Expectations

[UnknownOrange]

Simple thread because I am very curious where we all stand 25% of the way done with the season.

What were your expectations going INTO the 2018 season and what are they after 3 games?

I will be honest - I could understand how many saw 6 or 7 wins (before a bowl) but I had this team at 5-7.

I had wins over WMU, Wagner, UConn, Pitt, & Wake.

Now? My goal is 8 wins. I'd be happy with 7 and just barely satisfied with 6. Before the season I would have LOVED 6, but if we start 4 and 0 I will have a lot of questions to what happened the last 8 games.

What say you, Orange bleeder?

 

[IthacaBarrel]

7 wins would be great but then again, who is to say we don't win 9 this year and then 7 the next, the progression isn't always a straight line, be interesting. That said I would be very happy with 7 wins

 

[Trueblue25]

7-5 + a big bowl win

 

[Pyle]

Beat UCONN. Worry about the rest later and keep the faith.

 

[JJReddawg]

Technically we’re only 1/5 of the way through the season.

15-0

 

[SUforme]

Get 6 everything else is gravy!

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

FWIW, I think this is a 5-win team. We win @WMU, Wagner, and UCONN. We pull two more wins from FSU, @Pitt, UNC, NC State, or Lousiville. We lose Clemson, @*ND, @Wake, and @BC. If we are going bowling, we have to beat UNC. That is a home game coming off a bi-week.

Still seems pretty spot on, except with the FSU win in the bag, my expectation is that we win 6 games. We have shown enough, and Pitt, UNC, and Louisville have shown little, for me to think we should win at least 2 of 3 against them.

I also think we will be more competitive against ND, Wake and BC then I originally thought and could see us taking one of three (in order of likelihood I'll go ND, Wake, BC).

Win six. Go bowling. Everything else is a nice bonus.

 

[orangeinjersey]

7 wins would be great but then again, who is to say we don't win 9 this year and then 7 the next, the progression isn't always a straight line, be interesting. That said I would be very happy with 7 wins

This got me thinking about our old pal Phil Montgomery, also from the Briles Coaching tree and hired by Tulsa the year before Babers. Phil went 10-2 his 2nd year and followed that up with 2-10 last year and 1-2 so far this year. You're right, it isn't always linear.

 

[UnknownOrange]

Get 6 everything else is gravy!

But this is my point - is it? If we start 4-0 you're cool with 6?
August 1st? Gimmie 6. September 23rd? Give me 8

 

[Pyle]

But this is my point - is it? If we start 4-0 you're cool with 6?
August 1st? Gimmie 6. September 23rd? Give me 8

Yes it is. 4 straight losing seasons. The goal of this season doesn't change because we beat 1 team we didn't think we would, and that point is debatable as many saw a down FSU as a chance all along. What it does is make the path to 6 easier. No need to suddenly put unrealistic expectations on this team because of 1 game. We did that last year after Clemson, didn't work out so well.

PS. If we get to 6 pre-Nov then we can have this talk again.

 

[edowd26]

9-3 but we are going to beat the golden domers. And its going to be wonderful.

 

[SUforme]

But this is my point - is it? If we start 4-0 you're cool with 6?
August 1st? Gimmie 6. September 23rd? Give me 8

Ideally no but we need 6 to keep moving the program forward. Also we are getting into the meat of the schedule there are no gimmies and our depth will be tested.

 

[UnknownOrange]

To the point - I wouldn't love 6 wins following a potential 4-0 start but the message is clear - I would still be happy with the progression.

However... there's always this year

 

[Chip]

I didn't really make a prediction, but gun to my head I guess I would have said I expected 5 (maybe 6), now I expect 7.

But it's hard to say because there's a real unknown regarding how much we'll wear down. It's happened two years in a row. I think the depth is better, and I think having a 4 game audition available for freshmen will help too. But if we're relying on true freshmen in November, that's not going to end well.

We have to own the Dome, which I think we can. If we can't then each trade off becomes Wake or Pitt.

 

[SaltineWarrior]

Honestly the only game I'm ready to concede is Clemson. SU played as perfect of a game last year against them, their QB was damaged coming into the game (as well as afterwards) and it was in the dome. I just can't imagine another win this year down there.

After that, I'm not sold that any other game isn't winnable. 9 or 10 wins is really a possibility in my mind. The ND and maybe BC on the road will be tougher. Not sold on NC State or Louisville. I really don't feel like the offense has hit its stride yet, I'm encouraged by the depth I see and I love the strength up front on both sides & special teams. This year just feels different, even though we have have basically done what we should have done (given the crappy level of play from FSU).

