My Hope For This Year

[Faegan]

This is Coach's first year, and I think that our D will have some challenges. I think our offense will surprise this year, even for those that are optimistic. I don't think that will translate to a breakout year, however.

My foremost hope is just that we score a ton of points, even in the games we lose, and demonstrate how ridiculously fast and exciting our offense is going to be. We might very well have to struggle to get into a bowl, but I want every single head coach that faces us in the dome to walk out saying "I am not looking forward to coming back here in two years."

 

[ssmorol]

I just want football to be fun again!
I didn't have my season tix last year for the first time since 98...so the taste of the 1 win (Villanova robbery) 2014 home slate left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

My foremost hope is just that we score a ton of points, even in the games we lose, and demonstrate how ridiculously fast and exciting our offense is going to be.

I think that's Babers' hope too. He's even said so- put the offense on full display to sell it to recruits.

 

[Townie72]

If Baber's offense and defense are that easy to install, then it would seem that anyone could do it.

That means whatever advantage it produces is going to be short-lived, don't you think?

I'm betting we don't start to see results until late in the season at best. And that more likely we will start to see the difference in year 2.

Now it may also be true that Baber's and his staff are better at a lot of things than just installing and running a new offensive and defensive schemes. This would include assessing and utilizing talent, scouting of opponents strengths and weaknesses, game and clock management, etc.

The degree to which this is all true will translate into more wins earlier.

We will continue to have a talent and speed deficit in 2016. I think that Baber's presence and his system will cause that to shrink. But it's going to take a couple of years.

 

[Chip]

If Baber's offense and defense are that easy to install, then it would seem that anyone could do it. That means whatever advantage it produces is going to be short-lived, don't you think? I'm betting we don't start to see results until late in the season at best. And that more likely we will start to see the difference in year 2. Now it may also be true that Baber's and his staff are better at a lot of things than just installing and running a new offensive and defensive schemes. This would include assessing and utilizing talent, scouting of opponents strengths and weaknesses, game and clock management, etc. The degree to which this is all true will translate into more wins earlier. We will continue to have a talent and speed deficit in 2016. I think that Baber's presence and his system will cause that to shrink. But it's going to take a couple of years.

I think this sums it up best.

I just hope we can catch Louisville looking ahead to FSU at home the following week. Not likely but stranger things have happened on Friday night games.

 

[Briancuse]

Give me a competitive team and some hope for a chance, give me a chance going into the last couple of weeks of the season, with a chance to go to a bowl game.

 

[TheCusian]

If Baber's offense and defense are that easy to install, then it would seem that anyone could do it. That means whatever advantage it produces is going to be short-lived, don't you think? I'm betting we don't start to see results until late in the season at best. And that more likely we will start to see the difference in year 2. Now it may also be true that Baber's and his staff are better at a lot of things than just installing and running a new offensive and defensive schemes. This would include assessing and utilizing talent, scouting of opponents strengths and weaknesses, game and clock management, etc. The degree to which this is all true will translate into more wins earlier. We will continue to have a talent and speed deficit in 2016. I think that Baber's presence and his system will cause that to shrink. But it's going to take a couple of years.

Because it's easy to install doesn't mean it's easy to stop or that it's easily replicable. Lots of Big 12 teams thought it was a only a matter of time before they figured out how to stop Baylor:

"Watch the press conferences. Read the transcripts. Talk to the coaches. You'll find defensive coordinators talk about "containing" or "limiting" Baylor. Coaches are trying to temper fan and media expectations. These are signs that something historic is taking place."

The ultimate offense

 

[Whitey23]

My hope is for discernible forward progress and a drastic decrease in self inflicted mistakes!

 

[Faegan]

If Baber's offense and defense are that easy to install, then it would seem that anyone could do it.

That means whatever advantage it produces is going to be short-lived, don't you think?

I'm betting we don't start to see results until late in the season at best. And that more likely we will start to see the difference in year 2.

Now it may also be true that Baber's and his staff are better at a lot of things than just installing and running a new offensive and defensive schemes. This would include assessing and utilizing talent, scouting of opponents strengths and weaknesses, game and clock management, etc.

The degree to which this is all true will translate into more wins earlier.

We will continue to have a talent and speed deficit in 2016. I think that Baber's presence and his system will cause that to shrink. But it's going to take a couple of years.

