While a dramatic change in the passing game would be great, a competent or even just a balanced one would do wonders.
And might be enough for next year.
Realistic expectations…
- Thread starter bori_blanco
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And might be enough for next year.
What a difference a year makes!!!
Last spring the discussion was if we could win 3-5 games. Now we're talking about how competitive we can be against a team that was in the NC game. There are still posters that will contend that GS isn't/wasn't the right man for the job but they seem to have, as the Beatles would say, "vanished in the haze."
Last spring the discussion was if we could win 3-5 games. Now we're talking about how competitive we can be against a team that was in the NC game. There are still posters that will contend that GS isn't/wasn't the right man for the job but they seem to have, as the Beatles would say, "vanished in the haze."
While all the returning experience helps makes things hopeful, I do think some are underestimating next year’s schedule. The game @VT will be more difficult than some think. RU could be a slight underdog in that game. Also I think the game @ Neb is a probable loss. If the QB play is greatly improved, then maybe 8 wins is possible . I think the Vegas O/U for wins is going to be in the 5.5 to 6 range. The games against Illinois, Minn, MSU, UCLA are toss up games in my opinion, with likely losses to Wash, USC, Wisc, MD. I think 7-5 would be a very good record and 6-6 not surprising. I just don’t think we have enough difference makers to be a team that gets to 8 or 9 wins playing in the B1G.
Yeah I don’t understand so many saying we have a very easy schedule 10 wins minimum. Posters are already claiming absolute victory over certain teams VT being one of them. Trust me the coaching staff and players are not looking at it that way.
Amazing that we don't play any of the top 5. That may never happen again. While the schedule is not easy, in the past we've had 3-4 automatic losses. This year, I'm not sure there is an unwinnable game on this schedule. Granted there are a bunch of toss up games and you can't expect to win all of them like we did this year.
You guys are right that @VT is a big swing game. 8 wins is realistic if we get that one.
I’m hoping we beat USC at their place , and it’s possible , but some on here dismissing them as not good and penciling a win better be careful.
@USC is the toughest game on the schedule. But we may have a 25% chance as opposed to less than 5% in THREE games this past season.
No doubt. But they're probably preferable to the "big 2 and cult" we were used to.
Wrong.
We will beat UCLA and they won’t finish as the 8th best team in the B1G.
We also beat either VT Or Nebraska.
7 wins minimum.
Too much homerism in this thread. People forget that this returning group completely collapsed down the stretch and lost four straight to end the regular season, mainly because the offense couldn't execute a passing play. The bowl game showed definite hopeful signs and I'm glad we got another QB in the transfer portal, but acting like this is a "7 wins minimum" team is delusional. There are still tons of question marks.
Unless you have been under a rock the past couple weeks, makes no sense some are calling Washington at home a definite loss. They will have a new coach and literally new starters at every position following massive portal losses.
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I think 6-7 wins is likely and 8 if we are lucky and have a better passing game. It‘s great that everyone thinks almost every game is competitive unlike when we play Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State.
Umm, did you expect Rutgers to beat Ohio State, Penn State or Iowa, the first two being ranked 1 and 12, and Iowa ranked 22 with the second or third best defense in the conference? That's a collapse? We apologize for being optimistic. Have a nice day.
No, but you did.
Well, I was close! 😜
As for Ohio State and Penn State, did you expect different? Let me know how I did with those predictions. BTW, I will save you the time, I'm always a homer in the prediction threads. That point aside, I found the Maryland performance to be VERY disappointing, especially being a home game and the way the defense performed.
Stop being Nostradamus and let them play the games . Why bother with stupid predictions.
I think that the losing four straight is historical in nature of this team in how we had to face OSU, PSU and UM in the middle of the schedule and we ran out of gas against OSU that day, our guys gave it their all against a top 10 team and as a result had nothing left in the tank to finish out the season against the physicality of the BIG.
So I think part of the answer here is you have to look at all the games that were toss ups last year and we won them all which is pretty amazing.
Can we win them all or will one of the QB’s have a WTF game and blow one. Will we have 3 fumbles and blow one?
Can we steal a game we aren’t favored in and are considered losses or very tough games.
Realistically 6-9 wins. Can make a case for all 4.
Howard - W
Akron - W
@VaTech - tossup
Wash- L
@ Neb Tossup but leaning toward us
Wisc - L but a chance
UCLA - Tossup lean toward us
@USC - Tossup but lean toward them
Minn - W
@Maryland- a loss until we prove otherwise
Illinios- W
@MSU - W
Worst case 5-7
Best case 8-4
best guess - 7-5
Akron - W
@VaTech - tossup
Wash- L
@ Neb Tossup but leaning toward us
Wisc - L but a chance
UCLA - Tossup lean toward us
@USC - Tossup but lean toward them
Minn - W
@Maryland- a loss until we prove otherwise
Illinios- W
@MSU - W
Worst case 5-7
Best case 8-4
best guess - 7-5
Who are these so many with 10 wins minimum except some that are being completely sarcastic?
OSU
@ Iowa
@ PSU
Maryland
Most mid- top half of the P5 would go 1-3 at best.
I should clear it up …many say easy schedule . Some saying 10 wins with our schedule.
