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[EastHallApp]

Let me say this another way bcoach - please name as many teams as you can that increased their win total by 2 or more in their first season moving from FCS to FBS.

What does it matter? Forget the move and just look at the schedule. Pretend we are the still FCS and look at that schedule. You don't think we could win 6 games? Forget last year. last years problems were more than coaching and talent.

Oh sure. To quote my post before that one:

I'm not saying we won't win 6 this year. I just hope if we do, fans will appreciate it as a successful season rather than a birthright.

But it's easy to say "forget last year." I promise you we aren't the only fanbase who is explaining away a disappointing season as a fluke right now. We have real questions to answer at many key positions.

[bcoach]

Let me say this another way bcoach - please name as many teams as you can that increased their win total by 2 or more in their first season moving from FCS to FBS.

What does it matter? Forget the move and just look at the schedule. Pretend we are the still FCS and look at that schedule. You don't think we could win 6 games? Forget last year. last years problems were more than coaching and talent.

Oh sure. To quote my post before that one:

I'm not saying we won't win 6 this year. I just hope if we do, fans will appreciate it as a successful season rather than a birthright.

But it's easy to say "forget last year." I promise you we aren't the only fanbase who is explaining away a disappointing season as a fluke right now. We have real questions to answer at many key positions.

I think the fans will be very accepting of a 6 win season. The players and coaches will be expecting more but that is how it should be.
As far as last year I have no idea about other teams but ours was a freak that was more than coaching and talent. I will also say that it can not be explained away. It should just disappear in our minds.

[bcoach]

Let me say this another way bcoach - please name as many teams as you can that increased their win total by 2 or more in their first season moving from FCS to FBS.

What does it matter? Forget the move and just look at the schedule. Pretend we are the still FCS and look at that schedule. You don't think we could win 6 games? Forget last year. last years problems were more than coaching and talent.

Oh sure. To quote my post before that one:

I'm not saying we won't win 6 this year. I just hope if we do, fans will appreciate it as a successful season rather than a birthright.

But it's easy to say "forget last year." I promise you we aren't the only fanbase who is explaining away a disappointing season as a fluke right now. We have real questions to answer at many key positions.

I think the fans will be very accepting of a 6 win season. The players and coaches will be expecting more but that is how it should be.
As far as last year I have no idea about other teams but ours was a freak that was more than coaching and talent. I will also say that it can not be explained away. It should just disappear in our minds.

I'll bet we can agree on that.

[mtnjax]

Not sure I agree with your comparisons and I don't use last year as a gauge for anything. I don't discount your opinion, I just have a different one is all.
So let's put it this way. Tell me why we should not win the following
Campbell
So Miss
Liberty
Ga State
Ga Southern
Idaho
That is my 6 and I'm sticking to it

well, for one thing we're not playing NMSU next year...

i agree with that list, though added Ga Southern as a replacement

[AppAttack]

Guys, I don't think last year's team was much (if any) different from recent teams. We stupidly lost so many close games that we got lucky to win in previous years. 4-8 vs. 8-4 sounds like a huge difference but in this case it's really not. Stop focusing on last year's record, the talent has been the same since 2010. If we scraped by again last year at 8-4 what would everyone be predicting? Probably 8-4 again next season.

[mtnjax]

Guys, I don't think last year's team was much (if any) different from recent teams. We stupidly lost so many close games that we got lucky to win in previous years. 4-8 vs. 8-4 sounds like a huge difference but in this case it's really not. Stop focusing on last year's record, the talent has been the same since 2010. If we scraped by again last year at 8-4 what would everyone be predicting? Probably 8-4 again next season.

Agree. Think back to 2012 and how many close games we won that we really should have lost. we could have easily been 6-5 or 5-6 in 2012

[asutrnr81]

I just can't agree with that. If we only have 4 wins we have problems. This is probably the weakest schedule we will ever have. In fact I pray it is the weakest schedule we will ever have. Just my opinion but if I thought we would only win 4 games with this schedule I would be very depressed.

Wow. I can't even begin to grasp how depressed you must have been with the 4 wins we mustered with last year's schedule.