I don't disagree with any of this, but I'll just repost that I want points, points and more points.

 

[Moontan]

If Baber's offense and defense are that easy to install, then it would seem that anyone could do it.

That means whatever advantage it produces is going to be short-lived, don't you think?

I'm betting we don't start to see results until late in the season at best. And that more likely we will start to see the difference in year 2.

Now it may also be true that Baber's and his staff are better at a lot of things than just installing and running a new offensive and defensive schemes. This would include assessing and utilizing talent, scouting of opponents strengths and weaknesses, game and clock management, etc.

The degree to which this is all true will translate into more wins earlier.

We will continue to have a talent and speed deficit in 2016. I think that Baber's presence and his system will cause that to shrink. But it's going to take a couple of years.

In the name of Frozen ... "Holy Apostrophes!"

 

[Faegan]

I think that's Babers' hope too. He's even said so- put the offense on full display to sell it to recruits.

Exactly.

 

[Chip]

Because it's easy to install doesn't mean it's easy to stop or that it's easily replicable. Lots of Big 12 teams thought it was a only a matter of time before they figured out how to stop Baylor:

"Watch the press conferences. Read the transcripts. Talk to the coaches. You'll find defensive coordinators talk about "containing" or "limiting" Baylor. Coaches are trying to temper fan and media expectations. These are signs that something historic is taking place."

The ultimate offense

I think Townie's point is that it's going to take a little while to install it properly, and when he does, it's going to be hard for anyone to stop.

Art Briles took a couple years to get it going at Baylor, and when he did...

Babers has consistently said that it really won't click until midway thru year 2.

That doesn't mean we can't find some early success with it. Like you, I think Babers was pleasantly surprised with some of the talent he has to work with. Guys like Dungey, Strickland, Ishmael. Pretty good pieces to inherit from a fired coach.

 

[TheCusian]

I think Townie's point is that it's going to take a little while to install it properly, and when he does, it's going to be hard for anyone to stop. Art Briles took a couple years to get it going at Baylor, and when he did... Babers has consistently said that it really won't click until midway thru year 2. That doesn't mean we can't find some early success with it. Like you, I think Babers was pleasantly surprised with some of the talent he has to work with. Guys like Dungey, Strickland, Ishmael. Pretty good pieces to inherit from a fired coach.

Yeah, that's what I thought but then there is the line about "the advantage being short-lived"...

Not a huge deal. Maybe in need of follow up?

 

[PhatOrange]

I don't think it's easy to install at all but even if it was, what sets it apart and can't be replicated is the tempo of it; from the players to the coaches. The tempo is the system.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

One thing that I think helps us is that outside of Pitt that one year with Graham, nobody in the northeast even attempts a system like this.

 

[Millhouse]

If Baber's offense and defense are that easy to install, then it would seem that anyone could do it.

That means whatever advantage it produces is going to be short-lived, don't you think?

I'm betting we don't start to see results until late in the season at best. And that more likely we will start to see the difference in year 2.

Now it may also be true that Baber's and his staff are better at a lot of things than just installing and running a new offensive and defensive schemes. This would include assessing and utilizing talent, scouting of opponents strengths and weaknesses, game and clock management, etc.

The degree to which this is all true will translate into more wins earlier.

We will continue to have a talent and speed deficit in 2016. I think that Baber's presence and his system will cause that to shrink. But it's going to take a couple of years.

It would be short lived if football wasn't such a dimwitted irrational meathead sport

Thankfully for us, there are still lots of run and stop the run types out there. This offense is low hanging fruit.

 

[TheCusian]

It would be short lived if football wasn't such a dimwitted irrational meathead sport Thankfully for us, there are still lots of run and stop the run types out there. This offense is low hanging fruit.

I think that's true in the NE.

But overall, you need guys who can cover man to man on the outside, LB's who can cover, and guys who can stop the run without much help on the line. In other words, Clemson and Alabama.

 

[sufandu]

I think that's true in the NE.

But overall, you need guys who can cover man to man on the outside, LB's who can cover, and guys who can stop the run without much help on the line. In other words, Clemson and Alabama.

I think he just means everyone would be running this offense if football wasn't full of dimwitted... and if everyone were to run it our advantage would be short lived.

