(04-24-2015 08:25 AM)ODUBB35 Wrote:  Hard to say. We should be bigger, stronger, and deeper on both lines, so that's a plus.

But Heinicke was a special player, and he's being replaced by a Freshman. (A very good freshman, but a freshman nonetheless).

I'd say 6-6 with a bowl game, but we could win anywhere from 4 to 8.

This captures my expectations perfectly. Well done.

(04-24-2015 09:36 AM)Cscollis Wrote:  I can't believe the Marshall fans are predicting to lose a game. The only realistic tough games of the year is WKU and maybe FAU and MT. MU has the easiest schedule in the country based on wins and loses from last year.

I still see MU winning the east and Tech or Rice in the west. I hope both teams are ranked in the CUSA Championship game.

And we play ALL 3 of those on the road. Anyone of those games is a toss up in my opinion. WKU, FAU, MTSU.

I really see all teams being better this year in some regard. And we've struggled away with FAU and MTSU, and everyone knows what WKU did last year in Huntington. Even tougher in Bowling Green.

My goals....every year would be:
1. Win the Division and play for the Conference Championship
2. Get into and win the best bowl we can be in.

If that can be done with 8-4 so be it, although I think anything less than 10-2 puts all of that in jeopardy. My prediction 9-3.

(04-24-2015 09:42 AM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 08:54 AM)SVHerd Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 08:04 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  I expect Marshall will be 14 and 0 and crowned East Champion every season with their "XMEN' type athletes

For WKU anything less than 8 wins would be a huge disappointment

Realistically I think we can win 8 maybe 9 games which I would be happy with........

\

With everyone you have back I would think Western should win at least 10 games and win the league. I seriously don't think we can beat you in BG. That would be an upset in my opinion. To me Western in the clear favorite. jmo.

You are correct....

a 10% increase on defense should give Western 10 wins and a 15% increase on defense 11 wins. It would have last year and I'm just talking about getting off the field on 3rd and 4th down. I think the 2 former UAB starters (one now and the LB in Aug) should add at least 1 extra 3rd down stop in 10 tries....

not even counting the extra year our defense had to grow and the added in JUCO's.

As good as the offense was last year....it could have been better. Our 1st year coach took the air out of the ball and the big MOE!!! in 2 of our losses. He also did it in 2 of our wins. So I think the offense could be even better.

We do have 7 road games and 2 games vs SEC and 1 vs Big10 but if you want to be a bigboy...you beat those bottom P5 schools when you are the better team. I don't see how anyone can't see Western should be the better team vs Vandy and IU.

Some of our fans still have the OH NO...that can't happen, again, affecting them. So they are caution in their picks. I bet if you could read their minds...not one of them are thinking of losing 4 freaking games.

Anything less than 10 wins will be a disappointment to me. In all honestly when you basically have your whole team coming back and you were 3 yards away from 10 wins last year...

Western is a young program as far as FBS goes and the awful start into FBS shook our fans. But that start is why Western is only 1 of 8 other G5 schools to win 7 or more games over the last 4 seasons. Western redshirted two whole classes and we paid for it those first couple years by losing close games in the 4th qt...

last second INT goes for a pick 6
muts runs a fumble back 102 yards as Western is going in for a score to put the game away. And 10 other late plays that cost us games.

Western is on our 4th coach in the last 6 years and in that we won, 7, 7, 8, 8 games. We basically have the whole offense back and 9 of 11 on defense and two UAB starters...well one but the other will be here in Aug.

The schedule, while only having 5 home games should be easier than last year...

Marshall
MUTS
Tech

all road games last year...home games this season

LSU should be a loss...should be

Is Vandy better than Navy..a team we beat @Navy last year. I don't think so...Western should have 10,000 fans at this game.

Is IU better than Ill...a game we were driving for a go ahead score in the 4th qt that ended in a pick 6.

Is Miami Oh better than BG.. BG was preseason pick to win the MAC...Western knocked out their QB.

