Yes, this feels like 2017...

The only reason people are comparing this team to 2017 is the record and close wins. This is the same team as last year with an actual QB and kicker. I get the whole building for the future thing, but when King and Borregales leave we play Bama with a first time starting QB or Kosi and a freshman kicker.

This staff needs to self reflect and start getting this team better or it’s gonna be one step forward this year and two steps back next year. The glaring problems aren’t being fixed. The only improvement we’ve seen as a whole, is the fight and winning close games.
Not one of the close wins this year has relied on a 4th down miracle catch like 2 of those in 2017. They've all been from the defense tightening up in the 4th quarter and the offense driving to win it. The team yesterday had zero depth on the lines and I was shocked the dline wasn't gassed in the 4th.

I'd love to see some more blowouts, but I dare say this team is building some character. Manny has plenty more work to do on the defensive side of the ball and needs a house cleaning there
 
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The big difference from this team and 2017, minus the talent, is the fact that we aren’t winning these games by luck. We’re not winning games on hailmarys or getting bailed out by a late game fumble recovery.
 
people seem to forget what the 2017 team did to VT and ND. they played down to competition and were very flawed at QB but had a gear that this team does not. we will see against UNC which is our only home game versus a good team on this year's schedule.

regardless, if you had told me when our schedule came out that we would win back to back road games vs NC state and VT i would have taken it in the blink of an eye no questions asked. i'm basing this on the last 17 years of miami football.
That 2017 team had it's full spring, full summer and full Fall workouts ALL with a seasoned veteran Head Coach, not to mention that the 2017 team was an older team as well. Add all that up and figure in that the 2017 team had played in the offensive scheme in 2016....so the comparisons are BASELESS....what this 2020 team is doing WITHOUT having spring/summer/full Fall camp/1st year new offense PLUS MISSING AT LEAST 10 PLAYERS PER GAME is nothing short of remarkable and anyone that can't see that and realize how special this group in 2020 is, unfortunately just doesn't know football.
 
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..and that's better than the rest of the crap since 2004. Richt sputtered because he didn't make adjustments. Manny, for his faults, doesn't seem to have that problem. There is a lot of work to do.

- This is not a complete team, but it's winning games because it is a least competent in all three phases. "Winning the offseason" is starting to translate to winning on the field. Last week, it was the offense. This week, it was the defense's turn. They had 11 TFLs, 6 sacks, and held a legit Virginia Tech offense below all of their averages. D'Eriq King is the main reason we're winning, but he was 12-8 before he came here. These are team wins.

- With that said, three players stood above the pack. Jaelan Phillips might be on the verge of a true breakout. He is playing with a ton of confidence and is starting to add some slipperiness to his game. T'ecory Couch showed everything in his bag-- the footwork, the ball skills, blitzing and open-field tackling. He's our best corner right now. Gilbert Frierson picked up two sacks and now has 9 TFLs on the season. He dances too much, but that's his real personality. All three of these guys bring juice and energy that is needed.

- This might have been the worst game of the year from a playcalling standpoint. It seemed like we were playing left-handed. We have a great QB and a great kicker, so we run a kicker toss. King is cooking, so we throw a screen to our LT. We have two RBs who can catch, so we throw it to the guy from the Wing-T. There were too many meaningful downs wasted with DOA playcalls. King is an elite decisionmaker. Let him work.

- Delone Scaife is still not a guard. He's not strong enough. This was a bad week to lose Campbell, Clark and Rivers. Scaife should've been benched. We aren't Wisconsin at center or tackle, but there is a clear gap between those positions and our guard play. Slide Campbell inside and get Donaldson on the treadmill.

- Salute to the wide receivers. They have gone from bad to average, with explosive traits. Likens has them playing tougher and more competitive every week. Still need to recruit better to go to the next level.

- Bubba Bolden is coming down to Earth. I was worried once I saw the Demolition Man haircut. He reminds me in several ways of Rayshawn Jenkins. I hope he comes back to prepare himself to be a legitimate NFL starter.

- The running game is still not there. It seemed like all three guys were pressing a bit. Virginia Tech isn't good up front. Georgia Tech (100th in rush defense) is even worse and a nice opportunity to get things back on track.

- The LBs played better than expected against a tough matchup. It hurts to say this about a loyal senior, but McCloud should have to earn his way back on the field.

We're halfway through November and it's still fun to watch Canes football. That's progress.
Great post and I agree on almost all counts. The only area I disagree a little is the Bolden-Rayshawn comparison. I would DIE to have Rayshawn Jenkins at safety on this team vs. what we have back there right now.
 
Great post and I agree on almost all counts. The only area I disagree a little is the Bolden-Rayshawn comparison. I would DIE to have Rayshawn Jenkins at safety on this team vs. what we have back there right now.

Just to clarify, he reminds me of Rayshawn Jenkins Pre-Banda. Some flash plays, some bad plays and bad body language. He really put it all together in his last year.
 
Bartender boy, as you call him, is one of the better recruiters we have, and with all the problems we’ve had with cornerbacks, safety hasn’t been as big of an issue the last few years.
I agree on recruiting, but he's not making much of a case for himself as a coach this year. Bolden has gone from someone we thought was good (possibly great) to flat bad. And I'm shocked how poor Gurvan Hall is playing. I think Carter might literally be our best safety right now.
 
Just to clarify, he reminds me of Rayshawn Jenkins Pre-Banda. Some flash plays, some bad plays and bad body language. He really put it all together in his last year.
I agree with this. I almost added this to my other post about Banda just above this one, but that first year with Banda is one of the only reasons I have any patience left for him. Both Jenkins and Carter made huge strides under him their senior years. And we've generally gotten solid safety play under him throughout.