I don't think the ACC is as tough as its been in the recent past. There is a relatively high "floor" but also a relatively low ceiling. I believe this is SU's year to make some noise within the league.

Therefore, I'm gonna say 9-3, which includes dropping one winnable game.

 

[All4SU]

Honestly the only game I'm ready to concede is Clemson. SU played as perfect of a game last year against them, their QB was damaged coming into the game (as well as afterwards) and it was in the dome. I just can't imagine another win this year down there.

After that, I'm not sold that any other game isn't winnable. 9 or 10 wins is really a possibility in my mind. The ND and maybe BC on the road will be tougher. Not sold on NC State or Louisville. I really don't feel like the offense has hit its stride yet, I'm encouraged by the depth I see and I love the strength up front on both sides & special teams. This year just feels different, even though we have have basically done what we should have done (given the crappy level of play from FSU).

I don't think the ACC is as tough as its been in the recent past. There is a relatively high "floor" but also a relatively low ceiling. I believe this is SU's year to make some noise within the league.

Therefore, I'm gonna say 9-3, which includes dropping one winnable game.

It’s amazing what improved line play looks like.

 

[phil77]

Right now with the state of the program my expectations are always the same bowl game. Wins early on doesn't change that expectation. Consistent wins over multiple years is the only thing that can change that.

 

[texascpa]

I just can't believe we're a quarter of the way through the season.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

A 6-1 start. And to not lose out after that.

 

[SaltineWarrior]

It’s amazing what improved line play looks like.

No matter what the scheme is, line play wins football games. Win the battle up front, win the game.

I have seen many lines make a mediocre RB or QB look great (or at least very good). I have never seen a great RB, QB, etc. make a line look better. Early NFL years of Walter Peyton and almost all for Barry Sander & Archie Manning actually highlighted how bad their respective lines were in front of them.

 

[721Comstock]

Honestly the only game I'm ready to concede is Clemson. SU played as perfect of a game last year against them, their QB was damaged coming into the game (as well as afterwards) and it was in the dome. I just can't imagine another win this year down there.

After that, I'm not sold that any other game isn't winnable. 9 or 10 wins is really a possibility in my mind. The ND and maybe BC on the road will be tougher. Not sold on NC State or Louisville. I really don't feel like the offense has hit its stride yet, I'm encouraged by the depth I see and I love the strength up front on both sides & special teams. This year just feels different, even though we have have basically done what we should have done (given the crappy level of play from FSU).

I don't think the ACC is as tough as its been in the recent past. There is a relatively high "floor" but also a relatively low ceiling. I believe this is SU's year to make some noise within the league.

Therefore, I'm gonna say 9-3, which includes dropping one winnable game.

I agree, except for conceding @ Clemson.

Here's the thing that I've been thinking about the past few days...

Clemson is incredibly talented. Check. Nobody disputes this.
But - their future NFL D-Line is the same guys our patchwork O-line manged to deal with adequately well last year. And our O-Line is MUCH improved compared to then, with dramatically better depth.

And they're at home. A famously difficult place for road teams to bag a win.
But - Pitt managed to beat them in Death Valley 2 years ago.

We've got a chance.
And while IF we manage to win, it won't be like last year, where we controlled the game most of the way, it will likely take a bit of luck, some near-flawless execution, and maybe a little trickeration.

 

[Walshjfii]

I had us at 7-5. I felt the offensive line would do wonders for our offense. Biggest concern of course being our linebackers.
Going forward I can see us getting to 10-2 but I’m still holding out for undefeated until proven wrong!

 

[Franz69]

Clemson will tell us if we have fool's gold or gold.

 

[NKR1978]

Still seems pretty spot on, except with the FSU win in the bag, my expectation is that we win 6 games. We have shown enough, and Pitt, UNC, and Louisville have shown little, for me to think we should win at least 2 of 3 against them.

I also think we will be more competitive against ND, Wake and BC then I originally thought and could see us taking one of three (in order of likelihood I'll go ND, Wake, BC).

Win six. Go bowling. Everything else is a nice bonus.

Wake is weird. They looked great against BC, who I think is a top 15 team, but needed OT to beat a bad Tulane?

 

[UnknownOrange]

Wake is weird. They looked great against BC, who I think is a top 15 team, but needed OT to beat a bad Tulane?

Ehhh... they had two touchdowns off a blocked punt and a muffed punt. I don't think they were that good - had a good running scheme that night though