You hit that nail on the head. Last season was just plain embarrassing. I sat there during games and wondered if I was dreaming. Worst display of football for the available talent I have ever seen. There may be a hundred excuses for our performance last year but they are just that. EXCUSES !! It was horrible.

You are right but the is one issue that is NOT an excuse it is IMO the REASON for our problems. Just like RGIII and any number of "players" who have had ACL surgery....it is NOT easy to return from in less than 12 months and BOTH of our "available" quarterbacks were coming off this surgery. Jamal when he/we realized he could not play at a high level was too late to do "anything" about it. It may have been smart to try to red-shirt him but I think (don't know) that there was a master plan in play with Lamb. We had to have Kam play and hope he could play at a high level....but the truth of the matter was that he had very few live snaps and hardly any time with the 1's. Without Quarterback play at any level of football....Houston, we have a problem. By the end of the year Kam was much better, but Jamal still had a serious confidence problem landing on his surgically repaired leg. (Hence high throws). I watched Satts last game at FIU with a quarterback that could not run the offense he wanted and it did not matter how simple it was. This is the spot we found ourselves and if you do not have someone to get the ball to the playmakers you are in trouble. And God Bless Logan before anyone goes there.

Going into this year with Kam and a year of experience we should be better. That and the Elephant in the room that Lamb may be the heir apparent....and who know knows where Caruso et.al fit in. This season at least we will have more options...but not much experience! At least we are not going into the year with the assumption that our (All-American starting quarterback) coming off of ACL surgery is going to be just fine!

I'd say the fact that Kam, Lamb, and Caruso are on campus is a sign that the competition will be open to at least 3 people! We played well enough to win more than 4 games at every position except QB.....and it was no-ones fault. Coming off ACL surgery is not easy....ask RGIII.

[JTApps1]

Not sure I agree with your comparisons and I don't use last year as a gauge for anything. I don't discount your opinion, I just have a different one is all.
So let's put it this way. Tell me why we should not win the following
Campbell
So Miss
Liberty
Ga State
NMSU
Idaho
That is my 6 and I'm sticking to it

Campbell and Liberty should be definite wins. 95% chance to win

Southern Miss is winnable but it will be harder than you think. 50%

Ga State and Idaho are the worst in SB but both could beat us. I think we'll win but not guaranteed. 70%

We dont play NMSU so replace with Ga. Southern. 50%

I know you want to forget about last year, but I don't see how you can't be concerned that some of last years issues might come in to play? Especially early in the season.

[Saint3333]

We will be favored in four games next year, Campbell, Liberty, Idaho, and GA St.

If I were setting lines right now I'd say:

um +35
Campbell - 24
Liberty - 14
southern Miss +4
Idaho - 5
GA St. - 7
ULM +3
USA +5
ULL +14
Ark. st. +13
GSU +3
Troy +7

I hope our fanbase is patient, but I fear they will not understand.

[Kgfish]

bcoach wrote:
Not sure I agree with your comparisons and I don't use last year as a gauge for anything. I don't discount your opinion, I just have a different one is all.
So let's put it this way. Tell me why we should not win the following
Campbell
So Miss
Liberty
Ga State
NMSU
Idaho
That is my 6 and I'm sticking to it

We don't play NMSU so that reduces your W's to 5. We should beat Campbell and Liberty but after those two who knows. It's called a move UP for a reason. IMO, a good number of our fans haven't taken that into consideration. With the exception of Ga State, SB schools have been recruiting at a higher level for many years. By all rights they should clearly have a personnel advantage. Do they? That's the $64,000 question. What I do know is we struggled against FCS schools, a majority we have distinct advantages over. Now we are the ones at a disadvantage. That is why I cannot share the optimism some have. I am excited to see how we stack up, but until we see the level of competition first hand I don't know how anyone can be totally confident of 6-7 wins. After all, We're Not in Kansas Anymore!

[rbarthle17]

I hope our fanbase is patient, but I fear they will not understand.

You and others use words like this because deep down you know the truth. They won't be patient. They won't understand. Which is why winning 6 games or more this fall is critical to the program. There is no need to sugarcoat it. Go 4-8 again in 2014 and you'll see really fast who the diehard fans are.

