We need a 9 win season

[Cuse House]

Btw, with the new playoff system would it not be more than 14 games? Or am I delusional?

 

[jekelish]

I'd love to see a nine win season, but let's keep things in perspective a little. During the McNabb years, we got to nine wins three times and only had eight wins during Donovan's senior year. Since then we've only gotten to nine wins once, when Freeney carried us to 10 wins in 2001.

Another winning season, whether it's 7 wins or 8 wins or 9 wins or whatever, is the most important thing. That would give us three straight winning seasons and, presumably, yet another bowl, which would be 4 in 5 years. We need to get consistency first and foremost, and then work our way up from there. Edge our way to being in the "also receiving votes" part of the top 25, then get INTO the top 20-25, and go from there.

I will be satisfied if we can get back to being even in the 20s year in and year out (as a reminder, those McNabb teams never finished a season ranked higher than 19 in the AP, 16 in the coaches poll).

 

[Rocco]

We did better last year than I think people are realizing. Our overall SOS from 2012 to 2013 went up significantly. This year's schedule is not going to be any easier IMO. We add a Bobby Petrino-led Louisville, which is loaded with talent after Charlie Strong has been masterfully filling up the cupboards there over the last 4 years.

Nova
@ CMU
Maryland
ND @ MetLife
Louisville
@ Clemson
FSU
@ BC
@ Pitt
NC State
@ Wake
Duke

Must Wins: Nova, @CMU, @Wake, Maryland
Toss-ups: ND, Louisville, @BC, @Pitt, Duke, NC State (we need to win at least 4 of these)
Losses: @ Clemson, FSU

If we can win 4 of those "toss-up" games, we have a good shot at going 8-4. That would be a great season with that schedule. 2014 is going to be a big year for this program. Lots of games that will come right down to the wire. We need to pull those games out if we're going to continue advancing. We're not even close to competing with Clemson and FSU yet.

 

[Cuseman78]

As a program SU is not that far away.

2012 SU's combined offense and defensive rankings was 64, 16th best in the country. Of the 25 best combined rankings the average wins for those teams was 10.25, only one team finished with 7 wins, six with 8 wins, one with 9, and the other 17 with 10 or more.

It is easy to argue that based on that metric they under performed last year.

This year the only thing statisically worse was the pass game. Defense was nine spots higher, run game one. The combined ranking this year was 120 good for 59th in D-1. Only one team in that group had a 5 win season and three finished with 6 wins, and six finished with 7. The other 49 finished with 8 or more.

If the pass game had only fallen off 1/2 as much as it did this year (700 yds less rather than 1400 yds) the offense would have finished in the 40's and the combined ranking would have been in the 70's. The 25 teams with a combinded ranking up to 80 averaged 9.9 wins.

Maintain the run game and defense and improve the pass game by 50 yds a game and 9 wins is not at all out of reach.

I agree with this. Ever since Marrone's 2nd year, my expectation has basically hovered around 6-6 coming into each year (maybe 7-5 a couple of years). But I think we're almost at the point of breakthrough for some of the reasons you mentioned in your post. Highest expectations that I've had coming into a season since around the turn of the Century. A 9 win season (including bowl win) isn't too far off.

 

[RF2044]

We did better last year than I think people are realizing. Our overall SOS from 2012 to 2013 went up significantly. This year's schedule is not going to be any easier IMO. We add a Bobby Petrino-led Louisville, which is loaded with talent after Charlie Strong has been masterfully filling up the cupboards there over the last 4 years.

Nova
@ CMU
Maryland
ND @ MetLife
Louisville
@ Clemson
FSU
@ BC
@ Pitt
NC State
@ Wake
Duke

Must Wins: Nova, @CMU, @Wake, Maryland
Toss-ups: ND, Louisville, @BC, @Pitt, Duke, NC State (we need to win at least 4 of these)
Losses: @ Clemson, FSU

If we can win 4 of those "toss-up" games, we have a good shot at going 8-4. That would be a great season with that schedule. 2014 is going to be a big year for this program. Lots of games that will come right down to the wire. We need to pull those games out if we're going to continue advancing. We're not even close to competing with Clemson and FSU yet.

And if we stub our toe against ND, we could see a 3-0 start quickly turn into a 3-4 hole.

 

[Cuse House]

It is weird to think those teams were not ranked higher. I am only 20 years old, so unlike most of you I have not seen a really good Cuse football team. My dad is a life long Cuse fan and took me to my first game in 2003 when Georgetown came to the dome (Basketball of course, I remember a bug guy named Mike Sweeney for them). After that I started following all Cuse sports and now I live and breath it. You guys are lucky to have seen some good SU football.

 

[007]

Lots of positive momentum for sure, but expectations for a 9 win regular season do not seem realistic at this point, IMO. Not saying it can't be done, just that it seems highly unlikely.

