Learning how to win

[CIL]

That phrase can be overused by sports fans, but I believe this team really needs to understand the complete effort needed to put W's on the board.

This team has the talent needed to get to a bowl game. If we were on the other side of the ACC I'd feel comfortable stating that we would go bowling. That being said, we do not have that luxury. This team reminds me of Marrone's last team that finished he season on a terror.

Over the course of the season the learned how to finish games. The younger guys start to realize that details matter - little things like running routes the proper depth, attacking blockers on the proper shoulder, etc.

Those details are the difference between finishing drives or stopping drives. I really saw a lightbulb go off with this team the second half of the NC St game. Defenders didn't over pursuit, WR's sitting down in the zone properly, etc.

As I wrote earlier in the season, I am going to judge this team by the last 4-5 games of the season. I think we knock someone off that isn't expecting it. We are this stinking close.

I am very impressed with what the defensive staff has been able to do. I have little worries about the offense, especially with the bigger, faster players we are bringing in.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Good post, stay the course, take the time for staff to recruit and develop and it will happened, in a year or two. Have to get some wins along the way and it will happen. Need consistency and steady progress

 

[bigmike]

Nice points. I sense some gray hair on this thread.

 

[CIL]

Nice points. I sense some gray hair on this thread.

You stop.

 

[DPCuse]

I can't agree with you more CIL. Are they as successful as we want them to be now...no. But step back and look. They are absolutely moving in the right direction. The entire program is. Coaching, development, results, recruiting, facilities. You just don't hear and see it as vividly as you'd like. Hard to say but we need to accept the fact that we need patience and that we will hit some bumps along the way. We aren't going to just wake up and find out the program has arrived. Enjoy the process.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

That phrase can be overused by sports fans, but I believe this team really needs to understand the complete effort needed to put W's on the board.

This team has the talent needed to get to a bowl game. If we were on the other side of the ACC I'd feel comfortable stating that we would go bowling. That being said, we do not have that luxury. This team reminds me of Marrone's last team that finished he season on a terror.

Over the course of the season the learned how to finish games. The younger guys start to realize that details matter - little things like running routes the proper depth, attacking blockers on the proper shoulder, etc.

Those details are the difference between finishing drives or stopping drives. I really saw a lightbulb go off with this team the second half of the NC St game. Defenders didn't over pursuit, WR's sitting down in the zone properly, etc.

As I wrote earlier in the season, I am going to judge this team by the last 4-5 games of the season. I think we knock someone off that isn't expecting it. We are this stinking close.

I am very impressed with what the defensive staff has been able to do. I have little worries about the offense, especially with the bigger, faster players we are bringing in.

Especially after Saturday's effort, I think we can compete with everyone left on the schedule other than Clemson.

Doesn't mean we'll win; doesn't mean we won't forget to show up or play poorly and get our doors blown off but I will no longer go into games simply hoping we can keep it close.

And that is a really good feeling. Haven't felt that way in a half a decade...

The Butler-Servais sequence was a killer... No doubt that is part of the learning how to win...

 

[upperdeck]

you watch the D and they are so much better this year , but they still give up points. Positionally light years better than last year . guys are not running free all game long, teams are having to use gadget runs like jet sweeps to try and get people into space because they cant just run dive and sweeps against us.

Even in the first half Sat they were so close to shutting it down and yet gave up 300+yds. Sometimes it is just the little things.. NC st DB make a really tough Int and we drop 3-4 easier ones. We get the PI call to keep a drive alive and they get away with holding in the End zone. We play a jet sweep almost perfect and a really good athlete makes guys miss in space ( helped by 2 clips) . We get a Int and its negated by a penalty on a guy that was never going to get the ball. We throw a TD and its negated by a mental mistake on someone who was never going to get the ball. A kid who never made over a 31 yd YD makes almost a 50 yd one to keep energy up and our guy misses

 

[OttoinGrotto]

That phrase can be overused by sports fans, but I believe this team really needs to understand the complete effort needed to put W's on the board.

This team has the talent needed to get to a bowl game. If we were on the other side of the ACC I'd feel comfortable stating that we would go bowling. That being said, we do not have that luxury. This team reminds me of Marrone's last team that finished he season on a terror.

Over the course of the season the learned how to finish games. The younger guys start to realize that details matter - little things like running routes the proper depth, attacking blockers on the proper shoulder, etc.

Those details are the difference between finishing drives or stopping drives. I really saw a lightbulb go off with this team the second half of the NC St game. Defenders didn't over pursuit, WR's sitting down in the zone properly, etc.

As I wrote earlier in the season, I am going to judge this team by the last 4-5 games of the season. I think we knock someone off that isn't expecting it. We are this stinking close.

