2025 Expectations?

[iceeater1969]

QB's with HK's skillset, leadership and credentials are rarer than hen's teeth. I don't think he is replaceable through the portal and can't help wondering what he would bring in the open market. The OSU QB looked like hot garbage in their game against UM and they would be the odds on favorite to win the NC right now with Haynes as their QB. Of course we all hope and prays that he stays to finish the drill next year. However, if I were in his shoes, I would want to find out my fair market value, especially if he has pertinent feedback from NFL scouts. Next year may be his last to earn guaranteed $.

Haynes thinks winning a championship NOW is job 1. Other things like nfl will take care of themselves.
He came here won the job at 100-0 Gt with faith in Wienke and Key. They trusted him and in 23 he had near worst defense in college football he had to overcome. In 24 he became the entire offense. Only in uga game did key let him pass first to midrange down field without doing rpo. Key just wanted him to run the ballvor throw dump passes and run the ball. Hardly a vote of confidence as a wayto nfl
Texas AM young super talented qb looked like hot garbage. Texas is home. ND has the national stage and track record of using acc qbs via portal.
If Key doesn't say gt is going let king pass way more, he should leave. It's stupid to expect a qb to play like king did at Athens (uga had 2 lb to stop his run; he still ran, and read downfield open wr for gash) . If he stays for more "qb runs the bawl" to bail out the rest of offense, there is a 100% chance he will get injured and get zero interest in nfl.
Key should do this to keep Philo as well. .

Going home to AM would $$, but the kings had bad experience. ND is fantastic but its a different culture ( the whole family loves the fried chicken at Mary Macs tea room. ) is way different.

Its entirely in Keys hands.

 

[orientalnc]

Haynes thinks winning a championship NOW is job 1. Other things like nfl will take care of themselves.
He came here won the job at 100-0 Gt with faith in Wienke and Key. They trusted him and in 23 he had near worst defense in college football he had to overcome. In 24 he became the entire offense. Only in uga game did key let him pass first to midrange down field without doing rpo. Key just wanted him to run the ballvor throw dump passes and run the ball. Hardly a vote of confidence as a wayto nfl
Texas AM young super talented qb looked like hot garbage. Texas is home. ND has the national stage and track record of using acc qbs via portal.
If Key doesn't say gt is going let king pass way more, he should leave. It's stupid to expect a qb to play like king did at Athens (uga had 2 lb to stop his run; he still ran, and read downfield open wr for gash) . If he stays for more "qb runs the bawl" to bail out the rest of offense, there is a 100% chance he will get injured and get zero interest in nfl.
Key should do this to keep Philo as well. .

Going home to AM would $$, but the kings had bad experience. ND is fantastic but its a different culture ( the whole family loves the fried chicken at Mary Macs tea room. ) is way different.

Its entirely in Keys hands.

I certainly hope you are correct. Keeping King for another season is really important.

 

[stinger78]

Haynes thinks winning a championship NOW is job 1. Other things like nfl will take care of themselves.
He came here won the job at 100-0 Gt with faith in Wienke and Key. They trusted him and in 23 he had near worst defense in college football he had to overcome. In 24 he became the entire offense. Only in uga game did key let him pass first to midrange down field without doing rpo. Key just wanted him to run the ballvor throw dump passes and run the ball. Hardly a vote of confidence as a wayto nfl
Texas AM young super talented qb looked like hot garbage. Texas is home. ND has the national stage and track record of using acc qbs via portal.
If Key doesn't say gt is going let king pass way more, he should leave. It's stupid to expect a qb to play like king did at Athens (uga had 2 lb to stop his run; he still ran, and read downfield open wr for gash) . If he stays for more "qb runs the bawl" to bail out the rest of offense, there is a 100% chance he will get injured and get zero interest in nfl.
Key should do this to keep Philo as well. .

Going home to AM would $$, but the kings had bad experience. ND is fantastic but its a different culture ( the whole family loves the fried chicken at Mary Macs tea room. ) is way different.

Its entirely in Keys hands.

I hear you, but after our bowl GT will have over 3K passing yards this season on over 400 pass attempts. That’s not a team that never passes. Yes, 60% of them were 15 yards or less, but we are averaging 12 yards per completion. We had 6 INTs on the season. That’s insane.

There are several critical factors for sure, but I cannot see us not passing more next season.

 

[stech81]

I’ll wait to see who is on the team

 

[FlatsLander]

A ton will depend on whether King comes back and if we can hold on to Faulkner and Stantucci.

 

[billga99]

I’ll wait to see who is on the team

We have already lost some good production in the portal. Seeing where the transfer portal ends up is as important as our new recruits. In many ways more important because you are trading experience players in the portal vs. true freshmen.

 

[Phatdaddy]

The game at MBS would probably be like a home game for the Dawgs though, right?

 

[YoungSting]

The game at MBS would probably be like a home game for the Dawgs though, right?

Not if we as fans do our job and show up. Now is that likely to happen? We will see. But Georgia “travels” very well. So if we can make the stadium 60-40 tech like it is at a normal home game against them, I think we call it a success.

And if y’all allow me to put my gold color glasses on, this just gets us prepare for what the stadium and crowd will look like when we are in Charlotte, the playoffs, and the championship.

 

[4shotB]

The game at MBS would probably be like a home game for the Dawgs though, right?

I don't think it matters to anyone but the fans. If you look, we play better over in front aof an overwhelmingly hostile crowd than in BDS in front of a 50/50 crowd for whatever reason. It's been this way for a very long time btw. I, for one, don't feel like we are conceeding home field advantage next year. In fact I can make aa case that we improved our chances of winning,

 

[roadkill]

You seem to assume other ACC teams don't get better. SMU, Miami, Clemson and Louisville will always be good to very good teams just based on talent. BC has made dramatic improvement under O'Brian (who I can't stand).

