This year seems to be a lot like last year...

[Scooch]

...not in W-L, but in style.

Last year we looked terrible vs. Wake Forest for the first 3 quarters, then made a great rally for the W. We gutted out a far-too-close win vs. 1-AA URI, had a decent showing in a loss against a USC team that overmatched us, and lucked into a far-too-close win at home vs. Toldeo. We were 3-1, but our play was not all that good.

This year we looked awful in the first 2 1/2 quarters vs. N'Western, then made a great rally, but this time it fell short. Hung with a USC team that overmatched us, but lost. Then gutted out a far-too-close win against 1-AA Stony Brook, and shot ourselves in the foot repeatedly against what seems to be a mid-pack Big Ten team on the road.

In short, I'm just not sure this program is advancing. The stats are better, and I'm sure some will point to that. And the schedule does us no favors, for sure. We look more athletic, but that's relative to where we were, not to our opponents. To me we look like the athletic lesser of the two teams on the field for all 3 of the 1-A games we've played this season.

Just really disappointing, and I almost sadly feel like I'm writing this for closure so I can pull away for the rest of the season.

Marrone's not going anywhere, this year or next, and the ACC move still has me really excited.

But I've seen great coaches and great rebuilding jobs, and I think it's hard to say it looks like we have either.

 

[Crusty]

It has the same look and feel of last year. Playing to the level of competition and finding ways to beat ourselves. Up and down performances from the O foolish mistakes by the D. Really discouraging.

 

[alphaorange]

Did it ever occur to anyone that these teams are actually much better than anyone here thought? What is the combined record of the teams we have played?

 

[OrangeFoo]

It's because we have the same problems as last year... Offense continually shoots itself in the foot, oline gets overrun, playcalling and decision making is extremly questionable in all facets of the game, d gives up big plays but doesn't make any, special teams gives up big plays but doesn't make any, we have the flukiest turnovers in history at key times

 

[Scooch]

Did it ever occur to anyone that these teams are actually much better than anyone here thought? What is the combined record of the teams we have played?

That's why I said our schedule does us no favors. That being said, is anyone confident that if we played a decent MAC team in the Dome yesterday we could count on anything more than a tight win, at best? I don't, but maybe I'm just beaten down at this point.

 

[Scooch]

It's because we have the same problems as last year... Offense continually shoots itself in the foot, oline gets overrun, playcalling and decision making is extremly questionable in all facets of the game, d gives up big plays but doesn't make any, special teams gives up big plays but doesn't make any, we have the flukiest turnovers in history at key times

Not a single playmaker on offense. We have to do everything with an enormous degree of difficulty.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

In all honesty, if we played Western Michigan yesterday instead of Minnesota I think we lose 30-24. Right now I see no marked difference between a P coached team and a DM coached team aside from from offensive schemes. Brain farts, stubbornness, What losses, etc. It is all too familiar.

Nonetheless, I'm not ready to pull the plug yet. I can see this team also winning one or two games that right now I chalk up as sure losses. Let it play out and come see me in November.

 

[suthrills]

Not a single playmaker on offense. We have to do everything with an enormous degree of difficulty.

Not a single playmaker on Defense either. We don't tackle well, we don't get off blocks, we don't get pressure on the QB and our DB's play with 10 yard cushions and still get beat deep. Not to mention we don't create turnovers.
I keep hearing how recruiting has picked up, how we have more depth now than we have had in 10 years, how we are more athletic and have more speed, yet the results are the same. I'm trying but it's very hard to remain optimistic about the direction of the program.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Stony Brook beat Colgate by one point yesterday 32-31 AT Stony Brook.

 

[SmilinBob]

It's because we have the same problems as last year... Offense continually shoots itself in the foot, oline gets overrun, playcalling and decision making is extremly questionable in all facets of the game, d gives up big plays but doesn't make any, special teams gives up big plays but doesn't make any, we have the flukiest turnovers in history at key times

I'm thinking they should make an SU t-shirt with a foot with 20 bullet holes in it.

 

[Scooch]

Not a single playmaker on Defense either. We don't tackle well, we don't get off blocks, we don't get pressure on the QB and our DB's play with 10 yard cushions and still get beat deep. Not to mention we don't create turnovers.
I keep hearing how recruiting has picked up, how we have more depth now than we have had in 10 years, how we are more athletic and have more speed, yet the results are the same. I'm trying but it's very hard to remain optimistic about the direction of the program.

We are deeper and more athletic than SU teams of the past 8 years. That doesn't mean we're better than our opponents though.

I think some people here get caught in the trap of not putting our talent in context.

 

[44cuse]

I think some people here get caught in the trap of not putting our talent in context.

That has been going on for years.

44cuse

 

[SmilinBob]

That has been going on for years.

