Expectations

[IthacaBarrel]

Is expecting this team to be better than last year realistic? We lost our best player on offense, great senioe leadership on defense, two great linebackers, cornerbacks. Merk after the UW game was great last year as well. Long is gone, we have a huge question mark there as well.

Defense looks like it will take a step back if it even takes just a small step back, Shafer is a genius in my book. So, we have high expectations for the offense, which was nothing short of below average at best last year and on the road quite a bit as well, minus Carter and a few isolated plays. We have inexperienced D Tackles, small linebackers on the outside.

I hope to be wrong but I am just not seeing a great year. I see an offense that will improve slightly and a defense that MAY give up huge yards on the ground.. Could prove for a very frustrating year. The staff has their work cut out for them. We shall see tomorrow night and I guess that is why they play the game.

7-5 would be another great year for Syracuse, IMO. Hoping for better, won't surprise to take a step back this year.

 

[Millhouse]

Is expecting this team to be better than last year realistic? We lost our best player on offense, great senioe leadership on defense, two great linebackers, cornerbacks. Merk after the UW game was great last year as well. Long is gone, we have a huge question mark there as well.

Defense looks like it will take a step back if it even takes just a small step back, Shafer is a genius in my book. So, we have high expectations for the offense, which was nothing short of below average at best last year and on the road quite a bit as well, minus Carter and a few isolated plays. We have inexperienced D Tackles, small linebackers on the outside.

I hope to be wrong but I am just not seeing a great year. I see an offense that will improve slightly and a defense that MAY give up huge yards on the ground.. Could prove for a very frustrating year. The staff has their work cut out for them. We shall see tomorrow night and I guess that is why they play the game.

7-5 would be another great year for Syracuse, IMO. Hoping for better, won't surprise to take a step back this year.

kinda like the "Would you take it" (the answer is always yes for Chip) they do on WGR in buffalo. what record would you take if offered. is 7-5 good enough to pass up the chance for something better?

for me, I'd take 7-5 happily.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

kinda like the "Would you take it" (the answer is always yes for Chip) they do on WGR in buffalo. what record would you take if offered. is 7-5 good enough to pass up the chance for something better?

for me, I'd take 7-5 happily.

Agreed, I would ab another building block for sure...

 

[SmilinBob]

I want to see good football played by SU and have them win as much as possible and when they lose they get beat and don't beat themselves.

Things I'd like to see are:
The defensive front 4 get pressure without blitzes and not get pushed around.
The LB's to continue progressing as the year goes on
Kickoffs to the end zone, god I miss O'Neal
Efficient and consistent offense and a playmaker other than Bailey shows us a wow factor
A backup RB makes us wish he'd get more reps

 

[qdawgg]

I don't disagree at all. I think I am a little more optimistic about the offense then you but that might be unrealistic optimism on my part. I don't know.

The linebackers are definitely a concern. I might also be overly optimistic that the DT's can provide more of a push this year and allow the DE's to cause more havoc on a consistent basis. I think that the whole D-Line as a unit will be better throughout the season.

 

[storange]

Very realistic, however on the eve of the first game the dreamer in me can't help thinking of bigger things.

 

[Cadillac]

I would take 7-5 but hope we can do better looking at the schedule.

I think 2 of the 3 BE teams with new coaches will disappoint. So there's only one L

USC, realistically an L

USF, UC, UL all in Year Two of new coaches. I'll guess 2 Ls

RU, no way, they're usually so inept the first half of the season and always lot of new pieces there.

To get to 7-5 that leaves Wake. Experienced coach, good RB. Everyone is acting like this is an automatic W as we :blah: about parking and attendance. It's at home. Ready for the inaugural board meltdown?

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Very realistic, however on the eve of the first game the dreamer in me can't help thinking of bigger things.

I agree I was the same way and am still for the next 24 hours but we lost a lot last year and it won't be easy to replace by any means. We shall see and considering how we played at home last year it leaves me wondering

 

[OrangeMojo]

kinda like the "Would you take it" (the answer is always yes for Chip) they do on WGR in buffalo. what record would you take if offered. is 7-5 good enough to pass up the chance for something better?

for me, I'd take 7-5 happily.

yeah - right now I'd take 7-5, no doubt, but I really want to see 4-1 OOC and 4-3 in the BE this year and both of those seem within the grasp of this team given the talent on hand

after the last 6 years I'd take 7-5 and btb bowl games though

 

[Marsh01]

No doubt I would take the same as last year. 7-5...bowl game win.