LSU should be the only game Western goes into where a loss is expected

So for the 4th year in a row Western should only have 1 loss OOC

I know the Texas trips will not be easy but when you are expected to be the man...it's time to put the bigboy pants on and be that man.

9 wins will be a improvement but still a disappointment for me
8 wins will be a major let down
7 wins a failure
6 wins...I might not come back from our FIU trip :)

Our defense which was in top 25, last year, will be better in 2015. Our offense will also be better. I know we have a different QB but with the running attack we have a better receiving corps, we will better.
All in all I think we will be better in 15 but the schedule is tougher having WKU, FAU and MT on the road. We could lose 1 or 2 of those. My expectation would be 10-2 at the worst.

(04-24-2015 11:54 AM)Herdmeister Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 09:42 AM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 08:54 AM)SVHerd Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 08:04 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  I expect Marshall will be 14 and 0 and crowned East Champion every season with their "XMEN' type athletes

For WKU anything less than 8 wins would be a huge disappointment

Realistically I think we can win 8 maybe 9 games which I would be happy with........

\

With everyone you have back I would think Western should win at least 10 games and win the league. I seriously don't think we can beat you in BG. That would be an upset in my opinion. To me Western in the clear favorite. jmo.

You are correct....

a 10% increase on defense should give Western 10 wins and a 15% increase on defense 11 wins. It would have last year and I'm just talking about getting off the field on 3rd and 4th down. I think the 2 former UAB starters (one now and the LB in Aug) should add at least 1 extra 3rd down stop in 10 tries....

not even counting the extra year our defense had to grow and the added in JUCO's.

As good as the offense was last year....it could have been better. Our 1st year coach took the air out of the ball and the big MOE!!! in 2 of our losses. He also did it in 2 of our wins. So I think the offense could be even better.

We do have 7 road games and 2 games vs SEC and 1 vs Big10 but if you want to be a bigboy...you beat those bottom P5 schools when you are the better team. I don't see how anyone can't see Western should be the better team vs Vandy and IU.

Some of our fans still have the OH NO...that can't happen, again, affecting them. So they are caution in their picks. I bet if you could read their minds...not one of them are thinking of losing 4 freaking games.

Anything less than 10 wins will be a disappointment to me. In all honestly when you basically have your whole team coming back and you were 3 yards away from 10 wins last year...

Western is a young program as far as FBS goes and the awful start into FBS shook our fans. But that start is why Western is only 1 of 8 other G5 schools to win 7 or more games over the last 4 seasons. Western redshirted two whole classes and we paid for it those first couple years by losing close games in the 4th qt...

last second INT goes for a pick 6
muts runs a fumble back 102 yards as Western is going in for a score to put the game away. And 10 other late plays that cost us games.

Western is on our 4th coach in the last 6 years and in that we won, 7, 7, 8, 8 games. We basically have the whole offense back and 9 of 11 on defense and two UAB starters...well one but the other will be here in Aug.

The schedule, while only having 5 home games should be easier than last year...

Marshall
MUTS
Tech

all road games last year...home games this season

LSU should be a loss...should be

Is Vandy better than Navy..a team we beat @Navy last year. I don't think so...Western should have 10,000 fans at this game.

Is IU better than Ill...a game we were driving for a go ahead score in the 4th qt that ended in a pick 6.

Is Miami Oh better than BG.. BG was preseason pick to win the MAC...Western knocked out their QB.

LSU should be the only game Western goes into where a loss is expected

So for the 4th year in a row Western should only have 1 loss OOC

I know the Texas trips will not be easy but when you are expected to be the man...it's time to put the bigboy pants on and be that man.

9 wins will be a improvement but still a disappointment for me
8 wins will be a major let down
7 wins a failure
6 wins...I might not come back from our FIU trip :)

Our defense which was in top 25, last year, will be better in 2015. Our offense will also be better. I know we have a different QB but with the running attack we have a better receiving corps, we will better.
All in all I think we will be better in 15 but the schedule is tougher having WKU, FAU and MT on the road. We could lose 1 or 2 of those. My expectation would be 10-2 at the worst.