44cuse

I think we have a ways to go and what might be happening is this team is playing a lot better than they really are.

 

[Crusty]

We are deeper and more athletic than SU teams of the past 8 years. That doesn't mean we're better than our opponents though.

I think some people here get caught in the trap of not putting our talent in context.

Perhaps, but please sir, may we win a game against an FBS team? Is that too freakin much to ask. Just ONE!!

 

[OrangeFoo]

We were better than northwestern at every position but that one dude who was their punt returner. We unfortunately gave them that game a dozen times.

Minny and SB both had lines which were better than ours... But I think as generally are more talented than both of them. You just can't win with 4 turnovers, 2 in red zone plus one on the first ing play of the game. Other than USC it hasnt been about talent its been about busted plays in all three areas of the game plus bad coaching decisions.

That's what gets me he most frustrated, if we lost based on talent alone I'd be much less pissed but we are doing it to ourselves for the most part.

We are deeper and more athletic than SU teams of the past 8 years. That doesn't mean we're better than our opponents though.

I think some people here get caught in the trap of not putting our talent in context.

 

[Crusty]

I don't get it - isn't it our "talent" making all these dumb mistakes? Isn't it our "talent" making all these turnovers? Isn't it our "talent" getting beat at the line of scrimmage? Isn't it our "talent" dropping all those passes? Isn't it our "talent" causing all those stupid penalties? Somebody please explain to me what the talent is responsible for - practice?

 

[Scooch]

We were better than northwestern at every position but that one dude who was their punt returner. We unfortunately gave them that game a dozen times.

Minny and SB both had lines which were better than ours... But I think as generally are more talented than both of them. You just can't win with 4 turnovers, 2 in red zone plus one on the first ******* play of the game. Other than USC it hasnt been about talent its been about busted plays in all three areas of the game plus bad coaching decisions.

That's what gets me he most frustrated, if we lost based on talent alone I'd be much less pissed but we are doing it to ourselves for the most part.

That's just not true, sadly.

We have no offensive playmakers. Zero. None. N'western did and Minnesota did.

We have no one who can get consistent pressure on the QB.

We have no one who can return a kick or punt.

We have no one who can ballhawk and make a timely pick.

We have no one who we can consistently run behind to get tough yards. Maybe when Pugh gets back.

We're losing because we self-inflict mistake AND because we do not have the talent to overcome it.

 

[JeremyCuse]

That's why I said our schedule does us no favors. That being said, is anyone confident that if we played a decent MAC team in the Dome yesterday we could count on anything more than a tight win, at best? I don't, but maybe I'm just beaten down at this point.

Your not wrong, we have barely beaten a 1AA team two years in a row, outside of last year abberation at WVU this team hasnt blown anyone out or a dominated a team in probably close to a decade. Its beyond frustrating and most fans are pretty much at there breaking points.

 

[Scooch]

Your not wrong, we have barely beaten a 1AA team two years in a row, outside of last year abberation at WVU this team hasnt blown anyone out or a dominated a team in probably close to a decade. Its beyond frustrating and most fans are pretty much at there breaking points.

Yup, for all the talk of the 5 game collapse last year, what was left unsaid was that we were generally crappy in the 5-2 start. Took some good fortune for us to beat both Toledo and Tulane. I'm not a big fan of playing the what-if game, but last year could have easily been 2-10 (and at best we could have been 7-5).

 

[bevosu]

Now let's talk about why we have a hard time getting more than 35K in the Dome for a football game.

 

[suthrills]

That's just not true, sadly.

We have no offensive playmakers. Zero. None. N'western did and Minnesota did.

We have no one who can get consistent pressure on the QB.

We have no one who can return a kick or punt.

We have no one who can ballhawk and make a timely pick.

We have no one who we can consistently run behind to get tough yards. Maybe when Pugh gets back.

We're losing because we self-inflict mistake AND because we do not have the talent to overcome it.

Then what has DM done in the last 4 years and how can you make the claim that we are deeper and better than we have been in the last 8 years. That list you state above is EXACTLY what we said throughout the Grob years. I know we were the absolute dregs of College Football during those years but if DM can't get one, not one single player who can make a play in any category of football, after 4 YEARS of being Head Coach, then why exactly is he being retained?

 

[SmilinBob]

Now let's talk about why we have a hard time getting more than 35K in the Dome for a football game.

Which ironically helps play a part of not being able to recruit more talent, kids love playing in front of 25K people in a 50 k Dome.

 

[SoBristol]

Why this season does not feel like last season:

**fans optimistic last season through 5-2 start; then collapse in November
**fans depressed this season by late September with 1-3 start

**OOC schedule tougher this season
**more depth this season
**better offensive schemes this season (not apparent vs Minny, but still . . .)
**more kids waiting in the wings this season
**better chance for a decent November this season