Consider that SU will likely be at least 7+ point underdogs vs. FSU, Clem, ND, Duke and L'ville, and very probable road dogs at Pitt and BC.

 

[All4SU]

No way. Not with the team we have coming back, and the recruits we have coming in.

Can't get whooped by GT & NW. Can't lose to Pitt. Need to be more competitive with higher level teams.

8 wins is definitely attainable. 9 wins would be awesome but will be tough. Would need to beat ND and beat two of Duke/Louisville at home or Pitt on road. Not impossible but tough.

Recruits don't create victories in year 1.

The difference between being a 6-7 win team and being a 8-9 win team is not as great as many here would like to believe. Of course it doesn't take much to drop to a 4-5 win team either. It's all about depth first. Do you have a solid two-deep to get you through the long season, and the injuries that are inevitable? Second, it's about a couple of special players. You don't need 22 of them. But you need the solid core guys, and a handful of difference-makers. We're close.

 

[All4SU]

I am only 20 years old, so unlike most of you I have not seen a really good Cuse football team.

That makes me a little sad to think that people like you are out there. I've seen so many good teams -- and more mediocre teams than I want to admit. But few really bad teams.

 

[Cuse House]

You guys all have solid points, maybe I should have made the title "We can win 9" instead of "We need 9". My whole point is that were capable.

 

[All4SU]

I'd love to see a nine win season, but let's keep things in perspective a little. During the McNabb years, we got to nine wins three times and only had eight wins during Donovan's senior year. Since then we've only gotten to nine wins once, when Freeney carried us to 10 wins in 2001.

Another winning season, whether it's 7 wins or 8 wins or 9 wins or whatever, is the most important thing. That would give us three straight winning seasons and, presumably, yet another bowl, which would be 4 in 5 years. We need to get consistency first and foremost, and then work our way up from there. Edge our way to being in the "also receiving votes" part of the top 25, then get INTO the top 20-25, and go from there.

I will be satisfied if we can get back to being even in the 20s year in and year out (as a reminder, those McNabb teams never finished a season ranked higher than 19 in the AP, 16 in the coaches poll).

Got to remember that McNabbs years were 11 game seasons ...plus a bowl.

 

[jekelish]

Got to remember that McNabbs years were 11 game seasons ...plus a bowl.

Very good point.

I hadn't remembered it until looking at our year to year records, but for some reason I was stunned to see that his only 8 win season was as a senior when we played Florida in the Orange Bowl and Steve Spurrier gave himself the game ball as a way to pat himself on the back for shutting down McNabb.

 

[Cuse House]

That makes me a little sad to think that people like you are out there. I've seen so many good teams -- and more mediocre teams than I want to admit. But few really bad teams.

It is sad, I am a big Cuse fan including football, even though growing up they were never relevant. It is the mark of a "true fan" when you still watch every game not expecting much. Tides are changing though, I will have my moments with Cuse football!

 

[jekelish]

It is sad, I am a big Cuse fan including football, even though growing up they were never relevant. It is the mark of a "true fan" when you still watch every game not expecting much. Tides are changing though, I will have my moments with Cuse football!

In fairness, I think you've seen one legitimately good team...they just unfortunately kind of stumbled out of the gates. The 2012 team with Nassib et all was, by the end of the season, arguably the best team in the Big East and if we hadn't crapped the bed in a couple winnable games early would have been a Top 25 teams, IMO.

 

[GoSU96]

I'd love to see a nine win season, but let's keep things in perspective a little. During the McNabb years, we got to nine wins three times and only had eight wins during Donovan's senior year. Since then we've only gotten to nine wins once, when Freeney carried us to 10 wins in 2001.

Another winning season, whether it's 7 wins or 8 wins or 9 wins or whatever, is the most important thing. That would give us three straight winning seasons and, presumably, yet another bowl, which would be 4 in 5 years. We need to get consistency first and foremost, and then work our way up from there. Edge our way to being in the "also receiving votes" part of the top 25, then get INTO the top 20-25, and go from there.

I will be satisfied if we can get back to being even in the 20s year in and year out (as a reminder, those McNabb teams never finished a season ranked higher than 19 in the AP, 16 in the coaches poll).

11 game schedules, with a bowl to get to 12. '97 was 13 because of the KOC. Those schedules were really hard.

 

[Cuse House]

In fairness, I think you've seen one legitimately good team...they just unfortunately kind of stumbled out of the gates. The 2012 team with Nassib et all was, by the end of the season, arguably the best team in the Big East and if we hadn't crapped the bed in a couple winnable games early would have been a Top 25 teams, IMO.

I will say they are without a doubt the best team I have seen, but I still have not seen a Cuse team that you thought should win every game. In todays game, I doubt I will have that opportunity.

 

[Cuse House]

My top Cuse football moments would be the overtime game when we beat Virginia Tech, I was young but still remember watching it. Then it would have to be watching us beat Notre Dame at their place. The Clemson game was pretty cool to be at this year also because although we got blown out it was the first time I have seen the dome like that other than for basketball. Pretty sad huh?

