BWCD
Junior
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2012
- Messages
- 2,688
I've always been accused of being an optimist, but I try to stay pragmatic at the same time. So...when I say this, I'm well aware there's a host of other factors (NCAA sanctions, recruiting, injuries, etc) that will go into what I'm about to say, and that history doesn't always repeat itself.
Now, we're 11 years removed from our last national title team in 2001. The turning point that a lot of folks point to for the program to get to that point in 2001, was the 1998 season. Now--that season we finished 9-3 and ranked #20 with a bowl win. I don't think this season will be like that at all, I think we finish outside of the top 25 and somewhere in the realm of 7-6 or 8-4 at absolute best.
However, one parallel from that 98 season and this one is what I feel to be a turning point...at least I hope it to be.
In 1998, we lost miserably on the road to Syracuse 66-13. We looked in that game about like we did this past Saturday in Manhattan, 52-13. The next week in 1998, we played #3 UCLA in the Orange Bowl and won 49-45 to keep them out of the national title game. Now--our opponent in Bethune-Cookman following the KSU thrashing is nowhere near as high profile as UCLA was, so there won't be that visible monumental turnaround in one week. That, and the roster does look different from an experience standpoint. Maybe an eventual win (if it happens) against a GT, FSU, or VT this season will be more comparable to the UCLA win in 98. We'll see.
What that Syracuse loss in 98 did was set up some younger guys to start stepping up to make plays--the youth movement was on. Santana Moss and Najeh Davenport were a true sophomore and a true freshman respectively on that team, and were contributors early on. James Jackson was a RS Sophomore on that team. Reggie Wayne was a true sophomore. All of them got burn in that 1998 season, including that ugly loss in the Carrier Dome.
1999, we went 9-4 with a bowl win, finished ranked #15. This was also the season that true Freshman Ken Dorsey took over as starter midway thru for Kenny Kelly, as the youth movement continued.
In 2000...we finished 11-1 with another bowl victory and finished ranked #2 in the country.
In 2001...we finished 12-0 and won the national title over Nebraska.
I'm not saying that we'll win the national title in 2015--not at all. I'm just saying that once you hit rock bottom with a loss like the 98 team had against Syracuse, and that this year's team had last week with KSU, that it can be a turning point. History might not repeat itself, but you can learn what is possible from looking back at what your predecessors went through. If I'm Golden--I'm telling this team AND his coaching staff that they need to keep working just like that 1998 team did, and that they too can be looking at being an elite football team in 2-3 years if they stay focused and use that KSU loss as the spot in time where we turned the corner and started getting better.
Now, we're 11 years removed from our last national title team in 2001. The turning point that a lot of folks point to for the program to get to that point in 2001, was the 1998 season. Now--that season we finished 9-3 and ranked #20 with a bowl win. I don't think this season will be like that at all, I think we finish outside of the top 25 and somewhere in the realm of 7-6 or 8-4 at absolute best.
However, one parallel from that 98 season and this one is what I feel to be a turning point...at least I hope it to be.
In 1998, we lost miserably on the road to Syracuse 66-13. We looked in that game about like we did this past Saturday in Manhattan, 52-13. The next week in 1998, we played #3 UCLA in the Orange Bowl and won 49-45 to keep them out of the national title game. Now--our opponent in Bethune-Cookman following the KSU thrashing is nowhere near as high profile as UCLA was, so there won't be that visible monumental turnaround in one week. That, and the roster does look different from an experience standpoint. Maybe an eventual win (if it happens) against a GT, FSU, or VT this season will be more comparable to the UCLA win in 98. We'll see.
What that Syracuse loss in 98 did was set up some younger guys to start stepping up to make plays--the youth movement was on. Santana Moss and Najeh Davenport were a true sophomore and a true freshman respectively on that team, and were contributors early on. James Jackson was a RS Sophomore on that team. Reggie Wayne was a true sophomore. All of them got burn in that 1998 season, including that ugly loss in the Carrier Dome.
1999, we went 9-4 with a bowl win, finished ranked #15. This was also the season that true Freshman Ken Dorsey took over as starter midway thru for Kenny Kelly, as the youth movement continued.
In 2000...we finished 11-1 with another bowl victory and finished ranked #2 in the country.
In 2001...we finished 12-0 and won the national title over Nebraska.
I'm not saying that we'll win the national title in 2015--not at all. I'm just saying that once you hit rock bottom with a loss like the 98 team had against Syracuse, and that this year's team had last week with KSU, that it can be a turning point. History might not repeat itself, but you can learn what is possible from looking back at what your predecessors went through. If I'm Golden--I'm telling this team AND his coaching staff that they need to keep working just like that 1998 team did, and that they too can be looking at being an elite football team in 2-3 years if they stay focused and use that KSU loss as the spot in time where we turned the corner and started getting better.
