Is a 5-1 start too crazy to expect next year?

[tep624]

Maryland I would probably take off the list, but that game was over at halftime. UMD did nothing on offense in the 2nd half but try to kill the clock and end the game. We moved the ball all day long that game, but we weren't stopping UMD when it mattered. Edsall definitely called the dogs off that game.
ND dominated that game. Our D forced 5 turnovers and 1 punt and we couldn't do squat. The pick 6 late made the score closer, but we didn't show anything that game to the rest of the nation.

The game was 24-13 with us inside their 20 with 4 mins or so left in the 2nd quarter when Hunt threw the pick 6 that was returned 90 yards. We had momentum and that completely changed the fabric of the game.

Clemson 2013 - that's a blowout.

 

[Alsacs]

The game was 24-13 with us inside their 20 with 4 mins or so left in the 2nd quarter when Hunt threw the pick 6 that was returned 90 yards. We had momentum and that completely changed the fabric of the game.

Clemson 2013 - that's a blowout.

I really don't want to make this into a blowout thread. I was just pointing a response to TheCusian that we play to the level of competition under DM message.

We were moving the ball all day long against UMD, but our defense was shredded that first half. The pick-6 was huge and killed our momentum, but our D wasn't going to stop them I believe if they ran their offense in the 2nd half.

 

[anomander]

You haven't paid attention to USF's recruiting. They have sucked because their coach was brand new Willie Taggert from Western Kentucky. He was rebuilding the team from the ground up. USF has out-recruited us the recent past. 2013- 2 4*star recruits 1 top 300 recruit http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/school/_/id/58/class/2013 2014- 6 4* star recruits 1 top 300 recruit http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/school/_/id/58/class/2014 2015- 0 4* star recruits We finished 57th USF finished 59th http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/school/_/id/58/class/2015 USF is no cakewalk. They have taken their lumps under Taggert and will be better this year. UVA will also have more talent on the field than us. UVA's HC can recruit he has brought in several top 25 classes that will be a year older. If we split these road game we will be lucky.

That's what I am saying. Both USF and UVA have been accumulating talent. London is a bum but the jury is still out on Taggert. Both on the road we will be very lucky to split, which is fine. I bet we open as dogs to both.

 

[Alsacs]

That's what I am saying. Both use and UVA have been accumulating talent. London is a bum but the jury is still out on raggedy. Both on the road we will be very lucky to split. I bet we open as dogs to both.

We definitely will not be favored in both games unless the team is a lot better offensively. I think we can and should split these games but expecting 5-1 is setting the bar way too high.

4-2 is the record we need to be after 6 games.

 

[anomander]

We definitely will not be favored in both games unless the team is a lot better offensively. I think we can and should split these games but expecting 5-1 is setting the bar way too high.

4-2 is the record we need to be after 6 games.

Without a doubt both games are winnable, i'm just not banking on it. I think the USF game is the easier of the 2, but we have to be careful for a post-LSU letdown, especially being on the road.

You haven't paid attention to USF's recruiting. They have sucked because their coach was brand new Willie Taggert from Western Kentucky. He was rebuilding the team from the ground up.
USF has out-recruited us the recent past.

2013- 2 4*star recruits 1 top 300 recruit
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/school/_/id/58/class/2013
2014- 6 4* star recruits 1 top 300 recruit
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/school/_/id/58/class/2014
2015- 0 4* star recruits We finished 57th USF finished 59th
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/school/_/id/58/class/2015



USF is no cakewalk. They have taken their lumps under Taggert and will be better this year. UVA will also have more talent on the field than us. UVA's HC can recruit he has brought in several top 25 classes that will be a year older. If we split these road game we will be lucky.

Not to mention Asaintii Woulard transferred home, and is now attending USF. He was one of the top QB's in his class. Not sure if he will be eligible (family illness type deal, or has to sit out a year), but he won the Elite11 MVP his Sr. year.

 

[TheCusian]

We definitely will not be favored in both games unless the team is a lot better offensively. I think we can and should split these games but expecting 5-1 is setting the bar way too high. 4-2 is the record we need to be after 6 games.

