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CU Guru [1741]
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Love the enthusiasm, but peel it back a notch.
May 4, 2015, 2:24 AM
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1) In the last three NFL Drafts FSU has had 5 OL drafted, South Carowina has had 3, and Clemson? Just 1. In a completely related topic, Clemson is 1-5 against these two the last 3 seasons.
Conclusion, it starts up front with the OL. If we develop guys who can mash and protect, it could be real fun. But this is THE one position still stuck the Tommy Bowden era. (Hopefully the last class is the start of something good.)
2) We lost a ton of talent, leadership, and heart off the D. I refuse to expect the new starters to live up to that level of play. It's unfair to them. My hope is they get better week to week. Thankfully, most of the offenses we play will be replacing key skill talent- except ND.
And 3) Deshaun Watson. The man has to stay healthy. I'd like to believe his injuries were freak things- the hand vs UL, and the non contact knee vs GT. Additionally, D coordinators will still be trying new fronts/coverages/blitzes on Deshaun. Louisville was doing a good job before he got hurt. So odds are Deshaun is due for an off game.
I'm not trying to #### any one off, but I do see this 12-0/11-1 stuff and I just can't get there with you. Yes the offense could be better than anything we've ever seen, which is scary. Will it lead to 12-0? I just think we have too many big question marks.
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Hall of Famer [24777]
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I understand the reservation but it's always this way...
May 4, 2015, 2:30 AM
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Faith and a little luck....
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Oculus Spirit [93668]
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You probably ought to turn it up a bit.
May 4, 2015, 6:02 AM
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Dabo has strung and tuned this banjo. It's time for some real music.
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Hall of Famer [20541]
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Re: Love the enthusiasm, but peel it back a notch.
May 4, 2015, 6:13 AM
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> 1) In the last three NFL Drafts FSU has had 5 OL
> drafted, South Carowina has had 3, and Clemson? Just
> 1. In a completely related topic, Clemson is 1-5
> against these two the last 3 seasons.
>
> Conclusion, it starts up front with the OL. If we
> develop guys who can mash and protect, it could be
> real fun. But this is THE one position still stuck
> the Tommy Bowden era. (Hopefully the last class is
> the start of something good.)
>
> 2) We lost a ton of talent, leadership, and heart off
> the D. I refuse to expect the new starters to live up
> to that level of play. It's unfair to them. My hope
> is they get better week to week. Thankfully, most of
> the offenses we play will be replacing key skill
> talent- except ND.
>
> And 3) Deshaun Watson. The man has to stay healthy.
> I'd like to believe his injuries were freak things-
> the hand vs UL, and the non contact knee vs GT.
> Additionally, D coordinators will still be trying new
> fronts/coverages/blitzes on Deshaun. Louisville was
> doing a good job before he got hurt. So odds are
> Deshaun is due for an off game.
>
> I'm not trying to #### any one off, but I do see this
> 12-0/11-1 stuff and I just can't get there with you.
> Yes the offense could be better than anything we've
> ever seen, which is scary. Will it lead to 12-0? I
> just think we have too many big question marks.
To get to 13-0...or no worse than 12-1, with a win in the ACC title game, and hence qualify for the playoffs, you've gotta get the bounces.
We didn't get those last year. On a neutral field that wasn't 110 degrees down at field level, three starters on D suspended, and on something other than opening day, I think we'd beat UGA, certainly with a healthy Deshaun Watson. But the day and the timing favored UGA and we ended up getting all of 17 total yards of offense the second half...our D wore down, UGA won big. How we lost that FSU game I will never know...the bounces assuredly did NOT favor us that day. We were working the Bees before Watson went down...and then Stoudt - who clearly was neither physically nor mentally ready to play - had easily his worst game in a Clemson uniform.
Those are the bounces we have to get this year. I do think our D will end up being pretty good just because we've recruited really good talent, but I think it'll be a definite work-in-progress at least until midseason.
I definitely think it's very, very likely we win at least 10, again. Getting those eleventh, twelfth, and even thirteenth wins...those are hard, and are the difference between the Top-10-to-Top-15-team we've consistently been, versus the truly elite, Top-5 team we'd very much like to be.
