Where do we end up

[Ramble1885]

King is still day to day and Pyron looked hurt to me Saturday. If that is true, it rests on Philo this Saturday. He can wing it, but only if he has time. Same as King and Pyron. How well does he run? Never seen him do that.

Pyron looked hurt?

 

[NorthAvenueNation]

This upcoming weekend is a crapshoot because we don't know the status of King or Efford along with a few others. If we are healthy, I like a noon game win over the Hookies. I think we can beat NCSU and then keep it close with either miami or uga. Over the next four games...

Realistically: 2-2
Hopeful For: 3-1
The Sky if Falling: 0-4

I'm going with 2-2.

 

[AUFC]

We are where I thought we would get to when the season started, so any additional wins at this point would just be gravy. Most of us were saying 6 wins this year was a good year with the gauntlet schedule. The defense is (slowly) trending the right direction and we return a lot of production on offense next season with a relatively kind schedule that will give us at least a fighting chance of getting to Charlotte, winning a title, and making the playoff. The win this season over F$U, while not as impressive in retrospect, got us ranked for the first time in 9 years and told the country that our program isn't a laughing stock anymore. I wouldn't be thrilled to finish the season with 5 straight losses, but at this point nothing could change my mind that we are headed in the right direction w/ the entire system (Key, Batt, and Cabrera) all rowing in the same direction.

 

[TampaBuzz]

Unfortunately, another lower tier bowl game at best, a season that started so promising has faded. I almost want to apoloqize for my negativity, but I'm still bumming from Saturday and not feeling it right now ...

I don't think Saturday is anything to still be bumming about. We knew it would be difficult with King out and it became almost impossible when Efford was declared out at kickoff. We never, ever stopping fighting in the game. We didn't always play smart and made some poor plays, but we never stopped fighting. Yes, we missed some tackles, but overall, I thought the defense played well without Efford, and the offense did about as well as could be expected against the ND defense. Special teams are still a mess, but even if they had been perfect we still lose by 10 or so. Maybe you are bumming because we did not beat the spread?

 

[GTJake]

I don't think Saturday is anything to still be bumming about. We knew it would be difficult with King out and it became almost impossible when Efford was declared out at kickoff. We never, ever stopping fighting in the game. We didn't always play smart and made some poor plays, but we never stopped fighting. Yes, we missed some tackles, but overall, I thought the defense played well without Efford, and the offense did about as well as could be expected against the ND defense. Special teams are still a mess, but even if they had been perfect we still lose by 10 or so. Maybe you are bumming because we did not beat the spread?

Yea, mostly disappointment, I'll get over it ...

 

[LongforDodd]

Upon further review, Hokies are 4-3 with the three losses being by a total of 10 points Ouch! They lost to Vanderbilt and Rutgers but gave Miami all they wanted losing by only 4 points. Early line has them a 8 point or so favorite against Tech this week. NC State's situation appears a bit more muddled. They are 4-4 with two really bad losses to Tennessee and Clemson. Together, the Vols and Tigers ripped State for 110 points. However, on the bright side, NC State came from behind against California for a win Saturday to even their record. Our best chance for a win is probably against the Pack. I can see us beating Virginia Tech but we have to play a whole lot better than we did Saturday.

If the OL doesn't block any better for Pyron (I'm assuming King is out again) than they did last saturday then the results will be the same. Jeff needs more time with a cleaner pocket than King. King can more easily improvise his way out of OL breakdowns.

 

[RamblinCharger]

At the beginning of the year I thought 7-5. Now I’m leaning 6-6. Could still get the 7th win but like someone mentioned in another thread, we seem to have made corrections in some areas and regressed in others. Will need a switch to flip down the stretch starting Saturday.

 

[RamblinRed]

Pyron looked hurt?

He looked like he took a shot late in the fourth that definitely had him wincing a little. Didn't keep him from continuing to play.

 

[RamblinRed]

I was thinking 6-6 +-1 before the season. Still thinking that.
I don't expect us to lose out, but 2 more regular season wins is probably the ceiling for this team.
I'll post on this later, but it feels like this team is right about in the same area overall as last season in terms of its overall ability. It is better in some areas, worse in others and I think they largely cancel out.

I feel like we will go 1-1 against VT/NCST, it is just a matter of whether we can pull off an upset over Miami or UGA to get 2 wins in our last 4.

 

[Techster]

We really needed to stack wins in the first half of the season. GT being GT, I didn't think we would win all the "winnable" games, and we probably are where we should be. We could be sitting here at 7-1, but 6-2 would have been nice. Both Louisville and Syracuse were winnable. Unfortunately, we tend to go through periods where we melt down and revert to the Collins years and give the other team a chance to beat us.

So now what? Well, we need one more win to go bowling. IMO, bowling should be the minimum bucket of expectations for GT. I think Pyron is more than capable of leading us to wins against VT and NC State if that's the situation we're in without King. King gives us a chance to beat those two teams, and a chance to pull an upset against Miami...who I think is VERY good, but they are not as good as their #6 ranking. UGA...well, a LOT of things would have to go right for us, and a lot of things would have to go wrong for them for us to pull that one out...of course, all of our UGA wins lately have come in Athens...so....

I think it's important for GT to win two more games to get us to 7 wins during the regular season. It will also give us a chance to win 8 games total if we can make it to a bowl game and win it. For me, winning 8 games is a perception thing for our program and for recruiting. Showing recruits tangible improvement from one year to the next under Key. Anything above 7 wins is gravy.

