this season has been disappointing to say the least but let’s relax a bit and rethink this. Entering this season we all knew that there were three really big “ifs” surrounding this team. One, how much better would the OL be with the new transfers and freshman. Two, how would the QB situation turn out. Three, the lack of depth at linebacker. Our overall defense, the line and the DB’s were considered by most as good, not great but good. The RB room was, again, good, not great but good. And the WR were supposed to be improved with the acquisition of Ryan and (that Syracuse transfer). Then that transfer left the team and the WR room took a big hit. So, the OL did improve some but not as much as we would have wanted but there is youth there. One of those frosh started yesterday so I expect the OL to get a little better next year (especially if Sutton returns and is as good as he was before his injury, unknown). Our QBs were decimated. Vedral played the first half of the year with what we now know was a broken hand, he couldn’t throw. Matt Millen even said on the air that Vedral “had a lot of hardware in there” referring to his hand. GW got his ankle injured in game two and was unavail for four or five games and Simon proved to be what he is, a third string backup. We played half a season without a QB. Who wins without a QB, NO ONE. until yesterday we were able to avoid injury to the LBs but then Jennings went down and MSU exploited Wright Collins over the middle. Next year we get Mo Toure back on the DL and Moses Walker in the LB core. Overall, as I see it we are still on an upward trajectory in regards to the talent level. Let’s see how that heralded recruiting class improves and the transfer portal emerges for next year. I may be accused of seeing through scarlet colored glasses but I think we are in better shape than our record indicates for next year.
I can’t buy in to the “we suck” thing.
- Thread starter Dpgru
- Start date
You are what your record says you are.
As such, we suck (and have since Ash) until proven otherwise.
As such, we suck (and have since Ash) until proven otherwise.
Great post and at least some here and probably in the majority of posters realize we are not a team quite fully loaded. Proof was yesterday MSU was able to win not because Mel Tucker is a better coach it is based upon depth and strength in certain areas. Pretty equal all around in terms of player quality . I ‘ll still take Schiano over Tucker if only because as a former RU player said here… he is questionable in many ways.
Many like to dwell on the negative. I’ve been a NY Jet fan since I was a young kid in the late 1960’s. Many RU fans remind me of Jet fans believing they have a monopoly on suffering. Most rational fans knew this could be a tough, long year. There would be many 1st and 2nd year players in the two deep and on special teams. A 4 or 5 win season was probably likely. There has been improvement especially on defense. The key will be to continue to improve the OL and continue to develop the young QB. Next year is a big year for the staff, the team needs to win and at least get to a bowl game.
We are a lot better than the Ash days. Just look at it like how you look at inflation 😀. The worst is behind us.
Agree, you nailed it.
One of the most overlooked items from yesterday was freshman Kwabena Asamoah on OL. And he was not very highly recruited. Just rewatched several plays where he was in the game, and he looked good. Could he be part of the reason why the run game got going yesterday?
We are much better … not that I equate us with others in conference but the truth is we need to as the HC have all 3 aspects work in unison. Our specials have been impacted somewhat through injury and that may be a coach change coming. Not knowing who will be our official OC we need a guy who can develop a QB and the backups. If that be Nunz then that is the biggest decision to be made by Schiano. I like Nunzio and the next 2 games will go a long way towards that decision.
There’s we suck but we’re getting better and we suck and there’s no hope. Such was the case at the end of the Ash era.
If we beat Maryland and at 5-7 get to go to the Arizona Bowl against Air Force or something is the season still considered a failure?
I can see where Wimsatt becomes a good player - he turned a corner yesterday
If he can get his passes to be less lofty he'll be even better
A fast WR that could run under a Wimsatt pass downfield (like tOSU does) would really give a defense headaches.
As things were, having a full feature QB really helped run game yesterday.
Defenses can't easily crowd the interior to stuff the chippy stuff.
So OL got better this year, QB is making legit strides, a nice RB is in stock. offense can do more things - its good to see young player progress late in season.
Hemingway wrote about bankruptcy saying:
“How did you go bankrupt?"
Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”
The same thing works for positive path - you get better bit by bit and then click-boom the fuse gets lit (you saw that in 2005)
Just need a few more players and hopefully a realization that the red zone offensive execution has sucked since forever under Schiano, and new OCs wont fix Greg's three wheeled shopping cart. Have to fix that fourth wheel
If he can get his passes to be less lofty he'll be even better
A fast WR that could run under a Wimsatt pass downfield (like tOSU does) would really give a defense headaches.
