If you want anyone to show up, gotta make the change

[Millhouse]

In a normal town, you have people who want to go but don't because it's too expensive. When the team stinks, there is someone else to buy cheap tickets

Here, there is no one else, all the people who care are already there. And the tickets are already almost free

I'm still convinced football loses to basketball. How many times am I hoofing up that hill to get disappointed, people save disappointment opportunities for the winter

If Carnie is even worse, that would be kinda interesting to see once. There is no downside from a business standpoint other than trying to justify a sunk cost nil deal which is is a wrinkle to this new crappy world I hadn't thought about

 

[RedtheGOB]

Here is what bothers me so much about the entire situation. It would be one thing if Collins was recruited here coming out of high school to compete. But to sign him out of the portal with expectation for him to be a starting quarterback and pay a lot of money for that? Someone screwed up terribly assessing his competency and skill set.

Sometimes you swing and miss, they recognized the problem and corrected it about as quickly as they could in the next portal.

I can't find solid portal rankings for QBs in December but Rickie is def on the list of best QB's available from this one. Maybe not top 10, but I assume in the top 25. Universally 4 stars everywhere even when he was waiting to play.

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-best-quarterbacks-transfer-portal-2025

Let's not forget how young our staff is. Prob thought they could develop him into the offense alot more quickly. Maybe too cocky or were drinking their own koolaid with mccord last year.

Seems like they may have learned a really valuable lesson that all that matters is what the QB does on the field gameday not what they could do with their talent

 

[FrancoPizza]

Here is what bothers me so much about the entire situation. It would be one thing if Collins was recruited here coming out of high school to compete. But to sign him out of the portal with expectation for him to be a starting quarterback and pay a lot of money for that? Someone screwed up terribly assessing his competency and skill set.

If we’re paying him $500k that has to be a typo.

 

[FrancoPizza]

I'm still convinced football loses to basketball. How many times am I hoofing up that hill to get disappointed, people save disappointment opportunities for the winter

that used to be the case - but have you seen the dome attendance lately for red?

Landmark theater and turning stone must be giddy.

 

[Atlcuse44]

Im so sick of hearing 'we expected to be 3-3 at this point'. That is irrelevant. That was based on preseason expectations. Duke and definitely SMU are beatable. With a healthy Angeli, we are probably 5-1 now with the only likely losses being Miami and ND. Why are we 3-3 instead of 5-1? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

 

[Archbold44]

Im so sick of hearing 'we expected to be 3-3 at this point'. That is irrelevant. That was based on preseason expectations. Duke and definitely SMU are beatable. With a healthy Angeli, we are probably 5-1 now with the only likely losses being Miami and ND. Why are we 3-3 instead of 5-1? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

I was always concerned about Duke. No ACC team is truly garbage. Some might play like it from time to time… but not really that consistent.

 

[alphaorange]

The lack of passing is not the reason we have failed on 1yd plays.

Well, yes and no. Without the threat of a pass, the defense just stacked the box and played for up the gut runs. Would not have happened with a viable passing game.

 

[Archbold44]

And at least two other passes that could have been intercepted. But the 4th down disaster to Willis before the half is what sent me over the edge.

How do we know Willis was where he was supposed to be? Willis has had a few drops this year too. Not attacking the hole. Bad penalty against Clemson IIRC. Quick to celebrate his big run each game. But pretty pedestrian on far too many carries yesterday.

 

[tptcuse]

How do we know Willis was where he was supposed to be? Willis has had a few drops this year too. Not attacking the hole. Bad penalty against Clemson IIRC. Quick to celebrate his big run each game. But pretty pedestrian on far too many carries yesterday.

He was wide open and Rickie was staring right at him before he passed. It was a great play with a bad pass.

 

[Mchandl8]

You do know we play unc and bc right?

Why is anyone confident we can beat anyone?

 

[AngryOtto]

yea. how are you seeing wide open guys all over on the tv coverage. Unless you mean missing wide open guys on some throws

For sure missing WIllis and Gills on the 2 simple plays hurt us

Coaches see Carney every day. You really think if is making those throws in practice Fran doesnt pull the trigger today?

I’m sure Ricky looks great in practice. I’m sure he can make all the plays in practice. The problem is it does not translate to the game. He is not a gamer. Some QBs are some qbs are not. Now over time (not meaning this season) he could improve, but we have to be competitive. I just don’t see that happening with Ricky.
Is Carney, Williams or Belin the answer we don’t know. However you have to at least look to see if they have the “it” factor in game situations. That is something Ricky has not shown.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

At this point Carney needs to play or we just do direct snaps to the HB because this season has turned into a dumpster fire real quick. Our bright spots will transfer out

 

[Chip]

Haven't had time to read everything, but I'm guessing it's been pointed out more than a few times that Pitt started a 3 star true freshman yesterday who otherwise only had offers from MAC schools. His only experience had been about 8 snaps in a CMU blowout.

He was 30/41 for 323 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs against BC.

 

[Archbold44]

He was wide open and Rickie was staring right at him before he passed. It was a great play with a bad pass.

Just went and watched it again. Why does Willis turn to the backfield side to catch the pass, rather than turn toward the end zone? He was not set for a screen… seemed more like a wheel route for a TD. Perhaps it was reasonable for Rickie to think Willis would do so, especially given the play call.

