Athlon 2019

[AppStFan1]

Drink said when he was hired this is a top 25 program. Does anyone think going 8-4 would be satisfactory after the Satt era? Would that performance be considered a BIG setback to our program? I hope the answers are obvious. The NEW bar has been set whether everybody on this board admit it or not.

Could it happen? Absolutely, but that would mean something is wrong. These predictions should be based on “most probable scenarios.

I believe we can go 13-0. That is not the most probable outcome and realize some unknowns may occur. The probability is we go 12-1 but then we could go up or down from that bar. 8-4 is way below and 13-0 is above.

So the question is “Will we underachieve or overachieve this year?”

Sounds like a number of folks on this board don’t have a lot of confidence in our new team and expect us to underachieve.

This is spot on. Something to keep in mind is that if there is something wrong, as fans, we may not know what it is. There are a lot of variables that go into a winning program and sometimes, things don't click all at once. I am not underestimating this team when I say that we could go 8-4 in the regular season. Our 4 toughest games are all on the road and we could be a better football team with a worse record than last year.

Not something mentioned above by AtlAppMan, but in general, I find it interesting how some of you are more pessimistic about Roof than Drink. Drink is a first time HC and coaching QBs and the OC along with HC duties. Roof has been coaching college football since before Eli could walk and has been a HC before. I am far less concerned with what Roof can do than I am with Eli. Defense wins championships and this guy has seen about everything you can see on that side of the ball.

8-4 would mean failure either with poor coaching, injuries, or the coaches not meshing with our players.

Remember that when you say Roof has been a coach for a long time and been a DC in P5 and a HC before that he would still be HC if he had not struggled and got fired. Drink is a rising coach who has never been fired while Roof has fallen off. Could Roof turn out to be key for us? For sure. I hope he does. I worry Roof has his sights set on getting back to P5 rather than doing something special for us. Nobody is pulling for him and Drink more than me and the rest of this board but I am just stating that I am a little worried but hoping for the best.

[wb247]

8-4 would be disappointing, but that doesn't make it unacceptable. Not being in contention to win the division would be unacceptable.

[Yosef10]

I guess i should come to expect it from a few on here but if you’re penciling in UNC as an automatic win you really have another thing coming. They have plenty of talent and now they have the coaching to supplement that talent. Sure, we could definitely come out of there with a win but it’s just a likely a loss. And no we will NOT be favored by Vegas in Chapel Hill. Probably be UNC -3.5 or around there. And no, I’m not a guy who roots for UNC in basketball or anything else. Just calling it like i see it.

[sixtoes9134]

I guess i should come to expect it from a few on here but if you’re penciling in UNC as an automatic win you really have another thing coming. They have plenty of talent and now they have the coaching to supplement that talent. Sure, we could definitely come out of there with a win but it’s just a likely a loss. And no we will NOT be favored by Vegas in Chapel Hill. Probably be UNC -3.5 or around there. And no, I’m not a guy who roots for UNC in basketball or anything else. Just calling it like i see it.

Facts.

[AppStFan1]

I guess i should come to expect it from a few on here but if you’re penciling in UNC as an automatic win you really have another thing coming. They have plenty of talent and now they have the coaching to supplement that talent. Sure, we could definitely come out of there with a win but it’s just a likely a loss. And no we will NOT be favored by Vegas in Chapel Hill. Probably be UNC -3.5 or around there. And no, I’m not a guy who roots for UNC in basketball or anything else. Just calling it like i see it.

Definitely not an automatic win but a game we really need to win, and can win if we play well. I don't know how you felt about us being ranked but I remember reading many on here who thought we deserved to be ranked at the end of the year last year. UNC was 2-9 last year. If we can't beat them then we don't deserve to finish ranked.

Here is their schedule and as you can see they played some close games to good teams like Syracuse but also lost to ECU, California, etc.: https://goheels.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=473

We were 11-2, almost beat Penn State, demolished the #2 CUSA team and return most of our squad. It is 100% fair to expect us to win 10-12 games in the regular season but we all know things can happen to derail that. Same can be said for UNC and South Carolina as well.

We really must beat UNC if we expect to ever be taken seriously. The next step for App State is beating P5 teams and UNC is one of those that we have a chance to defeat. I respect them and know that Mack Brown will improve that squad but as long as we improve some from last year I see no reason why we can't beat them.