As things were, having a full feature QB really helped run game yesterday.
Defenses can't easily crowd the interior to stuff the chippy stuff.
So OL got better this year, QB is making legit strides, a nice RB is in stock. offense can do more things - its good to see young player progress late in season.
Hemingway wrote about bankruptcy saying:
“How did you go bankrupt?"
Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”
The same thing works for positive path - you get better bit by bit and then click-boom the fuse gets lit (you saw that in 2005)
Just need a few more players and hopefully a realization that the red zone offensive execution has sucked since forever under Schiano, and new OCs wont fix Greg's three wheeled shopping cart. Have to fix that fourth wheel
No it would not and because I believe our schedule is one if the toughest in college football overall. If by another miracle we can win at least 1 more game it won’t be disappointing and probably the players would deserve the opportunity. The best would be to have Gavin play in a post season game with 4 -5 games under his belt. It certainly woul not hurt.
Nice post and glad that the far majority of our fans really ( though not happy with our record ) understand it is not an overnight progression especially where we were since 2015.
I liken this team to Pike’s b-ball team. First he had to change the roster. As he did the record improved a little. As players arrived he got the record to that 14 - 16 win area. Over three years the roster improved but the record didn’t. Then, when he really got the roster where it needed to be with the Baker/Harper era the improvement showed up in th record and we went to that 19/ 20 win area and the post season. Well, football is mirroring that, IMO. First change the roster. GS first year, crazy COVID 3&6. As he is changing the roster, and, IMO, it is significantly better than when he arrived, the record isn’t improving much. Takes time to get from the roster to the record. 5 wins and this year 4/5 TBD. Next step, just like with Pike and b-ball, the roster shows up in the record. Hopefully that step shows up next year. I really believe it will. That is why I am a think with your heart and not your head fan. I leave thinking with my head to far more important issues.
Lost all three toss-up games. With a little better coaching, execution and luck we win two and could have qualified for a bowl THIS season. Next season Schiano's honeymoon ends and wins become the barometer.
In that case we would have to win the bowl game .
best case is obviously beating Penn state and Maryland .
Great job by the OP here. Most fans see this. Some people will always complain so carve them off. Some will always hate Schiano and always have so carve them off. The rest of us are frustrated but can see the second rebuild. It’s not if but when and the only other question is how much can the staff do with our limited fanbase and stout competition? Show up 90% RU for saturdays game and win it or at least compete in front of a rabid fanbase and you will see more recruits swing our way. Otherwise the staff has to sell the vision alone. That gets harder and harder to do.
To the OP comments, Our LB’s tackle well and I don’t know our pass D schemes but that seems to be an issue from what I saw with all 3 LB’s. They will get better. Our OL is much better than last year but not yet dominant. Better QB play and RB and WR play also help the OL so it works both ways.
I’m all in on Gavin but we need to keep recruiting that position. Hopefully Simon stays and pushes Gavin in camp plus we bring in a freshman and a transfer of good QB’s are available. I’m not giving up on this season either. Still 2 games to play and for guys to compete. Let’s Go!
To the OP comments, Our LB’s tackle well and I don’t know our pass D schemes but that seems to be an issue from what I saw with all 3 LB’s. They will get better. Our OL is much better than last year but not yet dominant. Better QB play and RB and WR play also help the OL so it works both ways.
I’m all in on Gavin but we need to keep recruiting that position. Hopefully Simon stays and pushes Gavin in camp plus we bring in a freshman and a transfer of good QB’s are available. I’m not giving up on this season either. Still 2 games to play and for guys to compete. Let’s Go!
Our record says otherwise.
From our B1G piers point of view we continue to be a laughingstock.
Hell even Yukon and Syracuse are going bowl.
We suck.
Perhaps a better picture in 2025 or 2026.
WR is going to be a huge issue next year. Ryan, Cruikshank, and Jones are all gone. And the recruits are thin in talent at this point. Portal is crucial here and for OL and DT.
From our B1G piers point of view we continue to be a laughingstock.
Hell even Yukon and Syracuse are going bowl.
We suck.
Perhaps a better picture in 2025 or 2026.
WR is going to be a huge issue next year. Ryan, Cruikshank, and Jones are all gone. And the recruits are thin in talent at this point. Portal is crucial here and for OL and DT.
