Prognostication after Virginia Tech

[Techster]

This team reminds me of the Auburn team last year. It's not a pretty sight all the time, but somehow we just find a way to make enough plays...either by skill (JT making plays, our defense coming up with a big INT) or a the grace of the football gods (that GSU fumble recall).

I was critical early on about the sloppiness and holes we have on both sides of the ball...but now I am just sitting back and enjoying whatever happens. It's a lot more fun when we have a QB like JT leading our offense, and a defense that at times makes you nervous but somehow ends up making a play when we need it.

 

[Mack]

I still see 7 wins. I know everyone thinks we " own " Duke. I'm not so sure. If they are healthy , especially at the QB position, they have enough talent now to beat us. And they will be motivated. IMO, with this team being so young, we don't have any sure wins the rest of the year. And I hope the team is thinking the same way.
Next year should be a step up for sure, barring serious injuries. But I still think 7-5 plus a bowl will be the end result this year. ( I hope , I'm surprised though ! )

Folk for some reason down play Dook and I think its a mistake..I watch them and they aint bad at all.......one thing for sure no dubt they love Cutcliff and will give it all no matter who they play.........I would think we should be favored but we must play hard...........Not so sure about rest of year talent vs talent but we are at least as good as everybody but maybe georgie and clemins.jDook could hurt our whole year if they beat us...........got to play.

 

[redmule]

I think you can make the case that CPJ thinks we might have a special year. He's willing to burn some redshirts hoping to get some slight improvement on defense. I don't think he would do that if he thought we were looking at another 7 win year.

 

[AE 87]

I think you can make the case that CPJ thinks we might have a special year. He's willing to burn some redshirts hoping to get some slight improvement on defense. I don't think he would do that if he thought we were looking at another 7 win year.

He might if he thought we weren't looking at another 7 win year, if you know what I mean.

I think our "Break but don't Shatter" Defense can only hold on for so long without some significant improvement/consistency.

 

[alaguy]

Amazing what happens when you have QB threat that can run AND pass---and therefore win at the end.So the OFf is a real threat.
The Def is REALLY a work in progress.Not good but possibly enough of a concern to other teams at times.(I still think stopping a strong run game like uM will be a huge job since it is not like they have no pass attack).Basically we will be in shootout probably EVERY game.It will take a bunch of luck to do better than break even on those.
A real positive now is 2 decent kickers which are a real asset.
Without injury to JT,Smelter, Nealy,Gotsis or White,still on track for 7-5 probably which in a rebuilding yr isn't bad..

 

[33jacket]

I think we put it on miami in a bad way and many on this thread will start saying 9-10 wins definitely and the question will be how to beat fsu in the acc.

I have been around teams like this. When a superior talent and leader emerges and its at the qb position it affects BOTH sides of the ball because they believe. We already know this is a fighting gritty team, but after VT it validated everything paul has preached and this team feels like they cant be beat and are playing 60 minutes like it.

The close win vs sourthern woke em up and the adversity at tulane prepared em. This team now knows HOW TO WIN and that is an art and cant be practiced and we havent had that at gt in 5 years.

Again. We put it on miami at home big. Mark it down.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Still have a lot of holes. Will the current roster fill them? We need better play from several positions including the entire Defense. A back still remains an enigma. Hoping Perkins stays healthy and fills the void.

 

[GTJake]

Based on our 4-0 start and current optimism, IMO if we only get to 7 wins this season, the misery level will be very high ... just saying.

 

[AE 87]

I think we put it on miami in a bad way and many on this thread will start saying 9-10 wins definitely and the question will be how to beat fsu in the acc.

I have been around teams like this. When a superior talent and leader emerges and its at the qb position it affects BOTH sides of the ball because they believe. We already know this is a fighting gritty team, but after VT it validated everything paul has preached and this team feels like they cant be beat and are playing 60 minutes like it.

The close win vs sourthern woke em up and the adversity at tulane prepared em. This team now knows HOW TO WIN and that is an art and cant be practiced and we havent had that at gt in 5 years.

Again. We put it on miami at home big. Mark it down.

I really want to buy in to this fully. Some of the concerns that you've also expressed (perhaps only overly "fueled" and in the heat of the game) about our D still linger with me.

I've only had a chance to watch the 1st qtr vs Neb, but I get the feeling that Miami's O will have particular challenges. We know about Duke Johnson, but their Fr QB made some really pretty passes. If we have to choose to stop the run or stop the pass, they might make us pay.

