Will 8-4 in 2014 bring you on board with Golden?

[Dingaan1828]

I can't judge strictly on the W-L record alone. 9-4 in 2013 looks okay on paper, but it was the ugliest 9-4 I could imagine. The second half of the season was pure trash. We could go 9-4 again this year and look completely different. I'll consider it all after the season.

 

[Consigliere]

I hate these questions because on paper (stat line) and the actual results are different

[Before RW] I don't care how, but we must actually improve this season in the ACC.

2011: 3-5
2012: 5-3
2013: 5-3
2014: 6-2 (or better)

Next, match the OOC record from last year.

Al wanted to ride with this staff and injuries are part of the game, make it happen.

 

[JHallCanes]

I can't judge strictly on the W-L record alone. 9-4 in 2013 looks okay on paper, but it was the ugliest 9-4 I could imagine. The second half of the season was pure trash. We could go 9-4 again this year and look completely different. I'll consider it all after the season.

Yup that's why I don't get caught up in the record. QB is a huge concern but this is Goldens first season with his talent in the upper class. I think we almost forget what's it's like when real talent progresses to their junior and senior seasons. This will be by far the most talented team we have fielded, and they better pass the eye test. Stats and all that other stuff are ok, but we will be able to just watch and see IMO

 

[Consigliere]

I can't judge strictly on the W-L record alone. 9-4 in 2013 looks okay on paper, but it was the ugliest 9-4 I could imagine. The second half of the season was pure trash. We could go 9-4 again this year and look completely different. I'll consider it all after the season.

This is true. I also want to see more tough physical play from this team. I want the players to look motivated and not play flat. I would look at the second half of last year different if we didn't look down at times (Duke 2nd Half, VT and UL).

 

[Consigliere]

I can't judge strictly on the W-L record alone. 9-4 in 2013 looks okay on paper, but it was the ugliest 9-4 I could imagine. The second half of the season was pure trash. We could go 9-4 again this year and look completely different. I'll consider it all after the season.

Yup that's why I don't get caught up in the record. QB is a huge concern but this is Goldens first season with his talent in the upper class. I think we almost forget what's it's like when real talent progresses to their junior and senior seasons. This will be by far the most talented team we have fielded, and they better pass the eye test. Stats and all that other stuff are ok, but we will be able to just watch and see IMO

Did Morris win us any games by himself last year?

Did we lose that much when he left? Even if RW was not injured and going to start in 2014, we still have an unknown at QB.

On defense, we have older, more mature and experienced players. For better or worse, we didn't lose any staff members. Duke Johnson will be healthy to start 2014 as well.

We will see what all this means in 2014.

 

[Fountain of Canes]

If he can win the coastal with 8-4 then yes, i think the people will give him a shot.

 

[McGahee2TheHouse]

Win the Coastal or get the **** out of my sight

This

 

[DNordy]

If your team isn't improving then what kinda job are you doing?
The Oline is a question mark and so is QB.. But the defense should be able to help the offense out because they should be experienced enough to make a difference now.
Make the ACC Championship game. No excuses. Improvement in defense. If not Golden may be forced to find a new coordinator

 

[McGahee2TheHouse]

If your team isn't improving then what kinda job are you doing?
The Oline is a question mark and so is QB.. But the defense should be able to help the offense out because they should be experienced enough to make a difference now.
Make the ACC Championship game. No excuses. Improvement in defense. If not Golden may be forced to find a new coordinator

Agreed. We need to see the defense at least in the Top 30-25 range, in order to say there has been a marked improvement on defense IMO

 

[DNordy]

Agreed. We need to see the defense at least in the Top 30-25 range, in order to say there has been a marked improvement on defense IMO[/QUOTE]

Also I think Wyche plays a huge role. Hopefully he gets the NCAA clearinghouse issue cleared up

 

[ssj4cane]

7-5 or 8-4 is what I expect. If we go 8-4 the national media will slobbering on Al for doing it with a freshman qb so there is no way he comes close to getting fired for 8-4.

 

[McGahee2TheHouse]

7-5 or 8-4 is what I expect. If we go 8-4 the national media will slobbering on Al for doing it with a freshman qb so there is no way he comes close to getting fired for 8-4.

There will be no one, other than the few nut jobs in our own fanbase, slobbering over Al Golden going 8-4 in his 4th year at the University of Miami.

 

[Dingaan1828]

I'm more patient than most fans (my wife is rolling on the floor laughing at that). But if the defense doesn't make a huge improvement (at worst, 40th), I'll be glad to come down from Daytona and drive Golden to the airport.

 

[ssj4cane]

7-5 or 8-4 is what I expect. If we go 8-4 the national media will slobbering on Al for doing it with a freshman qb so there is no way he comes close to getting fired for 8-4.