Why not just say you have access spot wrapped up and 14 and 0?

high expectations: Great looking Golden Dazzlers cheering on more than 15,000 real fans per game.

medium expectations: Beating UCF and FAU; watching some pissed off media guys and opposing coaches sitting in our media tents.

low expectations: A few hardcore guys drinking beer, hoping it doesn't rain, and talking about the great looking Dazzler four or five years ago.

(04-24-2015 09:42 AM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 08:54 AM)SVHerd Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 08:04 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  I expect Marshall will be 14 and 0 and crowned East Champion every season with their "XMEN' type athletes

For WKU anything less than 8 wins would be a huge disappointment

Realistically I think we can win 8 maybe 9 games which I would be happy with........

\

With everyone you have back I would think Western should win at least 10 games and win the league. I seriously don't think we can beat you in BG. That would be an upset in my opinion. To me Western in the clear favorite. jmo.

You are correct....

a 10% increase on defense should give Western 10 wins and a 15% increase on defense 11 wins. It would have last year and I'm just talking about getting off the field on 3rd and 4th down. I think the 2 former UAB starters (one now and the LB in Aug) should add at least 1 extra 3rd down stop in 10 tries....

not even counting the extra year our defense had to grow and the added in JUCO's.

As good as the offense was last year....it could have been better. Our 1st year coach took the air out of the ball and the big MOE!!! in 2 of our losses. He also did it in 2 of our wins. So I think the offense could be even better.

We do have 7 road games and 2 games vs SEC and 1 vs Big10 but if you want to be a bigboy...you beat those bottom P5 schools when you are the better team. I don't see how anyone can't see Western should be the better team vs Vandy and IU.

Some of our fans still have the OH NO...that can't happen, again, affecting them. So they are caution in their picks. I bet if you could read their minds...not one of them are thinking of losing 4 freaking games.

Anything less than 10 wins will be a disappointment to me. In all honestly when you basically have your whole team coming back and you were 3 yards away from 10 wins last year...

Western is a young program as far as FBS goes and the awful start into FBS shook our fans. But that start is why Western is only 1 of 8 other G5 schools to win 7 or more games over the last 4 seasons. Western redshirted two whole classes and we paid for it those first couple years by losing close games in the 4th qt...

last second INT goes for a pick 6
muts runs a fumble back 102 yards as Western is going in for a score to put the game away. And 10 other late plays that cost us games.

Western is on our 4th coach in the last 6 years and in that we won, 7, 7, 8, 8 games. We basically have the whole offense back and 9 of 11 on defense and two UAB starters...well one but the other will be here in Aug.

The schedule, while only having 5 home games should be easier than last year...

Marshall
MUTS
Tech

all road games last year...home games this season

LSU should be a loss...should be

Is Vandy better than Navy..a team we beat @Navy last year. I don't think so...Western should have 10,000 fans at this game.

Is IU better than Ill...a game we were driving for a go ahead score in the 4th qt that ended in a pick 6.

Is Miami Oh better than BG.. BG was preseason pick to win the MAC...Western knocked out their QB.

LSU should be the only game Western goes into where a loss is expected

So for the 4th year in a row Western should only have 1 loss OOC

I know the Texas trips will not be easy but when you are expected to be the man...it's time to put the bigboy pants on and be that man.

9 wins will be a improvement but still a disappointment for me
8 wins will be a major let down
7 wins a failure
6 wins...I might not come back from our FIU trip :)

Great insight and break down, thanks for sharing.

(04-24-2015 08:32 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  I expect UAB to be recruiting a bunch of transfers.

Undefeated UAB Football team this year.

(04-24-2015 09:08 AM)TheDirtyV Wrote:  Expectation: 9-3 regular season (7-1 CUSA) with division win. Shot at the 'ship. Hosting vs. Marshall of course

Acceptable, but Disheartening: 7-5, losing division to Ruston Trombones but still bowl bound.