GT has always pulled out a game we shouldn't later in the season. Well, Miami and UGA are left in the "GT shouldn't win it" category...so, we'll see. There's still an outside chance GT could win 9 games if we win the games we're supposed to, and pull one out against Miami or UGA. THAT would give this program a LOT of tailwind heading into next season.

 

[MonroeJacket]

He looked like he took a shot late in the fourth that definitely had him wincing a little. Didn't keep him from continuing to play.

I didn't see that hit, but he had a couple times where he went down awkwardly to me. He walked right by me in the tunnel after the game and he did not look good, wincing, limping a little, holding his back, maybe some blood on his jersey…but all I could think was…man this dude is a warrior and I’m glad he’s on our team. He did just play a football game against one of the top Ds in the nation. (You can see this on KQs video on Twitter)

Other than that…Malik was already outta pads when the team was coming back in the locker room. He seemed in good spirits.

I’m assuming at this point Cooley is just done. Horace Lockett? Need Efford back asap.

Who else didn’t play? Went down? Shelley? Franklin?

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

One silver lining is that because we played in Week 0, we have two more byes which, considering we seem to be littered with injuries right now, could be a real godsend to help us finish the year off strong.

 

[stinger78]

ZP took 2-3 shots to his non-throwing shoulder or side. He was clearly in pain yet kept playing… hence this tough dude thread.

Glad to hear he’s OK. My fear was a reinjury to his clavicle.

 

[tmhunter52]

VT is a tough away game regardless of the QB and MLB starters. Miami and Georgia are almost certain losses. You can bet that Miami will put hits on King at every opportunity to try to aggravate his injury. So will NC State. If King gets hurt again or if his timing and decision-making are off, that bowl game will be in jeopardy.

 

[Root4GT]

We really needed to stack wins in the first half of the season. GT being GT, I didn't think we would win all the "winnable" games, and we probably are where we should be. We could be sitting here at 7-1, but 6-2 would have been nice. Both Louisville and Syracuse were winnable. Unfortunately, we tend to go through periods where we melt down and revert to the Collins years and give the other team a chance to beat us.

So now what? Well, we need one more win to go bowling. IMO, bowling should be the minimum bucket of expectations for GT. I think Pyron is more than capable of leading us to wins against VT and NC State if that's the situation we're in without King. King gives us a chance to beat those two teams, and a chance to pull an upset against Miami...who I think is VERY good, but they are not as good as their #6 ranking. UGA...well, a LOT of things would have to go right for us, and a lot of things would have to go wrong for them for us to pull that one out...of course, all of our UGA wins lately have come in Athens...so....

I think it's important for GT to win two more games to get us to 7 wins during the regular season. It will also give us a chance to win 8 games total if we can make it to a bowl game and win it. For me, winning 8 games is a perception thing for our program and for recruiting. Showing recruits tangible improvement from one year to the next under Key. Anything above 7 wins is gravy.

GT has always pulled out a game we shouldn't later in the season. Well, Miami and UGA are left in the "GT shouldn't win it" category...so, we'll see. There's still an outside chance GT could win 9 games if we win the games we're supposed to, and pull one out against Miami or UGA. THAT would give this program a LOT of tailwind heading into next season.

That was reasonable until you got to 9 wins and win the games we are supposed to win. We are rightfully an 8 point underdog to VT. We will be a 12+ point underdog to Miami and a 15+ underdog to UGA. We are likely a pickem game with NCST! We have had one sure win this year VMI and one should win game GaSt. All others were pickem at best with us as mild to major underdogs for the rest.

 

[RamblinRed]

I didn't see that hit, but he had a couple times where he went down awkwardly to me. He walked right by me in the tunnel after the game and he did not look good, wincing, limping a little, holding his back, maybe some blood on his jersey…but all I could think was…man this dude is a warrior and I’m glad he’s on our team. He did just play a football game against one of the top Ds in the nation. (You can see this on KQs video on Twitter)

Other than that…Malik was already outta pads when the team was coming back in the locker room. He seemed in good spirits.

I’m assuming at this point Cooley is just done. Horace Lockett? Need Efford back asap.

Who else didn’t play? Went down? Shelley? Franklin?

I believe Shelley was a scratch before the game. Franklin went out but came back in.
It was definitely a very physicaly game.

VT will be a tough test. Another team with a great RB - maybe the best we have faced all season paired with a QB who is a capable runner and thrower.

 

[Techster]

That was reasonable until you got to 9 wins and win the games we are supposed to win. We are rightfully an 8 point underdog to VT. We will be a 12+ point underdog to Miami and a 15+ underdog to UGA. We are likely a pickem game with NCST! We have had one sure win this year VMI and one should win game GaSt. All others were pickem at best with us as mild to major underdogs for the rest.

Nine wins is if everything rolls our way...being GT, well...you know...

EDIT:

Miami's DFEI is currently #46. They are NOT the monsters on defense we faced with ND, nor will face against UGA. Like I said, I think Miami is a winnable game if King is back.

Our Offensive FEI is currently #18 (we somehow improved one spot after ND).

It will probably be a shootout, and we will need every single weapon in our arsenal.

 

[Root4GT]

Nine wins is if everything rolls our way...being GT, well...you know...

Few things roll GT's way! The Shaft never dies!

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I was hoping 8-4 before the season began. Now it looks like 6-6.

 

[buzzed]

Gailey Equilibrium: 7