As for Vegas I don't really care what the line is on games. I think the line was about 20 against Penn State and nowhere close to what happened against MTSU. I agree they will probably be favored slightly but if we are as good as everyone on here seemed to think and good enough to receive votes in the top 25 then we must beat them. It would not shock me though if our game was considered a pick em or UNC was just favored -1.5 or so. I don't know how they pick that stuff in games like this though so perhaps UNC will be favored by 8 or so.

[Rekdiver]

Never under estimate the impact of a new coach on a losing program with talent. UNC has some and the team gave up on Fedora.

[Rick83]

Also, referring to last year's UNC team, don't forget that they had like 13 players suspended for selling shoes for up to 4 games in most cases. This year's UNC team is most likely not going to be like last year's team for many reasons.
I believe we can beat them with the team we're taking to Chapel Hill, assuming we're healthy, but it's not going to be a cake-walk. The Tar Heels are not going want to lose to what many of them still consider an in-state FCS school. Their players and coaches will be highly motivated against us. The schedules do work in our favor for this game though and I love our chances.

[MAD Doctor]

When we play the Holes, we will have played what SHOULD be 2 easy games and a bye. They will have played Miami, at Wake, and South Carolina. They will be well tested and basically in mid-season form. Hopefully the bye helps us and doesn't hurt. Hopefully they are looking ahead to Clemson. Regardless, there are no excuses or moral victories. We are capable of winning this one, but we will have to play our very best for 4 quarters.

[sixtoes9134]

I really hope the UNC game gets an evening kick-off time.

[Boroneer10]

I can always tell which posters are UNC fans during basketball season by the way they discuss our upcoming football game with the Heels.

[T-Dog]

I really hope the UNC game gets an evening kick-off time.

I have no inside info, but I would bet the game kickoffs before 3 p.m., like say 12:30 p.m. Same with the UofSC game.

[sixtoes9134]

I really hope the UNC game gets an evening kick-off time.

I have no inside info, but I would bet the game kickoffs before 3 p.m., like say 12:30 p.m. Same with the UofSC game.

The SC game won't be a big deal if it starts early, due to it being November. But I live in the Triangle and it's freaking miserable here in September at noon.

[AtlAppMan]

I guess i should come to expect it from a few on here but if you’re penciling in UNC as an automatic win you really have another thing coming. They have plenty of talent and now they have the coaching to supplement that talent. Sure, we could definitely come out of there with a win but it’s just a likely a loss. And no we will NOT be favored by Vegas in Chapel Hill. Probably be UNC -3.5 or around there. And no, I’m not a guy who roots for UNC in basketball or anything else. Just calling it like i see it.

I don't think anybody on this board thinks UNC is an "automatic win". In fact, I am not sure if any opponent is an automatic. That is not what is being suggested. If we look at our schedule there are opponents we should definitely win, probably win, toss ups, and probably lose. Let's be real, we could LOSE all our games but that is very unlikely. We could WIN all of our games and that is possible but many things would have to fall into place and some good fortune come our way.

The game we are not supposed to win is USC but it should not be considered unwinnable. It depends on how both teams mature throughout the year. If we grow and improve our chances are better but if we plateau or go south it looks bad for us in Nov. The tough games that we can win but could go either way are Troy, UNC, GA South, ULL. We have to play at our peak level to win those games but that should be expected. The other games are not automatic but if we play to our abilities we should win.

[Rick83]

In the words of Eli Drinkwitz..."if you start counting wins on your schedule before they're played...football has a way of humbling you."

[AppSt94]

Drink said when he was hired this is a top 25 program. Does anyone think going 8-4 would be satisfactory after the Satt era? Would that performance be considered a BIG setback to our program? I hope the answers are obvious. The NEW bar has been set whether everybody on this board admit it or not.

Could it happen? Absolutely, but that would mean something is wrong. These predictions should be based on “most probable scenarios.

I believe we can go 13-0. That is not the most probable outcome and realize some unknowns may occur. The probability is we go 12-1 but then we could go up or down from that bar. 8-4 is way below and 13-0 is above.

So the question is “Will we underachieve or overachieve this year?”

Sounds like a number of folks on this board don’t have a lot of confidence in our new team and expect us to underachieve.

This is spot on. Something to keep in mind is that if there is something wrong, as fans, we may not know what it is. There are a lot of variables that go into a winning program and sometimes, things don't click all at once. I am not underestimating this team when I say that we could go 8-4 in the regular season. Our 4 toughest games are all on the road and we could be a better football team with a worse record than last year.