[Saint3333]

Rob it is unlikely we will go .500, I can wish all I want. We have quite a few fair weather fans. Things are going to be tough the next couple of years. The good news is we should 4 of the 6 home games.

The product on the field will be better this year, I have no doubt about that.

I'll be there, success will be sweet down the road.

[EastHallApp]

Honestly I'm less concerned about the fanbase than I am recruiting. Yes we need to win for fundraising purposes, but any fans who are discouraged will jump back on board soon enough with a good year in 2015. We need to play well enough to show recruits that we're moving in the right direction.

[appst89]

I am a little disappointed to see people already making excuses. I expect us to win every game we play every year regardless of the opponent. Now, I know that isn't going to happen, but I am never going in to the start of the season trying to figure out ways to explain losses.

The fact is, another season like last year will be very damaging to our football program. People can sit on their pedastals and pass judgement on the uneducated masses all they want, but it isn't going to change the facts.

[Saint3333]

The fact that 70% of our opponents have had 3+ FBS recruiting years vs. our 1 is a very important fact I'd say.

Being a fan you want to win every game and root like hell for them, but expecting a winning season in the first year playing 10 FBS schools isn't setting realistic expectations.

I'm willing to be patient as we develop depth at this level. I do expect us to be competitive in all games except for Michigan and staying within striking distant of each opponent. 12 games vs this level is much different than playing up for one game a year.

[WVAPPeer]

"I hope our fanbase is patient, but I fear they will not understand."


I'm with you on this Saint but unfortunately we have a documented history on this board that that (being patient) will not happen - After 2 games last season some ON THIS BOARD wanted coaches fired - I doubt those people have had a brain enlargement in the last several months

[bcoach]

Not sure I agree with your comparisons and I don't use last year as a gauge for anything. I don't discount your opinion, I just have a different one is all.
So let's put it this way. Tell me why we should not win the following
Campbell
So Miss
Liberty
Ga State
Ga Southern
Idaho
That is my 6 and I'm sticking to it

well, for one thing we're not playing NMSU next year...

i agree with that list, though added Ga Southern as a replacement

Not sure where I got NMSU in my head but what the heck let's put them down for a win in 15
After long and careful thought I am going to go with you on GA southern and stick with my 6 wins.

[luvyosef]

Only games I see as definites are Campbell and Liberty. Now I do think we will win between 4-6 games for sure, but the others will all be dogfights. Ga State finished 0-12 but their head coach, Trent Miles, took an Indiana State team that at one point last decade was 1-50 and turned them around into an FCS playoff caliber team. Idaho is only going to get better under Paul Petrino and they have talent rich California to pick and choose prospects, not to mention a great RB they landed out of Florida who will come in and probably play right away.

Losses, most likely, will be Michigan, UL-L, and Ark State. The rest are toss ups but I am excited about this journey into FBS and I see nothing but positives. FWIW, I don't think we will be in the SunBelt pass 2020, not the way the landscape keeps changing. Just me. Go App!

[JTApps1]

I am a little disappointed to see people already making excuses. I expect us to win every game we play every year regardless of the opponent. Now, I know that isn't going to happen, but I am never going in to the start of the season trying to figure out ways to explain losses.

The fact is, another season like last year will be very damaging to our football program. People can sit on their pedastals and pass judgement on the uneducated masses all they want, but it isn't going to change the facts.

I'm not making excuses, I'm trying to be realistic in my expectations for our first year in FBS. I actually think we'll win 5 or 6, but I don't want to see people go off the deep end if it's less. Scott has a big challenge ahead as he tries to rebuild and move up at the same time.

[EastHallApp]

I am a little disappointed to see people already making excuses. I expect us to win every game we play every year regardless of the opponent. Now, I know that isn't going to happen, but I am never going in to the start of the season trying to figure out ways to explain losses.

The fact is, another season like last year will be very damaging to our football program. People can sit on their pedastals and pass judgement on the uneducated masses all they want, but it isn't going to change the facts.

I don't think it's "making excuses" to recognize that several of our opponents this year are likely to simply be better than we are.

You can certainly take whatever approach you like, but I don't think you need to be "disappointed" in fans who choose to ground their expectations in reality.