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Legend [15526]
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Re: Love the enthusiasm, but peel it back a notch.
May 4, 2015, 8:27 AM
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Well said! I do think we can be that elite team, but we have to play very smart and we have to get some of those bounces we've been missing.
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All-TigerNet [14470]
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Re: Love the enthusiasm, but peel it back a notch.
May 4, 2015, 8:28 AM
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cant that be said about every team that expects to be good
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All-American [566]
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Re: Love the enthusiasm, but peel it back a notch.
May 4, 2015, 8:57 AM
[ in reply to Re: Love the enthusiasm, but peel it back a notch. ] |
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Very well said there, quozzel...and I agree wholeheartedly. We could have definitely been sitting in the drivers seat of the ACC if we get those bounces against FSU and win that game in Tally. That may have given us the confidence we needed, paired with a healthy DW4 to beat GT and beat them once more in the ACCCG. That probably would have gotten us into the playoffs last year, regardless of the opening loss at thUGA.
I think the schedule sets up perfectly for us this year. 2 winnable games to start the season, and most importantly, gain the confidence and experience needed to bolster depth. Players like Huggins, Wilkins, Robinson, Yeargin, O'Daniel, McCloud, Cain, Fruhmorgen, Hyatt and hopefully Guillermo could really benefit from that. Then going on the road in week 3, to raise the bar a bit against a down Louisville before our open week, should have us primed and in great position to face off with Notre Dame for a GameDay matchup in The Valley. If we make it out of that stretch 4-0, with our major pieces unscathed, we could easily see 12-0, 13-0...and so on.
I'm confident we can do it. Every teams fanbase drinks the "kool-aid" at times, but optimism for this season and an undefeated record is very realistic and attainable. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, well, it's definitely not a Tiger!
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Legend [17289]
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Did we get bounces vs. UL, BC and to some extent SC?
May 4, 2015, 8:59 AM
[ in reply to Re: Love the enthusiasm, but peel it back a notch. ] |
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Was that a fair share of bounces or do we need more?
I'm thinking we are about average in the luck category.
Now Auburn - over the years, they seem to get more than their fair share.
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Orange Blooded [3881]
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I sure am glad I don't live on Jefferson St.! It sounds like
May 4, 2015, 6:32 AM
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a pretty drab place.
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Rock Defender [53]
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Re: I sure am glad I don't live on Jefferson St.! It sounds like
May 4, 2015, 7:46 AM
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I probably should move to Jefferson St, as it seems to be pretty spot on with their logic. Maybe some of us need to take off the ORANGE glasses long enough to understand that logic.
That said - I feel pretty good about our D, even though it won't be the best in the land on day one. Also, if DW can possibly stay healthy, I expect to at least go 9-3 in the regular season. (btw - I was right about that last year). Don't expect UL and ND and FSU to roll over and give us a "W". We might actually have to earn those wins.
With our losses on D - I am in the camp that says we will NOT play in the 4-team NC playoff.
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Hall of Famer [23112]
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BECAUSE of what FSU did last year
May 4, 2015, 7:51 AM
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The ACC Champ will have to be undefeated to make the playoff.We finish 10-2 at worst.
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Legend [17289]
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So a one loss CU teams with wins @UL, ND, FSU, @SC & ACC CG
May 4, 2015, 9:09 AM
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has no chance of being in playoffs?
I recall FSU winning it all in 2013 / 14.
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CU Guru [1858]
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Re: I sure am glad I don't live on Jefferson St.! It sounds like
May 4, 2015, 8:52 AM
[ in reply to Re: I sure am glad I don't live on Jefferson St.! It sounds like ] |
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I agree with both of you. Since we are in a perceived weak conference (ACC) no way in HeII we get into the CFB playoff UNLESS we are undefeated. As much as the CFB world worships FSU they would not have made it into the playoff if they hadn't been undefeated. On the other hand a 2 loss teams from the SUPER conference will find it much easier to get into the playoffs. Urban Meyer will get into the playoff.....they don't really care about his team, they just worship him, period! Just my opinion.
