I really, really hate our schedule. Even more than I thought I would. I hope we won't ever end up with another one so front-loaded with filler. One near the beginning is acceptable. If we really have to play a second mismatch, it should be deeper into the season, strategically.
But comparing this year to last, there's more similarity than one would think--IF this week's game continues the pattern.
We began last season with a big, national game in the Benz, and it was a wild success. Stetson was in postseason mode somehow. Monken was brilliant. The defense once again shut down Bo Nix. It was hard not to think we were picking up right where we left off in '21, which is pretty much never realistic. Still, we saw what we saw.
Then, we had our Sanford Stadium opener against Samford. We scored 30 in the first half, then utterly lost interest. But that's a little deceiving. We opened with two field goals, and didn't manage a touchdown until the close of Q1. After that, we scored two more touchdowns in the game.
I remember a feeling of anticlimax, but hey, Oregon told us what we could do. No sweat. And more than that... the next Saturday we were totally on again against South Carolina. We bullied them 48-7 in the WB, a place we've struggled over the years--after which, of course, we had the clunker against Kent State, 39-22.
Well, in '23, here comes South Carolina again. It seems rather simple to me. If we play an uninspiring game against the Gamecocks, then this team really does have something lacking, possibly in team leadership. If we suddenly turn it on, then this is pretty much a continuation of 2022 with a crummy schedule.
For that reason, I'm willing to withhold judgment. I haven't been that concerned anyway about how we play against lightweights, though I'd always rather see a focused effort. Don't forget, crowd noise plays a certain part in this, too. Kirby is already working that angle with the manufactured "disrespect" from the Gamecock player.
More than anything, I'd like to see the key players healthy and nasty game plans from the offense and defense. If we have another uninspiring outing, though, on CBS in a relatively big game, it will be fair to talk about what's missing.
But comparing this year to last, there's more similarity than one would think--IF this week's game continues the pattern.
We began last season with a big, national game in the Benz, and it was a wild success. Stetson was in postseason mode somehow. Monken was brilliant. The defense once again shut down Bo Nix. It was hard not to think we were picking up right where we left off in '21, which is pretty much never realistic. Still, we saw what we saw.
Then, we had our Sanford Stadium opener against Samford. We scored 30 in the first half, then utterly lost interest. But that's a little deceiving. We opened with two field goals, and didn't manage a touchdown until the close of Q1. After that, we scored two more touchdowns in the game.
I remember a feeling of anticlimax, but hey, Oregon told us what we could do. No sweat. And more than that... the next Saturday we were totally on again against South Carolina. We bullied them 48-7 in the WB, a place we've struggled over the years--after which, of course, we had the clunker against Kent State, 39-22.
Well, in '23, here comes South Carolina again. It seems rather simple to me. If we play an uninspiring game against the Gamecocks, then this team really does have something lacking, possibly in team leadership. If we suddenly turn it on, then this is pretty much a continuation of 2022 with a crummy schedule.
For that reason, I'm willing to withhold judgment. I haven't been that concerned anyway about how we play against lightweights, though I'd always rather see a focused effort. Don't forget, crowd noise plays a certain part in this, too. Kirby is already working that angle with the manufactured "disrespect" from the Gamecock player.
More than anything, I'd like to see the key players healthy and nasty game plans from the offense and defense. If we have another uninspiring outing, though, on CBS in a relatively big game, it will be fair to talk about what's missing.
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