Here's my rose-colored take

[WVAPPeer]

Well let's say my honest feelings at this point - sorry for a new thread but I just couldn't continue reading all the doom and gloom -

Guys it is WAY TOO SOON to write this team and this season off - the next 4 games will tell the story - these are 4 games we should win (not saying anything definitive) - if the staff and team responds positively then a month from now we are 5-2 with Wofford coming to town - we would have a 3-1 SoCon record - GSU and Woff will have played and Cit and Woff the following week - If, and it is a big IF, we are 3-1 a month from now we are right back in the race - If not, then we will be in some trouble - I for one am not ready to jump off the bridge ---

[HappyHippie]

Best worry about UTC

[WVAPPeer]

Best worry about UTC

Absolutely - we must take them one at a time --- however so many are already writing off the entire season ---

[AppGrad1]

I don't think anyone is writing them off just yet. It is frustrating watching the same team year in and year out that will compete for a terrible "socon" and falter early in the playoffs. Those 3 NC's are history now. There are many on here that still fall back on those and say"we can't win it every year".
I just want a team that i can feel will/can compete for a NC, not necessarily win it. We are far from this right now and for the past several years.

[asumike83]

Here is my halfway rose-colored take: the blame for yesterday cannot be placed on any one person. The players and coaches failed miserably. We were unprepared, flat and out of sync all day. Our defense got gouged all afternoon, we did not stop them until they called off the dogs. Jamal made bad decisions, should have had more than just the one pick. Our receivers dropped passes. Our DL was dominated up front, Blalock played horrible at the free safety spot and we missed tackles all day. To me, there were two guys who came to play: Steven Miller and Jeremy Kimbrough.

That being said, this is a very young team and I've found that there are two times when youth can really show up: coming off a big, emotional win and facing a triple option team for the first time. Yesterday was both and our young guys looked completely lost. They exposed a lack of discipline and it could have been much worse. The 24 point margin was not at all indicative of how badly they really beat us.

Now, there are two ways this can go. The team can let this kill their confidence, slide downhill and miss the playoffs all together. On the other hand, they can learn the hard lesson that you have to prepare every week like it is a big game, take the loss personally and make sure this kind of performance does not ever happen again. Only time will tell but this is when our coaches can earn their money. We've got the talent to win a lot of ballgames this year but if we come out and play like we did yesterday at any point this season, we will get run off the field again.

[HappyHippie]

Where is this terrible SoCon you speak of?

[AppGrad1]

Where is this terrible SoCon you speak of?

You really feel the socon is a strong conference? Maybe so internally but once it gets to the playoffs it gets thumped. Oh yea that's right, it won 3 nc's in a row once.

[Black Saturday]

Where is this terrible SoCon you speak of?

You really feel the socon is a strong conference? Maybe so internally but once it gets to the playoffs it gets thumped. Oh yea that's right, it won 3 nc's in a row once.

Did the Gnat Swarm win several championships as SmallCon members?

Since APPs championship run, The SmallCon has done poorly OOC.

[GoAppsGo92]

I agree WV.

This beating was so bad...we never had a chance, so there is little woulda, coulda, shoulda, in this one. We were depleted at LB, and had several starters out due to injury and serving the final suspension game. The Citadel seems to be hitting Mach 2 at this point... I am very intrested to see how they do next week at NC State.

This young team will learn about preparation and focus and how they can hurt our chances when they violate team rules. We had a primer in our weaknesses yesterday, and the team will no doubt listen intently now on what changes need to be made to improve.

It does not get any easier. UTC, Wofford, GSU, and Samford and Coastal remain on the schedule. In fact, every game will be a must win at this point. Can't control The Citadel anymore. Got to play out the schedule and grow as a team. I think these guys should take a lot from this... and I expect them too.

[HappyHippie]

2009 - ASU semi final
2010 - GSU semi final
2011 - GSU semi final

[WVAPPeer]

2009 - ASU semi final
2010 - GSU semi final
2011 - GSU semi final

you have to give my buddy Black Saturday a break - he is still in Villanova time wrap

[WVAPPeer]

I will tell you another thing [3dgrin] - and I firmly believe this - Many times getting your ass kicked like we did on Saturday is quite beneficial, that is, if you know you have quality talent and you know you are competitive - My reasons --- if we lose a game like we did against ECU, there are built in reasons we look at and say something like - "Well take away that KO return and ........." or "take away the heat and ........." or "look at the inequity in the refs calls ........." --- When you get beaten like we did Sat these kind of answers don't exist !!! --- What is said then or should be is "Guys we have problems that we must address immediately" or "We must make changes here or there", etc.

I honestly find it very hard to believe that after one game several are ready to write this coaching staff off - to write the players off and to write the team off ???

