Random/scattered end of season thoughts

[NKR1978]

I knew things were different the last drive in the first half of the Ohio game. A 75 yard, 8 play drive in 44 seconds. We have a coach who plays to win. It was also beautiful play calling, execution and time management.

The team got stronger over the course of the year and arguably saved its best for last.

While I think much of the hand wringing after Pitt and BC was overdone, I think we all were shellshocked after Pitt. We'd seen this game before. In 2011 we started 5-2 and had that great Friday night win over WVU and the wheels fell off. 2022 we start 6-0 and end 7-6. In 2023 a 4-0 start led to a 6-7 season. It certainly flashed through my head that Pitt figured us out and every other team we faced would do the same thing. And then what? This wonderful experience with Fran was more of the same. Another 6 win season with a late season swoon. Same old Syracuse. That's what I was afraid of after Pitt. And then we were down 18 to VT and then the dam broke with the JRS 55 yard TD, and we were good again.

The running game wasn't a strength, but it was often clutch when we needed it. GT and Miami we got 1st downs thanks to the run to seal those wins. LQA's heroics on the ground UNLV was brilliant.

For the amount of complaints they receive, ERob was usually able to make adjustments to tighten up the defense. And special teams, other than field goals, became perfectly average over the course of the year.

Kyle is the most important recruit we've had in my 25 years as a fan. He's a national story and now Syracuse is a place to go for a 2nd chance to shine. I wonder if he noticed the lack of death threats after Pitt.

 

[PhatOrange]

Special teams went from being a disaster that cost us games to being a unit that didn’t make any mistakes and that is all you need. They also found an adequate fg kicker.

As much as I hate ERob not bringing pressure the unit tightens up when it had to. I think the issue is more about the mental part of the scheme than it is talent. This is when a scheme change requires a full season or two to get kids trained and understanding responsibilities/reads. He's proven to me to be a heck of a DLine coach to.

 

[Archimedes]

We went a whole season with competent clock management. A lot of teams can't say that.

 

[Nick44]

Special teams went from being a disaster that cost us games to being a unit that didn’t make any mistakes and that is all you need. They also found an adequate fg kicker.

As much as I hate ERob not bringing pressure the unit tightens up when it had to. I think the issue is more about the mental part of the scheme than it is talent. This is when a scheme change requires a full season or two to get kids trained and understanding responsibilities/reads. He's proven to me to be a heck of a DLine coach to.

I also think that our team just plain lacks talented pass rushers. ERobs defense requires these types of players. Coming from the SEC, he had a plethora of talented edge rushers who could actually get to the qb. He decided to implement his defense and go with what he had.

I don’t think it’s been said enough but this roster sorely needs to add talented pass rushing specialists. Nothing against Diggs or others, many of them are good for other reasons, I just don’t think the unit was good enough from a pure pass rush standpoint. Guys like Diggs, Jobity and Jacquez were great at securing the edge from outside rushers and being good as overall defenders, but sorely lacked with pure pass rushing ability.

 

[kuethstheman]

I wonder if ERob figured that we wouldn't get pressure with 5 rushing, why not rush 3 and put a few extra in pass protect?

 

[Newhouser]

I wonder if ERob figured that we wouldn't get pressure with 5 rushing, why not rush 3 and put a few extra in pass protect?

I've said that too especially a for the most part our secondary needed as many people in coverage as possible.