I think we'll know by the LSU game what we should expect vs those two teams. But neither are world beaters that's for sure

 

[Alsacs]

I think we'll know by the LSU game what we should expect vs those two teams. But neither are world beaters that's for sure

You realize Wake Forest and Central Michigan are saying the same thing about us. Virginia and South Florida will have HFA and more talent on their rosters when we play. I think we can win both games, but expect we will split those games and if you offered me a split right now I would take it in a cocaine heart beat.

Hopefully we know nothing about this team till week 4. I mean sorry, but USF scares the crap out of me. They aren't going to be like 2013 or 2014. Taggert's team this year is going to be better and people are completely underestimating them.

UVA went 5-2 at home last year.
UVA beat Miami, Louisville,Pitt at home last year and lost to UNC by 1 point at home and played UCLA tough at home. Virginia is going to be favored at home where they play well and will have more talent on the field.

If we go 1-1 in these road games we will be lucky and on the right track.

 

[TheCusian]

You realize Wake Forest and Central Michigan are saying the same thing about us. Virginia and South Florida will have HFA and more talent on their rosters when we play. I think we can win both games, but expect we will split those games and if you offered me a split right now I would take it in a cocaine heart beat. Hopefully we know nothing about this team till week 4. I mean sorry, but USF scares the crap out of me. They aren't going to be like 2013 or 2014. Taggert's team this year is going to be better and people are completely underestimating them. UVA went 5-2 at home last year. UVA beat Miami, Louisville,Pitt at home last year and lost to UNC by 1 point at home and played UCLA tough at home. Virginia is going to be favored at home where they play well and will have more talent on the field. If we go 1-1 in these road games we will be lucky and on the right track.

I agree that it's unlikely - but I'm not scared of either team. You left off how UVa ended their season. Taggert seat is hotter than Shafer's. If you're "show me" on us, you have to have the same attitude looking at USF.

 

[Alsacs]

I agree that it's unlikely - but I'm not scared of either team. You left off how UVa ended their season. Taggert seat is hotter than Shafer's. If you're "show me" on us, you have to have the same attitude looking at USF.

I am not leaving off how UVA ended the season at home. The game is a home game for UVA. They smoked Miami in their lasy home game and went 5-2 at home. They lost to a top 25 team in UCLA and lost by 1 point to UNC at home. They are a good home team.

Taggert is on the hot seat, but he has more talent on his roster than SS does and that young talent is older now. The game is in Tampa. We should be able to split, but you ignore the facts that show this game is not a gimme and we should not expect 5-1.

 

[tep624]

Not to mention Asaintii Woulard transferred home, and is now attending USF. He was one of the top QB's in his class. Not sure if he will be eligible (family illness type deal, or has to sit out a year), but he won the Elite11 MVP his Sr. year.

I'm curious to see what happens with him. Redshirted as a freshman, then lost out to Neuheisal as the backup as a RF. UCLA landed the #1 overall QB last year and he early enrolled, so that was the writing on the wall for Boulard. He does have to sit out a year, so he won't be available to USF this year but has 2 years to play after that. I would have expected him to beat out Neuheisal as the backup, so that's definitely worrisome.

 

[cuse309]

you are putting way too much stock into a true freshman

I know. But if he can't contribute immediately, we'll have teams torching our secondary.

 

[TheCusian]

I am not leaving off how UVA ended the season at home. The game is a home game for UVA. They smoked Miami in their lasy home game and went 5-2 at home. They lost to a top 25 team in UCLA and lost by 1 point to UNC at home. They are a good home team. Taggert is on the hot seat, but he has more talent on his roster than SS does and that young talent is older now. The game is in Tampa. We should be able to split, but you ignore the facts that show this game is not a gimme and we should not expect 5-1.

You missed where I agreed with you. I'm not ignoring the facts. I'm just more confident in our team then you are. But we already knew that.

 

[OrangeDW]

I thought last year looked as good for a 3-0 start as we've had in a long time...that feeling went away less than halfway through the Villanova game.

Not making the same mistake this year!

 

[OrangeDW]

I'll be doing just that very shortly!



Not just the last decade. It's been going on long before that. Remember NCState in '97? (And yes, I know we went to the Fiesta Bowl)

NC State was the worst. ECU in '95 right after a great road win at UNC to start the year was awful.

