the variables and what is in your control is how teams win. Sure, it's easier at a factory school where you plug and play the next 4 star kid when one kid is injured. What many seem to miss is that HCDB's system is a plug and play, K.I.S.S (Keep it simple stupid - more family friendly than s***head), aside from Clemson, FSU and LSU, no other team on the schedule is really ready for that kind of team. Sure, Miami has talent, but they are lacking a true starter at QB and now RB is injured. Sure, Petrino recruits some talent to Louisville, but let's not place him on the elite level, he has never proved himself in manner. HCDB has a history of using the tools he has in front of him and getting performance out of them above what would normally be expected. I think that 6-6 is the floor for this team. If they played in the Atlantic, I would think 8 wins should be expected. Just opinions, nothing more. [/QUOTE]

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