ODU True Blue
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RE: How many wins = success?
Proved we were real by making it to the second round last year. With an improving defense, a stronger TH, almost all our offensive weapons back, I just can't understand how anyone would say backing up to an 8-3 record would be a success.
8-3 will be a huge disappointment to me.
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08-10-2012 07:15 AM |
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EverRespect
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RE: How many wins = success?
With the same offense and a much improved defense, while tring to woo top notch recruits to moving up to FBS with us, anything less than a perfect season this year is a failure.
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08-10-2012 07:27 AM |
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DaBigBlue
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RE: How many wins = success?
You guys might be setting the bar too high. I keep hearing about this much improved Defense, why is it going to be so much better. We lost our best defensive lineman. I see too many questions on D, to raise that Victory Flag. We could lose at JMU and Towson, plus another stumble along the way.
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08-10-2012 08:36 AM |
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Maryland Monarch
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RE: How many wins = success?
To me, anything less than 2nd place in conference and 2 wins in the play-offs will be disappointing. Our offense should be at least as productive as last year, and our defense looks to be significantly improved (knock wood). Last year's offense + improved (even to "average") defense = scary good team.
Games will be more challenging for us this year. We're ranked, picked 2nd in the league and leaving for CUSA, so obviously we have a target on our backs. But that's going to be a great barometer for our program and fans. We're going to have to continue to improve to be successful at the next level.
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08-10-2012 08:45 AM |
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The Flagship
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RE: How many wins = success?
(08-10-2012 07:15 AM)ODU True Blue Wrote: Proved we were real by making it to the second round last year. With an improving defense, a stronger TH, almost all our offensive weapons back, I just can't understand how anyone would say backing up to an 8-3 record would be a success.
8-3 will be a huge disappointment to me.
First, nobody is the FCS universe will say a home win against a MEAC team proved anything.
Second, we won a lot of close games that could have gone either way with a bad break or two.
Third, we lost the strength of our defense (3 DL's). Our LB's will have to get much better for our defense to be good.
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08-10-2012 01:40 PM |
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Razor Ramon Monarch
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RE: How many wins = success?
(08-10-2012 08:36 AM)DaBigBlue Wrote: You guys might be setting the bar too high. I keep hearing about this much improved Defense, why is it going to be so much better. We lost our best defensive lineman. I see too many questions on D, to raise that Victory Flag. We could lose at JMU and Towson, plus another stumble along the way.
Replacing a defensive coordinator can be HUGE. I think we have quite a bit of talent on our defense but we had someone who honestly didn't have much of a clue how to use it running the defense last year and for that, he was justly fired.
Hopefully Bill Dee, a multiple state champion coach, has a little bit better grasp of how to play defense football.
I really do believe the talent is there, despite losing some pieces and I think with a better coordinator, we will improve on the defensive side of the ball.
Remember, our secondary was very banged up by the end of the year and if we could have just managed two or three freaking stops, we could have beaten Georgia Southern on their field.
I think Dee will do a better job than Rondeau and that isn't setting the bar high at all.
We are a playoff team this coming year, period. Anything short of that is a huge disappointment.
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08-11-2012 01:13 AM |
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Razor Ramon Monarch
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RE: How many wins = success?
(08-10-2012 01:40 PM)The Flagship Wrote: (08-10-2012 07:15 AM)ODU True Blue Wrote: Proved we were real by making it to the second round last year. With an improving defense, a stronger TH, almost all our offensive weapons back, I just can't understand how anyone would say backing up to an 8-3 record would be a success.
8-3 will be a huge disappointment to me.
First, nobody is the FCS universe will say a home win against a MEAC team proved anything.
Second, we won a lot of close games that could have gone either way with a bad break or two.
Third, we lost the strength of our defense (3 DL's). Our LB's will have to get much better for our defense to be good.
We also had a very banged up secondary, didn't start our best QB for one of our two CAA losses (Delaware) and got very unlucky to lose to the eventual CAA champs at home.