Not something mentioned above by AtlAppMan, but in general, I find it interesting how some of you are more pessimistic about Roof than Drink. Drink is a first time HC and coaching QBs and the OC along with HC duties. Roof has been coaching college football since before Eli could walk and has been a HC before. I am far less concerned with what Roof can do than I am with Eli. Defense wins championships and this guy has seen about everything you can see on that side of the ball.

8-4 would mean failure either with poor coaching, injuries, or the coaches not meshing with our players.

Remember that when you say Roof has been a coach for a long time and been a DC in P5 and a HC before that he would still be HC if he had not struggled and got fired. Drink is a rising coach who has never been fired while Roof has fallen off. Could Roof turn out to be key for us? For sure. I hope he does. I worry Roof has his sights set on getting back to P5 rather than doing something special for us. Nobody is pulling for him and Drink more than me and the rest of this board but I am just stating that I am a little worried but hoping for the best.

Your simplistic conclusions of complex situations never ceases to amaze me. Winning football games, at any level is hard work. It starts on Sunday before a game and all the prep of that week goes into into the final product. And by the way, the other team is prepping to win as well.

Roof was a HC at Duke in a period where no one succeeded. Yes, he was fired, but did you ever stop flapping your yap to consider that maybe he isn’t a HC anymore because he doesn’t want to be? How has Roof fallen off exactly? Aside from being the HC at Duke, he has been the DC for the better part of two decades.

So you are less concerned about Drink than Roof because Drink has never been fired? In his 9 year career, he has never been fired? Roof has been gainfully employed as a college coach since Eli was 6.

A word of advice, talking out of your ass will give you bad breath.

[AppSt94]

I guess i should come to expect it from a few on here but if you’re penciling in UNC as an automatic win you really have another thing coming. They have plenty of talent and now they have the coaching to supplement that talent. Sure, we could definitely come out of there with a win but it’s just a likely a loss. And no we will NOT be favored by Vegas in Chapel Hill. Probably be UNC -3.5 or around there. And no, I’m not a guy who roots for UNC in basketball or anything else. Just calling it like i see it.

I don't think anybody on this board thinks UNC is an "automatic win". In fact, I am not sure if any opponent is an automatic. That is not what is being suggested. If we look at our schedule there are opponents we should definitely win, probably win, toss ups, and probably lose. Let's be real, we could LOSE all our games but that is very unlikely. We could WIN all of our games and that is possible but many things would have to fall into place and some good fortune come our way.

The game we are not supposed to win is USC but it should not be considered unwinnable. It depends on how both teams mature throughout the year. If we grow and improve our chances are better but if we plateau or go south it looks bad for us in Nov. The tough games that we can win but could go either way are Troy, UNC, GA South, ULL. We have to play at our peak level to win those games but that should be expected. The other games are not automatic but if we play to our abilities we should win.

On paper, in May, I would agree with you abou SC. But we don’t know what shape they are going to be in physically or mentally leading to that game. By then they could have packed it in. Either way, it’s a OOC matchup so getting out of it unscathed is more important. Ga Southern doesn’t worry me too much. Home game for us on Halloween and I doubt we give them 5 TO’s to help their cause. There are variables in the matchup with Carolina that make it intriguing, but like someone said, they will probably open as a 3.5-4 favorite. It’s a good number to get action from both sides. Agree with you on Troy and ULL as well. The rest we should have little trouble with.

[Rekdiver]

Drink said when he was hired this is a top 25 program. Does anyone think going 8-4 would be satisfactory after the Satt era? Would that performance be considered a BIG setback to our program? I hope the answers are obvious. The NEW bar has been set whether everybody on this board admit it or not.

Could it happen? Absolutely, but that would mean something is wrong. These predictions should be based on “most probable scenarios.

I believe we can go 13-0. That is not the most probable outcome and realize some unknowns may occur. The probability is we go 12-1 but then we could go up or down from that bar. 8-4 is way below and 13-0 is above.

So the question is “Will we underachieve or overachieve this year?”

Sounds like a number of folks on this board don’t have a lot of confidence in our new team and expect us to underachieve.

This is spot on. Something to keep in mind is that if there is something wrong, as fans, we may not know what it is. There are a lot of variables that go into a winning program and sometimes, things don't click all at once. I am not underestimating this team when I say that we could go 8-4 in the regular season. Our 4 toughest games are all on the road and we could be a better football team with a worse record than last year.

