I think this years offense has the potential to be vastly improved

[CuseOnly]

I hear what you are saying as 2015 being our year as I have had that pegged for a couple years now as our "break out" year. But I still think anything less then 7 regular season wins will be a disappointment. As tough as our schedule is we have a few things going for us.

Nova & CMU - Must wins
Maryland will be much better but we have them at home so should win
ND will be tough, but not like it's unrealistic
FSU Loss
@Wake will be tough, but we are the better team talent wise top to bottom
Clemson I can't see us winning even though Clemson won't be nearly as good
NC ST & Duke at home you have to win. NC ST will be really young, and Duke won't be anywhere as good and are a bit over rated
@Pitt &BC it seems we always have trouble with Pitt. Obviously a winnable game, plus we are coming off a bye. BC is huge and looks to have really worked out to our favor. They could be down to using walk ons by then and a get me through this year qb. We should be able to win that.

I can easily see 8 wins in here. I'd be very disappointed if we only reach 6 wins, and I just don't see it.

Why does everyone assume that Maryland will be better? Same goes for NC State and Wake. We assume that they will be better because they were bad last year...why did nobody assume SU would be better the next year when we were bad in past years.

We give these teams and their coaching staffs too much credit. I don't think any of the 3 coaching staffs for these 3 teams that are assumed to be better than SU will be. Edsall, Doeren and Clawson are not better coaches than HCSS IMO, neither are the staffs they have. I also don't think their talent level is above ours either.

I think we win all 3 of these games this year going away.

 

[retro44]

- Faster
- experienced tough QB
- more depth and speed at WR
- experience at Oline
- excellent RBs and depth there as well.

9-3 Im confident

The D should be as good despite a couple of big holes to fill ( Spruill, Bromley )
Bring it on

9-3 with that schedule is SEC like...love the thought process here as I too think our offense will be greatly improved

as for Rocco's post I hope McDonald doesn't run a lot of sweeps with PTG as Prince is a much better inside runner who can break it from there. The other two backs have the speed/hips to turn the corner faster on sweeps.

 

[JackBauer44]

Why does everyone assume that Maryland will be better? Same goes for NC State and Wake. We assume that they will be better because they were bad last year...why did nobody assume SU would be better the next year when we were bad in past years.

We give these teams and their coaching staffs too much credit. I don't think any of the 3 coaching staffs for these 3 teams that are assumed to be better than SU will be. Edsall, Doeren and Clawson are not better coaches than HCSS IMO, neither are the staffs they have. I also don't think their talent level is above ours either.

I think we win all 3 of these games this year going away.

FWIW - Doeren doesn't have a lot of support at NCSU. He upset a lot of higher-ups with coaching decisions last year that made people start to question.

 

[anomander]

Why does everyone assume that Maryland will be better? Same goes for NC State and Wake. We assume that they will be better because they were bad last year...why did nobody assume SU would be better the next year when we were bad in past years.

We give these teams and their coaching staffs too much credit. I don't think any of the 3 coaching staffs for these 3 teams that are assumed to be better than SU will be. Edsall, Doeren and Clawson are not better coaches than HCSS IMO, neither are the staffs they have. I also don't think their talent level is above ours either.

I think we win all 3 of these games this year going away.

well we did play Maryland without their potential Heisman WR, and their 2nd best WR, who will both be back this year.

 

[CanadianSU]

It is ok going 6-6/7-5. BUT when do you make the transition to the next level

 

[jr4750]

7-5 with a bowl win. 1 step closer. I won't be disappointed in wining seasons ever again.

exactly! bowl games, no matter how bad they are, are a blessing. I'm all good going 7-5, at least for the next several years. Maybe 5-6 years in a row, and I'll change my tune, but once you hit the bottom you know what it's like to just be a winning program...

BTW: I get to go to a wedding that Greg Robinson will be at this summer. I have some real questions for that man!

 

[The Viking]

As so many have said, the offense should be improved at least because of an experienced O-line, an experienced upperclassman at QB, and more options being available to him. But I think the real key to a better season for the offense will be if the that squad gets multiple opportunities to score. The D has to stop more of the powerhouse drives SU will face. If they can, they should have legitimate shot at scoring enough points to make the game winnable. Got to take the strong teams into the 4th quarter.

 

[Trueblue25]

Got to be honest...


I'm excited to see Dyshawn Davis and Cam Lynch make some more big plays too.

 

[RF2044]

I am probably one of the few that think most or all the incoming WR's are gonna redshirt. I think maybe one will not. I dont think people realize how hard it is to come in during the summer and crack the line up by the fall. I think its a combination of our WR's improvement and the learning curve of the incoming WR's. If the staff feel like they have a freshman who can bring a different skill set and help this season then you will see them on the field. But if they don't, they will be redshirted. We have alot of WR's graduating or running out of eligibility this year and the next. West, Flemming, Kobena, Hale, this year and Ashton and QF the following year. IMO you want Ishmael and KJ going into their RF when Ashton and QF are seniors. PLus we dont know what we are going to get out of Custis and Enoicy. Those two may very well be playing the same position as the other two. All Im saying is lets not waste a year of eligibility with this talented WR group if we dont have to.

I think that's perfectly reasonable. Would be nice for one of the incoming frosh WRs to make a splash, but I think it will be ideal to redshirt as many of them as possible. Doesn't matter to me which one it is.

But Estime, Broyld, Cornelius, West, and Funderburk form a solid returning nucleus. I expect them to be improved this year.

