Aldo

ftfy

I assume service academy fans are a little more omnipresent than your typical college fan.

A roster that was left in shambles hasn't recovered after a season and a half? Color me surprised. Oh and where tf have you been Ben while we were 4-2? We lost a horrible game and you come trottin in? Welcome back, I guess. This team is what it is. Carried by the offense until all the pieces come together.

81-0

Yeesh that's not luck. That's getting your butt back on the field and taking care of business. Missing the FG would be luck. Instead, Darden made a play. Then Wilson made a play. Then Moore made a play. The pass to Bussey wasn't luck. It was repetition. Practice. Look we both agree that the defense is bad. But we're 4-3 because in those other games, the defense did *just* enough to keep us in the game, and the offense responded. That's not luck. That's working with what you've got. The last game, no one showed up. Not the coaches, offense, or defense. The offense is what will keep us afloat. In year 2. In year 2! The defense continues to be bad (top 90 or top 100 is not good). But give it time. Don't care what kind of a turnaround Kiffin does in year 1. This ain't FAU.

Luck is the Lawrence pass. Good coaching, combined with a good offense is winning games from a deficit, getting your team to 4-3, instead of packing it up in the first quarter against USM. That quarter we were outscored 14-7. Then quarters 2-4 we ourscored them 36-14. If you think we’ve lucked ourselves into 4-3 after going through the most difficult part of the schedule, what word are we going to use when we roll ODU, Rice, and UTEP? Are we going to put a caveat on that too and say “well they suck”. We crapped the bed hard in two games, but give me the 4 Ws. ETA: if you think we bumbled and lucked ourselves into 4 wins instead of playing 4 quarters of football, you’re giving our opponents way more benefit of the doubt than your own team. We beat good teams plain and simple. USM, UAB, and UTSA are still contenders. And we beat them after 4 quarters cause that’s what football is. We didn’t play up to par, and that was evident. The team didn’t look like the team that we had seen the past three games. Come home, take the wake up call, and take names. With pen.

FEI ratings had us in the 100s for defense last season (and worse than this season so far). S&P had us nearly at 100 (and better than this season). ypg is about 15 yards worse per game now. Points per game is about 5 worse now. Point: They’re both bad defenses. Biggest change this year is an historic offense with better talent, execution, and play calling. Our standard downs defense has gotten a lot better this season. Our passing downs defense is really really bad. But about depth: if we have one dude that’s bad, we can’t go and put someone else in. That worked for Brooks and Jenkins, and the D line. With LB? We moved a safety from an FCS there. We gained about 5-10 scholarship players this season across 22 positions.

We got an extra drive to do what? Luck ourselves to wins? Forcing the opponent to go 3 and out - instead of clinching the game on a 4th down conversion - and then coming back 98 yards for the go ahead score is not luck. Handing the ball off when they’re expecting pass to set up the game winning field goal is not luck. The defense putting us in bad games because they’re outmatched, and the offense getting us wins anyway, is not luck. Last season they had enough scholarship players to field an FCS team. This year they’re still under. What does that equal? Depth issues. Calling on a safety FCS transfer to take heavy number of snaps at LB. Losing your best and heaviest DT (on paper) for more than half the season, pushing guys from one position to another. Etc etc. This roster is not complete. And it shows.

I’m pulling my hair out that you’re calling it bailed out. You accept (like me) that the defense is bad, but the other facets of the game are good enough to keep us afloat, at minimum, give us a winning record at most. Bailed out or the other facets of the game we improved and able to overcome our defensive problems? Because it is a problem, but there’s been enough improvement in coaching, talent, and scheme to keep the defense off the field. The offense, Trevor Moore, and outcoaching the other team has put us at 4-3. The defense has almost snatched the 4-3 away. But it wasn’t. This offense is in year two and will be setting team records. This defense made FAU look better than they actually are.

We. Don’t. Have. Enough. Players.

lol 4-3 and 3-1. No hypotheticals here. How many times have you said that about this team? 4-3 and 3-1.

We had a really soft schedule last year and a deeper LB core. We don’t have a complete roster, and the transition on defense is far from complete. We’re working with Mac players, plus 13 months worth of two SL classes. We’re not close to where we need to be, and frankly I’m surprised the offensive turnaround was so dramatic. And you know what? This attitude is good. SL set a bar and this is obviously unacceptable rather than being just another Saturday for North Texas.

I’m so upset we have a winning record. I get it. This last game and SMU were a complete annihalation of the defense. Last 3 seasons - maybe more - we’ve had some of the worsts defenses in the nation. We were left with poor talent on defense and we haven’t replaced the talent (or schemed those deficiencies) like we did on offense. There’s only so far this defense will take us. It’s on the offense this season. One game at a time. If we lose to ODU then I’ll overreact with y’all.

💪🏽

1.9% INT rate vs conference ETA: 2 INTs in 103 Pass attempts

Shane and I are gonna engage in fisticuffs

Sorry I nerded out a little too much toward the end.

Right. Navy and Miami drew your crowds. FAU doesn't. We deal with the same issues.

Give him a follow! https://twitter.com/BrettGemas

It's going to be raining, so I'll adjust my expectations 78-0.

Game. Blouses.

Wife’s been busy this morning with some ranch chicken and buffalo chicken sliders. Cheddar and havarti and bleu cheese. We’ll be posted up next to @KingDL1 with the two rambunctious kiddos.

Just enjoy the game. Worried about the outcome before the game is played makes it no fun. You are allowed to be excited.