Not hijacking anything. Sometimes, I do not even know what threat I am in--just responding to what I read or a response. For all I know, Collins will start and throw for 4,000 yards.
Yeah, there are some obvious candidates like Willis/Ross/Tremble/Hornsby on the offensive side, and all the young DBs and KJE on the defensive side. And there will be surprises. I don't think anyone thought coming into this year that Kerr would end up playing meaningful snaps and actually do pretty decently, for example.
You just made the list.
Just look at Pena. Showed a flash here and there but largely was injured and inconsistent his entire career. Now he's a team captain and eyeing all-conference next season.
I think Kerr is an example of why there's reason for optimism for 2025. He played only because of injuries and looked raw as heck, but held his own and made a couple of nice plays. He'd only been on campus since July or August - what's he going to look like with more time in the weight room and additional work on techniques?
That's the thing, the coaches know a hell of a lot better than we all do. If they're not panicking, maybe they like what they have?
The nuances of reality are so much more interesting than the same gut-reaction bellowings over and over again.
Some reason for hope? Come on. I am not saying that we all have to trust Fran blindly, but this seems a bit hyperbolic. I have a ton of hope that Fran is attempting to build a program for sustained success.
Talking about next year only. Heck, I have hope the hoops team will make a run to the Big Dance. Hope is hope. But it is difficult to have a reason for hope for next year when we lose so much and add so little (that is earmarked for next year). I get young guys rise up... but you do not think young guys are rising up for all of our opponents???
Fran just went 10-3 and our program finished in the AP top 20 for the first time in 6 years. He deserves the benefit of the doubt on how to build a roster.
spot on
Agree with some of the above and would add I would agree as a program, no proverbial "corners" have been turned yet. Great first season. Talent upgrades from high school are happening and the staff seems to making an impact on the field, off the field, etc. That said people said we turned a corner with Dino and Marrone and we didn't with either. Let's see how next season and 2026 goes. Lots more football to be played. Overall we are going in the right direction but there could be some challenges without a doubt next year. 2026 will be most interesting.
I agree whole heartedly. I do feel if we decided on the three spots I have talked about we would be set up to maybe get to 7-8 wins. Without them three 5-6 is goal. Look our schedule is murder so I wouldn’t be mad as long as we play tough and get a lot of young guys in to play.
I also really think our NFL guys should be helping the youngens. Imagine Williams helping these kids as he just made 2nd team All Pro. Thats huge.
I don’t want to be 6-6 !!
You're basing track record off of coaches who are no longer there. The staff has earned the trust of fans until proven otherwise. There is a huge difference between a Garret Shrader and Kyle McCord. If one of the QB's can separate themselves from the competition and be serviceable at a minimum, that is what we need.
We won't be. Note that certain coaches win no matter where they go and usually win quickly. Take Belichick for example. UNC was 6-7 (3-5) in 2024 with a monstrous NIL program. I guarantee you Belichick will win at least 8 games this year. Now, I grant they don't have the schedule we do, but that doesn't matter. He's a winner. He builds a winner, and within two years he'll be competing with our winner for the ACC crown.
I believe the major transition was after spotting "DUH U" 21 points, and a bad recalled TD, "the Syracuse University Orangemen (tSUO - if the Buckeyes can do it, so can we!) flipped the switch and manhandled the Hurricanes like they were high school athletes. Please recall that we are a fickle fanbase and allowed to wear our Orange colored glasses until August each year.
So beyond next year what is different? Is it just the schedule? We will always need young guys to rise up because this is college football and that is how it works.
If he wins 6 games next year, then he deserves to have something named after him.
I would argue that we turned the corner four times with Marrone, and found ourselves right back where we started.