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Orange Blooded [3820]
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if you think we're 1-5 against USuCk and FSU
May 4, 2015, 8:00 AM
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because of line play over the past 3 years,
then I hesitate to put too much stock in the rest of your message.
Our DL has handled every OL they've faced since the LSU bowl game in 2012.
And while our OL has not been "Danny dominant", they've not completely caved in too often either. Give Clowney his 4 sacks in 2012, and that's about it for "stats".
The issues against FSU and USuCk have been a little more subtle than that.
For one, FSU just set a record for draft picks in 3 years. The simple fact is that while Dabo has recruited to Clemson in a way never done before, he's also typically been behind FSU. There's a brand issue that's hard to overcome there, and props to Dabo for closing the gap.
Having said that, I generally agree with the idea that no one needs to be talking "Natty" at this point with this team. There are simply too many holes to be filled and too many questions to be answered. With decent OL play and a healthy QB, this O can be record setters though. And of the D plays to the 2013 standard then the team should be fine.
After that, it's about how the breaks fall. The ominous point is that teams that have questions in the kicking game typically also make "killer-type" mistakes. We may yet get to the end of they year and talk about Pinion is the guy we missed the most from 2014.
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Hall of Famer [24216]
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Tell 'em coot
May 4, 2015, 8:13 AM
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35-17 66-42-4 #9 to 7-6
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Orange Blooded [2609]
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LOL...35-17 is a great start to RESTORING order***
May 4, 2015, 8:21 AM
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Legend [17289]
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OK you are right - enthusiasm tuned down. What's next?***
May 4, 2015, 8:52 AM
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Orange Blooded [3507]
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Re: Love the enthusiasm, but peel it back a notch.
May 4, 2015, 9:18 AM
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Uh oh, USuCk's #1 Equestrian horse must have colic this morning.
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Legend [15914]
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Didn't even mention the 2 brand new OCs.
May 4, 2015, 9:28 AM
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One bowl game does not make them seasoned OCs. There will be growing pains.
I agree with most of the OP, but until someone proves otherwise, we are undefeated with a large momentum that has been building over 4 years.
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CU Medallion [58415]
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Very reasonable post. I agree 12-0 may be a stretch
May 4, 2015, 10:36 AM
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for the very factors you mention. Watson must stay healthy, and his ability to do so is a legitimate concern. As far as the defense is concerned, we did lose a lot of talent; our saving grace may be that we will still be more talented on D than all but 2 or maybe 3 of the offenses we will face. I'm thinking we may have gone from the best defense in the country to around number 20, maybe better than that by season's end. Barring injuries on that side of the ball, while they won't be dominant (or dominate, as some T-Netters prefer) like they were, I think our D will be good enough to keep us in every game.
If Watson stays healthy, I think we have a shot at 12-0, and 11-1 is very achievable. Without Watson, we will struggle to win against a good bit of our schedule.
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All-TigerNet [14233]
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14-0
May 4, 2015, 10:55 AM
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Mark it down!
Haha not really. But it would not shock me.
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Hall of Famer [24777]
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So did the other team decide to forfeit the Championship???***
May 4, 2015, 11:44 AM
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Orange Blooded [3820]
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Naw...Tiger was just discounting the win against USuCk...
May 4, 2015, 11:56 AM
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wins against high school teams don't count towards Playoff runs...
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All-TigerNet [14233]
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Obviously ^^^THIS^^^
May 4, 2015, 12:01 PM
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Orange Blooded [2519]
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To quote Einstein, it's all relative
May 4, 2015, 11:18 AM
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You can't just look at our team in 2015 vs our team in 2014, etc.
What is happening at FSU, at Louisville, at GT, at USuC?
They mostly have more holes to fill than we do, and GT and FSU are at home, which is an advantage.
2015 sets up well for us b/c of our team and where our key opponents are player-wise. Any team that's capable of winning all the games still needs to get a few breaks to pull it off. That's a given.
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