Expectations for 2017-18 season | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Expectations for 2017-18 season

4-8. But I agree, the team is teetering on an edge. Could as easily be 6-6 in the RS as 3-9. (Doubt it could go as low as 2-10.) No clue, really. And the sports writers don't either, quite frankly.
 
I'm cautiously optimistic. 7 wins.
Holy Cross, SMU, Virginia, UCF, ECU... wins and then two of BCU, USF, Missouri, Temple, and Memphis.

There's been a lot of coaching changes and some of these schools were just as bad as us last year. We're due for a break.
 
If by some miracle John Franklin III shows up in August, 9-3 based on the fact he would be one of if not the best athlete in the AAC
 
.-.
View attachment 21825

I just want to call out this chart to show how epic our offense was last year in awfulness.

This is my way of saying, it can only go up from here. I got us at 5-7. 3 wins like last year, and 2 other games where Edsall's simple strategy of playing competent, mistake-free football wins us games.

I have those wins coming against:

vs Holy Cross - W
vs South Florida - L
@ Virginia - L
@ SMU - L
vs Memphis - W
@ Temple - L
vs Tulsa - W
vs Missouri - L
vs East Carolina - W
@ UCF - W
vs Boston College - L
@ Cincinnati - L
 
I wouldn't be shocked with 3-4 wins but 6 wins is not crazy talk. The upgrade in coaching alone gives me hope we can go bowling.
 
I would love to get to 5 wins. That would be a great Vitamin B12 shot for program. With that being said, I would be able to live with 3-9 again as long as we were competitive in the 9 losses. I am aware of the SBNation article that puts us with a 33% or less chance to win any of our games after Holy Cross. We shall see.
 
Kemba429 said:
Is he transferring?
Expand ...
Well perhaps when he realizes he's going to be the 3rd string QB as a 5th year transfer he'll change his mind #wishfulthinking
 
.-.
HomeKing93 said:
I wouldn't be shocked with 3-4 wins but 6 wins is not crazy talk. The upgrade in coaching alone gives me hope we can go bowling.
Expand ...

When you consider last season, three more wins would certainly have been doable with adults in charge of the coaching. Navy and UCF were obviously winnable games. We didn't lose all that much via graduation, and with newcomers getting coached properly, three more wins shouldn't be completely out of the question. We will have to steal a few to get there.
 
As others have said, I just want to see progress. I'd like to eek out at least 4 wins and feel like I'm moving forward, but given how far we've fallen, I just want to think we're moving in the right direction, that the team is getting better, not worse. If we get more than 4 wins, I'm ecstatic. If we get less than 3, well... that's what the booze is for.
 
3 wins is my guess but I think we could be surprised. I wanna see progress like others but my number one thing I'd love to see after this upcoming season ends is hope at the QB position. I just want to see someone back there who will show that we have hope at that position moving forward. We have a lot of folks coming in to play there. I just wanna end the season feeling like we have our future QB on the roster or at least one that will make this offense be effective. (I know it's possible our future QB may redshirt for all I know).

I'd also like to see hope on the O Line too!
 
I want to see bowl eligibility, but I really don't have the first clue which games they will win or lose. Not necessarily because I can't get a feel for the this team, but, other than Holy Cross, I don't have a feel for any of their opponents. They play Memphis and SMU for the first time in 4 years, and Tulsa for the first time ever.

S.W.A.G.

vs Holy Cross - W
vs South Florida - L
@ Virginia - L
@ SMU - W
vs Memphis - L
@ Temple - L
vs Tulsa -L
vs Missouri - W
vs East Carolina - W
@ UCF - W
vs Boston College - W
@ Cincinnati - L
 
I'm at 6-6 or a bit better. Coach Edsall brings solid, proven discipline, something sorely lacking last year. Defense will be better, and much less predictable. Offense will improve dramatically as the season progresses and the players feel success for a change. Biggest worry is injuries to starters. Second teams will improve as the season progresses. I'm very hopeful.
 
I'll say 5-6 wins. I honestly think last year's team had the talent for that before Bob screwed them against Navy and they threw in the towel.

So looking at the bright side. Much better coaching on both sides of the ball. Vastly superior QB options. An OL that may finally be learning how to block. Two solid RBs. Some talent at WR, and in the secondary. A new attacking defense. All in all we've got a roster that is maybe slightly improved over the one that won 6 games two years ago with Bob at the helm. One thing Bob did was play the young guys, and they have some more experience now.
 
