My recollection is that in 2010, the primary problem was our absolutely awful Special Teams. Missed field goals, short punts, fumbled kicks, opponents' kick returners running wild. Do you remember just how bad it was? The secondary problem was a defense trying to learn the 3-4. With a porous defense, stink-tastic special teams, and Nesbitt getting hurt in mid season, how in hell did we win 7 games after losing to Kansas? Somebody must have been doing something right on offense even with Dwyer and Thomas leaving early for the NFL.
In 2011 ST, even with the addition of a ST coach, managed to improve from hellacious to merely soul-killing. How many times did the offense try and fail on 4th down in enemy territory when even an average FG kicker would have gotten us three points. Remember the missed field goals against Utah and we lost in OT? Short kickoffs. Other teams average starting field position was mid-field while ours was inside the 15. The defense showed little improvement, and in the game that decided the Coastal, when our offense went toe-to-toe with VT's defense and was battering them into submission, was breaking their will, was driving the ball down their turkey throats, a defensive brain fart by JA swung that game away maybe like no single play I have ever seen swing a game. Still somehow we won 7 games and wound up tied for the Coastal. I would credit the offense for what success we had.
In 2012, the ST improved from soul-killing to flesh eating. Remember Orwin's brain fart that resulted in a safety on a kickoff against Miami? But Golden started running back kicks and punts, and kicking also began to improve and ST was actually a small plus by the end of the year. But the defense assumed the role of soul-killer. The defense gave up 40+ in three straight games; first time ever for a Tech team. Somehow we wound up in the Championship game and with an improving defense after Groh's firing, had a chance to beat FSU, and did beat USC. The offense was at about the level of the previous two years.
In 2013, on ST we found a kicker, lost a returner, but managed at least to be neutral in most games and not a negative. Defense began to show. The offense that we expected to take a big step up, stayed about where it had been previously. With improved offensive play, we win VT. With one more first down at the end of regulation against the dwags, Butker has a chance at immortality.
Based on this rambling feeble analysis, I would expect the offense to be about where it has been for the last 4 years regardless of who's on it. And that goes for next year also. We may have plateaued offensively, but on a relatively high one. Teams are better able to handle our TO, but it still hurts them if they don't play it extremely well. It should be good enough to win us 7 games almost every year. The question is can the defense, special teams, and lady luck (she has been not a lady but a w***e for much of the last 4 years) step up enough to add 2 or 3 wins to that total? A healthy Golden and a stronger Butker leg might well get us a win in some game. When the defense takes on Roof's personality (and it will at some point) that should get us to the 9+ level. Lady luck (if she'll ever get her sorry butt out of Auburn and decide she might like a trip to Hotlanta) will decide if we get that magical season. Go get 'em Ted. We're counting on you.