[AppGrad1]

2009 - ASU semi final
2010 - GSU semi final
2011 - GSU semi final

You proved my point. Other than ASU or GS the socon is pretty weak. We have carried this conference with gs for all these years.

[Black Saturday]

2009 - ASU semi final
2010 - GSU semi final
2011 - GSU semi final

you have to give my buddy Black Saturday a break - he is still in Villanova time wrap

No time warp, The total and the truth hurts, APP has the Montana and Richmond games to hang our hat on tas a quality win in OOC play since 2007. Spin it any way you guys want to, it still comes to total 2 quality wins in over 4 seasons, especially when you get the lumber laid to your ass at home.

I think others are hanging in our championship warp.

I'll add that I thought APP had rounded the corner when they won over Montana, but not so fast my friend, there still work to be done.

[HappyHippie]

Truth is from 2005 - 2010 we won 10 or more games each season. 2011 we stumbled to 8 wins. Twist it however you like, but you have no clue how competitive college football is across the board. Congrats to the Bulldogs.

[mountaineerman]

I will tell you another thing [3dgrin] - and I firmly believe this - Many times getting your ass kicked like we did on Saturday is quite beneficial, that is, if you know you have quality talent and you know you are competitive - My reasons --- if we lose a game like we did against ECU, there are built in reasons we look at and say something like - "Well take away that KO return and ........." or "take away the heat and ........." or "look at the inequity in the refs calls ........." --- When you get beaten like we did Sat these kind of answers don't exist !!! --- What is said then or should be is "Guys we have problems that we must address immediately" or "We must make changes here or there", etc.

I honestly find it very hard to believe that after one game several are ready to write this coaching staff off - to write the players off and to write the team off ???

Tired of hearing that this was one loss yes it was your right . It was an a$$ whippin loss of epic proportions that is imo is not acceptable from a coaching standpoint and needs to be addressed.

[WVAPPeer]

I will tell you another thing [3dgrin] - and I firmly believe this - Many times getting your ass kicked like we did on Saturday is quite beneficial, that is, if you know you have quality talent and you know you are competitive - My reasons --- if we lose a game like we did against ECU, there are built in reasons we look at and say something like - "Well take away that KO return and ........." or "take away the heat and ........." or "look at the inequity in the refs calls ........." --- When you get beaten like we did Sat these kind of answers don't exist !!! --- What is said then or should be is "Guys we have problems that we must address immediately" or "We must make changes here or there", etc.

I honestly find it very hard to believe that after one game several are ready to write this coaching staff off - to write the players off and to write the team off ???

Tired of hearing that this was one loss yes it was your right . It was an a$$ whippin loss of epic proportions that is imo is not acceptable from a coaching standpoint and needs to be addressed.

not sure what I did or did not say???

[Black Saturday]

Look up the scores of the Southern Conference versus other conferences when the rubber meets the road, it is very poor. The SmallCon includes 6 others, it's not just APP and The Gnat Swarm versus other conferences. For example, you will not find a marqee OOC win for Elon's program since joining the SmallCon. When has Wofford had one, when given the chance. Ok, Montana, but how long ago was that?

[HappyHippie]

Look up the scores of the Southern Conference versus other conferences when the rubber meets the road, it is very poor. The SmallCon includes 6 others, it's not just APP and The Gnat Swarm versus other conferences. For example, you will not find a marqee OOC win for Elon's program since joining the SmallCon. When has Wofford had one, when given the chance. Ok, Montana, but how long ago was that?

Keep believing that dude. The SoCon is doing just fine. Truth is, you don't understand how competitive college football is at all levels. We have one SoCon loss - what the future holds we don't know. Keep thinking we are so much better than everyone we play if it helps you sleep. BEAT UTC!

[mountaineerman]

I will tell you another thing [3dgrin] - and I firmly believe this - Many times getting your ass kicked like we did on Saturday is quite beneficial, that is, if you know you have quality talent and you know you are competitive - My reasons --- if we lose a game like we did against ECU, there are built in reasons we look at and say something like - "Well take away that KO return and ........." or "take away the heat and ........." or "look at the inequity in the refs calls ........." --- When you get beaten like we did Sat these kind of answers don't exist !!! --- What is said then or should be is "Guys we have problems that we must address immediately" or "We must make changes here or there", etc.

I honestly find it very hard to believe that after one game several are ready to write this coaching staff off - to write the players off and to write the team off ???

Tired of hearing that this was one loss yes it was your right . It was an a$$ whippin loss of epic proportions that is imo is not acceptable from a coaching standpoint and needs to be addressed.

not sure what I did or did not say???

Dont mean to come accross as being angry but I am not dealing with this loss very well