.-.
You have to take into account we've been beaten into expecting the worst. Still I think 6-6 is a reasonable expectation because of the change in coaching staff and the depth at QB. Pindell coming in doesn't give us nearly the dropoff we had last year with a green QB learning the ropes. He just looks like a more confident in control guy and wouldn't be surprised to find out he can throw and run on par or better than what we've seen. Hoping we can avoid throwing any of the other prospects into the fire. They have a bright future and we can go 2 or 3 deep while they get settled in.
 
The big question is, can RE and company take what sound like middling players and turn them into good players? Can they take a few good players and turn them into great players? And are the coaches good and smart enough to be able to get the right combo of players and style of play onto the field?
 
wolfman61 said:
The big question is, can RE and company take what sound like middling players and turn them into good players? Can they take a few good players and turn them into great players? And are the coaches good and smart enough to be able to get the right combo of players and style of play onto the field?
Expand ...

You left out one big key...

rogers-mod-sled-5-man-869.jpg
 
I was going to say 4-8, but I believe in Randy so I'll say 5-7.

6-6 if the football gods like us.
 
.-.
IMind said:
I'm cautiously optimistic.There's been a lot of coaching changes and some of these schools were just as bad as us last year. We're due for a break.
Expand ...

Here are my early expectations for this year. I can’t wait to see if my perceptions change after Blue-White Game.

There are 128 FBS teams. Here’s a list of our upcoming 2017 opponents and where they finished statistically in 2016.

OFFENSE
USF—8
TULS—35
MEM—37
MIZZ—42
E. CAR—71
SMU—72
TMPL—79
UVA—89
CIN—105
UCF—117
BC—124
UConn—127

DEFENSE
TMPL—16
BC—21
UCF—30
CIN—53
MEM—72
UVA—78
UConn—87
MIZZ—89
SMU—91
TULS—104
USF—110

BEST IMPROVEMENT/WORSENING DEFENSE (2015 compared to 2016)
UCF--moved up 82 positions in the rankings
TULS—up 50 positions
CIN—up 44
SMU—up 33
TMPL—up 8
MEM—up 7
UVA—moved down 1 position in the rankings
BC—down 19
E CAR—down 35
UConn—down 55
USF—down 61
MIZZ—down 79


THE COMBINED 2016 OFFENSE AND DEFENSE RANKINGS
TMPL—32—they’ve lost very good coach Matt Rhule
MEM—44—they lost great kicker/special teams. New coach last year replaced program builder Fuentes
TULS—54—No significant changes. Under-appreciated team
USF—55—With new HC Charlie Strong, defense should be better. Possible Heisman winner on team
MIZZ—69—New Coach last year. Had great O--Dismal D
UCF—75—Improving quickly under Scott Frost
CINCY—85—New HC Luke Fickell should be a plus. Players tuned out Tuberville.
BC—86—No Changes. No surprises.
UVA—88—New Coach last year Bronco Mendenhall. They seem to consistently underperform.
SMU—90—No Changes. HC Morris wants to be respected in state of Texas like Tom Hermann—not there yet.
E CAR—100—New Coach last year. Lost big time receiver.
UCONN—123—Edsall's back with better assistant coaches--new scheme —better attitude—players committed to improve


LIKELY WINS
Holy Cross
E. Carolina
Memphis

POSSIBLE to PROBABLE WINS---if we build momentum
Mizzou—In 2016 Mizzou was the country’s biggest riser on offense. It was also the single biggest faller on defense.
UVA
Temple
SMU
BC

PROBABLE to POSSIBLE LOSSES-- based on how their improving situation compares to ours.
Cincy
UCF--UCF went in one season from one of the worst defenses in college football to a solid one.

LIKELY LOSSES
Tulsa—Explosive and underrated
USF—Last year USF QB Quinton Flowers completed a higher percentage of passes--with a lower interception rate---than Heisman winner Lamar Jackson. He also came close to matching him in rushing yards. New coach Charlie Strong will improve the defense. Look for USF to be in a New Years Day Bowl.

BOTTOM LINE
Right now I can foresee 8-4. After tomorrow--and Holy Cross---I'll reassess. But our year will hinge on the USF game. Coming off a great summer and a Thursday night win vs Holy Cross, we then get USF the following Saturday here at home. Extra practice/film study time will help. Amidst all the hype, if we keep it close—and show something on offense--we can become the surprise team of the year. If we fold early and are burned deep and buried often by their great running QB Flowers, it will be a very long slog back to respectability.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,285
Messages
4,561,399
Members
10,455
Latest member
UConnGabby


Top Bottom