I don't think anyone on the Parliament would agree that 7-5 is acceptable for Rice in 2015.

My expectations match yours - three early losses (at Texas, at Baylor, and against Western Kentucky which will be a terrible match-up for our defense), and then 7 straight wins to close the season. The October 30 game against Louisiana Tech is for the Division, and the Owls avenge the beatdown in Ruston last year.

I have confidence that we'll tear through our home schedule with ease, along with Kent State and Charlotte.

That leaves 4 road games at Ohio, FAU, MT, and WKU. I'd like to win 3 of those but then again, that last one could be more important than the other 3 combined .

I expect to drive our enemies before us and to hear the lamentations of their women.

More realistically I hope we can beat Georgia St., we should beat Presby since we've done that before, and if we can surprise Temple and 1 or 2 of you guys............I'm HOPING for 5-7. 3-9 would be acceptable. Honestly 2-10 wouldn't be horrible given what we're trying to do. Our first full senior class (recruited as FCS) will be 2016 and first full FBS recruited senior class will be 2018.

We're going to lose in the national championship game to San Jose State.

8-4

I expect Tech to drink champagne out of the skulls of our foes on our way to winning the Access Bowl game.

Anything less than double digit wins over the whole season plus bowl is a failure.

If Driskel doesn't win the Heisman and Dixon come in second, I will quit watching Tech football!!

(04-24-2015 01:43 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  I expect to drive our enemies before us and to hear the lamentations of their women.

More realistically I hope we can beat Georgia St., we should beat Presby since we've done that before, and if we can surprise Temple and 1 or 2 of you guys............I'm HOPING for 5-7. 3-9 would be acceptable. Honestly 2-10 wouldn't be horrible given what we're trying to do. Our first full senior class (recruited as FCS) will be 2016 and first full FBS recruited senior class will be 2018.

You will get a pleasant surprise at Charlotte. Most teams first and second year FBS teams actually turn out pretty good. The players have a chip on their shoulder and will play hard even when out matched in talent. (see ODU against Rice and Tech last year)

(04-24-2015 01:43 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  and if we can surprise Temple

Please beat Temple. That would silence the AAC fans.

Going on last yr and their returning starters I would look for Temple to be the favorite in the AAC. Much too strong for a young Charlotte squad.

(04-24-2015 05:37 PM)bonegreen Wrote:  Going on last yr and their returning starters I would look for Temple to be the favorite in the AAC. Much too strong for a young Charlotte squad.

This Temple team is not the stereotypical Temple team. They were very good last year and have 19 returning starters. I don't know if they'll be the favorite in the AAC, but they'll be up there. This is the Friday night game for us, so I think they will get our best shot. They're a bridge too far though for us next year.

I'd love to be proven wrong on this!

(04-24-2015 05:07 PM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(04-24-2015 01:43 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  and if we can surprise Temple

Please beat Temple. That would silence the AAC fans.

It might silence Temple fans (who don't seem all that vocal to begin with). It surely will not shut up most of the AAC fans you're thinking of though.

(04-24-2015 10:50 AM)HarborPointe Wrote:  I have no expectations whatsoever. I will see whatever I see whenever I see it, and that will be that.

As a rule, I don't get caught up in the Ws & Ls as much as I just pay attention to how well the team is playing. I'm happier with them playing a good game and losing by a point than looking like poo-poo and sneaking by. However, with the schedule USM has, the record should be a pretty accurate reflection of competence.

If we win fewer than 5 this year, I'll be convinced we hired the wrong guy to right the ship, and will start looking forward to 2017.

If we win 6 or more, I'll be ecstatic.

If we win 5 on the money, I'll continue to watch the wheels spin for another year.

you sound like me and all the others that are sensical <sic>....most have accepted this fate with realism, humility, and respect....

and dadgumit, it would kick-ass to get a surprise!

I will be there regardless.....