I don't want to dampen anyone's enthusiasm for the upcoming season and I'm also having trouble containing mine, but I've had this nagging sense since the first game hype has heated up w/ the opening of camp that I've been here before and it didn't turn out as I expected. After a couple of days of ignoring it, it hit me when and where I saw it before. August, 2014. FSU was returning a horde of experienced talent. There was an all world safety projected by many to be a first pick in the next NFL draft. There was proven superior talent at QB returning as a RS sophomore. We had a 5 Star freshman RB replacing a soon to be NFL starting RB who should have had Heisman consideration. We did have a question at the DC coaching position, too. 
But we had a returning DT that was amazingly strong and a sure NFL early round pick (Goldman). We had experience at LB and an AA CB returning from his freshman season (Darby). We had a question a offensive center, but much experience OL returning. We had a returning experienced TE that many were projecting to be AA and young WRs rated as 5* prospects coming out of HS.
We were loaded like nobody was loaded. How could anyone match that except maybe Alabama. CU looked tough, as did UL and fu and Miami could always be dangerous, but look at what we had coming back from a Rose Bowl victory!
We were set to play a pre season matchup game on a neutral site and our fans couldn't hardly contain themselves in anticipation. It would be a Dallas to Dallas season and I had my tickets to Jerry's World.
There was never a less enjoyable undefeated regular season in the history of CF. Every game was gut wrenching. Would I take that and relive it again instead of the alternative? Sure. But I'd rather not if I have a choice.
Either way, I'm reminded that 2017 won't be as easy as we hope and maybe expect it should be.
Oh yeah, one other unsettling item. Remember the signing class of 2014? It contained familiar names like Elerbe, Ermon, Izzo, Vickers, Christmas, Lenard, and Nnadi. Let's hope they have some Deja vu to remind them that "potential means you ain't done it yet".
But we had a returning DT that was amazingly strong and a sure NFL early round pick (Goldman). We had experience at LB and an AA CB returning from his freshman season (Darby). We had a question a offensive center, but much experience OL returning. We had a returning experienced TE that many were projecting to be AA and young WRs rated as 5* prospects coming out of HS. We were loaded like nobody was loaded. How could anyone match that except maybe Alabama. CU looked tough, as did UL and fu and Miami could always be dangerous, but look at what we had coming back from a Rose Bowl victory!
We were set to play a pre season matchup game on a neutral site and our fans couldn't hardly contain themselves in anticipation. It would be a Dallas to Dallas season and I had my tickets to Jerry's World.
There was never a less enjoyable undefeated regular season in the history of CF. Every game was gut wrenching. Would I take that and relive it again instead of the alternative? Sure. But I'd rather not if I have a choice.
Either way, I'm reminded that 2017 won't be as easy as we hope and maybe expect it should be.
Oh yeah, one other unsettling item. Remember the signing class of 2014? It contained familiar names like Elerbe, Ermon, Izzo, Vickers, Christmas, Lenard, and Nnadi. Let's hope they have some Deja vu to remind them that "potential means you ain't done it yet".
