Yes, this feels like 2017...

[WestGA'Cane]

The only similarity is that both the 2017 team and this team are not as good as their records may indicate. I find this year’s team less fundamentally flawed than 2017, but 2017 was more fun to watch to this point 8 games in.

Agreed, primarily for me because of EXPECTATIONS. With Rosier at qb I didn't expect to make it deep into the season without a loss, or several for that matter. Winning at FSU, the GT comeback, another tight one with Syracuse. Beating ND!! With Rosier?? And the season had that rare 'magical' feel.

The '20 team is unnerving because after Ls'vl & FSU the team looked to be an offensive juggernaut. It appeared the OL was magically fixed. We now know otherwise. So in turn, expectations need to be tempered. In addition, we've become adept at winning ugly, often failing to take advantage of opportunities to seize control of games against fairly mediocre competition. But perhaps that's because we're also flawed.
From a personnel standpoint this year's OL has improved from unacceptable to mediocre, the Wr's are not overly talented but improving, and the defense it seems has spent the majority of the season working toward getting the best players on the field.
Yeah, it's been fun, but ALSO frustrating...

 

[Tru C]

GTech

 

[TruCane81]

Lou Hedley’s missile leg gave us a great chance to shut them down in this game. Just cannot understate how good he is and what it means for us

As good as Phillips and Couch were, they way he kept flipping the field was a HUGE reason we won.

Game MVP.

 

[Deleted member 25284]

We’re playing for the future. We’ll better for these hard wins.

 

[OldhamA]

I think Bolden is playing out of position, he is a superb strong saftey roaming the midd of the field and playing close the line of scrimmage but he’s an average single high saftey! We are missing that on our raise last time we had that was in Redwine his 4.4 speed cleaned up a lot of our plays while JJ was stout against the run and playing middle of field

You have to be able to tackle well whatever Safety position you play.

He's failing that basic requirement right now.

 

[TruCane81]

Good call out on the demolition man haircut, saw that today and couldn’t put my hand on where I’d seen it.... Simon ******* Phoenix, Simon says cut that **** off and learn to tackle

 

[TruCane81]

I think Bolden is playing out of position, he is a superb strong saftey roaming the midd of the field and playing close the line of scrimmage but he’s an average single high saftey! We are missing that on our raise last time we had that was in Redwine his 4.4 speed cleaned up a lot of our plays while JJ was stout against the run and playing middle of field

The heavy emphasis on tackling has left us without a center fielder. Hopefully a freshman can grow into the role.

 

[TruCane81]

We are going to get embarrassed by Alabama next year even if everyone comes back imo

Probably, but I won’t **** my pants over playing the Tide.

Get a real offseason of refining the offense, who knows what can happen?

 

[The Sphinx]

Solid write up, D$. Much respect as always.

2017 had a better Defense, but 2020 has a better Offense and Special Teams. 2017 was not as balanced as 2020 which is why they peetered out down the stretch. We knew we were riding our Defense hoping to cover up our weaknesses on O and Special Teams.

I keep saying this, but in spite of Manny's limitations if he can bring in a strong DC and let him run that unit and just be the program overseer, Manny can put himself in a very good spot. He's a great recruiter and a passionate advocate for the program.

If Manny can find someone competent to relinquish the Defense to so he can focus on bringing in more talent, he may actually have a promising career as the Miami HC. I said this in a separate thread: Manny ain't Urban, Saban or Dabo, and that's OK. But if he can hire the right OC and DC, he can still be successful. Think Jimbo Fisher, Gene Chizik and Ed Orgeron. None are HC geniuses by any stretch of the imagination, but they made the right hires and brought in top talent for their staff to coach and develop so they ended up with a title under their belt.

 

[orange&green84]

First paragraph says it all.

I've got an older post up here somewhere where I basically said I'm not a Manny fan, but I'm willing to give him a break if he shows he is willing to correct mistakes and adjust.

So far he has.

The off-season will tell us how serious he is bc he may need to fire his boys on the defensive side.

Agreed. For the record, it was easy last offseason for him to let go of the offensive side of the ball and the year before that. The offense for nearly his entire tenure, has been a thorn to Manny's defense.

However, the offensive side of the ball is holding its weight and the defense is starting to regress. We need upgrades at every position on the defensive side of the ball.

It's a good write up by @DMoney - only place I disagree is with McCloud as a loyal player. He wasn't going anywhere and is not anywhere near an NFL player at this point, he is what he is. But it's clear that our LB unit, albeit not a great unit, was not missing McCloud today.

 

[ssvir]

Why do I have this feeling we will be playing those Wisconsin bums again in a bowl game

No thank you

 

[JHallCanes]

Lou Hedley’s missile leg gave us a great chance to shut them down in this game. Just cannot understate how good he is and what it means for us

I honestly stop at least once a week and give thanks to having Hedley and Borregales on this team

it’s absurd

 

[Lance Roffers]

I did like the wide run with King on third down, unlike most people. Stay in bounds, worst case scenario: force them to use their final timeout, let a hot defense win it for you.

