"...they must be on drugs."

[UnknownOrange]

Awesome SBNation article on HCDB.

Dino Babers is here to ‘strike fear into defensive coordinators’

 

[texascpa]

Every year, I think we have a shot at a great season, 9-3, 10-2. This year being no exception. Then I read this:

Our protagonist faces his toughest antagonists yet, with LSU, Miami, Florida State, Louisville, and Clemson on the schedule.

 

[UnknownOrange]

Every year, I think we have a shot at a great season, 9-3, 10-2. This year being no exception. Then I read this:

Our protagonist faces his toughest antagonists yet, with LSU, Miami, Florida State, Louisville, and Clemson on the schedule.

But man... what if they still go 9-3?

 

[rocklloyd]

i will say my excitement/anticipation has started much earlier this year. Can't wait for this thing to get going.

 

[TexanMark]

Awesome article...

 

[KaiserUEO]

Every year, I think we have a shot at a great season, 9-3, 10-2. This year being no exception. Then I read this:

Our protagonist faces his toughest antagonists yet, with LSU, Miami, Florida State, Louisville, and Clemson on the schedule.

is that the schedule or the 5 teams who all got #1 votes in the pre-season poll??

 

[IthacaBarrel]

is that the schedule or the 5 teams who all got #1 votes in the pre-season poll??

Yeah, season is brutal 5 baked in losses for the most part 3 baked in wins one would hope had have to go 3-1 versus Wake, BC, NC St and Pitt. Not easy by any means. Now anything is possible but we probably have a better chance of slipping up and losing one of the baked in wins than we do winning one of the 5 loss games. Such is life in the ACC, LSU game makes no sense

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yeah, season is brutal 5 baked in losses for the most part 3 baked in wins one would hope had have to go 3-1 versus Wake, BC, NC St and Pitt. Not easy by any means. Now anything is possible but we probably have a better chance of slipping up and losing one of the baked in wins than we do winning one of the 5 loss games. Such is life in the ACC, LSU game makes no sense

Screw that, there's no such thing as baked in losses anymore.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Screw that, there's no such thing as baked in losses anymore.

Yeah, well said. This guy's got the right idea.

 

[HtownOrange]

LSU has to replace Leonard Fournette. I know they have talent, but they are not geared for the fast paced offense HCDB is installing.

Miami will have talent but Richt has had much talent over the years and has failed to win as much as the talent he has had.

FSU is loaded for bear, not an easy game by any stretch.

Clemson loses DW and may not be as high flying on offense this season.

Louisville depends on the QB too much. A healthy D, much more experience and size and depth and this could be a great game.

No baked in losses, just five opportunities to catch everyone's eyes. This team took down a very good VATech team last year, no reason they cannot do more this year with more talent, more speed, more depth and more experience. Don't be surprised if the "It's Not their fault, they didn't know" memes get over used this fall.

 

[kcsu]

LSU has to replace Leonard Fournette. I know they have talent, but they are not geared for the fast paced offense HCDB is installing.

Miami will have talent but Richt has had much talent over the years and has failed to win as much as the talent he has had.

FSU is loaded for bear, not an easy game by any stretch.

Clemson loses DW and may not be as high flying on offense this season.

Louisville depends on the QB too much. A healthy D, much more experience and size and depth and this could be a great game.

No baked in losses, just five opportunities to catch everyone's eyes. This team took down a very good VATech team last year, no reason they cannot do more this year with more talent, more speed, more depth and more experience. Don't be surprised if the "It's Not their fault, they didn't know" memes get over used this fall.

We will be underdogs in all but 3 or 4 games. This is the most difficult schedule we have faced since i watched my first game in the 60s. It is brutal.

 

[HtownOrange]

We will be underdogs in all but 3 or 4 games. This is the most difficult schedule we have faced since i watched my first game in the 60s. It is brutal.

Agree, this is a tough schedule. Much like the pre-Big East days.

My point is that the paradigm has shifted. HCDB is cutting against the grain of traditional wisdom in CFB. He is changing the way opponents take can dictate via defense how one plays offense by dictation g the speed at which opponents play defense. Opponents take lose the ability to place specialists on the field for traditional running/passing downs. Even punting is facing fundamental changes.

