Acquired Skill

[ball915]

Learning how to win is an acquired skill. This is something we've struggled with for a very long time and while we saw some improvements with it (Clemson and UVA) it still haunted us too often. One thing that was evident on this topic is that there wasn't once the entire season where we questioned our effort or heart. Winning at BC after 3 consecutive losses was telling in the character of our team. You can't win if you don't put yourself in position to win and that starts with playing 4 quarters over 12 games. For context, our average margin of loss in 2022 was 21 points and in 2023 it was 8.2 points.

One of the biggest frustrations was us scoring a TD to only give up a TD right away usually on a long drive. We just could not find a way to create separation (we did at BC). We needed one yard at NCST and couldn't get it the same way we did at FSU and failed to convert. We found a way to "win" the game against GT that we've lost so often in the past by playing awful and coming out on top to only not take a knee and give up a TD. It's on the players and coaches to learn how to win. On paper Dawson does good but situationally he's dreadful and it's little things like that that add up making it so hard to overcome.

Learning how to win is a big part of the process and this year we put ourselves in a position to win all 12 games which could not be said in years past. The hope is being in so many close games this year translates over into more wins as we are getting to the point in Year 3 where expectations are real as they should be. For the "look at all these other schools turning it around in Year 1" crowd, how did TCU, USCw and LSU do this year?

 

[cway313]

Learning how to win is an acquired skill. This is something we've struggled with for a very long time and while we saw some improvements with it (Clemson and UVA) it still haunted us too often. One thing that was evident on this topic is that there wasn't once the entire season where we questioned our effort or heart. Winning at BC after 3 consecutive losses was telling in the character of our team. You can't win if you don't put yourself in position to win and that starts with playing 4 quarters over 12 games. For context, our average margin of loss in 2022 was 21 points and in 2023 it was 8.2 points.

One of the biggest frustrations was us scoring a TD to only give up a TD right away usually on a long drive. We just could not find a way to create separation (we did at BC). We needed one yard at NCST and couldn't get it the same way we did at FSU and failed to convert. We found a way to "win" the game against GT that we've lost so often in the past by playing awful and coming out on top to only not take a knee and give up a TD. It's on the players and coaches to learn how to win. On paper Dawson does good but situationally he's dreadful and it's little things like that that add up making it so hard to overcome.

Learning how to win is a big part of the process and this year we put ourselves in a position to win all 12 games which could not be said in years past. The hope is being in so many close games this year translates over into more wins as we are getting to the point in Year 3 where expectations are real as they should be. For the "look at all these other schools turning it around in Year 1" crowd, how did TCU, USCw and LSU do this year?

In the portal era this serves no purpose.

 

[mcnaire2004]

Scoring points and stopping the other guy from scoring points. It's as simple as that. The other stuff is abstract metaphorical **** to distract us.

I only skimmed your post but I read the words "apart of the process." I'm tired of Fear-the-tie football. Nebraska has more close games than anyone the last 3 years. I don't see **** for them.

People expecting moral victories to turn into long term winds are in for heartache. ****, I know the truth and I'm still in for heartache.

 

[cway313]

Scoring points and stopping the other guy from scoring points. It's a simple as that. The other stuff is abstract metaphorical **** to distract us.

I only skimmed your post but I read the words "apart of the process." I'm tired of Fear-the-tie football. Nebraska has more close games than anyone the last 3 years. I don't see **** for them.

People expecting moral victories to turn into long term winds are in for heartache. ****, I know the truth and I'm still in for heartache.

Lol I too only skimmed for buzz words.

 

[407cane]

year 1 results are great but building something long-term is not an immediate process, it was always going to be year 3 for me

ask Michigan, Texas, and FSU if they are happy they kept their coaching staff after early struggles

sark at texas is probably most comparable, inherited a similarly performing team

texas year 1 - 5-7
texas year 2 - 8-5
texas year 3 now - 11-1

Mario is mirroring this and needs to break that barrier next year, he's implemented the right culture, he's recruiting well, just needs to pull it all together

if he doesn't? then he isn't the guy but people thinking we were going to all of a sudden be contenders in year 1 or 2 were kidding themselves

 

[Canefan73]

We've definitely made progress. The team didn't quit like they've done so many times before. This portal season has so much riding on it, it honestly scares me a bit. Sounds like we're possibly losing some quality players and it's a big ? is if we've got the funds to replace them with equal or upgrades. If we can upgrade QB and a few other spots then the future looks pretty **** good.