I don't disagree with your rationale, but I was in a Twitter chat during the game when this play took place and before the snap I said they've aligned to take that QB sweep away. We should've called timeout and gotten into a better play because they specifically aligned to take that play away.

It happens to every team, but there is no doubt in my mind that their DC outcoached Lashlee in this one. Yet, we still won, so I'll take learning experiences in wins all day.

 

[LPK2006]

A good QB leader when things get tough is huge and we have not had one in ages.

A really good punter and kicker changes the game.

No real excuse not to have a good qb and kicking game every year.

Funny thing is, I think Hedley and Borregales might be the best we've ever had on the same team. It still feels a little weird to me to not really have to worry about our punting and kicking.

 

[nvlahos]

Ironically the only game we looked complete in that year was vs Notre Dame.... every other game we didnt it seemed

That's the FSU game this year

 

[Timmy T-Bags $$$]

Is it me or does anyone else despise Baker as our DC? He seems like a nice guy so I don’t hate him but I feel like he SUX as our DC!!! Let’s hope Manny makes the tough but necessary changes in D like he did with the offense this year. Baker, Patke, and Rumph need to be replaced AT A MINIMUM!!! I hate to say it about Rumph because he is a true Cane and nice guy but the veteran corners aren’t playing good and he can’t recruit. I love you Rumph as a true CANE and player but unfortunately it’s just not working out as a position coach. This is a results base business now more than ever....

 

[nvlahos]

Alot of things Manny needs to fix at the end of this season and idk if I have confidence on most -

1. Get rid of Rumph

It's pretty clear he does nothing for this team. Can't recruit to save his life and his CBs still don't know how to turn around and play the ball. He's stuck in the past and passes on shorter/twitchy corners when its clear todays game is not made for 6-1+ 185+ CBs anymore. This was even more clear today as Couch is our best CB. Rumph needs to go and if Manny doesn't make that move he's an idiot and soft

2. Get rid of Patke and Bring in a real LB coach

Our LBs have not developed under Manny, have not developed under Baker and is a huge weak spot on the team. Get a real coach in here to teach these guys how to to play.

3. Stop playing experience over talent - especially when the experience makes mental mistakes and consistently is out of position

McCloud should not be a starter for the rest of the season. Brooks is way better even on one leg. Chaney and Knighton are just better RBs than Cam, period. Get them more and more reps over Cam. Especially after his Twitter cry session, that **** shouldn't be tolerated by Manny especially when the team is winning. Get Rivers in at G over Scaife, etc.

4. Enough with the dancing, undisciplined play, and celebrating penalties that go in our favor. Until we are dominating teams I don't want to see that **** and Manny shouldn't allow it either. Get meaner and expect only the best out of these guys. If they commit penalties and mental mistakes its next man up

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

I don't disagree with your rationale, but I was in a Twitter chat during the game when this play took place and before the snap I said they've aligned to take that QB sweep away. We should've called timeout and gotten into a better play because they specifically aligned to take that play away.

It happens to every team, but there is no doubt in my mind that their DC outcoached Lashlee in this one. Yet, we still won, so I'll take learning experiences in wins all day.

I didn’t even look at their alignment, to be honest. Clearly they had the play diagnosed well and had good pursuit, so maybe a timeout would’ve been indicated, assuming that they did tip their hand on that alignment prior to the snap. Good catch on your part.

My point was though, that worst case scenario, even if the play doesn’t get you the first down, as long as you stay in bounds, and considering the field position you were in, making them use their last time out and then punting was not the worst thing in the world and gave yourself the chance to win the game by relying on a defense that had been playing relatively well, especially for the second half.

The way the offensIve line was collapsing all game, I didn’t want a five or 10 yard drop back with a rush throw and an incomplete pass, saving them a time out, or a sack, which then gives them better field position.

Had the offensive lineman been playing better this game, I may have been more amenable to a more aggressive play call.

 

[LuCane]

I don't disagree with your rationale, but I was in a Twitter chat during the game when this play took place and before the snap I said they've aligned to take that QB sweep away. We should've called timeout and gotten into a better play because they specifically aligned to take that play away.

It happens to every team, but there is no doubt in my mind that their DC outcoached Lashlee in this one. Yet, we still won, so I'll take learning experiences in wins all day.

I think you'll see in your film review it happened more than a few times. On multiple occasions, we missed opportunities to either get the ball out horizontally against good numbers or over a vacated middle (from run blitzes). We won. It's all good. Guessing Lashlee will continue to build his counters.

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

I hate to be that guy but the delusion on this board is literally insane to me. We are a terrible team, there’s no two ways about it. The defense has regressed, the offense is a one man show, and lastly Manny has not improved his coaching. But but but “7-1”... take a look at the records of the teams we’ve played other than Clemson. As far as I’m concerned all these wins do is just buy Manny more time which will be detrimental to the program in the long run.

Only delusional fakkits think this is a “terrible” team.

Above average team? Maybe.

Just barely average? It’s a possibility.

Terrible? Only dlck sucking trolls actually think this.