Now that the dust is settling... Next’s Year...?

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There’s no way you believe what you just wrote.
100%. Half the people on this board and that entire defensive staff.

“It’s ok that we just gave up 30 pts. We have Cam to bail us out!!!

People do stupid things when they have a bail out plan. See every rich spoiled trust fund baby.


Half this game is psych. Ask Jimmy.
 
My expectations are to:.

1. Beat ND
2. Beat the Gator
3. Beat FSU
4. BLOWOUT Syracuse at home
5. Play for the ACC championship

I'm sorry, but I'm not expecting a step back -- even w us losing Cam -- and anything less than a spot in the ACC Championship is inexcusable.

We have enough resources to field a BETTER team than this year's and I fully expect Mario to do that.

Now, expectation and outcome are totally different things.😅

But yeah. I'm optimistic on next year, and I've never really said that in Mario's tenure. I've said it all year as he has -- we are ahead of schedule. We are still rebuilding and this year was a bit of an unexpected surprise (still a shameful and disappointing end).

We gon be alright.
I pretty much agree with you - good post!

Mario's biggest recruits in 2025 will be his OC (assuming Dawson bounces) and DC. Overpay for those positions if you need to, but go out and get two studs and next year will be a 10 or more win season. We'll have more talent than any team we play except for ND who will have a similar amount.
 
Not looking forward to next year as an alum and 50 year cane fan. These kids coming in via the portal will never to me be canes. They’re coming to use the brand to better themselves not the team school or fans. It’s an assembled team full of players of fortune with no loyalty. Thought the all about me was culturally changed by Mario, no chance of that happening.
 
Josh Connolly No GIF by Film Riot

Well.

There's a reason you never see some big guys in the SEALS. Rangers. Special Forces. Delta.

Too big, too heavy, and wear out too quickly. Can't climb a rope, a wall, can't jump for squat, and the big guys are the first ones to ring the bell in the first days of training.

But they never lose. In fact - kill ratio runs between 100:1 and 150:1.
 
Well.

There's a reason you never see some big guys in the SEALS. Rangers. Special Forces. Delta.

Too big, too heavy, and wear out too quickly. Can't climb a rope, a wall, can't jump for squat, and the big guys are the first ones to ring the bell in the first days of training.

But they never lose. In fact - kill ratio runs between 100:1 and 150:1.
Thanks for convincing me that we were watching the armed forces go on missions and fight in wars on Saturdays.

I thought we were watching football. I appreciate you for waking me up from my brainwashing

Sad Doctor Who GIF
 
I'm probably FOS - but year after year - looking around the country, and especially in the ACC - I see smaller defenses being quicker, faster, and quickly swarming the big, strong, slower offensive players.

I keep hearing the whisper while watching games, "speed kills."

Yes, our Offense was pretty good - but when you look at some of the key moments that either costs a game or threatens one - it's by smaller defenses that just seem to give our big linemen fits. And not five star players, either.

And when the defense is smaller, cutting around like a bunch of wild men - it sure is problematic.

I know - it's counterintuitive - but smaller has its advantages. A blend well schemed - just might have be more productive. Smaller, quicker guys don't have to push the big guys around - but they can plug gaps faster while big on big just hangs on to each other not accomplishing **** - go look! Or run around. Or shoot the gaps.

I'm not a football technician - Just an observer. Perspective tints a view at times.

Watch some mongoose take on a cobra. Watch a few engagements. One's quicker than the other. One get tired quicker and slows down even more.

Kinda like - football.
Isn't that what our defenses of old were built on?
 
I think we need to make the playoff next year. That should be the measure of success in year four. 10-2 definitely enough with our schedule. 9-3, possible but likely the committee ***** us again.
 
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It's been "next year" since 2001. When are y'all going to wake up and realize that next year is never happening? Do you seriously think lightning in a bottle at QB will be caught in the transfer portal in two consecutive years? Not happening.

This current, horribly disappointing season is the best we have had in decades. Our offense is the only thing that makes this possible, and yet the core skill players are all gone for next year. The defense? The less said, the better. What reason is there to think there will be some sort of miraculous improvement in 9 months?

This team will be lucky to go .500 next season and will be *very* lucky to play in any bowl, let alone a decent one. The curse continues...
 
I think 8 wins is the floor. 12 is always the ceiling and 10 is the standard now. Im not an unrealistic fan expecting an undefeated season every year, but Mario making $8M a year and the budget this team has it’s perfectly reasonable to say 10 wins is setting the bar.

I will say though, no way next years receiver room is better than 2024 unless Jeremiah Smith is working on green tree. Jacolby George is so underrated as a playmaker and X is a literal record holder at The U. I’m high on JoJo and Carr but let’s be a little more level headed here…
 
9-10 wins is doable and should be the target next year if they fix D and SPT. Personally I believe in Dawson to lead the O and think we’ll be good again. Not this year level but 1-2 steps back and a more reliant run game. Big games that go either way depending on our off season Defense and Special Teams adjustments are ND, Florida, and SMU. Should be good in the other ones but if you have been a fan for least the last 20 years we all know how that goes. This year was fun and I have not had fun watching the canes in some time. Mario has shown he’ll take time to reflect and fix issues, let’s all hope he does it again.
Definitely feel like next years team will be more ball control and try and control the TOP and hope that helps the defense.
 
Floor is 10 or prepare the buyout paper work.

That is the conversation businessman Joe should be having right now. Expectations and accountability.

Joe: Manny, the expectation is 10 wins, you will have the resources you need to fix your coaching and roster mistakes again, but 10 is the floor.

Mario: My name is Mario.