I am very impressed with what the defensive staff has been able to do. I have little worries about the offense, especially with the bigger, faster players we are bringing in.

Yeah, the defense has really turned it around. Sure, they look like crap for 2 or 3 drives every game, but that's just how college football is these days. For the most part they've looked really locked in this season.

 

[bigmike]

You stop.

Wisdom is forged through experience, just saying..

 

[upperdeck]

The issue will be next year with all new LBrs how well will we do.. Franklin/Bennett are going to be tough to replace and what depth to we have behind that next year.

 

[TheCusian]

The issue will be next year with all new LBrs how well will we do.. Franklin/Bennett are going to be tough to replace and what depth to we have behind that next year.

Yep. Though we know a bit about Armstrong. He’ll be good for us.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The issue will be next year with all new LBrs how well will we do.. Franklin/Bennett are going to be tough to replace and what depth to we have behind that next year.

I'm cautiously optimistic that we have food talent at LB, we just don't see it because the guys in front are so experienced.

 

[cuse309]

The issue will be next year with all new LBrs how well will we do.. Franklin/Bennett are going to be tough to replace and what depth to we have behind that next year.

I'm thinking it will be wide receivers. For what ever reason, we knew we would be replacing AET this year, as a take the top off the defense kind of threat. While Ish and erv have been great, neither gives that threat of torching a defense that opens up the offense. For whatever reason, nobody was concerned about that. That being said, looking ahead to next year, we lose both Erv and Ish. So unless a true freshman or a R.S. freshman can step up and be that deep threat next year, we wont have a deep threat, and likely no receivers as effective at moving the chains as Irv or Ish.

 

[Newhouser]

If we are in year 3 of an offensive system that is supposedly gang busters with a QB in his 3rd year running it - we had better be effective. Talent gap or not.

 

[TheCusian]

I'm thinking it will be wide receivers. For what ever reason, we knew we would be replacing AET this year, as a take the top off the defense kind of threat. While Ish and erv have been great, neither gives that threat of torching a defense that opens up the offense. For whatever reason, nobody was concerned about that. That being said, looking ahead to next year, we lose both Erv and Ish. So unless a true freshman or a R.S. freshman can step up and be that deep threat next year, we wont have a deep threat, and likely no receivers as effective at moving the chains as Irv or Ish.

Everywhere this staff has been, the WR's and QB produce - every year. I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

[O-pulse]

The learning to win is a two-way street. The players need to learn how to win and the coaches need to learn how to call the right plays in the ACC, to win.
IMO, there is a need for growth in both the players and coaches!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The learning to win is a two-way street. The players need to learn how to win and the coaches need to learn how to call the right plays in the ACC, to win.
IMO, there is a need for growth in both the players and coaches!

Also, the refs need to learn that it's ok for us to win.

Not bitter.

 

[CousCuse]

A win over Pitt would be a big step.

 

[upperdeck]

I think complaints about play calling over look the good plays.. when coach brings up the missed reads you know its been showing up on film. Not just the Qb but the WR have a large learning curve in this system that we still have aways to go,.

 

[TheCusian]

A win over Pitt would be a big step.

It will look that way, but we should win this one. They are not good at much.

 

[CousCuse]

It will look that way, but we should win this one. They are not good at much.

I don't think Pitt is all that, they have just owned the Orange and that has given them some perceived status with recruits. If SU can win the head-to-head recruiting battles against PITT, they will rapidly ascend the ACC.

 

[MadNY3]

Wisdom is forged through experience, just saying..

Everyone knows that CIL is Cam Lynch...

 

[CousCuse]

I don't think Pitt is all that, they have just owned the Orange and that has given them some perceived status with recruits. If SU can win the head-to-head recruiting battles against PITT, they will rapidly ascend the ACC.

Like for instance, wouldn't James Conner have been a worthy 44 at SU.

 

[anomander]

It's tough saying patience after so many years, but this team, and even more so, this program feels different this time. I think people won't realize until the end of the year just how good that NCST team was. Same with LSU. Sure they are going to have a down year, but they are still looked with elite talent. I know i'm sucking it up and just watching each week for the signs of improvement we have been seeing. People can look at the negatives, and point out a few questionable in-game calls, but the tide is turning. You can feel it. I do think it's as much as learning how to win. Being consistent 100% of the time is better than being great 75% of the time. It really seemed what Dino has been preaching finally clicked. I know after I saw his short, but sweet, out of half interview, we were going to see a different team. We may have been in too big of a hole, on the road against a very good team, but it could have set the course for a strong close to the season.

 

[bigmike]

Everyone knows that CIL is Cam Lynch...