Last year wasn't pretty by any stretch, but the one thing that you have to respect is the players never quit. Finished the season 5-2 after starting 0-4, in a season in which everyone could have easily laid it down. There were sustained stretches against BC and UNC where they looked like they could have been a top 15 team in the country if you didn't know better. The results were pretty consistent. There weren't any big upsets (that top 10 UNC team finished with a losing record) and contrarily, there weren't any losses that were surprising. At the end of the day, they lost to the better teams on the schedule and theybeat the ones they should have.
Going into next season, I think the team will be improved, but the major problem that I see, is the parity in the ACC next year. Looking at the schedule:
Duquense: Not sure why this game was made in the first place, but this is obviously a layup
LSU: Massive test to begin the season and both teams have a ton to prove. Can't imagine FSU being the favorite.
Louisville: Underrated team and underrated HC. Beat us soundly last year game is @Louisville
BC: Almost came back against us last year after a 26-3 lead. Played us without their QB Jurkovic who will be back this season. @doak
WF: Blew us out last year, game is @doak. Obviously think it will be a closer game, but their QB Hartman came back for another year as well. Can't imagine FSU being the favorite
NCST: Another team we lost to last year and another team who has an upperclassman QB who elected to come back for another year. Can't imagine FSU being the favorite here either. @NCST
Clemson: Lost last year but played arguably the best ball of the season against them. Lost 6 straight. Lot depends on what they get from the QB position. @doak Will be a home underdog though
GT: Easiest ACC game on the schedule. Probably not as bad as their record last year indicates but lame duck coach. Gotta pencil in a win here for any chance of a positive season
Miami: @Miami another tough game on the road. Obviously hard to tell who Miami will be in 5 months but not going not be an easy game either way.
Syracuse: @Syracuse another must win for FSU. Played us close last year. FSU probably favorited headed into the season
Louisiana: They play good football for a non-P5 team, but anything less than a win, and heads would roll. Pencil in a win
UF: Lotta dysfunction in Gainesville, but they beat us pretty soundly last year (although the score was closer than the game), and I can't imagine they wouldn't be favorited if the game was played today. @doak
I say all that to say this. Duquense, GT, and Louisiana are likely wins. Outside of those three and maybe Syracuse, who lost to us by a field goal last year, I'm not seeing any other games where I would even be super confident we would even be the favorite if the game was played today.
I can see us running the ball on offense better with Atkins as the OC, letting Travis be a game manager and a threat with his legs, having improved line play and defensively looking more sound at the second and third levels, and winning maybe 8 or 9 games. Not hard for me to see. But I can also see us looking much the same and struggling to win 5 games again. We were 3-9 two seasons ago, 5-7 last year, what is everyone's measuring stick of a good season? Is Norvell the coach in '23 if we win 5 or 6 games this year?
Going into next season, I think the team will be improved, but the major problem that I see, is the parity in the ACC next year. Looking at the schedule:
Duquense: Not sure why this game was made in the first place, but this is obviously a layup
LSU: Massive test to begin the season and both teams have a ton to prove. Can't imagine FSU being the favorite.
Louisville: Underrated team and underrated HC. Beat us soundly last year game is @Louisville
BC: Almost came back against us last year after a 26-3 lead. Played us without their QB Jurkovic who will be back this season. @doak
WF: Blew us out last year, game is @doak. Obviously think it will be a closer game, but their QB Hartman came back for another year as well. Can't imagine FSU being the favorite
NCST: Another team we lost to last year and another team who has an upperclassman QB who elected to come back for another year. Can't imagine FSU being the favorite here either. @NCST
Clemson: Lost last year but played arguably the best ball of the season against them. Lost 6 straight. Lot depends on what they get from the QB position. @doak Will be a home underdog though
GT: Easiest ACC game on the schedule. Probably not as bad as their record last year indicates but lame duck coach. Gotta pencil in a win here for any chance of a positive season
Miami: @Miami another tough game on the road. Obviously hard to tell who Miami will be in 5 months but not going not be an easy game either way.
Syracuse: @Syracuse another must win for FSU. Played us close last year. FSU probably favorited headed into the season
Louisiana: They play good football for a non-P5 team, but anything less than a win, and heads would roll. Pencil in a win
UF: Lotta dysfunction in Gainesville, but they beat us pretty soundly last year (although the score was closer than the game), and I can't imagine they wouldn't be favorited if the game was played today. @doak
I say all that to say this. Duquense, GT, and Louisiana are likely wins. Outside of those three and maybe Syracuse, who lost to us by a field goal last year, I'm not seeing any other games where I would even be super confident we would even be the favorite if the game was played today.
I can see us running the ball on offense better with Atkins as the OC, letting Travis be a game manager and a threat with his legs, having improved line play and defensively looking more sound at the second and third levels, and winning maybe 8 or 9 games. Not hard for me to see. But I can also see us looking much the same and struggling to win 5 games again. We were 3-9 two seasons ago, 5-7 last year, what is everyone's measuring stick of a good season? Is Norvell the coach in '23 if we win 5 or 6 games this year?
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