It’s over, let’s move on

[Bayside44]

This was a different team with a healthy Shrader. Competitive vs peers. One player can make a huge difference. We will have a lot of new faces next year, some with proven experience. Anything can happen.

Agree the key is retaining/recruiting the right mix of guys on the OL.

The most important position in sports matters a lot.

 

[P Vasiloff]

I said it last night at halftime and as I watched the rest of the game and then thought about it postgame, the thing that absolutely surprised me the most was the lack of physical play by Syracuse. USF just beat the pants off of Syracuse. I would imagine that’s what HCFB has been talking about when he mentioned the importance of the strength and conditioning program and how that will show on the field next year. I believe in Coach Brown and although disappointed about last night, am very excited about 2024. Go Orange!!!!!

 

[CousCuse]

I suggested to turn down the bowl bid knowing full well that an outcome like this was to be expected. Just be glad it wasn't Rutgers, that would have really sucked even worse.

 

[tep624]

I said it last night at halftime and as I watched the rest of the game and then thought about it postgame, the thing that absolutely surprised me the most was the lack of physical play by Syracuse. USF just beat the pants off of Syracuse. I would imagine that’s what HCFB has been talking about when he mentioned the importance of the strength and conditioning program and how that will show on the field next year. I believe in Coach Brown and although disappointed about last night, am very excited about 2024. Go Orange!!!!!

Our OLine looked like a folding chair most of the game. I'm not sure what exactly happened between Wake and that game but we were absolutely manhandled at the LOS.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Doesn't matter who was calling plays. USF shut down everything they did well. Would have liked some more trickery but that one gadget play was a disaster. That probably prevented them from doing more of them.

I would have liked to have seen what we could have done just playing normal football with Davis passing against an abysmal passing defense for the majority of the first 3-4 series.

 

[tep624]

I would have liked to have seen what we could have done just playing normal football with Davis passing against an abysmal passing defense for the majority of the first 3-4 series.

I think people are reading way too much into Davis. We can rag on Beck for the quality of the depth chart after Shrader (and rightfully so), but one thing I'm pretty confident of is Beck's ability to develop QB talent once it's on the roster. Even after Dino was let go when Beck was in charge of calling the shots for the offense completely, he still didn't go to Davis as a QB1 even with Shrader at probably 50%. That tells me all I really need to know.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think people are reading way too much into Davis. We can rag on Beck for the quality of the depth chart after Shrader (and rightfully so), but one thing I'm pretty confident of is Beck's ability to develop QB talent once it's on the roster. Even after Dino was let go when Beck was in charge of calling the shots for the offense completely, he still didn't go to Davis as a QB1 even with Shrader at probably 50%. That tells me all I really need to know.

I'm not making any prediction about Davis.

I'm saying when you play a bottom 3 pass defense, and you've been running a really obvious running offense, maybe try a little unpredictability and attack their weakness. Because on their side, the pass defense sucks anyway, it's not risky at all from them to try and go all out to stop what you like to do.

 

[DPCuse]

Well I mean, not for nothing, but a team that’s 6-6 with 5 wins over teams with losing records, most of which came at the beginning of the season when we’re were semi-healthy - don’t you think it’s a little unrealistic to think a team like that is a couple of portal kids away from being a top 15 team?

With our soft schedule next year, better S&C and an infusion of talent, I don’t think 10 wins is out of the question. I mean if we stayed healthy this year, don’t you think we win 8? With the portal kids and no UNC, FSU or Clemson, I did think 10 was realistic. Perhaps I’m drinking too much kool aid. But I envisioned last years first half team playing that way for all 12 games.

 

[Cusesky8214]

I'm very happy that we have a new WR group coming in. Not that it mattered much last night anyways...but we need the upgrade in talent bad

 

[Doc5120]

I believe the players saw the handwriting on the wall with the new class for next year and figured they were going to lose their starting positions so they gave up.

If I'm a coach going after someone in the portal, that tells me A LOT about that player's mentality and drive. There's a reason we've been mediocre to bad. Culture shift better be (and I think it will be) drastic. You need to instill a winning mentality and culture that promotes and expects everyone to give their best. I for one, am ready for spring cleaning!

