Connolly ACC preview

[TheCusian]

I think Marrone’s record here is realistic. A couple 8 win seasons and 4 and 5 wins the other two. If that was Dino’s record I don’t think many would complain

Big East vs ACC and facilities have been talked about ad nauseam but at some point we have to expect to at least be a .500 team in the ACC

if you take out last years asterisk season and account for schedule strength - that *is* his record, but with bigger wins

Folks need to see last year as a chance to get experience with no penalty. Pretty sure that’s how Dino saw it

 

[BrooklynCuse]

if you take out last years asterisk season and account for schedule strength - that *is* his record, but with bigger wins

Folks need to see last year as a chance to get experience with no penalty. Pretty sure that’s how Dino saw it

Dino and Marrone have the same record? What are you smoking? Lol. No penalty? 1-10 is in the record books. You can spin it any way you want but we’re a 1-10 team with one winning season in five years

I’m grateful the team played last year. They brought some joy and normalcy to 2020. I can’t thank them enough. But you act like 2019 never happened. I’m sorry but the team(offense at least) hasn’t looked good since Dungey left. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to have a .500 team most years

 

[rocklloyd]

We easily could lose 3 of 4, should never open on the road. Being in a power 5 conference, 1st game should always be at home. Get set up for the season.

But the State fair...

 

[TheCusian]

Dino and Marrone have the same the same record? What are you smoking? Lol. No penalty? 1-10 is in the record books. You can spin it any way you want but we’re a 1-10 team with one winning season in five years

I’m grateful the team played last year. They brought some joy and normalcy to 2020. I can’t thank them enough. But you act like 2019 never happened. I’m sorry but the team(offense at least) hasn’t looked good since Dungey left. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to have a .500 team most years

Marrone’s schedules were easier on the whole. You’re wanting to just roll out winning % and skim the surface.

 

[BrooklynCuse]

Marrone’s schedules were easier on the whole. You’re wanting to just roll out winning % and skim the surface.

As I mentioned above. The Big East vs ACC and the old facilities vs new facilities has been discussed. No one knows how Dino would have done back then or how Marrone would do now.

I like Dino and hope he succeeds here but at some point we need to be a .500 team

 

[Orijinal]

QB play WILL be better. And that is a realistic expectation

Offensive Line WILL be better. And that is a realistic expectation

Experience in the secondary WILL be better

Experience and depth across the board WILL be better

Strength of schedule WILL be better (meaning weaker schedule for us)

This team wins more than 3 games, and Connolly or any other preseason prognosticators who believes they know this team can bite it

 

[SUDadx2]

I like it, but how many of our opponents can say the same thing?

 

[TheCusian]

As I mentioned above. The Big East vs ACC and the old facilities vs new facilities has been discussed. No one knows how Dino would have done back then or how Marrone would do now.

I like Dino and hope he succeeds here but at some point we need to be a .500 team

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be a .500 team. I think, just like Marrone’s 1st bowl year (historically easy schedule), proper context needs to be used to evaluate the coaching staff. If anyone holds last year up as an example that Dino can’t coach, they are acting the fool.

W/L records tell some of the story. But if you use last year as an example, you can see that Dino and Wildhack are seeing a bigger picture. If Dino wanted to preserve his winning % he could have by taking the easy route. He chose to keep the ship afloat to gain experience at the risk of W’s.

 

[BrooklynCuse]

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be a .500 team. I think, just like Marrone’s 1st bowl year (historically easy schedule), proper context needs to be used to evaluate the coaching staff. If anyone holds last year up as an example that Dino can’t coach, they are acting the fool.

W/L records tell some of the story. But if you use last year as an example, you can see that Dino and Wildhack are seeing a bigger picture. If Dino wanted to preserve his winning % he could have by taking the easy route. He chose to keep the ship afloat to gain experience at the risk of W’s.

I feel like I’m in a Loral and Hardy who’s on first routine

 

[skurey]

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be a .500 team. I think, just like Marrone’s 1st bowl year (historically easy schedule), proper context needs to be used to evaluate the coaching staff. If anyone holds last year up as an example that Dino can’t coach, they are acting the fool.

