Re-evulating the guantlet after 4 games

[IthacaBarrel]

We seem to be better on the depth thing. To the naked eye even though some guys have dropped for the season or games or whatever the backups that we've plugged in have been basically fine. Unlike previous years when someone would go down.

Yeah I think in some areas we are for sure, if you are running a 3-3-5 defense it would make sense that you would probably be a bit lean at the interior D line but seems to be playing with fire if it hits the fan.

 

[Chip]

I think Clemson and Wake are going to take us to the woodshed. Clemson offense looks a lot better this year and Wake is just a very good team all the way around. Their offense is tough to defend I think we go 2-2 versus NC St/ND/Pitt/FSU. Beat BC 8-4.

Dino really needs to continue to develop more depth. The injuries are always going to happen, it's part of the game and we just can't seem to deal with it as well as other programs.

We know Wake will move the ball and score, I just hope we do too. They have a pretty terrible defense.

But it's also 2nd to last game, so who knows who we'll still have on the field.

 

[FrancoPizza]

How many season ending injuries at our home do our opponents have?

Then it’s gotta be the shoes

 

[TheCusian]

We know Wake will move the ball and score, I just hope we do too. They have a pretty terrible defense.

But it's also 2nd to last game, so who knows who we'll still have on the field.

Them too. They have similar depth issues as a team is that recruits in the same ponds

 

[Sudano]

If injuries can’t be an excuse, expectations should be realistic or you will never be happy.

I'm happy after wins, multiple wins, and bowl games and bowl game wins...What else is there to be happy about?

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Them too. They have similar depth issues as a team is that recruits in the same ponds

Wake has about 80 kids from the following states VA/MD/SC/NC/FL/TN/GA

Syracuse has about 30-35.

Ponds look a bit different to me, call me crazy

 

[Sudano]

Wake has about 80 kids from the following states VA/MD/SC/NC/FL/TN/GA

Syracuse has about 30-35.

Ponds look a bit different to me, call me crazy

I don't understand this pond metaphor, Wake Forest is in the middle of those states...
Talent pond, not location pond.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

We know Wake will move the ball and score, I just hope we do too. They have a pretty terrible defense.

But it's also 2nd to last game, so who knows who we'll still have on the field.

They are Purdue without a D. It is on the road, and who knows how many starters we still have left by then.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I don't understand this pond metaphor, Wake Forest is in the middle of those states...
Talent pond, not location pond.

Location plays a huge role. take the state of North Carolina, there is some pretty decent talent in Wake's home state. I would say the 3 of Syracuse's best kids come from there. Wake probably has 45-50 kids from there and probably within a 3-4 hour drive of campus easily.

Willing to bet that NC Football produces a few more D1 athletes NYS high school ball does. It becomes a numbers game at some point

 

[orangecuse]

Of course all teams have injuries. It just affects teams with stocked rosters less than middle of the pack teams. So how far SU can rise is directly related to a number of factors - including injuries. How much of that can SU overcome. Time will tell.

I do t know what “No excuses” means.

I doubt that very much. However, there's a thing called 'Google' that may be able to assist you. I'd try googling 'excuses' definition first and then simply adding the 'no' to it. No means no, no?

 

[texascpa]

So, listening to ESPNU this morning - NCSU has it's own gauntlet over the next three weeks - Clemson, FSU, syracuse. All undefeated teams as of today.

 

[All4SU]

I doubt that very much. However, there's a thing called 'Google' that may be able to assist you. I'd try googling 'excuses' definition first and then simply adding the 'no' to it. No means no, no?

It turns out you’re right. I was able to Google it.

Excuse: a reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense

I submit that some reasons are more plausible than others. Example: “We failed to stop the runner because the Sun was in our eyes.”(Probably not a defensible reason given we play in a domed stadium.) As compared to, “Our run defense is weakened because we are missing X starters on defense. (Such sounds reasonable to me.)

So when you say “no excuses” I immediately don’t understand whether you perceive a differential in the various reasons or not. Seems kind of vague. ;-)

 

[HRE Otto IV]

If Clemson wins Saturday, they will be riding a 37 game win streak at home. They also have won 58 of their last 59 at home. I might want to change my thoughts on our chances.

 

[djorange1989]

So, listening to ESPNU this morning - NCSU has it's own gauntlet over the next three weeks - Clemson, FSU, syracuse. All undefeated teams as of today.

the Atlantic teams in general have a gauntlet having to play each other, the top 5 teams have a combined 1 loss(that one loss being two Atlantic teams playing each other). FSU has Wake, NC State and Clemson the next three weeks. I guess it's hard to avoid a gauntlet playing in this division, except when you get BC sandwiched in between two games!