So much depends on who we have returning and gain/lose via the Portal. That applies to the teams I listed as well. Way too soon to make any kind of realistic prediction.

9-3 would be an excellent season!

This.
Not trying to be negative as I believe we will continue on our upward trajectory, but there is a tendency here to mentally compare our projected 2025 team to our opponent’s 2024 teams. Colorado may be the exception since we’ve acknowledged how they will lose key players and could take a step back. But for example, some of our opponents might acquire a transformational QB via the portal – we just don’t know yet what we or our competition will look like next fall until the dust settles.

 

[slugboy]

My way way way to early thoughts

Assuming King, Jamal, and Malik stay and we get all the commits to sign, next year COULD be special.

Colorado: it's up there so I'll mark that as either a close L or a close W.
Gardner Webb: W
Temple: W
BC: should win
Duke: should win
Clemson: likely a loss BUT if I'm the GTAA I make that the homecoming game immediately.
Pitt: should win
Syracuse: tossup.
VT: tossup
State: should win
Wake: should win
Dawgs: a loss on paper but after last Friday, who knows! each year Key has closed the gap. we NEED to win to keep Dodd's ocho streak alive!

There is a long time between now and next fall. Santucci and company gave a chance to build the defense. Last year, the portal was a net negative on defense.

I kinda feel like 8-4, but we could make a run.

Heavily favored
Gardner Webb: W (agree)
Temple: W agree. Temple is thinking about winding down their football program or moving to FCS https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2024/11/22/temple-football-future-john-fry.html

Slight Advantage
BC: BOB is a crafty coach who can pull an upset.
Duke: they need to fix their offense
Pitt: lost games down the stretch; not a good sign. Usually disciplined
State: Doeren is a good coach; needs a QB.
Wake: good coach; program in trouble

I’m guessing 4/5 out of that group in a good year. Could see as few as 3 wins if we do the traditional thing of blowing a couple we should win. Getting 5 out of this group could mean a special year.

Even odds
Syracuse: tossup.
VT: tossup
I’m sure we have these games circled on the calendar

Underdogs
Colorado: they’re a top 25 team, with crazy NIL, will get tons of transfer attention. They’re losing Deion’s son at QB, and the probable Heisman winner at DB/WR, but they’re filling with high profile players. They’re 31 on the 247 talent composite, and they’ll probably move up next year. We’re #46, and will probably also move up.
We will be underdogs. We have a shot. Probably close to Clemson.

Clemson: I think they’ll be about the same team next year. In a lot of ways, I think Colorado might be a tougher challenge. I think Miami is better this year, and we beat Miami. We’re still going to be underdogs, but I like our chances (if healthy)

Dawgs: Key doesn’t waste a loss. We’ll be even tougher next year.

The game at MBS would probably be like a home game for the Dawgs though, right?

You could hear the Tech fans at Sanford. Plus, UGA brings a ton of fans to Bobby Dodd. I’m not worried about this.

 

[bke1984]

You seem to assume other ACC teams don't get better. SMU, Miami, Clemson and Louisville will always be good to very good teams just based on talent. BC has made dramatic improvement under O'Brian (who I can't stand).

So much depends on who we have returning and gain/lose via the Portal. That applies to the teams I listed as well. Way too soon to make any kind of realistic prediction.

9-3 would be an excellent season!

Sure. But we should get a lot better. If King comes back with everyone else plus the freshmen adds we will be a favorite to make Charlotte. Even with your pessimism bringing us down

 

[A Love Supreme]

I expect to beat the dwags. That's the only thing I care about.

 

[BuzzStone]

Only team we lose to is the mutts. They have proven they will pay anyone necessary to win and they will do it again.

 

[Treb1982]

I think this schedule sets us up to have a very special year.

National TV Audience (I'm assuming) vs Primetime gets our mojo started on the right path.

Very manageable ACC schedule! I could see us being favored in all but one game

If we stay healthy I don't see why we wouldn't go 8-4 (6-2 in ACC) at worst and if we catch more good breaks than bad breaks I see us 10-2 or 11-1 and in the Playoffs!!!

 

[iceeater1969]

I hear you, but after our bowl GT will have over 3K passing yards this season on over 400 pass attempts. That’s not a team that never passes. Yes, 60% of them were 15 yards or less, but we are averaging 12 yards per completion. We had 6 INTs on the season. That’s insane.

There are several critical factors for sure, but I cannot see us not passing more next season.

.
More like 60% were swing passes " that hit the "playmaker" in the hands so the playmaker "made plays". Got to let king hunt down field so the whole play book opens up.

 

[HurricaneJacket]

.
More like 60% were swing passes " that hit the "playmaker" in the hands so the playmaker "made plays". Got to let king hunt down field so the whole play book opens up.

I think k King was hurt much earlier in the season than YNC and that limited play calling. He never could seem to connect with Eric downfield and in stride

 

[takethepoints]

Imho, the whole season turns on the three games in the middle: Clemson, Pitt, Syracuse. Win two of those - and we definitely could win all three, if King plays again - then we may be looking at 9 - 10 wins. I think 8 is more likely, largely because we'll be younger and there are teams on the schedule that are going - maybe - to be better than we think: Wake is my big worry, along with Duke. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if Tech ends up in the ACCCG. The talent is there; what Tech needs is some of the good old fashioned bum luck that avoided the team like the plague this year. We'll just see about that.

Btw, attrition on the DL was the big story in 2014 as well. I thought that, despite Thomas, Tech was doomed. We saw how that turned out.

 

[UgaBlows]

Does Cuse have McCord back next season?

 

[malak05]

Does Cuse have McCord back next season?

He's a Senior so doubt it