 

[TheCusian]

I think he just means everyone would be running this offense if football wasn't full of dimwitted... and if everyone were to run it our advantage would be short lived.

Ahhh! Makes sense.

<makes more coffee>

 

[elimunelson]

for the "i hope we score points" crowd. we put up 24, 21, and 27 against LSU, FSU and Clemson. All 3 of those teams, for the most part, were in control throughout. If we pushed all those totals up to 33 we still lose them. I want meaningful points and I want wins.

More than the points and the pinball offense, we have to hope Dino has a plan and a vision for this program. The entire program needs an identity enema which will translate into being considered a program that puts fear into teams coming to the Dome. That has not happened, IMO, since about 1998.

 

[chakka3421]

This is Coach's first year, and I think that our D will have some challenges. I think our offense will surprise this year, even for those that are optimistic. I don't think that will translate to a breakout year, however.

My foremost hope is just that we score a ton of points, even in the games we lose, and demonstrate how ridiculously fast and exciting our offense is going to be. We might very well have to struggle to get into a bowl, but I want every single head coach that faces us in the dome to walk out saying "I am not looking forward to coming back here in two years."

I know there are lots of predictions about wins & losses and winning enough to get to a bowl game but maybe we've been asking the wrong question all along. Maybe it's not only how many wins but the way in which we win.

Meaning last year, with some "luck" former HCSS almost gets us into a bowl game with 6 wins if we could have pulled off 2 we could of won, UVA & Pitt, puts us to 6-6 AND former HCSS keeps his job.. I still would have had a nagging question in my mind where are we headed with the program and what in the heck would HCSS have to show recruits by winning squeakers over those two teams?

Even if HCDB and the team doesn't win at least 6 this year because the defense isn't there yet but shows improvement yet we go toe to toe with say VT and the final score is 45-44, that's far more exciting examples to show recruits than these rock fights we've had for such a long time.

Not that I don't want to win, but a 4-8 HCDB's team where the average score by SU is 40 points or more is far more to look forward to than a 6-6 HCSS's team where we are hard pressed to get to 20 points on average and no identity to attract higher quality recruits. Just my 2 cents and LGO!

 

[TheCusian]

for the "i hope we score points" crowd. we put up 24, 21, and 27 against LSU, FSU and Clemson. All 3 of those teams, for the most part, were in control throughout. If we pushed all those totals up to 33 we still lose them. I want meaningful points and I want wins. More than the points and the pinball offense, we have to hope Dino has a plan and a vision for this program. The entire program needs an identity enema which will translate into being considered a program that puts fear into teams coming to the Dome. That has not happened, IMO, since about 1998.

I don't think we have to hope he has a plan; he has one. That is maybe the most evident thing about anything coming out of either camps or summer training. The identity is set: Orange is the New Fast.

I don't even think it's a question that this offense will begin to put up a lot of points on 90% of the teams we'll play.

I think the question of a return to glory days revolves around the defense and recruiting... And time, patience.

 

[blizz]

The entire program needs an identity enema...

Interesting choice of words.

Personally I would have gone with:


The entire program needs to be cornholed by an identity monster...

But what do I know...people are always telling me to get to the point.

 

[sufandu]

for the "i hope we score points" crowd. we put up 24, 21, and 27 against LSU, FSU and Clemson. All 3 of those teams, for the most part, were in control throughout. If we pushed all those totals up to 33 we still lose them. I want meaningful points and I want wins.

More than the points and the pinball offense, we have to hope Dino has a plan and a vision for this program. The entire program needs an identity enema which will translate into being considered a program that puts fear into teams coming to the Dome. That has not happened, IMO, since about 1998.

I absolutely mean to nitpick, so wouldn't an identity enema clean out any identity that exists and leave us identityless?

 

[sufandu]

Not that I don't want to win, but a 4-8 HCDB's team where the average score by SU is 40 points or more is far more to look forward to than a 6-6 HCSS's team where we are hard pressed to get to 20 points on average and no identity to attract higher quality recruits. Just my 2 cents and LGO!

I think with the diehards like us you'd be right. For the average fan that doesn't look beyond the numbers 4 wins would appear as more same ole same ole, and would certainly lok worse than 6 wins ugly or not. I really don't think it'll be a problem though. The more koolaid I drink the better I feel about my 6 win expectation.