 

[Orangepace]

All you crazies calling Clemson a guaranteed "L" in this thread are off base. Clemson lost a significant amount of fully developed talent this year. They replace 2 starting OL that were 5th year grads, Sammy, McDowell, Boyd. Their defense, although good this past year, had a tough time shutting SU down. SU shot themselves in the foot just as much as Clemson shut them down. I'm thinking that game is closer to 50/50 next season.

 

[GoSU96]

All you crazies calling Clemson a guaranteed "L" in this thread are off base. Clemson lost a significant amount of fully developed talent this year. They replace 2 starting OL that were 5th year grads, Sammy, McDowell, Boyd. Their defense, although good this past year, had a tough time shutting SU down. SU shot themselves in the foot just as much as Clemson shut them down. I'm thinking that game is closer to 50/50 next season.

Yikes

IT'S AT DEATH VALLEY!

One thing I'm certain of, it's not close to 50/5o.

Keeping it within 20 would be a good day.

 

[Cuse House]

Being in Death Valley makes a huge difference. If this game is in the Dome I would say 40/60 but not down there.

 

[Chip]

11 game schedules, with a bowl to get to 12. '97 was 13 because of the KOC. Those schedules were really hard.

I don't know if I'd say they were "hard". They were top heavy, and bottom light. Just by waking up in the morning you were 3-0 in the Big East. 4-0 once Dan Henning got everyone at BC on the same page. 1998's non conference schedule was kind of in a league of its own. 1995 thru 1997, nothing all that crazy. UNC 96 was probably the best of the bunch.

We've been through it way too much, but to have 12 regular season losses in the McNabb years could safely be called an underachievement. Not that we still didn't achieve some great individual wins.

 

[BlazeOrange]

Not me...I wanna see us rip off some wins and get in the Top 25 for at least part of the season.

I'll be happy if we just show up in the Others Receiving Votes listing for a stretch. And not with just one coach/voter ranking us 23rd or 24th ala a certain team that's spotted there occasionally.

 

[007]

All you crazies calling Clemson a guaranteed "L" in this thread are off base. Clemson lost a significant amount of fully developed talent this year. They replace 2 starting OL that were 5th year grads, Sammy, McDowell, Boyd. Their defense, although good this past year, had a tough time shutting SU down. SU shot themselves in the foot just as much as Clemson shut them down. I'm thinking that game is closer to 50/50 next season.

Wanna bet?

 

[Crusty]

Here's the deal as far as I am concerned. Our D has been steady to very good for the last 5 years but our offense, with the exception of 2012 (and that barely) has been pathetic to poor to fair. We won't win 8 or 9 games until we can score points - as in 30+ per game instead of the mid-twenties. It is all about the offense and that means Hunt. We will go as far as he can take us next year.

If opponents score more point per game on average than we do, we are nowhere near a T25 team - period.

Assuming Hunt improves and the new faces can add that extra 6 points (don't forget a healthy Krautman returns) and injuries permitting, we could have enough talent on the field next year to beat ten teams:

1. Nova
2. CMU
3. MD
4. ND
5. Duke
6. Louisville
7. NC State
8. Wake
9. BC
10. Pitt

I am not predicting we will win 10 games but I am saying that there are ten winnable games on the schedule. It is doubtful that we will be consistent enough week to week and lucky enough to avoid key injuries entirely. We are at the point however, where, if we can find an extra 6 points per game, we have a real chance of improving on last year.

If you look closely at each of our opponents, only FSU and Clemson are really loaded. Everyone else has some holes and challenges that make them mortal.

Looks like a promising and interesting year ahead.

 

[GoSU96]

Here's the deal as far as I am concerned. Our D has been steady to very good for the last 5 years but our offense, with the exception of 2012 (and that barely) has been pathetic to poor to fair. We won't win 8 or 9 games until we can score points - as in 30+ per game instead of the mid-twenties. It is all about the offense and that means Hunt. We will go as far as he can take us next year.

If opponents score more point per game on average than we do, we are nowhere near a T25 team - period.

Assuming Hunt improves and the new faces can add that extra 6 points (don't forget a healthy Krautman returns) and injuries permitting, we could have enough talent on the field next year to beat ten teams:

1. Nova
2. CMU
3. MD
4. ND
5. Duke
6. Louisville
7. NC State
8. Wake
9. BC
10. Pitt

I am not predicting we will win 10 games but I am saying that there are ten winnable games on the schedule. It is doubtful that we will be consistent enough week to week and lucky enough to avoid key injuries entirely. We are at the point however, where, if we can find an extra 6 points per game, we have a real chance of improving on last year.

If you look closely at each of our opponents, only FSU and Clemson are really loaded. Everyone else has some holes and challenges that make them mortal.

Looks like a promising and interesting year ahead.

Barely? The offense was 17th in 2012.