Sure, some things went our way last season. But some things also went against us that normally wouldn't.
I think Dee will be a better defensive coordinator, Heinecke will be a year older and wiser, the offense will still blow the doors off teams, our secondary will be healthier and more experienced and the team in general will benefit greatly from having playoff experience last year.
We should be fine. In Wilder I trust.
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08-11-2012 01:15 AM |
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Monarch Nation
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RE: How many wins = success?
Razor brings out a good point - the banged up secondary. Our season will center around how far we can stay away from the injury bug. We have the talent and the coaching to go deep into the playoffs if we can stay healthy.
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08-11-2012 08:25 AM |
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ODUalum78
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RE: How many wins = success?
It will be interesting.
Moving to the 3-4, and losing some superb defensive lineman makes for big questions.
I suspect that our D scheme will be more effective against misdirection running offenses like W&M and the schools running options.
Without our beast DL we may not fare as well against in your face running teams like JMU and UD.
Does anyone have a good "feel" for our linebackers?
Pass defense should be ok if we stay healthy.
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08-11-2012 10:38 AM |
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CameramanJ
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RE: How many wins = success?
I think our offense will still be explosive enough to push us through close games, but our defense (especially the secondary) will be crucial if we want to put games out of reach and stop those games from being close in the first place. The offense has displayed a penchant for scoring points; it's time for the defense to hold the line.
I won't put them on a pedestal, but this ODU squad is capable of earning such a status.
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08-11-2012 03:45 PM |
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EverRespect
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RE: How many wins = success?
(08-10-2012 08:36 AM)DaBigBlue Wrote: You guys might be setting the bar too high. I keep hearing about this much improved Defense, why is it going to be so much better. We lost our best defensive lineman. I see too many questions on D, to raise that Victory Flag. We could lose at JMU and Towson, plus another stumble along the way.
We better darn well set the bar high if we are going to launch into FBS successfully.
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08-11-2012 05:00 PM |
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Les Geaux
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RE: How many wins = success?
(08-10-2012 08:36 AM)DaBigBlue Wrote: You guys might be setting the bar too high. I keep hearing about this much improved Defense, why is it going to be so much better. We lost our best defensive lineman. I see too many questions on D, to raise that Victory Flag. We could lose at JMU and Towson, plus another stumble along the way.
I don't see how the defense can be looked at as being suspect in any terms this year. The secondary is much improved and will feature two talented players in Eriq Lewis and Reggie Owens. Carvin Powell and Devon Simmons are physical at the safety position. Craig Wilkins is an NFL level talent at the linebacker position. Guinn-Bailey and Burnette will be the keys on the defensive line.
With that nucleus of talent I expect to see some exciting defensive performances and a much improved game from them.
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08-11-2012 11:41 PM |
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djnva
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RE: How many wins = success?
How many wins?
ALL OF THEM.
I'd imagine with road games at Towson and JMU, we may stumble in one of them.
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08-12-2012 12:04 PM |
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Blue_Trombone
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RE: How many wins = success?
(08-12-2012 12:04 PM)djnva Wrote: How many wins?
ALL OF THEM.
I'd imagine with road games at Towson and JMU, we may stumble in one of them.
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08-12-2012 12:43 PM |
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ODU True Blue
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RE: How many wins = success?
To those of you questioning whether the D is any better. Here is a quote from Coach Wilder in today's Daily Press, article written by Dave Fairbanks:
"NORFOLKâ
Bobby Wilder thought Old Dominion's defense had improved. A scrimmage situation last week confirmed it.
The Monarchs' defense stuffed the team's high-powered offense on three consecutive series, which Wilder said hadn't happened since the program was resurrected in 2009.
"The defense is our biggest area of improvement as a football team," Wilder said Monday at the Monarchs' media day. "It's been really exciting to see the way we play."
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08-14-2012 10:34 AM |
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