 

[tep624]

With our soft schedule next year, better S&C and an infusion of talent, I don’t think 10 wins is out of the question. I mean if we stayed healthy this year, don’t you think we win 8? With the portal kids and no UNC, FSU or Clemson, I did think 10 was realistic. Perhaps I’m drinking too much kool aid. But I envisioned last years first half team playing that way for all 12 games.

I think it's possible with the talent infusion we saw Fran bring in so far. And I think he's going to continue to do that. IMO there will definitely be 30+ new faces if not more when fall camp rolls around.

But that's a big difference between a couple of portal kids

 

[boog7]

Here is the reality. We all thought we were just a couple more portal kids away from being legit good. After seeing what I saw last night against an average team, we are a LOT of kids away from being legit good. I realize kids will be leaving, but last night should have been their showcase, their tryout. Instead they were manhandled physically. We don’t need just a couple OL, we need like 7. Now, do I think Fran can deliver…….yes. But I’m a couple months away from feeling good about this team like I felt before the game started.

No we all didn't. Myself and few other posters described this team as needing a rebuild - not just a few roster enhancements.

But some pushed back hard against that.

Well, I think last night was a very vivid demonstration that this current roster is not stocked with lots of high level or high potential talent - not totally devoid of elite talent but lacking enough to win big.

Thankfully, Fran Brown and his staff will change that. And they've already started - big time.

 

[tep624]

I honestly think there are probably 20-25 guys on the roster that pass the Fran test and another 15-20 that are on the fence. The rest will get turned over.

What’s the current number right now on starters at the beginning of the season that weren’t available last night? I know it’s 5/11 on offense. This is where you see how subpar our recruiting both of HS’ers and in the portal has been over the last few years. Remember, sometimes when guys don’t play at their previous school, it’s for a reason and a change of scenery isn’t going to fix that. The big difference with Fran is that we’re bringing in portal kids that were successful starters at their former school or in the case of Meeks and Haynes, guys Fran has seen first hand in practice.

 

[Cuse12]

We were on vacation and decided to participate in a football game is what it appears to me lol.

It just goes to show you how mental this game is. The mental of this team was so far off due to the coach change and all the departures of coaches/players. They didn’t have any juice at all. Just flat attitudes and when it started to rain it then poured immediately over and over again.

Hate to say this, but in the end this is a 6-6 vs 6-6 bowl game. People remember when TCU was getting waxed by UGA because it was the natty championship, this game will be forgotten by almost everyone except us. It does not affect any goals moving forward, that isn’t Fran’s team.

As a fan it sucks to play a game like this regardless of circumstances, but there are a lot of circumstances out there.

Moving on and I can’t wait for spring ball

 

[PhatOrange]

I think people are reading way too much into Davis. We can rag on Beck for the quality of the depth chart after Shrader (and rightfully so), but one thing I'm pretty confident of is Beck's ability to develop QB talent once it's on the roster. Even after Dino was let go when Beck was in charge of calling the shots for the offense completely, he still didn't go to Davis as a QB1 even with Shrader at probably 50%. That tells me all I really need to know.

Are you developing your quarterbacks when the third stringer didn’t get any snaps all season long? That’s pathetic McPhall should’ve been running the scout team and the minute Schrader got hurt, Davis should’ve definitely been getting snaps.

 

[donniesyracuse]

I don't think so. I know what was said, but...

Yeah, I would hope not. Either you’re satisfied with the direction of the program or you’re not. If the outcome of the Boston College game (i.e., a couple of dropped interceptions and a missed field goal) changes that, that is dumb.

 

[OburgOrange]

Someone has moved on

 

[orangencpolice]

I don’t think I’m being over emotional, we got blown out on national television for what, the third time now this year? Also there’s a significant difference between 6-7 vs 7-6.

It’s not as easy for me to compartmentalize and say next season is a whole new slate, I cared about this one still. We were shutout in a bowl for the first time in program history.

If I went into this not caring then obviously I would be able to flush it within minutes, but that was not the case for me.

Me either. HCFB can’t replace the entire team for 2024. I am amazed as we all are at what he has brought in. I would feel better if we at least put up a fight in this game (this is no attack on the guys that played their hearts out, like Villari). It doesn’t look good to portal or high school recruits that may have some interest. Dino Babers was obviously in over his head. Let’s hope HCFB is as good of a coach as he is a recruiter.