We are losing some serious mental and physical toughness with graduation

[orangemass]

Love all the underclassmen but am worried we are losing lots of quality toughness (not quantity) with the outgoing seniors...

Team next year will be quicker, faster with possibly more talented but I don't think they will be tougher...

Dungey (LB playing QB, warrior)
Strickland ( runs hard, durable, great at picking up blitz)
Custis (great gunner on punts, plays big)
Slayton (animal in the middle, hard to find and replace)
Guthrie (playing downhill last half of year, very good tackler)
Cordy (little giant)
Conway, Martin, Roberts ( 3 big uglies who played every single game this year, almost every snap)
Whitner (cerebral, mentally tough, played multiple positions)
Pierce(kinda crazy but definitely plays with an attitude)

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

The whole team just out toughed the meatheadest team in the ACC. Not worried.

 

[Faegan]

Very interested to see how recruiting shakes out. It definitely feels like a transition year, but we have a favorable schedule and some nice pieces to the puzzle waiting in the wings. QB, WR and RB are loaded with talent.

 

[dollarbill44]

This happens most years. There are tough guys in every class. The coaches are here to ensure that is the case by who they recruit and how they coach. I have utmost confidence next year's team will be tough.

 

[bigmike]

The whole team just out toughed the meatheadest team in the ACC. Not worried.

Nailed it.

 

[CA Monk]

I hear you but it is the same thing every year. Last year we lost Franklin and Bennett and Ishmael etc. and we did OK if not better.
It’s one of the reasons college football is so fun and dynamic. Teams have to replenish anywhere from 10 to 50% of their starters ever year.

 

[javadoc]

Love all the underclassmen but am worried we are losing lots of quality toughness (not quantity) with the outgoing seniors...

Team next year will be quicker, faster with possibly more talented but I don't think they will be tougher...

Dungey (LB playing QB, warrior)
Strickland ( runs hard, durable, great at picking up blitz)
Custis (great gunner on punts, plays big)
Slayton (animal in the middle, hard to find and replace)
Guthrie (playing downhill last half of year, very good tackler)
Cordy (little giant)
Conway, Martin, Roberts ( 3 big uglies who played every single game this year, almost every snap)
Whitner (cerebral, mentally tough, played multiple positions)
Pierce(kinda crazy but definitely plays with an attitude)

With Coleman, Robinson, Shy setting the tone for the D, I am not worried about that unit.

 

[All4SU]

I’m guessing toughness comes from the top. Those guys listed embraced an attitude.

 

[shu 49]

I think we can be as tough or tougher except for qb. He is a physco and I’m galad he was. I think at lb we may be more physical and definatly in secondary. Now that we have guys who can cover and tackle. Trill could be a stud. Offensively we may be more aggressive with Davis in at guard than Roberts. Davis is a road grader and couldn’t do much worse than what Roberts did this year in pass pro. Cars s will be bigger and stronger. Adams will be really tough with ball supposedly we get our best receiver to play next year so I think overall close to same but in different spots that’s all.

 

[texascpa]

We thought the same when we lost our 3 starting LBers last year. I'm not worried about our toughness.

 

[dasher]

Love all the underclassmen but am worried we are losing lots of quality toughness (not quantity) with the outgoing seniors...

Team next year will be quicker, faster with possibly more talented but I don't think they will be tougher...

Dungey (LB playing QB, warrior)
Strickland ( runs hard, durable, great at picking up blitz)
Custis (great gunner on punts, plays big)
Slayton (animal in the middle, hard to find and replace)
Guthrie (playing downhill last half of year, very good tackler)
Cordy (little giant)
Conway, Martin, Roberts ( 3 big uglies who played every single game this year, almost every snap)
Whitner (cerebral, mentally tough, played multiple positions)
Pierce(kinda crazy but definitely plays with an attitude)

The whole trick to being good at a sport in college is good kids coming, good kids going and good kids staying. That is what we have this year. And hopefully every year going forward.

 

[billorange44]

I think the toughness has rubbed off to a great extent. Dungey was different though. His mentality and knowledge of the game to go along with his toughness can't be replaced. That takes a very special individual. One who comes along once in a lifetime.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

Nature of the beast in college sports.

 

[orangepassion]

The whole team just out toughed the meatheadest team in the ACC. Not worried.

Can we just say the meatiest of them all? Rolls off the tongue easier

 

[AAM62]

Custis definitely doesn't play tough and cordy may have quit on football barring some tragic event in his life (which would be regrettable).

 

[anomander]

It happens every year. Not worried.

 

[Rocco]

Physicality will never be an issue with an SU team led by Babers and Edinger.

 

[SoBristol]

It happens every year. Not worried.

Not worried, but look -- we can't take a 9 -3 season for granted. This team had good seniors in key roles, we were healthier than in many recent years, and it came together. Some of our opponents had down years.
New season in 2019, new challenges.

 

[atcar]

I think Dungey was definitely a "they broke the mold" kind of QB. We have talent at that position. If even a little of Dungey toughness and attitude rubbed off on Devito and Amie this past year it would help. The sideline and practice relationship between ED and TD I remember reading about can't hurt.

 

[Chicago44s]

The whole team just out toughed the meatheadest team in the ACC. Not worried.

Pretty sure this dude just jumped offsides again after he read your comment.

 

[sufandu]

There were a number of young guys that showed toughness. Trill, Cisco, and Howard all mixed it up just fine as freshman.

I think this coaching staff is good at coaching toughness.