Next year will be interesting
How I see us-
QB - it won't be worse. so, that means we will be better at QB
RB - It could be very similar
WR- Can't be worse
TE- you know it can't be worse
OL- it was night and day better in just 1 year. Expect it to get even better again
DL- tough to say on the inside but DE is still pretty sick. We should have more depth
LB - this is the real question
DB- keeps plugging along as a very good unit
ST's- kicking game is already good- but return game can't be worse
Outside of LB- I see every unit is equal or better than last year's team that went 7-6 with a top 5 schedule
So- VaTech may have gotten better- how much?
Wash may be worse but...even with their losses- they have so much talent.
The other West Coast teams- who the hell knows what we are getting into. But they are not in the class of OSU/Mich/PSU
And we also have fans talking about how we got lucky to play NWU and MSU after their coaches were fired...But the reality, he head coach was fired mut much of both staffs stayed the same.
Indiana- some may say we are the ones that got Allen fired.
Just annoys me that to our fans- we make excuses for good wins and from one year to th next, we are the only team that did not get better.
How I see us-
QB - it won't be worse. so, that means we will be better at QB
RB - It could be very similar
WR- Can't be worse
TE- you know it can't be worse
OL- it was night and day better in just 1 year. Expect it to get even better again
DL- tough to say on the inside but DE is still pretty sick. We should have more depth
LB - this is the real question
DB- keeps plugging along as a very good unit
ST's- kicking game is already good- but return game can't be worse
Outside of LB- I see every unit is equal or better than last year's team that went 7-6 with a top 5 schedule
So- VaTech may have gotten better- how much?
Wash may be worse but...even with their losses- they have so much talent.
The other West Coast teams- who the hell knows what we are getting into. But they are not in the class of OSU/Mich/PSU
And we also have fans talking about how we got lucky to play NWU and MSU after their coaches were fired...But the reality, he head coach was fired mut much of both staffs stayed the same.
Indiana- some may say we are the ones that got Allen fired.
Just annoys me that to our fans- we make excuses for good wins and from one year to th next, we are the only team that did not get better.
Really ? Why you so triggered on this topic ? Go read some of the posts . I have no dog in this fight. Get off my ass.
C'mon now. Head coach flew the coop. Just about every starter gone. Washington travels 3,000 miles to an earlier time zone. And Rutgers doesn't have "any sort of chance"?
Your post made me go back and check- I couldn’t find anyone that did what you said?
I’m not sure why you made a statement as if it were true and then get upset that I pointed out that no one said what you said they did?
I was actually hoping I was going to find the idiots that you posted something so dumb and I was going to bust on them.
But since you asked what triggers me- someone that makes up something and then gets upset that someone actually checked…
Think LB will be better this season. When Powell went down we lost 4 straight.
Sure we lose Jennings but Mo, Powell, and Walker will be a strong LB unit.
Guess your sorry ass didn’t do enough digging. I always liked your son but you were always an ass and all the players knew it. Move on.
I actually think linebacker should be one of our stronger positions.
Toure and Powell are very good.
Walker and Djabome have interesting potential.
And maybe Winowich gets a shot there.
Not sure why you are so triggered. You made a statement- when I first read it, I really wanted to see who the idiots were that you were referring to. So, I went back to check- found DJ’s normal 12 wins but couldn’t find those you said stated 10 wins or anyone that said we have an easy schedule.
Glad you liked my son as a player. And interesting that the other players somehow found me interesting enough to talk about me…and I’ve been called many things in real life, but pretty sure that outside of a few OL and a backup QB, if any player would pick me out of a crowd..,lol
8-4
With solid QB play and overall offense, we'd have won 8 this year
Hoping Gav makes the jump and gets us to the next threshold
FWIW, I feel 8-4 is our floor moving forward if we fulfill our potential and get a strong NIL collective and continued improved recruiting
While not the biggest fan of Greg, he's done a great job since he's been here
Can he get us to that next level? I have my doubts - but would love to be wrong as our potential to get there is off the charts
With solid QB play and overall offense, we'd have won 8 this year
Hoping Gav makes the jump and gets us to the next threshold
FWIW, I feel 8-4 is our floor moving forward if we fulfill our potential and get a strong NIL collective and continued improved recruiting
While not the biggest fan of Greg, he's done a great job since he's been here
Can he get us to that next level? I have my doubts - but would love to be wrong as our potential to get there is off the charts
Not sure about 8 being a floor but ok with saying that 8 should be an expectation.
football wins and losses are really hard to figure, unless one team clearly outclasses the other
the Michigan state game turned on two plays, for example...., do we figure that again?...can't just figure it
other games, we got killed by 2 or 3 pick sixes, that completely turned games around, and we lost
qb room invalidates this but glad you and @yesrutgers01 agree that 8 should be expectation
I find it odd that so many get so triggered on here so easily when making any expectations of Greg that any normal program would have
I do want to be clear…2023 was the trigger for me. Greg has good coaches now. You could see the “execution” this year and we finally looked like we belonged. Also have Mich one of their hardest games- and forget the score, we went manomano with OSU. And that was with weak QB/WR/TE play and no kick return game.
I am finally on board with 2.0
I am not putting 8 games as expectation this year but I do want to say bowl game again and starting 2025 - 8 wins the norm
We can have down years but I expect 8 wins this year (I'll include the bowl game) and 8 moving forward
No reason why this can't be accomplished
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