Jaw dropping stat about our offense last year from ESPN's David Hale

[GoSU96]

With a healthy Hunt the team averaged 450 yds in the first four games, which was 48th in the country. The main issue was efficiency, red zone and third down. By the end of the year 450 yds would have end up ranked 32nd.

Once he got hurt, along with rest of the QB's and OL, they couldn't move the ball along with the efficiency issues.

It also didn't help that in those last eight games they played the 1st- Clemson, 6th -Lville, 11th- BC, 33rd- Pitt, 40th- Wake, and 46th- NCSt, ranked defenses. And FSU -61st and Duke- 67th, while not highly ranked weren't bad either.

The fact that 2014 ended with over 2000 less yds and 13 pts per game less than 2012 is very disturbing and the complete collapse, in the booth and on the field, once Hunt went out doesn't show a whole lot of hard nosed resiliency, in the total context of what happened it's not the end of the world or predictive of this year.

The facts going into this year is that there is a veteran OL, a 5th QB that has had some success, and the best and largest depth of athletes at WR and RB that the program has had in a while. As players the WR's and RB's haven't generated a great deal of productivity, but the potential is there.

It is on the coaches to find ways to turn that potential into yards, first downs, and points.

If there isn't significant improvement I think moving on is a distinct possibility.

 

[PhatOrange]

Everyone is making Tyler Murphy out like he was the 2nd coming. Dude was flat out awful the year before at UF. I mean he was terrible. I was happy BC picked him up. But because the BC staff was able to plug him into the offensive identity they created and had him succeed the credit goes to Murphy? No way. Addazio turned a quarterback who had done absolutely nothing his whole career at UF besides look terrible, into a very good QB.

When you say the “Dude was flat out awful the year before at UF. I mean he was terrible.” Can you define ‘awful’ and ‘terrible for us ????

The year before, in 2013 Murphy started 6 games completing 112-of-185 passes (60.5%) for 1,216 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. That doesn't sound awful and terrible to me. That sounds half way decent to me and a kid getting his first 6 starts in the SEC for a bad Florida football team. He was injured the last 3 games of the season. Keep spinning.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I can pick the 5 worst games of any team's season and give a similar stat and just reword it. Funny how math is like that.

I don't think that's true in this case actually. Our worst 5 was worse than other people's worst 5.

 

[TheCusian]

This is not hard to figure out. You take mediocre talent and mediocre coaching, change systems due to internal issues while suffering through a barrage of injuries and your mediocre offense just got awful. I'd be very, very surprised if we didn't become mediocre again (AND I'm not saying I'm okay with that or that's good enough - just the most likely outcome.)

 

[Faegan]

The writing was on the wall last year after the Villanova game when we were fielding a healthy team. Hoping not to see the same against Rhode Island this year.

 

[OrangeAl]

The writing was pretty faint after going to Central Michigan and winning big. The real turning point was the Maryland game, when things fell apart for us.

 

[reedny]

We don't have the talent to withstand a string of injuries like we had on either the O line or at QB. Our starters have enough trouble competing in conference, let alone s c o u t team players. Add in chaos at the OC position (both the post-demotion morale problems and the confusion of a new OC running the old one's playbook), and it's not surprising that the offense was a disaster (historic).

However, hope springs eternal. With Hunt back, a better schedule, and some guys who can stretch the field at WR (finally), I think this offense could be serviceable as long as the O-line develops. Unfortunately (and beside the point of the OP), we're forgetting that the defense is turning over. There are lots of new faces and some issues -- including lack of depth on the D line , inexperience in the defensive secondary (especially safety), etc.

I think this staff will work together much more cohesively than last year's staff .. and they'll need to.

 

[SUFan44]

The writing was on the wall last year after the Villanova game when we were fielding a healthy team. Hoping not to see the same against Rhode Island this year.

That's the one game I can't get past.

We had an entire offseason to prepare for Villanova, and they come out and punch us in the mouth. We lost that game, regardless of what the scoreboard said.

Even before Hunt got booted, we were in for a dog fight. And don't give me the crap that the offensive line was in disarray. We should not have been that close to Villanova. Plain and simple.

 

[TheCusian]

That's the one game I can't get past. We had an entire offseason to prepare for Villanova, and they come out and punch us in the mouth. We lost that game, regardless of what the scoreboard said. Even before Hunt got booted, we were in for a dog fight. And don't give me the crap that the offensive line was in disarray. We should not have been that close to Villanova. Plain and simple.

You can't lose if the scoreboard said we won. It's not who looked better or who should of won. It's who won. That's it.

 

[anomander]

The writing was pretty faint after going to Central Michigan and winning big. The real turning point was the Maryland game, when things fell apart for us.

CMU game raised even more red flags. I believe we had to settle for 3 fg's because we couldn't convert in the red zone.

 

[TheCusian]

CMU game raised even more red flags. I believe we had to settle for 3 fg's because we couldn't convert in the red zone.

I felt better after we stomped them because Hunt was back and we moved the ball pretty well. Made the Villanova game feel like an outlier.

I'd trade our Nova performance in for the CMU game in a heartbeat.

 

[SoBeCuse]

CMU game raised even more red flags. I believe we had to settle for 3 fg's because we couldn't convert in the red zone.

Wasn't CMU missing their best player though I can't seem to remember if he was on offense or defense?

 

[SoBeCuse]

You can't lose if the scoreboard said we won. It's not who looked better or who should of won. It's who won. That's it.

Not really. In basketball, even towards the end of the 25-0 stretch, we were winning nail biters ugly scoring in the 50's against bad teams. But a win is a win? Not. Those were big red flags...obviously.