Another comment in response to your op, but did it surprise you HOW Scaife got beat yesterday? He didn't get bull-rushed the way I might have expected. He was literally juked on both of those clean sacks, barely getting a hand on the DT. How does that happen with a guy who lacks bulk but had the athleticism to survive at tackle? Just crazy to me.
 
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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.
Do we know how much flexibility King has on these plays? I get on the RPOs he obviously reads the D to decide whether to handoff/pass, but on a play like this was he locked into that run or did he have the option to change up the play (either the entire play or aspects of it)? Basically what I am getting at his how much might it be Lashlee getting outcoached vs King making the wrong decisions?
 
..and that's better than the rest of the crap since 2004. Richt sputtered because he didn't make adjustments. Manny, for his faults, doesn't seem to have that problem. There is a lot of work to do.

- This is not a complete team, but it's winning games because it is a least competent in all three phases. "Winning the offseason" is starting to translate to winning on the field. Last week, it was the offense. This week, it was the defense's turn. They had 11 TFLs, 6 sacks, and held a legit Virginia Tech offense below all of their averages. D'Eriq King is the main reason we're winning, but he was 12-8 before he came here. These are team wins.

- With that said, three players stood above the pack. Jaelan Phillips might be on the verge of a true breakout. He is playing with a ton of confidence and is starting to add some slipperiness to his game. T'ecory Couch showed everything in his bag-- the footwork, the ball skills, blitzing and open-field tackling. He's our best corner right now. Gilbert Frierson picked up two sacks and now has 9 TFLs on the season. He dances too much, but that's his real personality. All three of these guys bring juice and energy that is needed.

- This might have been the worst game of the year from a playcalling standpoint. It seemed like we were playing left-handed. We have a great QB and a great kicker, so we run a kicker toss. King is cooking, so we throw a screen to our LT. We have two RBs who can catch, so we throw it to the guy from the Wing-T. There were too many meaningful downs wasted with DOA playcalls. King is an elite decisionmaker. Let him work.

- Delone Scaife is still not a guard. He's not strong enough. This was a bad week to lose Campbell, Clark and Rivers. Scaife should've been benched. We aren't Wisconsin at center or tackle, but there is a clear gap between those positions and our guard play. Slide Campbell inside and get Donaldson on the treadmill.

- Salute to the wide receivers. They have gone from bad to average, with explosive traits. Likens has them playing tougher and more competitive every week. Still need to recruit better to go to the next level.

- Bubba Bolden is coming down to Earth. I was worried once I saw the Demolition Man haircut. He reminds me in several ways of Rayshawn Jenkins. I hope he comes back to prepare himself to be a legitimate NFL starter.

- The running game is still not there. It seemed like all three guys were pressing a bit. Virginia Tech isn't good up front. Georgia Tech (100th in rush defense) is even worse and a nice opportunity to get things back on track.

- The LBs played better than expected against a tough matchup. It hurts to say this about a loyal senior, but McCloud should have to earn his way back on the field.

We're halfway through November and it's still fun to watch Canes football. That's progress.
I just don't understand what happened to Scaife? He went from our best OL to our worst. No joke in 8 games hes had to give up at least 10 Sacks and several TFL. His awareness out there is horrible right now. There were MULTIPLE plays yesterday were he would double team a player instead of looking for work on a pass play and a LB/DL would literally come screaming in a free rusher and get a easy sack. It had to happen at least 3 times yesterday and I'm being generous and all led to Sacks or big losses.
 
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Do we know how much flexibility King has on these plays? I get on the RPOs he obviously reads the D to decide whether to handoff/pass, but on a play like this was he locked into that run or did he have the option to change up the play (either the entire play or aspects of it)? Basically what I am getting at his how much might it be Lashlee getting outcoached vs King making the wrong decisions?
I would be surprised if anyone on this board knows the real answer to that question. If they say they do, it’s likely 2nd or 3rd hand info at best.
 
I was specifically impressed with the conditioning of the team. Specifically on the defensive side of the ball. They were obviously without key players on defense due to Covid-19.

#15 and more than a few other's barely came off the field. Says a lot about their preparedness Nutritionally as well as their S & C. Great job by the staff.
 
The 2017 team was better. Look back at that team and tell me who on the current team would start on that team. Not to mention the depth


The QB is the most glaring difference and it goes to show how much of a difference that position makes. If that 2017 team has King I think we are ACC champs or at least give Clemson a REAL run for their money in that game.

Otherwise that team had just as good RBs if not better, better Wrs, O Line was about the same. Dline, LB & DB were top to bottom better than this team.

This team has better QB, TE depth, Kicker & Punter
 
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(Post record)

(Comment about OP being a mope)

(Completely block Clemson game from mind)
 
Not one of the close wins this year has relied on a 4th down miracle catch like 2 of those in 2017. They've all been from the defense tightening up in the 4th quarter and the offense driving to win it. The team yesterday had zero depth on the lines and I was shocked the dline wasn't gassed in the 4th.

I'd love to see some more blowouts, but I dare say this team is building some character. Manny has plenty more work to do on the defensive side of the ball and needs a house cleaning there

Most of those miracle plays were due to the fact that we didn’t have King and Borregales like I mentioned. Without those two we are probably a 2 win team. And yes we are building character but not cleaning up the glaring issues is gonna cause massive problems when those two leave
 
Most of those miracle plays were due to the fact that we didn’t have King and Borregales like I mentioned. Without those two we are probably a 2 win team. And yes we are building character but not cleaning up the glaring issues is gonna cause massive problems when those two leave
This is where people go overboard? 2 win team? Give me a break...
 
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