 

[OttosShoes]

justify a sunk cost nil deal which is is a wrinkle to this new crappy world I hadn't thought about

My dad always says "if something doesn't make sense bad enough, it's because there's something you don't know."

I now wonder if there's some big NIL donors out there that would be real pissed to see their investment thrown to the trash heap so quickly.

that used to be the case - but have you seen the dome attendance lately for red?

Landmark theater and turning stone must be giddy.

Last season unlocked a core memory--on the way out of the dome people trying to see how many free green t-shirts from empty seats they could carry.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Haven't had time to read everything, but I'm guessing it's been pointed out more than a few times that Pitt started a 3 star true freshman yesterday who otherwise only had offers from MAC schools. His only experience had been about 8 snaps in a CMU blowout.

He was 30/41 for 323 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs against BC.

But BC beat Fordham !!!

 

[tptcuse]

Just went and watched it again. Why does Willis turn to the backfield side to catch the pass, rather than turn toward the end zone? He was not set for a screen… seemed more like a wheel route for a TD. Perhaps it was reasonable for Rickie to think Willis would do so, especially given the play call.

We’re probably splitting hairs at this point. 9/10 times that would have been a TD.

 

[tep624]

Rickie is not taking us bowling. If the season is lost then you’re better off letting Luke get first team reps and seeing what you have there. I’d rather see us lose with that in mind than keeping a turnover machine in there for (insert reason because I can’t think of one).

 

[Cusefan0307]

The browns are 1-3 because they have gotten terrible QB play with an elite D and it took 5 games to get them to move to the unknown rookie QB this week.

Sure we can move off, but since none of us have any idea how the kid is doing in practice I dont know that we can expect that to happen.

Collins was much better this week and the key throws he missed were not bad decisions just rushed throws. only 1 of the 3 picks was a bad throw as well.

And as I type this I watch the CAL QB make the exact same bad throw decision for a pick that Collins did last week vs Duke on the exact same play. I guess they should bench the QB.

Collins only made a few bad decision throws today. He made a bunch of bad throws. He also made more good throws than we have seen from him

No, he was even worse than last week. He just had more opportunities because SMU is worse than Duke. We played back to back terrible pass defenses. My concern is it could very much get worse with him. Tougher defenses are ahead.

 

[AngryOtto]

My dad always says "if something doesn't make sense bad enough, it's because there's something you don't know."

I now wonder if there's some big NIL donors out there that would be real pissed to see their investment thrown to the trash heap so quickly.



Last season unlocked a core memory--on the way out of the dome people trying to see how many free green t-shirts from empty seats they could carry.

I think this may be a valid concern for Fran and Wildhack. In the new nil area you have to keep the donors happy. If you dig in and refuse to make a change you will not get the same nil next year which will affect success as a coach.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Eh, if you're a big NIL donor I think seeing the guy you backed play well is secondary to wanting to see the program win.

 

[Tony DeFranco]

Because of money. They spent money to bring Collins in.

Stop - stop - stop - Collins is the issue - he threw about 7 potential ints yesterday - he missed a simple pass to Cook who was wide open with no one near him for a TD by letting the ball get batted down - the 4th and 2 pass might have been worse - we are gonna set the program back all the momentum we moved it forward - that is fact - I don’t know if it is fact if Carney plays - can win 3 games all season and consistently lose by 30 and have fans leave at halftime

 

[djorange1989]

this is what last year would have looked like if McCord had gotten hurt. The D stunk, running game stunk, special teams were hideous. QB play saved us last year and Angeli would have us at 4-2 now(unless the D would have actually made an attempt against Duke instead of no showing if Angeli had started). If Collins starts against Pitt, the season is over. Start Carney and see what happens. We will 99.9% lose if Collins plays, with Luke who knows?

 

[PhatOrange]

Stop - stop - stop - Collins is the issue - he threw about 7 potential ints yesterday - he missed a simple pass to Cook who was wide open with no one near him for a TD by letting the ball get batted down - the 4th and 2 pass might have been worse - we are gonna set the program back all the momentum we moved it forward - that is fact - I don’t know if it is fact if Carney plays - can win 3 games all season and consistently lose by 30 and have fans leave at halftime

This might be a bad analogy, but when it comes to money and these NIL deals, I liken it to a pro team that makes a big free agent signing. If the player ends up having a terrible season it takes a while before he sees the bench.

 

[tep624]

this is what last year would have looked like if McCord had gotten hurt. The D stunk, running game stunk, special teams were hideous. QB play saved us last year and Angeli would have us at 4-2 now(unless the D would have actually made an attempt against Duke instead of no showing if Angeli had started). If Collins starts against Pitt, the season is over. Start Carney and see what happens. We will 99.9% lose if Collins plays, with Luke who knows?

This is exactly where I am right now.

We are not in a position to white knuckle our ways to wins based on strong defense / specials. It’s just not there. We can’t afford to have an offense that wakes up in the 4th quarter after the opposing defense has relaxed. And that’s exactly what happened yesterday. Anyone who is proposing keeping Rickie in is accepting that this is a 4 win season and I’d rather they just say that and get it over with.

I’ve learned my lesson from the Shafer/Dino years.