Some optimistic tidbits for those losing hope

[bke1984]

I wouldn’t say we should easily beat those four teams, but I think we are better than those four teams. Yeah, sometimes you have a bad day, but we’ve already had two of those. If we have two more bad days then we are just a bad team at that point.

Honestly we should win three of those four games, which gets us to 6-6. Get the fourth or steal one of the other three and we are 7-5. That’s feeling about where our ceiling is if we keep playing this way. Could all change if we figure out how to solve our run game problem.

 

[apatriot1776]

I'm hardly losing hope, we are about what I thought, we have a ways to go. There is a mix of good and bad. Typical of a middle of the pack P4 team.

I'll also be very surprised if we sweep - Duke, UNC, NCST and VT - that is pretty unlikely. The talent levels are pretty similar between all those teams and GT and you are likely to have a bad day somewhere. We haven't played well enough to assume we should just sweep those teams. In our 3 games against P4 opponents so far we have one one game by 3 points and a game winning FG. Lost one by three points that was a 3 possession game with 5 minutes left and 1 game by 12 points where we never got close to scoring after the blocked FG. If i'm being honest it is pretty easy to see splitting those games 2-2.

I think we can potentially win 3 out of 4 of those to get to 6 and then if we can win one of Miami, ND or UGA that would get to 7. It is not impossible to get to 8, but I would consider that quite unlikely. Less than 10%.

I think we’re better than all four of those teams, but being better is no guarantee that we will win. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot like Saturday and 3 or even 2 out of 4 is in play.

 

[tmhunter52]

It appears the only thing the OL can do, at least sometimes, is pass block. Do we have time to reinvent the offense over the bye week and install an air raid playbook? (Joking, of course, but we could dream…)

 

[CWohlers]

I think we have a great team. Could have won those two games. I'm confident we will win several more and perhaps get a "sting". We need and I'm sure will fix the field goal situation. I was a bit concerned that King may have lost a bit of confidence at the end, perhaps due to the lateral that didn't work (if it had, 15 yards and a first down that we needed). I think he made a gutsy call. Shame they blocked it. With all the pressure of a tight game it must be a challenge to keep you confidence up. Alas, the coaches will help with this if in fact it was the case. King is a good passer and we have a great receiver corps. So happy to see us employ that asset. Go Jackets!!!!

 

[jgtengineer]

It appears the only thing the OL can do, at least sometimes, is pass block. Do we have time to reinvent the offense over the bye week and install an air raid playbook? (Joking, of course, but we could dream…)

We don't have to, our passing game is already mostly air raid.

 

[iceeater1969]

I think we have a great team. Could have won those two games. I'm confident we will win several more and perhaps get a "sting". We need and I'm sure will fix the field goal situation. I was a bit concerned that King may have lost a bit of confidence at the end, perhaps due to the lateral that didn't work (if it had, 15 yards and a first down that we needed). I think he made a gutsy call. Shame they blocked it. With all the pressure of a tight game it must be a challenge to keep you confidence up. Alas, the coaches will help with this if in fact it was the case. King is a good passer and we have a great receiver corps. So happy to see us employ that asset. Go Jackets!!!!

Welcome aboard my friend.
Try to stay optimistic.

 

[RamblinRed]

FWIW, we haven't won or loss more than 2 games in a row under Key, I don't really expect that to change based on what we have seen so far this year.
I'm just staying optimistic that we can get to at least 6 wins and a bowl game this year.

 

[Root4GT]

I wouldn’t say we should easily beat those four teams, but I think we are better than those four teams. Yeah, sometimes you have a bad day, but we’ve already had two of those. If we have two more bad days then we are just a bad team at that point.

Honestly we should win three of those four games, which gets us to 6-6. Get the fourth or steal one of the other three and we are 7-5. That’s feeling about where our ceiling is if we keep playing this way. Could all change if we figure out how to solve our run game problem.

My question is what have you seen this year against the average ACC opponents we have played that make you believe we are "better" than any of the four upcoming ACC opponents? We seem to be in the same boat as all 4 of those teams. We all have some strengths and weaknesses. We, nor any of them, have shown the ability to dominate a P4 opponent.

 

[MountainBuzzMan]

I feel like we are SO Close. We are at the point where a few small improvements will push us over the hump. Our defense allowed 17 points even though they did not look all that great. I will take that all day long.

 

[TampaBuzz]

Did Blackburn even play yesterday?

I think 1 snap. I don't think King has much rapport with him, so he doesn't play. A travesty. Pyron, in his limited playing time, loves Blackburn and throws to him every chance he gets.

 

[iceeater1969]

We don't have to, our passing game is already mostly air raid.

I think you are on to something.

We could drop the option hand off and use more vertical patterns.
Baylor had liberal substitutions of the boundary wrswho ran down field full blast on every play. If zone, the safeties had to come over and if man, it wore out the corner back.