W/L records tell some of the story. But if you use last year as an example, you can see that Dino and Wildhack are seeing a bigger picture. If Dino wanted to preserve his winning % he could have by taking the easy route. He chose to keep the ship afloat to gain experience at the risk of W’s.

It's more than just one season

 

[TheCusian]

It's more than just one season

Yep. but season 1, ranked win over VaTech. Season 2 win over #2 Clemson. Season 3, 10 wins. 4 was truly disappointing. 5 gets the OL blew up, global pandemic asterisk.

I think our fans tend to underestimate how hard a job this is.

Marrone was good vs an easier schedule, but Dino has some serious wins and a 10 win season. I think this year will be another “better than we thought year” with a win that is unlikely. But it’s a huge year.

 

[skurey]

Yep. but season 1, ranked win over VaTech. Season 2 win over #2 Clemson. Season 3, 10 wins. 4 was truly disappointing. 5 gets the OL blew up, global pandemic asterisk.

I think our fans tend to underestimate how hard a job this is.

Marrone was good vs an easier schedule, but Dino has some serious wins and a 10 win season. I think this year will be another “better than we thought year” with a win that is unlikely. But it’s a huge year.

You're using a single win in each of the first two years to call it a success.

VT wasn't good that year. Big East team.

 

[721Comstock]

You're using a single win in each of the first two years to call it a success.

VT wasn't good that year. Big East team.

Uh, VT were ranked Top 25 when we beat them.

Pretty much NOBODY in the ACC has been able to beat Clemson, and we did it once, and nearly a 2nd time.

I’d rather be beating FSU than watching their receivers go over, around, and thru our smurf secondary, while their bored teammates play Hangman on the sideline.

It’s possible to have a disappointing season overall, yet still have some high point games that show we can compete with anybody.

FHCSMFS never had ANY of the latter.
Just the disappointments.

 

[kcsu]

Dino needs to tweak his offense. He brought Gilbert on board lets hope he has the goods. We lack creativity on O and have not called a decent game or made in game adjustments well since Lewis left. Im not sure if Dino has the ability to out coach the other ACC coaches.

 

[AngryOtto]

Hopes and expectations are different. I want and hope for the type of improvement that will bring at least six wins and a bowl invitation to this team. Is a Holiday Bowl invitation hoping for too much?

To answer your question, I honestly don't know what a realistic expectation is for this team. 1) I'm too new here, and 2) There are too many unknowns with this team.

• Who will the QB be?
• Has the o-line improved?
• Are our young LBs and DBs ready to step up and perform (without the leadership of Melifonwu, Cisco and T. Williams)?
• What contributions do we get from our incoming transfers; Bleich (OL), Tyler (OL), Shrader (QB) and Simmons (LB/S)?
• What is the status of Lee Kpogba, suspended indefinitely?

I'm looking forward to camp opening on August 6th. There appears to have been significant turnover on the roster. Let's see who is here in August.

The answers two the first two questions go together. If the Oline is significantly improved TD may have the upper hand. If not than we need a dual threat qb and shrader should get the job.
No matter who starts the season unless they are able to move the ball constantly and score they will be replaced.
The lbs should be a real strength. Also confident in the secondary. Might be young but played a lot last year. Trill and Cisco were gone most of the season.
The effectiveness of the transfers remain to be season. Shrader has a lot of upside. Bleech could be a significant plus if he is healthy. Simmons is a ? mark.
I feel Lee will be back. Might already be back with the team just keeping in quite.
The other position group that no one is talking about is wr. I’m excited to see what Samuel can do with the unit. We finally have a primary wr coach that has coached the position for a number of years but also played the position. If some wr step up it could be a difference maker for the offense.

 

[MGDCuse]

I feel like I’m in a Loral and Hardy who’s on first routine

You mean Abbott and Costello.

 

[BrooklynCuse]

You mean Abbott and Costello.

Ahh yes my bad

 

[BrooklynCuse]

We really just need to stay on the field more on offense.

I think there’s a good chance in 2019 we go 6-6 or even 7-5 if we had an offense that didn’t have so many 3 and outs. I think it was NC State and maybe Pitt where the Defense was just gassed by the 4th quarter but we could have won with just a little more Offensive time of possession

 

[donniesyracuse]

Uh, VT were ranked Top 25 when we beat them.