 

[richmondcuse03]

The big difference to me between prior meltdowns and this year is having a slower offense that can still score points. Last year -- our D was gassed every game and had no shot.

I'm more worried about line depth this year so still an issue but I hope not as bad.

I think a great scenario is going .500 over last 8, which is 8-4. Worse case should be 6-6.

I was high on this team going into the season (and took the over at 4.5 so am happy)...if it werent for injuries, I'd be thinking 9-3. I think 8-4 at this point would be a tremendous success.

 

[DPCuse]

I think we play competitively against NCST but lose a heartbreaker.
Lose by 14 on the road at Clemson but show signs of being a quality team.
Lose a hard fought, physical, nail biter against ND at home.
Lose a sloppy one on the road at Pitt in a What, we are beat up game.
Some how, win at home against FSU when we feel like the season is free falling.
Lose against Wake on the road when we thought we turned things around.
Win against BC as a "phew", we survived the season game and in the end feel decent about 7-5.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The big difference to me between prior meltdowns and this year is having a slower offense that can still score points. Last year -- our D was gassed every game and had no shot.

I'm more worried about line depth this year so still an issue but I hope not as bad.

I think a great scenario is going .500 over last 8, which is 8-4. Worse case should be 6-6.

I was high on this team going into the season (and took the over at 4.5 so am happy)...if it werent for injuries, I'd be thinking 9-3. I think 8-4 at this point would be a tremendous success.

I'd feel great about 8 regular season wins.

That's a good football team.

 

[Cusefan69]

So I would wager no team left on our slate views us as a guaranteed win and I include Clemson in that. No team has played Clemson tougher in recent years than Syracuse. So to me but for Wagner and maybe BC, every game left barring new injuries is 50/50 for us. Our D has proven enough and our O can present challenges. If we can jumpstart Tucker then I may even be more bullish. BC and Wagner are wins and at 50/50 odds to me we split the remaining. Again presuming no more major injuries.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

The big difference to me between prior meltdowns and this year is having a slower offense that can still score points. Last year -- our D was gassed every game and had no shot.

I'm more worried about line depth this year so still an issue but I hope not as bad.

I think a great scenario is going .500 over last 8, which is 8-4. Worse case should be 6-6.

I was high on this team going into the season (and took the over at 4.5 so am happy)...if it werent for injuries, I'd be thinking 9-3. I think 8-4 at this point would be a tremendous success.

8-4 would be great. 5-0 start, 3-4 coming in. Gotta have some big efforts in the dome.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

8-4 would be great. 5-0 start, 3-4 coming in. Gotta have some big efforts in the dome.

Yeah, the more I think of it, 8-4 is a really good goal. Just feels right given what we've accomplished so far, balanced with an acknowledgement that we have really tough games coming up.

But I still feel like as long as we make a bowl the season was a huge success, and any wins on top of that just make the season even better.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Yeah, the more I think of it, 8-4 is a really good goal. Just feels right given what we've accomplished so far, balanced with an acknowledgement that we have really tough games coming up.

But I still feel like as long as we make a bowl the season was a huge success, and any wins on top of that just make the season even better.

I think we can be content with 7-5, happy with 8-4, and ecstatic with 9-3.

 

[Sudano]

I think we play competitively against NCST but lose a heartbreaker.
Lose by 14 on the road at Clemson but show signs of being a quality team.
Lose a hard fought, physical, nail biter against ND at home.
Lose a sloppy one on the road at Pitt in a What, we are beat up game.
Some how, win at home against FSU when we feel like the season is free falling.
Lose against Wake on the road when we thought we turned things around.
Win against BC as a "phew", we survived the season game and in the end feel decent about 7-5.

What lottery numbers are you thinking? and what are your thoughts on investing in African wheat

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think we can be content with 7-5, happy with 8-4, and ecstatic with 9-3.

Yeah, don't get me wrong, 6 and 6 is mission accomplished, and that's about it.

6 and 6 actually becomes more important depending on what happens next season. It has to be a building block to consecutive bowls seasons.

 

[TheCusian]

Wake has about 80 kids from the following states VA/MD/SC/NC/FL/TN/GA

Syracuse has about 30-35.

Ponds look a bit different to me, call me crazy

Bad analogy on my part. I meant quality of recruit - they've been better on average, but not by a huge amount like Clemson, FSU, UNC.

 

[AAM62]

While the RB from brooklyn scares me, I have a sneaky feeling we finally win one in Pitt