 

[CuseOnly]

well we did play Maryland without their potential Heisman WR, and their 2nd best WR, who will both be back this year.

They don't have a QB that could get them the ball. WR's are irrelevant if you don't have a QB.

 

[supp]

I think we're heading for another 6-6 or 7-5 kind of year. This team just doesn't seem to have that buzz of come-out-of-nowhere around them yet. I think 2015 is the year.

Agree. Too many questions on defense and we've yet to see Terrell Hunt perform consistently enough to say that he can help make up for a relatively green front seven on d. Hope it all comes together but 7-5 would be pretty great given what we're replacing.

 

[TheCusian]

They don't have a QB that could get them the ball. WR's are irrelevant if you don't have a QB.

And the one he did was pressured most of the game.

 

[Chip]

As others have said, 9-3 is a stretch (a welcomed one of course).

But you are right, the offense should be consistently better in 2014. (and beyond).

 

[Ottoble]

as for Rocco's post I hope McDonald doesn't run a lot of sweeps with PTG as Prince is a much better inside runner who can break it from there. The other two backs have the speed/hips to turn the corner faster on sweeps.

You are absolutely right about PTG being better between the tackles he has good vision, he's slipery and I think it is tough for defenses to see him until he breaks to the outside or through the first level.

 

[money3189]

They don't have a QB that could get them the ball. WR's are irrelevant if you don't have a QB.

Man we must have a magician for a coach. How did we win a bowl game with no QB? I also wonder why we recruited 4 WR's this year when that is already the deepest position we have?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

exactly! bowl games, no matter how bad they are, are a blessing. I'm all good going 7-5, at least for the next several years. Maybe 5-6 years in a row, and I'll change my tune, but once you hit the bottom you know what it's like to just be a winning program...

BTW: I get to go to a wedding that Greg Robinson will be at this summer. I have some real questions for that man!

If you're seated at that table your opening line has to be "I got a lotta problems with you people!"

 

[shandeezy7]

Man we must have a magician for a coach. How did we win a bowl game with no QB? I also wonder why we recruited 4 WR's this year when that is already the deepest position we have?

Think he was talking about Maryland

 

[CuseOnly]

Man we must have a magician for a coach. How did we win a bowl game with no QB? I also wonder why we recruited 4 WR's this year when that is already the deepest position we have?

I was talking about Maryland. We have a QB.

 

[money3189]

makes sense now. My Bad

 

[SmilinBob]

If this offense can move the ball via air or ground when they need to I'll be thrilled. It drives me crazy to have an offense that can't run when they are ahead and have to pass and continues to stop the clock and along those lines a team that can't pass when they are behind is just plain frustrating. I think this team will be able to do both well.

I just felt more comfortable with Allen and Leob as backups. I love the talent at qb but they are very very young and have no snaps in their careers.

 

[kcsu]

If this offense can move the ball via air or ground when they need to I'll be thrilled. It drives me crazy to have an offense that can't run when they are ahead and have to pass and continues to stop the clock and along those lines a team that can't pass when they are behind is just plain frustrating. I think this team will be able to do both well.

I just felt more comfortable with Allen and Leob as backups. I love the talent at qb but they are very very young and have no snaps in their careers.

Based on the interview with MacDonald i expect to see AAM more often than not this year would love to see him have a great year as he was truly a special talent in Denver

 

[OrangeBlood]

No doubt in my mind the offense will be substantially better and a lot more fun to watch. To me, it seems we are phasing out the TEs and going with bigger hybrid types to replace them (think Encoiy, Custis, maybe even Broyld). That means we will see a lot of 4 WR sets IMO this year and a lot more shotgun.

QB- Hunt will be good. I'm thinking like 25 TDs (both running and throwing), 10 INTs.
RB- No need for worry, we have 4 good college running backs. All compliment one another
WR- Much more athletic. We will be better, whether it will be good enough will be interesting to see.
TE- Not great, but how much will they be used?
OL- Very good OL, comparable to 2012 team, when we dominated teams up front.

I think the season breaks down like this:
Must Wins: Nova, CMU, NCSU, Duke, Wake
2 out of 3: Pitt/BC/Terps
Split: UofL/ND
Losses: Clemson/FSU

I honestly think we have a very good chance of going 8-4. My only hold-up is that Pitt and BC are on the road and Maryland will be better this year. Maybe 1 out of those 3 is more realistic. As of right now, I see 8-4/7-5.

 

[money3189]

TE's are definitely being phased out. We will have them in packages but not as a based offense. Parris, Provo, Moore, Mcpherson are not legitimate receiving threats. Considered blockers

 

[anomander]

I think the season breaks down like this:
Must Wins: Nova, CMU, NCSU, Duke, Wake
2 out of 3: Pitt/BC/Terps
Split: UofL/ND
Losses: Clemson/FSU

I honestly think we have a very good chance of going 8-4. My only hold-up is that Pitt and BC are on the road and Maryland will be better this year. Maybe 1 out of those 3 is more realistic. As of right now, I see 8-4/7-5.

BC is headed for a down year. Addazzio emptied the cupboard and will be dangerously thin. By the time the final game rolls around they may be playing walk ons. Throw in a transition year at qb, and no Heisman RB to carry them, and I can see a 4 win year if lucky. That's a long ways away though.

 

[Rocco]

well we did play Maryland without their potential Heisman WR, and their 2nd best WR, who will both be back this year.

True but we also played with no wide receivers all of last season. Just a few guys lined up out on the numbers wearing Cuse jerseys.