There will be no one, other than the few nut jobs in our own fanbase, slobbering over Al Golden going 8-4 in his 4th year at the University of Miami.

Al is liked by the media. It will be spun into what a job he did getting to 8-4 with freshman qb and how bright the future looks despite the fact its year 4.

 

[Gatorhater]

I'm mostly on board with the comments in this thread, but I can tell you that even a 6-6 season doesn't get Golden fired. His seat isn't even remotely warm

I don't want Al fired but I do want to win. Empty seats will get any coach fired. Heat is on whether anyone knows it or not. Al beat the friggin gator last year and by the end of the year even I wanted his head-- and nothing matters more to me than beating those slims. His seat might not be remotely warm, but he has spilled gallons of gasoline around it since that night in Tally. If there are a couple of former Cane assistants with NFL HC experience sitting around with interest in coming home to restart their careers, if will only take a spark.

 

[Dingaan1828]

I'm mostly on board with the comments in this thread, but I can tell you that even a 6-6 season doesn't get Golden fired. His seat isn't even remotely warm

I don't want Al fired but I do want to win. Empty seats will get any coach fired. Heat is on whether anyone knows it or not. Al beat the friggin gator last year and by the end of the year even I wanted his head-- and nothing matters more to me than beating those slims. His seat might not be remotely warm, but he has spilled gallons of gasoline around it since that night in Tally. If there are a couple of former Cane assistants with NFL HC experience sitting around with interest in coming home to restart their careers, if will only take a spark.

I'm right there with you. At 7-0 with a win over the gator I was optimistic, even though you feel the wobble in the wheels. I just hoped they wouldn't fall off. They did.

 

[Angry Ibis]

7-5 or 8-4 is what I expect. If we go 8-4 the national media will slobbering on Al for doing it with a freshman qb so there is no way he comes close to getting fired for 8-4.

There will be no one, other than the few nut jobs in our own fanbase, slobbering over Al Golden going 8-4 in his 4th year at the University of Miami.

Al is liked by the media. It will be spun into what a job he did getting to 8-4 with freshman qb and how bright the future looks despite the fact its year 4.

The media will take one angle or another to support their interests at the time. That being said, and as you point out, they seem to like Al and don't appear to dismiss the NCAA investigation impact on the team and recruiting as simply as fans do when they keep yelling year 4.

If the media continues to play it as they have, it will be more aligned with your comments and take the tone of even though Al Golden is in his 4th year at Miami, the first 3 were marred by uncertainty not of his making, and now after losing his senior QB must start the season with FR/RS FR ____. But things are looking up for the Canes.

 

[Braziliangirl]

We have as much or more talent then all our opponents except for Florida St. We have a recruitment issue, a game coaching issue and a roster management issue. If we have two embarrassing loses, Golden is gone.

 

[Angry Ibis]

I'm mostly on board with the comments in this thread, but I can tell you that even a 6-6 season doesn't get Golden fired. His seat isn't even remotely warm

I don't want Al fired but I do want to win. Empty seats will get any coach fired. Heat is on whether anyone knows it or not. Al beat the friggin gator last year and by the end of the year even I wanted his head-- and nothing matters more to me than beating those slims. His seat might not be remotely warm, but he has spilled gallons of gasoline around it since that night in Tally. If there are a couple of former Cane assistants with NFL HC experience sitting around with interest in coming home to restart their careers, if will only take a spark.

I'm right there with you. At 7-0 with a win over the gator I was optimistic, even though you feel the wobble in the wheels. I just hoped they wouldn't fall off. They did.

Not sure how it was Tallahassee where he spilled the gas unless fans were not watching the first 7 games. I think people predictably overreact to the losses, but it was the way we lost against Duke and Louisville that makes it painful.

 

[frostycane]

I am in the crowd of it all depends on what it looks like. I would accept an 8-4 with an improved defense and the Freshman lost us a couple of games with pics late in close games....
However, I do expect to see some big improvement from the defense as a whole. I expect to see some in game adjustments. I expect to see some serious toughness. Offensively, I expect to see us play to our strengths, I expect to see a lot of Duke and Coley. I want to see an offense that puts the ball in playmakers hands with space to make plays. Screens, slants, wr screens, etc. I want to see some improvement on the OL. We should be able to run the ball with this OL and I want to see it.

I think from an overall standpoint, I can't say things like win the coastal, we could go 6-2 in the coastal, but lose to VT and they are also 6-2 and we don't get it. But if we were 10-2 overall and not win the coastal thats a pretty good season. So, to me its hard to put an exact W-L to it. Thats why it has to be seen. I want to see the improvement. Last yr its obvious he lost the team, he lost the locker room and that is how you come out to a bowl game and get WHOOPED! The team stopped playing for you and lost faith. Now if he has been able to regain the players faith, and it will show, then we should see the improvement we all want to see from a UM team.