 

[mcnaire2004]

year 1 results are great but building something long-term is not an immediate process, it was always going to be year 3 for me

ask Michigan, Texas, and FSU if they are happy they kept their coaching staff after early struggles

sark at texas is probably most comparable, inherited a similarly performing team

texas year 1 - 5-7
texas year 2 - 8-5
texas year 3 now - 11-1

Mario is mirroring this and needs to break that barrier next year, he's implemented the right culture, he's recruiting well, just needs to pull it all together

if he doesn't? then he isn't the guy but people thinking we were going to all of a sudden be contenders in year 1 or 2 were kidding themselves

I can't really argue with this. You're mostly on point. But Harbaughs early Michigan struggles were still winning 10 games.

We are on pace to possibly mirror Texas. That's not a path I find reasonable according to history of championship winning coaches.

But it looks like I'm forced to endure more Mario. I know there's no reason to expect anything good or a championship caliber team. But I won't mind being wrong.

 

[Empirical Cane]

Scoring points and stopping the other guy from scoring points.

 

[Damiencane86]

I can't really argue with this. You're mostly on point. But Harbaughs early Michigan struggles were still winning 10 games.

We are on pace to possibly mirror Texas. That's not a path I find reasonable according to history of championship winning coaches.

But it looks like I'm forced to endure more Mario. I know there's no reason to expect anything good or a championship caliber team. But I won't mind being wrong.

Michigan/Harbaugh has a more unique path if anything. First two years were very strong then they fell into a lull and Harbaugh was essentially on the hot seat 2021 but they were able to break thru the glass ceiling finally beating OSU.

 

[407cane]

I can't really argue with this. You're mostly on point. But Harbaughs early Michigan struggles were still winning 10 games.

We are on pace to possibly mirror Texas. That's not a path I find reasonable according to history of championship winning coaches.

But it looks like I'm forced to endure more Mario. I know there's no reason to expect anything good or a championship caliber team. But I won't mind being wrong.

I think what people don't like to realize is that there's levels to college football and we're 2 levels below where we need to be

Mario has much more likelihood of being a mark richt like HC for us - pull us out of the pack and bring us to perennial 10-win seasons competing for conference titles

then when that becomes not good enough and the standard, we go get a Kirby Smart to take us over the top and win the title

both steps are necessary for a program like us. If Mario can get us to winning 10 games consistently then he'll have done more for this program than anyone in 2 decades and that's about all we could have hoped for. Maybe he'll also be able to take us over the top, he's got as good of a shot as anyone with his recruiting and his focus on the trenches, but that's unclear.

not many can win it all out of the blue with all-world players like FSU had in 2013 and LSU had in 2019, the clear path is building the slow way which is exactly what mario has been preaching

the great news is that our trenches are a focal point and that's the standard when it comes to winning titles... even Ohio state has refocused on physicality to compete with Michigan, UGA, etc.. We're on the right track so far as long as it doesn't derail we'll be fine

 

[QuattroCane]

BC had bad loss written all over it and then we gave up an opening-drive TD. Everyone here knows previous years' teams would not have fared as well as this year's team did yesterday. 90% of this board said, "here we go" after that TD, so it matters.

As a fan all I can do is be hopeful.

 

[WaterburyCane]

Learning how to win is an acquired skill. This is something we've struggled with for a very long time and while we saw some improvements with it (Clemson and UVA) it still haunted us too often. One thing that was evident on this topic is that there wasn't once the entire season where we questioned our effort or heart. Winning at BC after 3 consecutive losses was telling in the character of our team. You can't win if you don't put yourself in position to win and that starts with playing 4 quarters over 12 games. For context, our average margin of loss in 2022 was 21 points and in 2023 it was 8.2 points.

