Mornin' fellow Noles! I know this was a rough weekend. Absolutely BRUTAL! Want to blame somebody for what happened Saturday night? Have at it, plenty of worthy targets. After all, that's what boards like these are for, right?
That said, let's all remember to breathe, keep things in perspective and not make the situation any worse than it is. Look, nobody thought we would lose to Jacksonville State and we are all understandably disappointed and frustrated. We should be. But let's not completely lose sight of the big picture. Yes, we should outperform a school like Jacksonville State in every way — all three phases plus coaching. We didn't. But what Saturday night's loss should not and cannot do is become more than what it was — one loss.
Are there glaring needs for improvement in several areas? Yes. But the truth is, as bad as the effort and outcome was Saturday night, it doesn't change the fact that we competed with and legitimately could have beat a top-10 team the week before in a game that reminded us of the type of passion and performance our once proud program is capable of. When things are going right, we have the ability to do what the vast majority of schools cannot. We can suggest that Notre Dame isn't as good as advertised all we want, but it is still a major program that was supposed to handle us. They didn't. We showed what we are still capable of on the big stage. And, unfortunately, so did the Jacksonville State game. The difference between "good" and "great" is...what? Consistency. We clearly are not and have not been for many years now. But there are enough flashes to know that the embers are still there. Deep down beneath that pile, there is still a fire capable of burning bright — and it will.
I am not suggesting no changes can or should be made. There are always opportunities to improve, no matter how well or poorly a team is playing. But let's not pretend that there is no hope.
Here's the reality; again, we took a top-10 team to the brink just one week ago and we all thought we were on the road back. We beat a top-5 team (North Carolina) last year. Yes, I know we had a huge lead and almost gave it away late in that game, but we didn't. It is important to maintain sight of these things, as they are all small blocks that must be used to continue building upon. This is not an overnight fix, but we are also not facing inevitable doom. If we can keep this recruiting class intact — I understand it will be a challenge — then we have an opportunity to begin putting the pieces back in place the correct way. BUILDING it, not just plugging holes through the transfer portal. What Coach Norvell was able to bring in through the transfer portal was designed to fill some immediate and obvious needs, not to serve as the new foundation for Florida State football.
Here's the reality, this is a four- or five-year rebuild, and that's to make us a legitimate threat in the ACC and to put us in position to be a top-10 team. If anybody is expecting dynasty-era dominance in that amount of time, or less, they are being unrealistic. Yes, I am well aware that we set that standard, but there's also a reason that such a level of success was unprecedented when we achieved it. It was special because it was unheard of. Sure, SOME programs are still able to do it and I believe we, too, can and will someday.
As a fanbase, we cannot let our disappointment halt or reverse the progress that was made, because the reality is, despite our first-ever loss to an FCS school, there are reasons to be hopeful if we are being honest in our assessment. Again, we need more of them and consistency, but we have to start somewhere. Focus on the "wins" and learn from the other. Stay together. Do not write off this staff. We need this staff to maintain confidence and competence — on the practice field, on game days and on the recruiting trail — and they cannot do that without our support. Not just through our words but through our actions — don't stop going to games, don't stop buying merchandise, don't withhold Booster contributions. These only make the staff's jobs more difficult and hurts the program and our efforts to improve far more than Saturday night's loss to Jacksonville State does.
We are all certainly entitled to our opinions and emotions, but we cannot allow them to cloud our vision. The objective is unchanged, and despite how we all feel two days after a humiliating loss, it is still very much a reality. We have enough pieces and if we all stay together, we can add more and begin making true progress. There's the old adage that suggests adversity reveals character. If we judged our character based on what we're writing and reading on these boards, we're in big trouble. I prefer Coach Bowden's mindset: Adversity BUILDS character.
Are we going to join the angry mob and sign our own death certificates, or are we going to rally behind this staff and administration, and help them get where they need to go? I know there will be many on here who say that such faith and support is unwarranted. We'll have to agree to disagree, but I'd also ask what the realistic and beneficial alternative is. This is our hand. These are the cards we have. If you want to fold and walk away, so be it; but I hope the vast majority of us stay at the table and continue to do our part to support the program and help add the pieces we need to become consistent and competitive contenders again.
And I have seen a few posts suggesting that a loss to an FCS school is a death knell to a program, as if it is some insurmountable failure that seals a fate of futility.
Flashback to 2013 when that team in Gainesville lost to Georgia Southern. They seem to have recovered rather well and relatively quickly. Yes, I know they made staff changes, but the point is that it can be overcome fairly simply and swiftly. But not if we all bail. Not if we overreact to this moment. Nothing is forever...not our successes, not our failures.
For performance, we all need patience and perseverance.
We want to hold the players, staff and administration accountable? We must hold ourselves accountable as well.
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