Setting expectations for this season...

[anomander]

I have total faith in Baber. I have the not "if", but "when" feeling. I don't see offense really ever being an issue. We have some legit ACC talent at key positions (Dungey, Ish, Strickland). If we can get solid o-line play, and have a reliable #2 WR step up to go along with Estime and Erv's big play potential, then this offense could be a force from day 1. Defense I am not as confident in, so for me how our defense performs will determine how we do this year. We have an 8 win offense with a 3-4 win defense. Hopefully the offense can carry us.

 

[SU2NASA]

15-0

 

[Louie and Bouie]

I value wins as a measure of how good a football team is versus subjective analysis of how good the team is or will be in the future.

With that in mind, my expectation in this current watered-down bowl era is a bowl game each and every season (.500 record) no matter who is running the program. If getting to 6 wins isn't achievable in year one for whatever reasons enumerated by the staff then my 3-year expectation would be a minimum of 17 wins. I would think turning over an entire staff should produce at least one win per year more on average which gets me to the minimum of 17 wins.

For W-L record this year my prediction (not expectation) is 5-7. If one of those W's is ND I would care less about missing a bowl this year.

 

[CUSU]

6-6, bowl game

 

[orangefog]

15-0

 

[kirbivore]

15-0

If that happened that would be a crazy night in January 2017

 

[orangehomer]

I want to beat Yukon in year one of babers versus year three of diaco. is a game that needs to be won, because I think we have more talent but they think they have more talent. and it gives them another whole year of whining material about not being P5

 

[CanadianSU]

It can't get any worse than last year I promise.

Hopefully, I won't be banned as much... But that, I cannot promise.

 

[Rocco]

It can't get any worse than last year I promise.

Hopefully, I won't be banned as much... But that, I cannot promise.

If you find yourself angry, just keep tailgating nonstop until the next win. Literally.

 

[chakka3421]

If you find yourself angry, just keep tailgating nonstop until the next win. Literally.

We are projected by the experts at ESPN to compete for the very last place in the ACC at #14 with at most a 3 or 4 win season. According to the experts at ESPN and locally the PS (lol), getting to 5 wins would be a major accomplishment and 6 wins nearly impossible. Not sure Rocco but according to the so called experts your going to be tailgating nonstop for the whole season!

 

[Rocco]

We are projected by the experts at ESPN to compete for the very last place in the ACC at #14 with at most a 3 or 4 win season. According to the experts at ESPN and locally the PS (lol), getting to 5 wins would be a major accomplishment and 6 wins nearly impossible. Not sure Rocco but according to the so called experts your going to be tailgating nonstop for the whole season!

Ha, no I was telling CanadianSU to do that if he gets pissed. I don't have any expectations this year and I know people will get pissed. Patience is key as Babers has already basically requested from the fans...

 

[sutomcat]

Ha, no I was telling CanadianSU to do that if he gets pissed. I don't have any expectations this year and I know people will get pissed. Patience is key as Babers has already basically requested from the fans...

I agree. It is good to have excitement surrounding the program but the extreme optimism some are expressing might be a bit misguided.

The changes being implemented are major, on both sides of the ball. There isn't much depth and many players will be asked to do things they were not recruited to do.

IMHO, 6-6 would be a major accomplishment.

 

[Trueblue25]

If SU beats FSU I'm going streaking

 

[RF2044]

I agree. It is good to have excitement surrounding the program but the extreme optimism some are expressing might be a bit misguided.

The changes being implemented are major, on both sides of the ball. There isn't much depth and many players will be asked to do things they were not recruited to do.

IMHO, 6-6 would be a major accomplishment.

Agreed. BUT this staff is much more proven in terms of working together effectively than previous groups of coaches we've had, as evidenced by successfully going through two recent implementations as a group, so I'd expect them to be able to duplicate the success they've had in both previous instances here. Personnel limitations at key positions will hold the team's potential back, IMO. But we're already beginning to see these issues being rectified on the recruiting trail.

IMO, the key will be how well Dungey can be prolific quickly in the new system, and how well the OL can protect him. If both of those question marks are answered positively, I could see us winning 6 games, and being in several others. I'm very encouraged by the offseason conditioning work the team has put in--they seem really dedicated to making things work.

Depth... system fits... those are definitely things to be concerned about, at least on this roster. I agree with Anomander's take above about the offense being better than people expect this year, while the defense will probably be worse.

 

[TheCusian]

In this kind of season, I think it's fair to really draw a line between "hopeful" and "expecting"...

I'm really, really high on Babers and this system. The S&C and returning talent all point towards very good things.

But I'm doing my best to keep my hopes high and my expectations way low. Kind of like how Babers rebuffs anyone putting a ceiling or a basement on the team this season.

 

[sutomcat]

Dino hasn't played a schedule like this during his 4 years as a HC. 6 wins would be a great accomplishment for a new HC implementing vastly different schemes on offense and defense.

I think he can do it.

