Why we're upset about being 10-2

Nov 28, 2022, 9:41 AM

I'm usually one of the pumpers on here, and still kinda feel that way - I know the sky isn't falling - we're playing in the ACCCG this weekend, we have another 10-win season. So many people are asking why we're so upset about being 10-2, winning the division, and playing in the ACCCG. Here's my 5 cents (2 cents being adjusted for inflation).

Most of the frustration keys on Saturday's loss. I won't even mention what team beat us because that's not the biggest reason I'm upset. I'm upset because:

* We weren't soundly beaten by a better team, like a Bama or LSU in previous years. We were beaten by a team that, by all measures, was a lesser team. NOBODY picked them to win.
* We had a formula working - run the dang ball - and, for whatever reason, gave up on that when it mattered most. We know what works this year and what doesn't. Yet somehow we seemingly forgot that.
* We didn't just give up on the winning formula, we went to a known losing formula - the passing game. The stats bear that out and don't need to be mentioned again.
* When one of our players was unable to perform consistently, we left him in the game. Who it is and what position isn't as important as we left a starter in that was incapable of getting things done when there is - to the best of everyone's knowledge - a very capable 5-star backing him up and that backup didn't even get one snap. It doesn't help that that player was the quarterback - the most important player on the offense.
* We gave up a 14-point lead
* We had bad turnovers (not that there are good ones, but sometimes a helmet hits the ball or the player takes a hit or the DB makes a killer INT). These were just bad. And costly.
* Seemingly, everything that doomed us was preventable. They kept pounding what worked - the downfield passing game. We didn't stick with what worked. They went to the running game just enough to keep our D honest. We committed to a QB that couldn't get the job done.
* More important to me than losing the game was losing the home winning streak. That was 6 years of hard work by 6 different teams. Only to be squandered. Why? Because....?
* The loss also erased any chance of the playoffs, which were slim to begin the game with.

I'm happy to have another 10-win season. Make no mistake. But we could be better. Much better. Not perfect - I get that. I'm not expecting that. But everything that screwed us on Saturday was preventable. Everything. SC played another killer game, found what worked, and stuck with it. We did not.

I'm certain that every Clemson player played their absolute best. I'm also certain that the best for every player was not good enough to get the job done. For those that had 5-star or other capable backups waiting behind them, the backup should've been given a shot, and maybe was in some cases other than the obvious.

So anyway - that's why I'm not content with 10-2. Ten years ago I would be. But the bar is higher now. Recruiting is better. Expectations are higher. We should not be settling for anything less than the best this team can do, and I have a hard time believing we couldn't have done better on Saturday.

flag link

military_tech

thumb_down

thumb_up

Why we're upset about being 10-2

Re: Why we're upset about being 10-2

Re: Why we're upset about being 10-2

Re: Why we're upset about being 10-2

Being a 3 TD favorite against a marginal ND team

against a soft ACC schedule

that's part of the problem........

Re: Why we're upset about being 10-2

I’m not upset because we are 10-2

Agree. We could be 8-4 with tough losses while making

Re: Why we're upset about being 10-2

TigerBoard POTD