Does this open the defense up to issues, yes. However, most offenses are not geared to keep up with HCDB's.

Further, HCDB is NOT dispensing the running game, he loves it and expects 2,000+ yards per season! (Yes, last year was a fluke in his system but we all know the issues, many of which will be improved this season). Nor is HCDB forgetting about defense, he is merely willing to bet we can out score opponents.

I am not saying we run the table but plugging a 3-4 win season and calling it a day is NOT on the agenda. This team, though beaten down, injured, in a new offense and a new defense beat a very good, ranked VATech team. To not expect more from kids that had little experience, less size, little to no backups, etc., seems unrealistic. We all expect players to develop year over year. Writing off five games because teams had/have names is fruitless.

Syracuse has had a name. Miami has been running g for decades on the 80s, with a few good years here and there but have not lived up to the hype, generally.

VATech has been a paper tiger for decades failing g to win big, important games, falling short most of the time.

LSU and Clemson lose important leaders on their respective teams. Can someone step up? Yes. Will they? Who knows. Does it matter? Possibly not.

FSU is the best because they lose little, should be overall improved and has the depth. However, this offense could expose their defense like Clemson did to Alabama-great defense but not prepared for an offense that dictated the play of the game (limited substitutions, players in plays that a specialist would normally play, no rest, fast paced).

Sure, we can argue in the spring about many details but to write off games before they season starts is harsh. We are NOT Rutgers!

 

[PhatOrange]

Miami can be had. sometimes they play schizophrenic and they got absolutely destroyed by Virginia tech last year and they have to replace a quarterback this year. who knows, they also come off Georgia Tech the weekend before us.

 

[KaiserUEO]

We will be underdogs in all but 3 or 4 games. This is the most difficult schedule we have faced since i watched my first game in the 60s. It is brutal.

look at it this way, if the Orange can somehow get themselves to a crappy bowl with either 6 or 7 Wins...bet your farm, my farm..certainly bees farm on them to win.

the other 6 or 7 win team will likely not know what hit em...

 

[Trueblue25]

Hope the Louisville fans enjoy cheering on their own players faking cramps to slow down the pace.

 

[Chip]

LSU has to replace Leonard Fournette. I know they have talent, but they are not geared for the fast paced offense HCDB is installing.

LSU will be interesting this year. Derrius Guice made the most of Fournette's injuries, check out his stats. I don't think they miss a beat. Keeping Orgeron and adding Canada as OC is all upside for them. I think they're going to be really good. They have as much raw talent as anyone in the country.

Just really sucks that @LSU is the same year that @Miami is the crossover. One in a million chance. (ok, one in twelve).

Future schedules all look easier. Even the @Wisconsin year is a year where @Pitt is the road crossover. Much more manageable.

 

[Trueblue25]

LSU will be interesting this year. Derrius Guice made the most of Fournette's injuries, check out his stats. I don't think they miss a beat. Keeping Orgeron and adding Canada as OC is all upside for them. I think they're going to be really good. They have as much raw talent as anyone in the country.

Just really sucks that @LSU is the same year that @Miami is the crossover. One in a million chance. (ok, one in twelve).

Future schedules all look easier. Even the @Wisconsin year is a year where @Pitt is the road crossover. Much more manageable.

I'd feel 100% better if we had LSU in the dome again, but we don't. They should absolutely be all of a top 10 team. Between them and FSU we have our work cut out for us. I think Clemson, UL, and Miami may be ripe for the picking though depending on a few variables going our way.

You're right, they didn't miss a beat with Guice. The guy runs downhill just as hard as Fournette. He may not have the stiff arm but he's got all the speed and playmaking ability. Need Bennet, Cordy, Franklin, (insert whoever wins the 3rd LB spot) and the entire interior line to soak up some pain and hit him just as hard back.

 

[SoBristol]

...Nor is HCDB forgetting about defense, he is merely willing to bet we can out score opponents.

Sometimes it appears Dino is all about offense, but consider what has happened in the off-season on the defensive side. Brian Ward has done a lot to reinforce the defense with grad transfers (two CBs) and jucos (safety, LB, DE).