 

[tipphill]

i look for improvement in EXECUTION (ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL), stamina, and attitude.i want us to be competitive ---we need to be in all our games. i would like 4-5 wins and maybe an upset(nd) . if we can stay in some the big games perhaps our recruiting will improve.

 

[SoBristol]

Agreed. BUT this staff is much more proven in terms of working together effectively than previous groups of coaches we've had, as evidenced by successfully going through two recent implementations as a group .... I agree with Anomander's take above about the offense being better than people expect this year, while the defense will probably be worse.

Because Babers is known for his offense, people have high expectations for that side. It might be harder to get a handle on Brian Ward (certainly more understated than Babers), but he has good record for improving defenses.

Looking at returning players, the defense has the same opportunity to improve -- and improve a lot. We played a ton of underclassmen on defense last season; have some emerging stars (Franklin, Cordy, Slayton, Clark), and more depth than we have had in recent seasons except at DE. Consider the LB unit -- every starter is back, but Hodge is now second string because Thomas is better.

The best recruits from Babers' efforts are on defense (Ruff, Nelson, Walton). Overall, it should be a better group than what we saw in 2015.

 

[RF2044]

Because Babers is known for his offense, people have high expectations for that side. It might be harder to get a handle on Brian Ward (certainly more understated than Babers), but he has good record for improving defenses.

Looking at returning players, the defense has the same opportunity to improve -- and improve a lot. We played a ton of underclassmen on defense last season; have some emerging stars (Franklin, Cordy, Slayton, Clark), and more depth than we have had in recent seasons except at DE. Consider the LB unit -- every starter is back, but Hodge is now second string because Thomas is better.

The best recruits from Babers' efforts are on defense (Ruff, Nelson, Walton). Overall, it should be a better group than what we saw in 2015.

We have issues in the secondary, as well, but I don't disagree with your broader point. The defense has some nice pieces of the puzzle, but numerous trouble spots, as well.

I feel like the offense has better pieces, and fewer question marks--hence why I'd expect them to do better. But if we could ever coax some productivity out of the DEs and secondary, maybe the defense will surprise and not be the liability many expect.

 

[phil77]

My expectations are always the same every year a bowl game. Don't care how we get there but I feel we should be there every year. When we start making that bowl game on a regular basis then I will adjust my yearly expectations until then a bowl game is what I expect every year.

 

[Orijinal]

Colgate--Win
Louisville--Win
USF--Loss
UConn--Win
Notre Dame--Loss
Wake Forest--Win
Virginia Tech--Loss
Boston College--Win
Clemson--Loss
NC State--Win
Florida State--Loss
Pitt--Loss

6-6, baby

 

[RMH44]

We have issues in the secondary, as well, but I don't disagree with your broader point. The defense has some nice pieces of the puzzle, but numerous trouble spots, as well.

I feel like the offense has better pieces, and fewer question marks--hence why I'd expect them to do better. But if we could ever coax some productivity out of the DEs and secondary, maybe the defense will surprise and not be the liability many expect.

I think you've hit on the obvious problem spots going into the season opener. I tend to agree with most of your assessment except I think the DB's will be less of an issue than most predict. Partially because they're a year older and partially because of the defensive scheme. I think the DB's will surprise most of us.

On offense, other than Dungey's continued good health, I think the most glaring question marks are the OT spots. I think we're really strong in the middle, G-C-G, but I'm really worried about the tackle positions. IMHO, the tackle spots could be our weakest link. I really, REALLY hope they prove me wrong.

 

[Trueblue25]

God I want to beat Pitt...

Is it too much to ask

 

[SoBristol]

We have issues in the secondary, as well, but I don't disagree with your broader point. The defense has some nice pieces of the puzzle, but numerous trouble spots, as well.

I feel like the offense has better pieces, and fewer question marks--hence why I'd expect them to do better. But if we could ever coax some productivity out of the DEs and secondary, maybe the defense will surprise and not be the liability many expect.

OK -- and not to quibble, but I would say the trouble spots/issues come down to one of the DE spots, and one of the CB spots (Winfield is set at the other spot). We have a good LB unit, and three DTs who played as newbies last season and should be better. The staff will have to figure out how to rotate DEs and mask the weakness we have there.

So, compare that to how we entered 2015 -- having to replace 8 starters.

 

[RF2044]

OK -- and not to quibble, but I would say the trouble spots/issues come down to one of the DE spots, and one of the CB spots (Winfield is set at the other spot). We have a good LB unit, and three DTs who played as newbies last season and should be better. The staff will have to figure out how to rotate DEs and mask the weakness we have there.

So, compare that to how we entered 2015 -- having to replace 8 starters.

Safeties are part of the equation in the secondary, as well, and right now it remains to be seen if our current players fit the new system. Our best safety from last year, Cordy, was running with the second unit coming out of spring.

And I'm not sure how you can make that claim about the DE spot, given that none of our players competing for time at the position have played a snap here. Think about that for a second.

Not to quibble on either count.