BigOrangeTrain
Morior Invictus
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- Jan 30, 2013
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OP is probably part of the fan group that will start making threads this time next year asking if Pruitt "can get it done" or "is the guy" if he finishes with a 6-6 or 7-6 type year.
.....all because he didn't go 10-2.
We were 0-8 in conference and had the worst record in program history last year. Any game above .500 in 2018 and Pruitt exceeded expectations, IMO.
And why that record? Let's face it, for all practical purposes, the team quit. If you couldn't see it in their play, you couldn't miss it in their body language on the sidelines. They weren't playing to win, they were very often just playing to survive.
I am betting by the time next season begin, Pruitt and company will reinvigorate those willing to buy in, and find opportunities elsewhere for many of the rest. Your expectations may be above .500, but I don't think it is for Pruitt. And I think he is going to light a fire in these guy's bellies.
However, if that can happen, we really need to have an incident free off season. 8 months? Whew!
I'll just give one word of warning.
Pruitt, since coaching in college, has worked at Alabama, Georgia, and Florida State.
Not once in his college coaching career has he had to try to hide his unit's or team's deficiencies.
He didn't even have to worry about injuries. That's how loaded the rosters were on the defensive side of the ball where he happened to be.
Just keep that in mind
I'll just give one word of warning.
Pruitt, since coaching in college, has worked at Alabama, Georgia, and Florida State.
Not once in his college coaching career has he had to try to hide his unit's or team's deficiencies.
He didn't even have to worry about injuries. That's how loaded the rosters were on the defensive side of the ball where he happened to be.
Just keep that in mind
OP's prediction is consistent with my best case ceiling. - Win one of the three "guaranteed losses", win all of the rest. The key to the season is how well prepared they are for WVU. And although it is possible to steal a win against one of the three, it is also at least as likely for a young, developing team to lose one that they shouldn't. But from what Pruitt has said, he expects to be able to win every game this team goes into.
We are playing 3 top 5 teams in a row and thats not counting Florida and South Carolina. Unbelievable.
Will our patchwork O-line stay healthy? If so, will JG benefit? Can we replace JK? Can Jennings get back? What's the secondary look like with no Gaulden? We're some where between 5-7 and 8-4. Really need to win game 1 before we sign too deep a whole in Oct. I think we lose Bama, Ga, and 2 of 4 between(FL, USCe, Auburn, WVU).
7-5 would be a stellar job, actually.8-4 if we're lucky.