The 2017 defense will have more size in several spots, veteran leadership, and several kids in key positions (the DEs) have a season under their belts and a full year of college S&C. It won't be the same sieve we saw in 2016.

 

[Lou_C]

I think your best bets are Louisville and maybe Miami. Miami should be good...but they still haven't shown they can show up every Saturday.

That's not to say there is no shot against Clemson, FSU and LSU, but the talent disparity on the roster with those teams is much greater than Louisville, which might be a closer analog to VT last year.

 

[Lou_C]

look at it this way, if the Orange can somehow get themselves to a crappy bowl with either 6 or 7 Wins...bet your farm, my farm..certainly bees farm on them to win.

the other 6 or 7 win team will likely not know what hit em...

Man, I agree with this for sure. Any team that gets bowl eligible against your schedule is going to be pretty solid, and awfully battle tested. God help the 6-6 team from the B1G West that gets to chew on that.

 

[PhatOrange]

I think your best bets are Louisville and maybe Miami. Miami should be good...but they still haven't shown they can show up every Saturday.

That's not to say there is no shot against Clemson, FSU and LSU, but the talent disparity on the roster with those teams is much greater than Louisville, which might be a closer analog to VT last year.

agreed. best shot is at louisville and miami.

miami will probably be played in a torrential downpour and hurricane force winds though. that's our luck

 

[Lou_C]

Oh, and that article is awesome. What an interesting guy. Reminds me a bit of Leonard Hamilton, although Hamilton is a bit more reserved. I like to hear about coaches that have interests outside the game. I know it's hard in today's game, but it's got to be more healthy. I'll be shocked if a guy like this doesn't get a lot of time to get this thing going, given the challenge ahead.

 

[Chip]

I think your best bets are Louisville and maybe Miami. Miami should be good...but they still haven't shown they can show up every Saturday.

That's not to say there is no shot against Clemson, FSU and LSU, but the talent disparity on the roster with those teams is much greater than Louisville, which might be a closer analog to VT last year.

I'm just glad we get Louisville at the end of the year instead of early on. You guys hit that same buzz saw we did in 2016, but it clearly ran out of steam at the end. Jackson takes a lot of shots during the year, it has to take its toll.

I'm not saying we're going to win down there. But I'd like to think it's not 21-0 while people are still in line for their first beer.

 

[Lou_C]

I'm just glad we get Louisville at the end of the year instead of early on. You guys hit that same buzz saw we did in 2016, but it clearly ran out of steam at the end. Jackson takes a lot of shots during the year, it has to take its toll.

I'm not saying we're going to win down there. But I'd like to think it's not 21-0 while people are still in line for their first beer.

I think you're thinking right. Louisville has talent put up some great performances last year (I should know), but you just aren't talking about the talented depth of FSU, LSU and Clemson. They don't have blue chipper after blue chipper after blue chipper...didn't last year and won't this year...they could be vulnerable by the end of the year again.

Miami is kind of in between. More talent than Louisville, but I don't know if they yet are ready to be there every game. They lost to ND last year. I am not sure yet if they are at a place where if they show up with their C+ game, it's still enough to beat Syracuse. We'll see. It's probably too bad they get you off an extra long week (previous game is a Thurs night). That would have been an even tougher assignment for them to prep for GT and SU's offenses in back to back weeks.

 

[Chip]

I think you're thinking right. Louisville has talent put up some great performances last year (I should know), but you just aren't talking about the talented depth of FSU, LSU and Clemson. They don't have blue chipper after blue chipper after blue chipper...didn't last year and won't this year...they could be vulnerable by the end of the year again.

Miami is kind of in between. More talent than Louisville, but I don't know if they yet are ready to be there every game. They lost to ND last year. I am not sure yet if they are at a place where if they show up with their C+ game, it's still enough to beat Syracuse. We'll see. It's probably too bad they get you off an extra long week (previous game is a Thurs night). That would have been an even tougher assignment for them to prep for GT and SU's offenses in back to back weeks.

My assumption with Miami is that with Richt heading it up, they'll play better football. Loss of Kaaya stings, and will sting them even worse in games where their talent doesn't match up (i.e. FSU), but against Syracuse, they'll just wear us down. We're still a couple years away from feeling like we have a chance in my opinion. But I believe we're on that path with Dino.