Joe: Manny, are we clear on 10 wins?

Mario: I’m Mario, not Manny.

Joe: Prove it, because I don’t see much of a difference so far.
Joe: 10 wins
 
Cam was a generational QB and X is the best slot receiver we've had. Throw in Arroyo, George and Martinez and that's a lot playmaking talent gone. JoJo, Carr, Robinson, Moore and Toney are all unproven, Horton is our only proven guy. I'm pretty sure we get a high quality receiver in the portal. So I don't expect the offense to be anywhere near productive. Get Lofton at least 10 touches a game, he's a stud.

Defensively it can't get much worse, with a new DC I would expect improvement in play calling. We have a lot of holes to fill.

If we're counting on Emory to be that guy we won't sniff the playoffs.

Without knowing what the portal brings and who our new DC is, I think next year could be 7-5. We had the stars align this year with a very easy schedule and Cam as our QB, you don't just replace a player that dynamic.

X factor is we still have a gameday knucklehead as a HC, he will always be that coach who will have you wondering if he's going to make a stupid decision and cost you a close game.
 
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What are the expectations and thoughts on/for next year? For funsies here are mine...
  • The floor this year was 10 wins and he just met that. I don't have a lot of confidence that we will win our bowl game, especially if Shadeur plays in CU's game and we play them. If Cam somehow plays (VERY UNLIKELY), then it's a game. Point is, my floor for this year (and I think for a lot of people), was 10 wins and by golly, he did accomplish that - BARELY - but he did get there and that counts for something.
  • Whether Mario helps him find a soft landing or is forced to publicly fire him, Guidry is 100% gonzo and with the young talent on D coming back and the expected portal additions, we will be back to being better than average on D. How much better is based on the DC he brings in, but we're at the bottom and we're not hiring Al's BF, so we will be better.
  • Floor for wins next year is 9 wins. Even if it requires the post-season to get there, I believe he needs to and will get to 9 wins. Absent of 9 wins, the slow death spiral will juuuuuust start to begin. If Mario wants to stay here, and of course build the champion team he desires, he will HAVE to find 9 wins next season. Outside of that, I really do think the vultures will justifiably be circling over head. More than likely, in the absence of 9 wins next year, he is almost certainly going to be out the following year barring some Cinderella season. He needs 9 wins.
  • The QB situation: I believe that they will bring in a QB if for no other reason than for sake of numbers. Having said that, there has been a decent amount of smoke regarding them being happy with Emory. Obviously, whoever is the OC and the kind of O they like to call will have a huge impact on the direction of that position room, but all things being equal, I think that unlike with Cam, when they bring in a QB this time, it will be a real competition and my way too early prediction is that Emory will win it. I could absolutely be wrong on this, but that's my best guess and I'd be happy with it.
  • Our OL took 3/5 of the season to finally get good again at the run game. Even losing Rivers and our center, our OL will be cured, seasoned and a top 5 unit.
  • Justin Scott will be an All ACC DT barring injury. That kid is the actual goods and he will be a leader in bringing our D back to at least good if not better.
  • Hot take, as an overall unit, next years WR starters will be as good if not better than this year's. JoJo, Horton and the speedster from GA who was a frosh this year and I'm too lazy to hunt down his name. Yes, this year's group was a vet group and X is an all time great, but the overall athleticism of next year's starters will give our O the over the top speed and threat that we didn't really floss too much this year.
  • We need to use our TE's more and if we do, we will benefit greatly, There's a version of this, where we crush D's with a mixture of heavy sets and over the top speed finesse sets. If handled correctly, we will have another top 15 O.
  • Since this has been longer than I originally intended, I'll wrap it up with a way too early but broad (to hedge my bets) record prediction of 10 wins. Mario is a flawed coach (a perfect one doesn't exist), but he continues to make good changes and improve the team. So far, I'm still riding with Mario until such a time as it is obvious that we need to go in a different direction.
    • Next year will be better than many cynics think, but we won't be a serious NC contender. 10 wins and a much stronger recruiting year, and the slow Mario build is still justified. There will be championship expectations in 26', but one season at a time.
    • No less than 9 wins and verifiable signs of growth. This or the inevitable death spiral begins...
Dave Chappelle Omg GIF
 
Floor is 10 or prepare the buyout paper work.

That is the conversation businessman Joe should be having right now. Expectations and accountability.

Joe: Manny, the expectation is 10 wins, you will have the resources you need to fix your coaching and roster mistakes again, but 10 is the floor.

Mario: My name is Mario.

Joe: Manny, are we clear on 10 wins?

Mario: I’m Mario, not Manny.

Joe: Prove it, because I don’t see much of a difference so far.
Joe: 10 wins
If only.
 
Thanks for convincing me that we were watching the armed forces go on missions and fight in wars on Saturdays.

I thought we were watching football. I appreciate you for waking me up from my brainwashing

Sad Doctor Who GIF

No one can be that simple.

Then again, Kamala . . . rather The View . . . never mind.

It IS possible. And common.
 
It's been "next year" since 2001. When are y'all going to wake up and realize that next year is never happening? Do you seriously think lightning in a bottle at QB will be caught in the transfer portal in two consecutive years? Not happening.

This current, horribly disappointing season is the best we have had in decades. Our offense is the only thing that makes this possible, and yet the core skill players are all gone for next year. The defense? The less said, the better. What reason is there to think there will be some sort of miraculous improvement in 9 months?

This team will be lucky to go .500 next season and will be *very* lucky to play in any bowl, let alone a decent one. The curse continues...

Well, we're really going to do it - the next - "next year."

Or the next.
 
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