Minnesota in '96! Then there were the last second losses to Tennessee(98) and Oklahoma(94 and 97).

The entire months of September 95, 96, 97, and 98 were basically a giant kick in the nads. Looking back, it's almost laughably ridiculous how many heartbreaking losses there were.

 

[rosconey]

lets be realistic-

in 2 seasons under hcss we havent out coached anyone and we havent out recruited that many-

so how is 5-1 even a dream when we dont have the better staff or higher quality players

 

[tipphill]

not likely at all--the good news is we do not play villanova. 4-8 is most likely

 

[TheCusian]

lets be realistic- in 2 seasons under hcss we havent out coached anyone and we havent out recruited that many- so how is 5-1 even a dream when we dont have the better staff or higher quality players

For reals. We should just give up.

 

[orange79]

You realize Wake Forest and Central Michigan are saying the same thing about us.

The same Wake Forest and Central Michigan we (collectively) beat 70-10 last year on the road? We sucked last year and crushed these teams. On the road.

They can be optimistic - that's fine. But they should shut up about us.

 

[Chip]

I don't know about 5-1, but if we don't start 3-0 this program is not improving.

To me starting out 3-0 is nothing more than running in place. It's 3 teams we beat last year (politely swapping FCS), and two of them flip from road to home.

If we're moving forward then we need to win at least 3 ACC games this year. And that's not asking much at all.

 

[Alsacs]

The same Wake Forest and Central Michigan we (collectively) beat 70-10 last year on the road? We sucked last year and crushed these teams. On the road.

They can be optimistic - that's fine. But they should shut up about us.

We dominated Maryland in 2013 on the road and we were confident we would beat in 2014 what happened?

In that 70-10 collective score includes 3 DEF TDs, 1 Safety. I am sorry I want us to be good but I have no confidence we have more than 1 sure win on our schedule URI. I feel strongly we should beat Wake and CMU, but I don't consider them locks.

 

[TheCusian]

To me starting out 3-0 is nothing more than running in place. It's 3 teams we beat last year (politely swapping FCS), and two of them flip from road to home. If we're moving forward then we need to win at least 3 ACC games this year. And that's not asking much at all.

I don't know about this. It really depends on how we look beating those teams. New offensive system, young defense? I agree that we shouldn't be bragging at 3-0 - but it will be really important for both sides of the ball to build momentum.

Plus - Duke and NC State get all kinds of kudos for fast starts similar to those. Just to be 3-0 headed into LSU would be nice for perception.

I agree on the 3 ACC wins.

 

[TheCusian]

We dominated Maryland in 2013 on the road and we were confident we would beat in 2014 what happened? In that 70-10 collective score includes 3 DEF TDs, 1 Safety. I am sorry I want us to be good but I have no confidence we have more than 1 sure win on our schedule URI. I feel strongly we should beat Wake and CMU, but I don't consider them locks.

No - not locks. But we should beat those teams. Wakes young offense from last year got younger somehow.

 

[orange79]

We dominated Maryland in 2013 on the road and we were confident we would beat in 2014 what happened?

In that 70-10 collective score includes 3 DEF TDs, 1 Safety. I am sorry I want us to be good but I have no confidence we have more than 1 sure win on our schedule URI. I feel strongly we should beat Wake and CMU, but I don't consider them locks.

My post was not a shot at you at all. It was at them. And I feel the same way about SU and MD/Nova. We should shut up about them until we can beat them.

 

[djorange1989]

4-2 is a must and very achievable. Any better than that would be fantastic and anything worse than that will likely keep us out of a bowl when all is said and done

 

[SU68]

I'm curious to see what happens with him. Redshirted as a freshman, then lost out to Neuheisal as the backup as a RF. UCLA landed the #1 overall QB last year and he early enrolled, so that was the writing on the wall for Boulard. He does have to sit out a year, so he won't be available to USF this year but has 2 years to play after that. I would have expected him to beat out Neuheisal as the backup, so that's definitely worrisome.

He has to sit this year. http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/06/29/ex-ucla-qb-asiantii-woulard-on-his-way-to-usf/