Wrong as always. We beat Cuse at Cuse. We beat MSU, Purdue, Illinois. They all except MSU play weaker schedules. The BIG East can look down on us but not by much any more. The gap has closed to everyone not named, Penn St, Ohio St and Michigan who we’ve played tough 2.5 of the last 3 years.
Here is what the rest of college football thinks of us:
Massey Composite Ranking
92 Connecticut
93 Rutgers
Being ranked 93rd, with two more likely losses on the way, is terrible and is terrible for Year 3 of a rebuild. Perennial dumpster fire Kansas is ranked 32nd in Year 2 of their rebuild. We should at least be 60s or 70s. That's not at all unrealistic. Honestly, at this point Schiano is doing worse than I had expected.
Massey Composite Ranking
92 Connecticut
93 Rutgers
Being ranked 93rd, with two more likely losses on the way, is terrible and is terrible for Year 3 of a rebuild. Perennial dumpster fire Kansas is ranked 32nd in Year 2 of their rebuild. We should at least be 60s or 70s. That's not at all unrealistic. Honestly, at this point Schiano is doing worse than I had expected.
He ‘s not going anyplace and the reason is the first 2 years are a wash due to when he took over, what transpired in his first 2 seasons with covid and last the actual team he came in with. Sure Schiano claimed everyone who stayed was HIS team .The reality is it is only HIS team after this next recruiting class as well as ‘24. When are board members going to realize this. Let’s say hypothetically we fire Greg after ‘ 24 and another HC arrives more to your particular likes and dislikes. Is that group better or worse than 2019 when he was hired for round 2?
This team performed exactly the way we all expected.
People on this board just get super emotional during the season and lash out. I also think people expected some of these other teams to be better (Nebraska and MSU), which is why they got even more upset that we lost.
I think people forgot how painful it was watching this team in years past, it was like a chore. Things are getting better IMO.
People on this board just get super emotional during the season and lash out. I also think people expected some of these other teams to be better (Nebraska and MSU), which is why they got even more upset that we lost.
I think people forgot how painful it was watching this team in years past, it was like a chore. Things are getting better IMO.
Definitely a concern. Hoping that Fitzroy Ledgister will continue to improve his WR skills before next season starts, assuming that he'll continue to play RU football in the future in addition to competing for RU in track and field. I know that track speed doesn't always correlate with football speed, but I think it's a good bet that he's faster on the track than any of our current WRs are, and if he continues to compete in track and field as planned his speed should improve as well.
It never fails. A post/thread with a more optimistic take and out come the haters and trolls.
And, today the men’s soccer team beat Indiana for the BIG Tournament Championship. I will post it even if a positive post on RU makes me an apologist.
Optimistic or dumb is a matter of opinion. Was it optimism in Year 3 of Ash to say "I think he can get it done."
Um, they actually won. THAT is a good coach, not just airy promises with demands for more money and time.
I think we are getting closer. It really is hard to gauge but the Defense is serviceable, special teams are also serviceable. Now the offense is where the whole success thing hinges on. It takes pressure off those other two units. Wimsatt can play, he has a ways to go but will be fine. WR and TEs that can get open and catch the ball are the needs. Better O Line play for pass protection. Running backs are serviceable, especially if brown comes back ready to go. Another back with similar between the tackle speed would help.
more defensive pressure and better linebacker play and this team can get to 6 wins next year. I would say next year is the make or break year. I’m gonna be optimistic and say RU gets there.
more defensive pressure and better linebacker play and this team can get to 6 wins next year. I would say next year is the make or break year. I’m gonna be optimistic and say RU gets there.
Massey , whatever geek that may be- is not “ the rest of college football”. This team would beat the vast majority of smaller conf teams. Even schools like Houston, UCF, SMU etc, dont see them any better than 4 or 5 wins against the schedule RU has played.
Massey Composite is an average of rankings of college football teams. So it's a reflection of how multiple rankings using a variety of systems view teams--in other words, how most of the rest of college football sees teams. As for beating the vast majority of smaller conference teams, I'm not sure. We struggled mightily to beat Temple, which is one of the worst of them.
I'm with the OP. We are not good, but we don't suck. When games are always over by the middle of the 3rd quarter, then you suck. Losing games by one score twice and mostly because of two defensive touchdowns in a 3rd game is progress. Gotta keep chopping until we see daylight in the forest.