 

[TheCusian]

Not really. In basketball, even towards the end of the 25-0 stretch, we were winning nail biters ugly scoring in the 50's against bad teams. But a win is a win? Not. Those were big red flags...obviously.

No. A win is a win. There are no fashion points. Does a close win raise flags? Sure. But not one coach will take a loss over a win, no matter how ugly.

 

[SoBeCuse]

No. A win is a win. There are no fashion points. Does a close win raise flags? Sure. But not one coach will take a loss over a win, no matter how ugly.

Well, we can agree to disagree. I don't think a coach will say that publicly. Some of Boeheim's pressers during that stretch were very informative as to how he thought the team was playing. He was pretty much tempering our expectations due to these narrow wins.

 

[TheCusian]

Well, we can agree to disagree. I don't think a coach will say that publicly. Some of Boeheim's pressers during that stretch were very informative as to how he thought the team was playing. He was pretty much tempering our expectations due to these narrow wins.

I'm not sure you're following. It can feel like a loss, it can be a red flag, it can be disheartening. But especially in football where there are less games - you take the win where you can get it. Worry about getting better win or loss.

We beat Villanova. There is no asterisk in the record book. People claiming it didn't count is crazy talk. Add that thing to the win column and move on.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I'm not sure you're following. It can feel like a loss, it can be a red flag, it can be disheartening. But especially in football where there are less games - you take the win where you can get it. Worry about getting better win or loss.

We beat Villanova. There is no asterisk in the record book. People claiming it didn't count is crazy talk. Add that thing to the win column and move on.

I must have a learning disability then.

 

[KaiserUEO]

I must have a learning disability then.

while that may be the case, not here.


its the cusian is being the cusian again.

hes painted himself into a corner and is trying to find away out.

hes told us all about moral victories and how hes just looking for improvement and blah blah blah...and now hes trying to tell us that the only victory is one where we put the slash in the W column.

which is what concerns all of us and why SS is on the hot seat, lesters pants are on fire and we have 32 different threads all saying the same thing.

 

[SUFan44]

I'm not sure you're following. It can feel like a loss, it can be a red flag, it can be disheartening. But especially in football where there are less games - you take the win where you can get it. Worry about getting better win or loss.

We beat Villanova. There is no asterisk in the record book. People claiming it didn't count is crazy talk. Add that thing to the win column and move on.

When you're favored by 15.5-17 points against a 1-AA school, and win ONLY because their FG kicker misses a 25 yard FG... You morally lost the game.

Ever heard of moral victories? Making the Final Four and losing to Kentucky by 9 was a moral victory for Syracuse basketball in 1996. This was a moral defeat. And should have been an actual one.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

When you're favored by 15.5-17 points against a 1-AA school, and win ONLY because their FG kicker misses a 25 yard FG... You morally lost the game.

Do you think SU would have scored 17 more points if Hunt played the entire game?

 

[KaiserUEO]

When you're favored by 15.5-17 points against a 1-AA school, and win ONLY because their FG kicker misses a 25 yard FG... You morally lost the game.

Ever heard of moral victories? Making the Final Four and losing to Kentucky by 9 was a moral victory for Syracuse basketball in 1996. This was a moral defeat. And should have been an actual one.

i know where youre coming from and where youre trying to go, but Syracuse basketball does not get moral victorys.

and despite kentuckys 15 future NBAers or whatever, the Orange couldve won that game.

some losses hurt more than others for sure.

but they either win or they lose.

we dont have morals, i think thats in the report...

 

[TheCusian]

I must have a learning disability then.

Must be. Games are either "w" or "l" there is nothing else.

 

[TheCusian]

while that may be the case, not here. its the cusian is being the cusian again. hes painted himself into a corner and is trying to find away out. hes told us all about moral victories and how hes just looking for improvement and blah blah blah...and now hes trying to tell us that the only victory is one where we put the slash in the W column. which is what concerns all of us and why SS is on the hot seat, lesters pants are on fire and we have 32 different threads all saying the same thing.

Uh? I'm pretty consistent. Let's get remedial:

1. Wins are when you finish with more points than your opponent.
2. Losses are when you finish with less points than your opponent.
3. There are reasons for winning and losing. These are important. Pay attention to these things - but especially the correctable mistakes or deficiencies.
4. In the end, your ability to maximize the good stuff and minimizing the bad stuff should lead to improvement.
5. But as always, W first.
6. In evaluating a coach you look at record 1st and the probability that they can do #4 in a timely manner. If you feel the record is sub par and the the probability of recovery is low, you fire them.

I don't tell you about moral victories. I get pissed like everyone else, do my best to analyze #3 and hope like hell for #4. But I sure am not giving away a W 'cause it wasn't pretty enough.

 

[TheCusian]

When you're favored by 15.5-17 points against a 1-AA school, and win ONLY because their FG kicker misses a 25 yard FG... You morally lost the game. Ever heard of moral victories? Making the Final Four and losing to Kentucky by 9 was a moral victory for Syracuse basketball in 1996. This was a moral defeat. And should have been an actual one.

But it wasn't. It is a W.

Just analyze every game on film, learn from the good and bad and then get better. That's why coaches always bristle at the words "moral victory" ...

 

[TheCusian]

i know where youre coming from and where youre trying to go, but Syracuse basketball does not get moral victorys. and despite kentuckys 15 future NBAers or whatever, the Orange couldve won that game. some losses hurt more than others for sure. but they either win or they lose. we dont have morals, i think thats in the report...

Exactly.