That being said, I think our O will break through a good bit. However, if every game turns into a battle of attrition down to the wire, I'll die young.

 

[Boomergump]

I think we put it on miami in a bad way and many on this thread will start saying 9-10 wins definitely and the question will be how to beat fsu in the acc.

I have been around teams like this. When a superior talent and leader emerges and its at the qb position it affects BOTH sides of the ball because they believe. We already know this is a fighting gritty team, but after VT it validated everything paul has preached and this team feels like they cant be beat and are playing 60 minutes like it.

The close win vs sourthern woke em up and the adversity at tulane prepared em. This team now knows HOW TO WIN and that is an art and cant be practiced and we havent had that at gt in 5 years.

Again. We put it on miami at home big. Mark it down.

I hope you are right. There is a lot of truth to what you say, BUT, defense wins championships. You know what I am saying? I truly feel we are a team that is really, really hard to stop. However, I also know that defensively, we have issues that can be exploited by certain offensive teams. We should be exciting and we should give EVERYBODY a really tough contest, but.....

It is HARD to outscore EVERY opponent all season long. I don't like prognosticating wins and losses like some people. I have witnessed first hand the entire gambit of possibilities as a coach. It should be a fun ride and GT will not be taken lightly by anybody.

 

[jayparr]

I think we put it on miami in a bad way and many on this thread will start saying 9-10 wins definitely and the question will be how to beat fsu in the acc.

I have been around teams like this. When a superior talent and leader emerges and its at the qb position it affects BOTH sides of the ball because they believe. We already know this is a fighting gritty team, but after VT it validated everything paul has preached and this team feels like they cant be beat and are playing 60 minutes like it.

The close win vs sourthern woke em up and the adversity at tulane prepared em. This team now knows HOW TO WIN and that is an art and cant be practiced and we havent had that at gt in 5 years.

Again. We put it on miami at home big. Mark it down.

This is one great post; one of the likes that I REALLY LIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[wuzjrbuzz]

We have a really good chance to win any of the remaining, except maybe Georgia. Could be anywhere from 7 to 11 wins. Hoping for 9 and a nice bowl win. Would love for one of the wins to be UGA. If we don't beat them this year or next, they will tie our longest win streak in the series at 7.

 

[Minawreck]

People need to start believing even UGA is possible. It's basically the same team as last year minus their coordinator who had seen us before and we had them last year. We can beat and lose to everyone on the schedule UGA included. They're not supermen for crying out loud.

 

[JDjacket]

We have a really good chance to win any of the remaining, except maybe Georgia. Could be anywhere from 7 to 11 wins. Hoping for 9 and a nice bowl win. Would love for one of the wins to be UGA. If we don't beat them this year or next, they will tie our longest win streak in the series at 7.

Our longest win streak is 8, so we have this year and the next 2 to prevent that... although it really should have been last year. Would have tied it in 2008 too if CPJ hadn't pulled that one out.

 

[33jacket]

I hope you are right. There is a lot of truth to what you say, BUT, defense wins championships. You know what I am saying? I truly feel we are a team that is really, really hard to stop. However, I also know that defensively, we have issues that can be exploited by certain offensive teams. We should be exciting and we should give EVERYBODY a really tough contest, but.....

It is HARD to outscore EVERY opponent all season long. I don't like prognosticating wins and losses like some people. I have witnessed first hand the entire gambit of possibilities as a coach. It should be a fun ride and GT will not be taken lightly by anybody.

Hey i agree. I am not saying we win any title. I am saying this team is every bit of 9 wins right now.

I think u may see the D turn a corner soon. It wont be a top 20 D. But they will play in the 50 range and that is good enough for what we can be....9 wins.

Either way i think we pop the hell out of miami.

 

[wuzjrbuzz]

Our longest win streak is 8, so we have this year and the next 2 to prevent that... although it really should have been last year. Would have tied it in 2008 too if CPJ hadn't pulled that one out.

Oops, you are correct. Let's not wait to the last possible moment again though.

 

[ilovetheoption]

I loled hard at "break but don't shatter" defense

 

[GTsuperfan]

Put it down, JT will win 2 out of 3 against UGA.

 

[Gojackets55]

No way we only win 7 games. I think some of you guys just live in depression haha. Our team with our schedule is minimum 8 wins. I think we win 10

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I remember the 6-0 start too vividly. I was on cloud nine and we won what? 2 more?