A Clockwork Orange
2022 Cali Winner (Overall Record)
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2011
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I'm usually an optimist with SU, and will probably be drinking the kool aid less than two weeks from now, thinking we can take down WVU.
Sad fact of the matter is that as a whole this team isn't very good at all. I guess we should have expected it; they lost a LOT of senior leadership last year and a running back that will be starting in the NFL midseason this year. Some tough shoes to fill.
I'm not an X's and O's guy, but I know what I see. Here's a short list as to what that is:
1) AAM is not the answer this year, and all the crazy people on here calling him The Beast, etc... need to re-think their expectations. A potential short yardage guy, and hopefully a big step forward in the offseason with conditioning.
2) Phil Thomas needs to learn how to WRAP HIS FREAKING ARMS WHEN TACKLING! Just unbelievable that at least once a game this knucklehead will lead with the shoulder, not wrap, and the offensive player will get another five yards. It's all fine and good to go for the big hit if you actually knock the guy down. If you don't, maybe you need to re-think what you're doing. Why the coaches don't raise holy hell for this is beyond me.
3) Our offensive line is bad. Really bad. Tulane's superstars that allowed 45 points to ARMY last week manhandled the offensive line in the second half. I just don't get it, is it the scheme, the players, or the coaching? I'm leaning towards laying the blame on all three. Just poor on all fronts.
4) The offense as a whole is bad. Bad playcalling, constant horizontal passes, and runs up the gut with a player that is a scat back who needs space to operate. Timing patterns with a QB who presses too much, and makes silly mistakes on occasion. I get that our WR's are subpar, but this whole offense is subpar. Hackett needs to be demoted/fired at the end of the year, and Marrone needs to relinquish some of the control to a dynamic playcaller who tailors the offense to the team he has. We just don't have the right parts to run this type of offense.
5) The defense is young and prone to mistakes. I think they will get better but it may not be this year. Kevyn Scott is a great young man, and a fantastic representative for the university. He's not a very good cornerback though.
Beyond that this team's fine!
I love Coach Marrone, and I think eventually we'll have a team that can be competitive with the top 25 on a regular basis. This is not that team. Looking at the rest of schedule I really think we can compete for a bowl if only because some of the team's in our league have taken a step back. UConn, Louisville and Pittsburgh could all be wins, or losses. WVU, USF and Cincy could put a whupping on SU, but I think they'll keep at least one of those games close.
I still think 7-5 is doable, but I think 6-6 or 5-7 is more reasonable. As I said at the beginning of this long diatribe, I'm usually an optimist. I just think what we see with this team up to this point in the year is what we have this year. There are just too many hurdles to overcome to become anything other than a middling Big East team.
Sad fact of the matter is that as a whole this team isn't very good at all. I guess we should have expected it; they lost a LOT of senior leadership last year and a running back that will be starting in the NFL midseason this year. Some tough shoes to fill.
I'm not an X's and O's guy, but I know what I see. Here's a short list as to what that is:
1) AAM is not the answer this year, and all the crazy people on here calling him The Beast, etc... need to re-think their expectations. A potential short yardage guy, and hopefully a big step forward in the offseason with conditioning.
2) Phil Thomas needs to learn how to WRAP HIS FREAKING ARMS WHEN TACKLING! Just unbelievable that at least once a game this knucklehead will lead with the shoulder, not wrap, and the offensive player will get another five yards. It's all fine and good to go for the big hit if you actually knock the guy down. If you don't, maybe you need to re-think what you're doing. Why the coaches don't raise holy hell for this is beyond me.
3) Our offensive line is bad. Really bad. Tulane's superstars that allowed 45 points to ARMY last week manhandled the offensive line in the second half. I just don't get it, is it the scheme, the players, or the coaching? I'm leaning towards laying the blame on all three. Just poor on all fronts.
4) The offense as a whole is bad. Bad playcalling, constant horizontal passes, and runs up the gut with a player that is a scat back who needs space to operate. Timing patterns with a QB who presses too much, and makes silly mistakes on occasion. I get that our WR's are subpar, but this whole offense is subpar. Hackett needs to be demoted/fired at the end of the year, and Marrone needs to relinquish some of the control to a dynamic playcaller who tailors the offense to the team he has. We just don't have the right parts to run this type of offense.
5) The defense is young and prone to mistakes. I think they will get better but it may not be this year. Kevyn Scott is a great young man, and a fantastic representative for the university. He's not a very good cornerback though.
Beyond that this team's fine!
I love Coach Marrone, and I think eventually we'll have a team that can be competitive with the top 25 on a regular basis. This is not that team. Looking at the rest of schedule I really think we can compete for a bowl if only because some of the team's in our league have taken a step back. UConn, Louisville and Pittsburgh could all be wins, or losses. WVU, USF and Cincy could put a whupping on SU, but I think they'll keep at least one of those games close.
I still think 7-5 is doable, but I think 6-6 or 5-7 is more reasonable. As I said at the beginning of this long diatribe, I'm usually an optimist. I just think what we see with this team up to this point in the year is what we have this year. There are just too many hurdles to overcome to become anything other than a middling Big East team.