Not something mentioned above by AtlAppMan, but in general, I find it interesting how some of you are more pessimistic about Roof than Drink. Drink is a first time HC and coaching QBs and the OC along with HC duties. Roof has been coaching college football since before Eli could walk and has been a HC before. I am far less concerned with what Roof can do than I am with Eli. Defense wins championships and this guy has seen about everything you can see on that side of the ball.

8-4 would mean failure either with poor coaching, injuries, or the coaches not meshing with our players.

Remember that when you say Roof has been a coach for a long time and been a DC in P5 and a HC before that he would still be HC if he had not struggled and got fired. Drink is a rising coach who has never been fired while Roof has fallen off. Could Roof turn out to be key for us? For sure. I hope he does. I worry Roof has his sights set on getting back to P5 rather than doing something special for us. Nobody is pulling for him and Drink more than me and the rest of this board but I am just stating that I am a little worried but hoping for the best.

Your simplistic conclusions of complex situations never ceases to amaze me. Winning football games, at any level is hard work. It starts on Sunday before a game and all the prep of that week goes into into the final product. And by the way, the other team is prepping to win as well.

Roof was a HC at Duke in a period where no one succeeded. Yes, he was fired, but did you ever stop flapping your yap to consider that maybe he isn’t a HC anymore because he doesn’t want to be? How has Roof fallen off exactly? Aside from being the HC at Duke, he has been the DC for the better part of two decades.

So you are less concerned about Drink than Roof because Drink has never been fired? In his 9 year career, he has never been fired? Roof has been gainfully employed as a college coach since Eli was 6.

A word of advice, talking out of your ass will give you bad breath.

I thing it's ok to have differing opinions....I see no need to get personal with the "talking out your ass" comment or other negative comments.

[AppSt94]

Think of it as a PSA.

[1ASU78]

Drink said when he was hired this is a top 25 program. Does anyone think going 8-4 would be satisfactory after the Satt era? Would that performance be considered a BIG setback to our program? I hope the answers are obvious. The NEW bar has been set whether everybody on this board admit it or not.

Could it happen? Absolutely, but that would mean something is wrong. These predictions should be based on “most probable scenarios.

I believe we can go 13-0. That is not the most probable outcome and realize some unknowns may occur. The probability is we go 12-1 but then we could go up or down from that bar. 8-4 is way below and 13-0 is above.

So the question is “Will we underachieve or overachieve this year?”

Sounds like a number of folks on this board don’t have a lot of confidence in our new team and expect us to underachieve.

This is spot on. Something to keep in mind is that if there is something wrong, as fans, we may not know what it is. There are a lot of variables that go into a winning program and sometimes, things don't click all at once. I am not underestimating this team when I say that we could go 8-4 in the regular season. Our 4 toughest games are all on the road and we could be a better football team with a worse record than last year.

Not something mentioned above by AtlAppMan, but in general, I find it interesting how some of you are more pessimistic about Roof than Drink. Drink is a first time HC and coaching QBs and the OC along with HC duties. Roof has been coaching college football since before Eli could walk and has been a HC before. I am far less concerned with what Roof can do than I am with Eli. Defense wins championships and this guy has seen about everything you can see on that side of the ball.

8-4 would mean failure either with poor coaching, injuries, or the coaches not meshing with our players.

Remember that when you say Roof has been a coach for a long time and been a DC in P5 and a HC before that he would still be HC if he had not struggled and got fired. Drink is a rising coach who has never been fired while Roof has fallen off. Could Roof turn out to be key for us? For sure. I hope he does. I worry Roof has his sights set on getting back to P5 rather than doing something special for us. Nobody is pulling for him and Drink more than me and the rest of this board but I am just stating that I am a little worried but hoping for the best.

Your simplistic conclusions of complex situations never ceases to amaze me. Winning football games, at any level is hard work. It starts on Sunday before a game and all the prep of that week goes into into the final product. And by the way, the other team is prepping to win as well.

Roof was a HC at Duke in a period where no one succeeded. Yes, he was fired, but did you ever stop flapping your yap to consider that maybe he isn’t a HC anymore because he doesn’t want to be? How has Roof fallen off exactly? Aside from being the HC at Duke, he has been the DC for the better part of two decades.

So you are less concerned about Drink than Roof because Drink has never been fired? In his 9 year career, he has never been fired? Roof has been gainfully employed as a college coach since Eli was 6.

A word of advice, talking out of your ass will give you bad breath.

Who made you a freaking expert? Your opinion is just that your opinion. And for all we know you pulled it out of your ass cause it stinks.

[NoLongerLurking]

The world has gone mad.