The good, the bad and the not so ugly.

[orangeintheacc]

The good:
The 2012 recruiting class -- as a group these kids (including the transfers and the Juco's) IMO are physically a cut above the last several previous classes...2013 looks good so far too.

Injured players returning make for a good, if not spectacular starting unit -- not a lot of experienced depth, but capable young backups.

Facility upgrades: new scoreboards and ribbon boards at the dome; new locker rooms (complete with flat screens) and a new cafeteria due to be completed in late July. Also, new coaches locker rooms and a sweet new hall of fame area done by the end of the year.

The bad:
Justin Pugh may not be ready to begin the season after shoulder surgery.

Begin season coming off a 5 game losing streak.

Lack of rabid fan support.

The not so ugly:
Despite having what most are calling a top ten hardest nc schedule, if the Orange can beat NW at home in game one, they have a great chance of starting the season at 3 - 1. Barring more injuries, they certainly should be able to squeeze out 3 - 4 more wins out of a mediocre BE schedule.

Looking at the program as a whole, I think DM and staff are on the right track and if we can get to .500 or better this year, the next few years will be a lot of fun.

 

[SoBristol]

I agree with most of that -- there is progress, there are reasons to hope that we can be better this year with a veteran QB, senior WRs who have been productive, and improved players and depth at LB and the secondary. There are some holes (right side of the line, pass rush, lack of that special RB), but every team has question marks and new starters entering the season.

But there are some qualifications. This is the 4th year of the Doug Marrone era. He is the dean of the BE coaches. There is turmoil at Penn St. Yet, we aren't winning many, if any, recruiting battles against Rutgers, BC, Pitt & PSU. Yet to land his first high-impact RB, WR, LB or DE. Progress is there, but is it enough?

Sure, we might beat NW in the Dome and get off to a fast start. NW has recruited well; Stony Brook had its longest winning streak in program history and has 3 real good transfers from bigger programs including a RB that we could use; and USC, Minny and Pitt aren't chopped liver. That schedule is tougher than last year.

 

[rocklloyd]

Win 7 games? Think we're being over optimistic. I love the fact we're scheduling tough, but I'm not convinced we need that in year 4. I'd much rather take 7 wins instead 4th toughest non conference schedule in country at this point in DM's tenure.

I'm preparing for 4 to 5 wins and the onslaught of people calling for DM's head. Meanwhile he's building a program for the long term. Bringing in better and better players each year. Giving many of these young guys a chance to redshirt and not have to force them into duty 2 months after they arrive on campus.

It's been a numbers game for DM since he started. Between the GROB seniors and the players DM ran off ( for right reasons), DM had to struggle through what was effectively 2 graduations in the course of 3 months losing 40 something players. Anyone watching the roster knew last year was going to be tough and this is the first year we really get on top of the numbers with a coherent 2 deep, players coming off redshirt in a number of positions etc. For 2 years we were bringing in the max number of recruit and losing the same amount or more of starters. This year is turning point and we have a very difficult schedule.

Most of us get it, but I fear for the other 30k we need to fill the dome each week.

 

[Crusty]

I agree with most of that also. I am amazed at our recruiting progress after last season's dismal ending - kudos to the staff. However, I have not yet bought into Hackett's ability. It just seemed as if the whole BE (except WVU) had his number). I sure hope I am wrong and I will apologize profusely at the proper moment (to which I look forward).

IMO the whole season will depend on how the OLine performs. They could be the ones that provide a better season record than expected.

 

[tipphill]

we scheduel too tough, not smart when trying to rebuild for the umptienth year.

 

[Cuseman78]

we scheduel too tough, not smart when trying to rebuild for the umptienth year.

What games are guaranteed losses this year? There is 1. The rest of the games are winnable.

People are confusing the fact that we have only 1 cupcake with playing an SEC type gauntlet. We have a fun schedule where every week matters and all of them can be won (except USC). This schedule is perfectly fine and exactly what we should be doing.

 

[rrlbees]

What games are guaranteed losses this year? There is 1. The rest of the games are winnable.

People are confusing the fact that we have only 1 cupcake with playing an SEC type gauntlet. We have a fun schedule where every week matters and all of them can be won (except USC). This schedule is perfectly fine and exactly what we should be doing.

Correct. While only 1 gimmee (which is what is making our SOS look good) if playing Northwestern and Minny makes our schedule "too tough" then we have bigger issues than we think.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[HtownOrange]

Well put, Cuseman and Bees. We finally have a little depth, decent players and solid coaching, We can win any game on the schedule (I still believe that Kiffin has the ability to lose games he shouldn't).

 

[rocklloyd]

All games are winnable and all games are 'losable' as well. I personally love the schedule. If we end up losing games we dont expect to, fans become disillusioned, stop coming to dome and we continue the attendance death spiral and ultimately the fire marrone websites show up.

Last year all games were winnable, except maybe USC, and we lost 5 in a row. Several of those I had predicted as a W.

As the OP pointed out, there are still issues and question marks but winning fixes everything.

 

[CarolinaCuse]

Until the play on the field tells me otherwise, I'm going to believe we have 11 winnable games and 1 not-so-winnable game. The only thing that puts any bit of doubt in my mind is lack of experience; however, I am hoping that the program turns the corner one of these days and the DM recruits excel in the system they were recruited for. I have a hard time believing that we are gobsh-te compared to our competition.

 

[syr02esq]

I'm tired of the coaching carousel and will give Coach Marrone one fore year regardless the outcome of the season. Fifth year he should have all his players to run his schemes no excuses.

 

[BlackKnight76]

People are overrating Mizzou big time. They'll be really tough, but they're also about to get wrecked in their first run through the SEC. We were lucky to get them late. Right before us they play @Florida and @Tennessee and then @A&M after us. They're going to be in rough shape.

 

[orangeintheacc]

If we get 7 wins this season I believe we will have turned the corner everyone talks about. We now have a solid young core group that is only going to get better with experience. Until recently, DM and staff have only had their warm personailites to sway recruits. We now have better facilities, soon to have a better conference and hopeully a WINNING season will all help recruiting.

I agree with the posts above that the 2012 schedule is doable and reasonable. Besides beating a bunch of pushovers isn't going to fool anyone...especially potential recruits. Must win at least 6 games this year or it's back to the starting line!

 

[omniorange]

Since Mizzou seems to be a point of contention, let me add that for this thread, I am from Missouri and at this time, I am taking a 'show me' attitude toward the upcoming season.

It's only early July and we already have a key player recovering from injury (Pugh). If the past is prologue, by September 1 that will jump to a minimum of 4.

But even more importantly than that, Marrone needs to show me in the early part of the season that he is taking special teams seriously and in the latter half of the season that he can squeeze out more than 1 or 2 wins.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[tipphill]

I'm tired of the coaching carousel and will give Coach Marrone one fore year regardless the outcome of the season. Fifth year he should have all his players to run his schemes no excuses.

marrone needed a 2-3 yr extension last season,but as he did not get one he needs it now