We had wide gaps in our old (under center we seldom pass) spread offense. The base rpo we run now uses option concepts like our previous offense ( make them defend the whole line of scrimage using running with occasional bomb to keep safeties back). But now we have qb do a fake run and throw to flat with occasionally throw down field. Blockers have to be close in for the optional hand off to the small rb up the middle. As game

OUR ISSUE IS HOW WELL CAN OUR OL PASS PRO WITHOUT HELP FROM TIGHT END OR BACK?? It maybe our 5 can't block 4 if one of their 4 is talented. To mitigate this Baylor s air raid had ""wide gaps"" in passes protection mode. The wide gaps made defenses spread out and you can do line calls to get double team on the stud dl. We once had 3 blocking 1 in Scuse but seemed better in L

With wide gaps , and an empty backfield defenders get spread out. WHEN THE TOOK TO MANY OUT OF THE BOX. The qb changes play to qb run, one linemen does a down block , which cuts behind and other ol go down field creating havoc. I trust King to make these calls.



In Faulkner we trust - In L he added deep wr shots and TE down seam shots and King threw zero interceptions AND WR MADE PLAYS. I have a suspicion we were still very biased to run first. Maybe more air raid features!

 

[apatriot1776]

My question is what have you seen this year against the average ACC opponents we have played that make you believe we are "better" than any of the four upcoming ACC opponents? We seem to be in the same boat as all 4 of those teams. We all have some strengths and weaknesses. We, nor any of them, have shown the ability to dominate a P4 opponent.

To be fair, we did look good and pull away against a quality G5 opponent (Ga State) which is more than UNC or Notre Dame can say.

 

[Root4GT]

To be fair, we did look good and pull away against a quality G5 opponent (Ga State) which is more than UNC or Notre Dame can say.

True. Now we just need to do that against a Conference opponent!

 

[Lil G]

I think we stomp both Duke and UNC.
Duke won’t be rested like us, and we will capitalize on the physical advantage we already have over them.

UNC pass defense has been obliterated by Mr. elite 404 high level Mahem himself. Aside from the hilarious JMU atrocity, Charlotte passed for 300+ yards on them.
If I was Key, I’d have a couple special plays dialed up to defile his previous boss who he didn’t get along great with (I heard from grad assistant)

Looking forward to seeing how fast Hairplug jogs off the field instead of shaking hands with his previous staff.

Then I would expect us to be picked over NC State VaTech, but we could lose either of those games if we’re not playing on point.

If we get an upset win this could still be a really good looking season.

 

[stinger 1957]

I worry about UNC this year, think they have been aiming at us since pre season, they have enough players if they put it together for one game.
CBK says he wants us level for every game, that's good if we have 'bama players.

 

[iceeater1969]

I think 1 snap. I don't think King has much rapport with him, so he doesn't play. A travesty. Pyron, in his limited playing time, loves Blackburn and throws to him every chance he gets.

Of course the second team qb has better knowledge with the second team wr and when second team was in the vmi game Blackburn got passes.

King will target the wr that the play calls. King wants to win. It's a tragedy that Blackburn has been so injured he couldn't make first team in fall. It would be a travisity, if we rushed him on to field and ended his career.

 

[MonroeJacket]

Leo plays a pretty good bit I believe, he just doesn’t get targeted. I see him out there all the time. He’s just blocking.

 

[GTJake]

I think we’re better than all four of those teams, but being better is no guarantee that we will win. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot like Saturday and 3 or even 2 out of 4 is in play.

I agree, some of the difference for me currently are 2 things, #1) I love Coach Key and this staff, but inexperience is hurting us right now. The good thing is time will cure this especially with our HC and #2) Currently the ball is not bouncing our way, this is a subjective thing but I think it is real over the course of a long season. A couple of inches and the fumble could have been a TD down the sideline, a little higher trajectory and the FG isn't blocked. Its frustrating, but a beneficial bounce could have made the difference in both our losses.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Over the last 30 years or so it has felt like most of our Tech teams have had to play a near perfect game to win regardless of competition. The advantage of Key has been his ability to get the team focused on every game but we are still a team that can’t afford to make mistakes. We are capable of a winning record and a bowl game but there is no margin for error now.

"Focused" If what I saw against Syracuse and Louisville was focused, well, what is going to happen when the quarterback breaks up with his girlfriend? We saw what happened when the first string tackle was out against Louisville, for his replacement it was matador time. This team's depth on both lines appears to be paper thin, if that.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I think we have a great team. Could have won those two games. I'm confident we will win several more and perhaps get a "sting". We need and I'm sure will fix the field goal situation. I was a bit concerned that King may have lost a bit of confidence at the end, perhaps due to the lateral that didn't work (if it had, 15 yards and a first down that we needed). I think he made a gutsy call. Shame they blocked it. With all the pressure of a tight game it must be a challenge to keep you confidence up. Alas, the coaches will help with this if in fact it was the case. King is a good passer and we have a great receiver corps. So happy to see us employ that asset. Go Jackets!!!!

"I think we have a great team" Um, nope. don't agree. Maybe top 50 or so. Great teams play great defense. Great teams don't miss critical field goals. Great teams don't damn near get their quarterback broken in two. Great teams don't waste precious seconds in crunch time fumbling around like they have never practiced a two minute drill. Great teams most definitely don't continue to run up the middle against an 8 man front with safeties running up to play linebacker. Great teams most definitely do not lose to ACC teams not named Clemson, Miami, or Notre Dame (on a good day for the Irish)