 

[SmilinBob]

One thing I'm a little worried about regarding the schedule is the shorter break between UConn and USF games. I think if SU can be healthy after that we might be in very good shape. I think that SU has 11 losable games on their schedule and 12 winable ones.

 

[PhatOrange]

Is expecting this team to be better than last year realistic? We lost our best player on offense, great senioe leadership on defense, two great linebackers, cornerbacks. Merk after the UW game was great last year as well. Long is gone, we have a huge question mark there as well.

Defense looks like it will take a step back if it even takes just a small step back, Shafer is a genius in my book. So, we have high expectations for the offense, which was nothing short of below average at best last year and on the road quite a bit as well, minus Carter and a few isolated plays. We have inexperienced D Tackles, small linebackers on the outside.

I hope to be wrong but I am just not seeing a great year. I see an offense that will improve slightly and a defense that MAY give up huge yards on the ground.. Could prove for a very frustrating year. The staff has their work cut out for them. We shall see tomorrow night and I guess that is why they play the game.

7-5 would be another great year for Syracuse, IMO. Hoping for better, won't surprise to take a step back this year.

I'd like to see us maintain positive momentum and my expectation is 6-6. I don't see that as taking a step back.

I think it's hard to comprehend just how low this program was. It was rutgers bad.

Would happily take 7-5.

 

[qdawgg]

I agree I was the same way and am still for the next 24 hours but we lost a lot last year and it won't be easy to replace by any means. We shall see and considering how we played at home last year it leaves me wondering

You have to think we would play better at home than last year, right? 1 win at home would be an improvement, lol.

I'm assuming your opinion is, the offense won't be improved enough to make a huge difference?

 

[Marsh01]

I'm assuming your opinion is, the offense won't be improved enough to make a huge difference?[/quote]

I would have to think he was referring to the defense.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I'm assuming your opinion is, the offense won't be improved enough to make a huge difference?

I would have to think he was referring to the defense.[/quote]

I agree, I think the O will get better as it wasn't very good last year and hasn't been for sometime but we lost two good corners, two great linebackers, and 3 real solid interior D Lineman? That is soo hard to replace and I think we will see the effect of that big time tomorrow night. Big time

 

[OttoinGrotto]

kinda like the "Would you take it" (the answer is always yes for Chip) they do on WGR in buffalo. what record would you take if offered. is 7-5 good enough to pass up the chance for something better?

for me, I'd take 7-5 happily.

I've been saying for a while I'll take 6 and 6 and another bowl appearance no questions asked if offered. Seven and five would be an outstanding season to me. I think things are shaping up to swing for the fences in 2012.

 

[Chip]

I'd take anything (wait, that was already pointed out). I'd take anything that gets us into a bowl game. Maybe this team won't be as good as last year, but I do expect the offense to be much better. I expect the defense to be a work in progress, and I think things could get a little rough for them tomorrow night. If we do have as good if not better athletes on D, they'll start to get it as the season progresses. #7 in the country good? No way. But not dropping off a cliff either. Shafer's aggressive style should at least create some big plays.

It's ok to go a little backwards from last year, but we can't go backwards out of a bowl game.

We have to be at a point where Marrone's recruited replacements are ready to go when starters graduate. May not be there yet, but I do think we're building the depth to be there, say, 2011.

 

[kmart128]

I think our defense will be slightly worse this year. But our offense will be better a not just because of the returning but I think Carter and Bartholomew could be better for the offese. Sure they were our best players but they took away from our offense some. Macky now adds the shotgun to this team which Bartholomew couldn't so us losing one of our best players allowed us to add something. And for Carter, he really wasn't a player who could brake away and now that he is gone, Bailey provides that. Our big play potential will be much better now and we need some of that on offense from last year. And he also gives Nassib a weapon as a reciever that Carter couldn't add. So we may have lost two of our best offensive players but we gained a shotgun, big play potential, and a reiciving weapon with two very good players in there own right. Combine that with the fact that we have probably the best TEs in Big East, a top 3 oline in the big east, and good WRs (still need 1 or 2 to step up in a game like Sales did) and our offense has huge potential to be so much better than last years.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I'd take anything (wait, that was already pointed out). I'd take anything that gets us into a bowl game. Maybe this team won't be as good as last year, but I do expect the offense to be much better. I expect the defense to be a work in progress, and I think things could get a little rough for them tomorrow night. If we do have as good if not better athletes on D, they'll start to get it as the season progresses. #7 in the country good? No way. But not dropping off a cliff either. Shafer's aggressive style should at least create some big plays.