Pretty much NOBODY in the ACC has been able to beat Clemson, and we did it once, and nearly a 2nd time.

I’d rather be beating FSU than watching their receivers go over, around, and thru our smurf secondary, while their bored teammates play Hangman on the sideline.

It’s possible to have a disappointing season overall, yet still have some high point games that show we can compete with anybody.

FHCSMFS never had ANY of the latter.
Just the disappointments.

I would have traded the Virginia Tech and Clemson victories for winning seasons.

 

[TheCusian]

I would have traded the Virginia Tech and Clemson victories for winning seasons.

It’s not an either/or. If your evaluating a HC, your evaluating all of the data in context. I brought up those wins when they were left out when describing our W/L record.

The point isn’t cherry picking what we like or what we don’t - but seeing it in total.

 

[donniesyracuse]

It’s not an either/or. If your evaluating a HC, your evaluating all of the data in context. I brought up those wins when they were left out when describing our W/L record.

The point isn’t cherry picking what we like or what we don’t - but seeing it in total.

I understand, I just think people tend to overrate the significance of those individual moments of success. I don't think they indicate much about a program's potential.

 

[TheCusian]

I understand, I just think people tend to overrate the significance of those individual moments of success. I don't think they indicate much about a program's potential.

I hear you - that’s why I mentioned them. They are not winning seasons, but they are worth mentioning. I think especially when you’re comparing historically. Wins vs top 25 were NIL w Shafer and Robinson. A 10 win season combined with those wins means something here, historically.

A winning season with top 25 wins is great. A losing season with a top 25 win is better than not having any.

 

[donniesyracuse]

I hear you - that’s why I mentioned them. They are not winning seasons, but they are worth mentioning. I think especially when you’re comparing historically. Wins vs top 25 were NIL w Shafer and Robinson. A 10 win season combined with those wins means something here, historically.

A winning season with top 25 wins is great. A losing season with a top 25 win is better than not having any.

I guess if context is important you could also throw in the bad losses from those seasons as well.

 

[Scooch]

I hear you - that’s why I mentioned them. They are not winning seasons, but they are worth mentioning. I think especially when you’re comparing historically. Wins vs top 25 were NIL w Shafer and Robinson. A 10 win season combined with those wins means something here, historically.

A winning season with top 25 wins is great. A losing season with a top 25 win is better than not having any.

Those wins vs. VaTech and Clemson were great. The unfortunate thing is that I'm not sure we did anything with them, from a program-building standpoint. Dino got loads of press for his fiery post-game speeches, the wins were covered extensively... and then what? Recruiting is kinda better, I guess? But still not great. We seem to have totally wasted the momentum of 2017-18.

I mean, I get it. Dino has shown that he can knock off a top 25 team. I'm not diminishing that. But it doesn't mean much if that doesn't amount to something the program can build on, and as of now I'm not sure that we have. Fingers crossed this year he does.

 

[TheCusian]

I guess if context is important you could also throw in the bad losses from those seasons as well.

Done. Here are the best/worst wins and losses based on SRS in 2016 and 2017. I only included losses to teams that were close to average in CFB that year. Obviously, since we finished below .500, there are a lot of games where we lost to superior teams. If you wanted full context, you can dig through those stats. Average SRS is 0.0. I included our SRS as well.

2016	SRS	Score
Syracuse	-4.51 (89th out of 128)	N/A
W vs #18 Virginia Tech	11.0 (19th out of 128)	31-17
L vs Wake Forest	0.73 (68th out of 128)	9-28

In 2016, we played the 21st hardest schedule.

2017	SRS	Score
Syracuse	1.96 (60th out of 130)	N/A
W vs #2 Clemson	20.62 (6th out of 130)	27-24
L vs Middle Tenn State	-6.48 (97th out of 130)	23-30

In 2017, we played the 19th hardest schedule.

We lost two games in Dino's first two years to teams that were bad-average. All the other losses were to good-great teams.

I maintain that the first 3 years of Dino's tenure were pretty good considering the system change and schedule toughness. 2019 was the year where it really looks bad. I'll do one of these for that year in this thread. 2020's context is the giant pandemic asterisk and I'm not sure how you separate it enough to dole out accountability, IMO.