Topic: SOS

[BHFIOHIO]

Phil Steele says Marshall is 45. Teams with not so tough a schedule are USPAM, Pitt, Illinois, Syracuse etc. If I am going to talk about bowl eligibility and my teams expectations I am at least going to mention this. Almost every one of the neg posts in that thread ignores this fact. IMAGINE THAT!

[greenskeeper]

Imagine that.  8)

[W0lfman]

what thread BH?

[ought-three]

BHF, seriously...

1) The hardest schedule in CUSA
2) Massive attrition the last five years - many of those being key recruits
2a) 15 scholarship seniors
3) Still no big-time player at QB

We are a legit BCS buster this year. LOL

I get it, though. We are all passionate about our team. Some fans go all-in, gung-ho all the way. Others carefully gauge their expectations. In the stadium, the two groups don't interact a lot. Here, they clash.

[herdfan09]

I bet the teams you listed with the weaker schedules go bowling and we dont.. Its ok though because atleast we had a tough schedule because we all know you have to play the best to be the best, bullcrap. Schedule teams you can beat and give yourself a chance to go to a bowl game.

[BHFIOHIO]

Wolf, I was referring to the bowl eligibility thread. Some are finding it hard to take that we might not be world beaters again. I'm one of them. Rome wasnt built in a day tho and it might be hard to fix in one or two yrs what was 8 yrs or longer in the unfixing so to speak. Tennessee was another school with a less diff schedule according to Steele. Some still dont appreciate the daunting task that lies ahead this yr. Whether you think so or not, Houston, Tulsa, UCF, USPAM, Louisville and Ohio all on the road with a new QB puts us in the hole. If you cant stick with your team thru some bad times maybe you oughta try the Yankees or some team that pretty much is always on top. That way you wont have to whine.

[ought-three]

In that thread, one person is counting on a surprise out of the backfield; Two say "have faith"; one says its possible with no missteps; one suggests that we'll develop our talent; one calls us a surprise team. For the most part, that's what even the Kool-Aid guzzlers are saying about this season. In years past, anyone could offer a litany of players who would make an impact in the upcoming season. These days, we just hope someone "steps up". I think the player development angle is the most plausible of all. It helps when we get a return on our investment instead of watching it walk away or get dismissed.

[BHFIOHIO]

I aint counting on jack. I've learned better over 50 yrs watching the Herd. I havent said we wont bowl either. Bowl or not, I dont post stuff I think might not sound so hot to a cruit who happens to read this board. Just support the team ..period.

[bbcard1]

Virtually every team in America has some unanswered questions. We should be fine...it's up to our guys.  VT is the only game we "should" lose. Question is how many we will lose and that's very much up to the team.

[Thundering In MD]

In that thread, one person is counting on a surprise out of the backfield; Two say "have faith"; one says its possible with no missteps; one suggests that we'll develop our talent; one calls us a surprise team. For the most part, that's what even the Kool-Aid guzzlers are saying about this season. In years past, anyone could offer a litany of players who would make an impact in the upcoming season. These days, we just hope someone "steps up". I think the player development angle is the most plausible of all. It helps when we get a return on our investment instead of watching it walk away or get dismissed.

I set up that poll for something fun to do before practice started.  The results were close to what I was expecting, but flipped.  To date, the results are 58% believe we will get six wins, and 42% don't.

I'm the one that said that I thought there could be a "surprise in the backfield."  To clarify, I wasn't saying that there is going to be a superstar in the backfield that was going to get us back into the top 25.  All I was saying is that I think that one of the QBs maybe sound enough to get us to six wins.

[IM4DHERD]

If given the chance, what would anyone change?  Give up the WVU game?  Give up a game with L'Ville?  Give up a home game with Va Tech?  Who would have figured OU would be picked to compete for a MAC championship?  In-conference scheduling is always a roll of the dice.  Sure, overall it is a tough schedule, but I wouldn't give up any individual game.  I think WVU and L'ville are the kind of games we are looking for.  A home game with a top ten team is a dream for the program.  We just need to man up.

[ought-three]

I'm the one that said that I thought there could be a "surprise in the backfield."  To clarify, I wasn't saying that there is going to be a superstar in the backfield that was going to get us back into the top 25.  All I was saying is that I think that one of the QBs maybe sound enough to get us to six wins.

   That's fine to think that. I think it is telling to contrast the conversation these days with days gone by. Back when, we named impact players by name - and there were several each year (Leftwich, Watts, Davis, McPeek, Hill, McCloud, Goddard, Yates, Derricott, Bradshaw, Williams, McClellan, etc etc etc.) . These days, we're looking, and thinking, and hoping, and suspecting - oh, and we have Vinny Curry. I think it reveals the lack of proven talent on this year's team. In spite of that, and the fact we're playing our toughest schedule ever, there are still people who boldly predict we will win at least six games. I can't imagine they say it with a straight face, but who knows? Your comment was just a miniscule part of the overall point, so don't take it the hard way too badly. I think we're two years from a bowl - no less. I think part of what BHF is saying is there are other people who find their inner troll when other fans try to be realistic and gauge their expectations carefully.

[bbcard1]

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in their division. A new season is a new season if you can get your team to believe it.

[Buffalo Bop]

I still think this program will turn around when Doc finds a QB to lead this team. Hopefully, AJ can overcome his ankle problems and be that guy. Or perhaps maybe Rakeem Cato. He played on the one of the most talented HS teams in America and against some of the best competition in HS. Some other notable QBs from that same area (and big school Class 6A) are Geno Smith, Jeff Godfrey and Teddy Bridgewater. Cato went head-to-head with Bridgewater's team and won twice. Even though Cato's team had a four-star RB (that signed with FSU), he became the county's all-time passing career leader.

Now that's some exciting stuff, if u ask me.

[ought-three]

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in their division. A new season is a new season if you can get your team to believe it.

With a roster of 20-25, and only 30 teams vying for virtually all the talent, there is a lot more parity. A couple of player pickups or lucky breaks and you're a contender. That's a bit different than rosters three times that size and only half of the teams getting a legit shot at the top talent. The few exceptions don't disprove the rule. In other words, I think you're using apples and oranges here.

[Herdmeister]

If given the chance, what would anyone change?  Give up the WVU game?  Give up a game with L'Ville?  Give up a home game with Va Tech?  Who would have figured OU would be picked to compete for a MAC championship?  In-conference scheduling is always a roll of the dice.  Sure, overall it is a tough schedule, but I wouldn't give up any individual game.  I think WVU and L'ville are the kind of games we are looking for.  A home game with a top ten team is a dream for the program.  We just need to man up.

OU has been in the middle of the MAC Championship hunt ever year for a while now. That is NO surprise.