It's ok to go a little backwards from last year, but we can't go backwards out of a bowl game.

We have to be at a point where Marrone's recruited replacements are ready to go when starters graduate. May not be there yet, but I do think we're building the depth to be there, say, 2011.

Good post and that is what I am hoping for. I agree, I tend to think that the D will give up some real big plays tomorrow and make a lot of mistakes, also expect a couple of personal fouls. I think tomorrows game is going to be very close, very close.

 

[texascpa]

If it wasn't for our improved and top of the BE OL, then I would be mightily worried, but I think we can run on anyone - USC included.

 

[RF2044]

Is expecting this team to be better than last year realistic? We lost our best player on offense, great senioe leadership on defense, two great linebackers, cornerbacks. Merk after the UW game was great last year as well. Long is gone, we have a huge question mark there as well.

Defense looks like it will take a step back if it even takes just a small step back, Shafer is a genius in my book. So, we have high expectations for the offense, which was nothing short of below average at best last year and on the road quite a bit as well, minus Carter and a few isolated plays. We have inexperienced D Tackles, small linebackers on the outside.

I hope to be wrong but I am just not seeing a great year. I see an offense that will improve slightly and a defense that MAY give up huge yards on the ground.. Could prove for a very frustrating year. The staff has their work cut out for them. We shall see tomorrow night and I guess that is why they play the game.

7-5 would be another great year for Syracuse, IMO. Hoping for better, won't surprise to take a step back this year.

That's a pragmatic way to look at it, but honestly I think you're selling the team just a tad short. I expect the DTs to actually be better this year. I understand that they are a question mark right now, but I'm guessing that they won't be in 4 weeks. LBs won't be quite as good as last year, but still solid. Frankly, I don't expect the defense to have as steep of a dropoff as many expect.

I also think that the offense will execute better. Not sure how good the OL will be, or how big of a jump forward Nassib will take.

But we have a favorable early slate--I'll be stunned if we don't start the season 5-1, which would make a 7-5 type of year semi-disappointing. I'd be real happy with another winning season, another bowl appearance, and lots of starters returning the following year, when we should legitimately begin to contend for top 25 status again.

 

[OrangeMojo]

If it wasn't for our improved and top of the BE OL, then I would be mightily worried, but I think we can run on anyone - USC included.

the OL is projected to be improved / top of the BE - we won't know if they actually are until tomorrow night.

 

[dollarbill44]

Is expecting this team to be better than last year realistic? We lost our best player on offense, great senioe leadership on defense, two great linebackers, cornerbacks. Merk after the UW game was great last year as well. Long is gone, we have a huge question mark there as well.

Defense looks like it will take a step back if it even takes just a small step back, Shafer is a genius in my book. So, we have high expectations for the offense, which was nothing short of below average at best last year and on the road quite a bit as well, minus Carter and a few isolated plays. We have inexperienced D Tackles, small linebackers on the outside.

I hope to be wrong but I am just not seeing a great year. I see an offense that will improve slightly and a defense that MAY give up huge yards on the ground.. Could prove for a very frustrating year. The staff has their work cut out for them. We shall see tomorrow night and I guess that is why they play the game.

7-5 would be another great year for Syracuse, IMO. Hoping for better, won't surprise to take a step back this year.

That was actually a fairly positive post for you. Will we be seeing more optimism from you on the new site? Fresh start and all...

 

[OttoForLife]

I think the team's level of talent is moving in the right direction. The key, like for most, will be injuries. We don't have the depth yet.

7-5 is very doable, IMO, if everyne remains fairly healthy. However, that's not going to happen in this game. My money is on 6-6, which if it means a bowl game, would be fine for me. (Next year is when I'm looking for the big step forward.)

 

[qdawgg]

I think based on all of the facts the offense would have to be significantly better. Just having an offensive line that can block even a little better than last year will open up more things on offense.