One of the biggest frustrations was us scoring a TD to only give up a TD right away usually on a long drive. We just could not find a way to create separation (we did at BC). We needed one yard at NCST and couldn't get it the same way we did at FSU and failed to convert. We found a way to "win" the game against GT that we've lost so often in the past by playing awful and coming out on top to only not take a knee and give up a TD. It's on the players and coaches to learn how to win. On paper Dawson does good but situationally he's dreadful and it's little things like that that add up making it so hard to overcome.

Learning how to win is a big part of the process and this year we put ourselves in a position to win all 12 games which could not be said in years past. The hope is being in so many close games this year translates over into more wins as we are getting to the point in Year 3 where expectations are real as they should be. For the "look at all these other schools turning it around in Year 1" crowd, how did TCU, USCw and LSU do this year?

There is an element of truth to this, but Im more of the mindset that winning is a byproduct. Talent, coaching, execution, culture, consistency, effort, mental toughness. These are the things that I was more focused on when I played sports and now in my professional life. Winning to me was just the byproduct.

 

[brcane1]

Learning how to win is an acquired skill. This is something we've struggled with for a very long time and while we saw some improvements with it (Clemson and UVA) it still haunted us too often. One thing that was evident on this topic is that there wasn't once the entire season where we questioned our effort or heart. Winning at BC after 3 consecutive losses was telling in the character of our team. You can't win if you don't put yourself in position to win and that starts with playing 4 quarters over 12 games. For context, our average margin of loss in 2022 was 21 points and in 2023 it was 8.2 points.

One of the biggest frustrations was us scoring a TD to only give up a TD right away usually on a long drive. We just could not find a way to create separation (we did at BC). We needed one yard at NCST and couldn't get it the same way we did at FSU and failed to convert. We found a way to "win" the game against GT that we've lost so often in the past by playing awful and coming out on top to only not take a knee and give up a TD. It's on the players and coaches to learn how to win. On paper Dawson does good but situationally he's dreadful and it's little things like that that add up making it so hard to overcome.

Learning how to win is a big part of the process and this year we put ourselves in a position to win all 12 games which could not be said in years past. The hope is being in so many close games this year translates over into more wins as we are getting to the point in Year 3 where expectations are real as they should be. For the "look at all these other schools turning it around in Year 1" crowd, how did TCU, USCw and LSU do this year?

 

[AtrainCane]

In the portal era this serves no purpose.

LSU signed a ton of portal db’s. And….their secondary got toasted every week. You cant fix all your problems in the portal. Ask USCs defense after they broke the bank in the portal spending on it.

 

[cway313]

LSU signed a ton of portal db’s. And….their secondary got toasted every week. You can fix all your problems in the portal. Ask USCs defense after they broke the bank in the portal spending on it.

That has no relevance to my point. Our starting QB for 2024 isn't benefitting from Miami learning how to not get blown out in 2023. Every season is a new beginning, and we could be in the same spot or 11-1 next year. Either way, this year will hardly be a contributing factor.

 

[Mikeiavelli]

We can start by learning how to win a bowl game.

 

[Ispyin]

Learning how to win is an acquired skill. This is something we've struggled with for a very long time and while we saw some improvements with it (Clemson and UVA) it still haunted us too often. One thing that was evident on this topic is that there wasn't once the entire season where we questioned our effort or heart. Winning at BC after 3 consecutive losses was telling in the character of our team. You can't win if you don't put yourself in position to win and that starts with playing 4 quarters over 12 games. For context, our average margin of loss in 2022 was 21 points and in 2023 it was 8.2 points.

One of the biggest frustrations was us scoring a TD to only give up a TD right away usually on a long drive. We just could not find a way to create separation (we did at BC). We needed one yard at NCST and couldn't get it the same way we did at FSU and failed to convert. We found a way to "win" the game against GT that we've lost so often in the past by playing awful and coming out on top to only not take a knee and give up a TD. It's on the players and coaches to learn how to win. On paper Dawson does good but situationally he's dreadful and it's little things like that that add up making it so hard to overcome.

Learning how to win is a big part of the process and this year we put ourselves in a position to win all 12 games which could not be said in years past. The hope is being in so many close games this year translates over into more wins as we are getting to the point in Year 3 where expectations are real as they should be. For the "look at all these other schools turning it around in Year 1" crowd, how did TCU, USCw and LSU do this year?