Are you surprised at where we are at?

Minnesota_husker said:
I dont really care about the total number of wins/losses but more how we grow and progress. Dont get embarrassed and dont have guys looking disinterested. show improvement.

If we do all those things, 6-7 wins is fine with me. 

I do think the amount of kool aid is a bit crazy but heck, Frost has finally given us reason to hope.
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I tend to think that the improved strength & conditioning, the better work ethic, the better attitudes, and more accountability alone is enough to elevate the team from 4 wins to 6 or 7 wins. I'm trying to temper my expectations, but add to those things the superior schemes and playcalling, and competent game management, and 8 or 9 wins can really happen, and can easily see double digit wins in 2019. 

I try to tell myself to be happy simply by being bowl eligible again and seeing more passion on the sidelines. But really, we may be ready for so much more than that, even in the first year. Pass the kool aid.

 
Ulty said:
I tend to think that the improved strength & conditioning, the better work ethic, the better attitudes, and more accountability alone is enough to elevate the team from 4 wins to 6 or 7 wins. I'm trying to temper my expectations, but add to those things the superior schemes and playcalling, and competent game management, and 8 or 9 wins can really happen, and can easily see double digit wins in 2019. 

I try to tell myself to be happy simply by being bowl eligible again and seeing more passion on the sidelines. But really, we may be ready for so much more than that, even in the first year. Pass the kool aid.
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Agree with everything. I have a bet with a guy at work. He says 7 wins max, I say at least 9. Ya I'm drinking the kool aid, but why not. If we don't get 9 and still look good, play harder etc I won't be disappointed.  :restore

 
I'm in the same position I believe many of the coaches, players and media members are in: offseason hype is great but it really doesn't mean anything when you get punched in the face by Ohio State's defensive line halfway through the season. How do you respond then versus what you're saying in August?

I will admit two things, though: first, I'm more confident in Frost than I've been any coach in the last 20 years (outside of the early Solich years). Second, I think this year's offseason talk felt like it had far more substance and honesty than it ever has in the last 15-20 years. I feel like I'll be able to buy into almost any result this year because I'll know most of the staff and players exhausted every ounce of their being to achieve their goals.

 
I'm confident Frost will have a long and successful career here.   There's a part of me that is anxious about it, though, because if he's not as successful as we all think then we're basically Minnesota.

Sort of a true litmus test for the program.

 
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Michiganball said:
This can be a good year. Frost was my top pick also. What I want to see is the early "scrimmage" games being dominated as they should. Last few years it's been much to stressful or downright ridiculous. If that goes well as I think it will, it should be a good season, certainly better then the last one.
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I am forcefully and intentionally trying to pump my kool-aid brakes (and failing mostly by the way).  But even with all of the hoopla that I've bought in to, I have a lurking concern that first couple of games could be painful learning experiences where everyone puts the new schemes into play on the field.  By next year, I'll be all in on expecting blow outs for the early season games.

 
Can we say we're drinking the Kool-Aid if we're predicting 8 or 9 wins?  There may be slightly more likely outcomes, but it's not delusional.

 
The Dude said:
Can we say we're drinking the Kool-Aid if we're predicting 8 or 9 wins?  There may be slightly more likely outcomes, but it's not delusional.
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That's drinking some kool aid, imo.  We're basing this turnaround off a coach.  Our offensive line is unproven, little depth at secondary, our dline wasn't good last year, new starting qb, new scheme on both sides of the ball, our conditioning isn't where it needs to be.  We had a bad year last year with an easy schedule yet we are going to make this huge jump? Here's a list of coaches who were 6-6 or 7-6 in their first year:

Bob stoops started 7-5

Nick Saban was 7-6 in his first year with Alabama 

Pete Carroll was 6-6 in his first year

John McKay was 4-6 in his first year 

Woody hayes was 4-3 in his first year

Jimmy Johnson was 8 5 in his first year at Miami.

Jim harbaugh was 4 8 in his first year 

Bear Bryant was 5 4.

Bobby bowden was 5-6

Just because we got a great coach doesn't mean it will translate to 3 or 4 extra wins the first year.  The second year is where the jump will be.

 
There was a coach out there - can't think of his name or what school he coached at.  The first year he won like 6 more games and then the second year it was like 7 more games.  Wish i could think where he was or what his name was - sucks getting old and losing memory

 
The Dude said:
Can we say we're drinking the Kool-Aid if we're predicting 8 or 9 wins?  There may be slightly more likely outcomes, but it's not delusional.
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Delusional is too strong of a word but I think anyone predicting 8-9 wins is drinking a larger class of Kool-Aid than others.  :lol:

In more realistic terms, I think predictions above 8 wins are largely based upon belief in Frost and his staff, better conditioning and the fair amount of roster turnover having an immediate positive impact. I'm personally unable to go that far because I can't get past some of the scheduling, the young QB situation and some pretty big question marks defensively. I believe it's asking a lot to predict all of that will gel well enough in less than a year to result in near double digit wins.

 
Enhance said:
Delusional is too strong of a word but I think anyone predicting 8-9 wins is drinking a larger class of Kool-Aid than others.  :lol:

In more realistic terms, I think predictions above 8 wins are largely based upon belief in Frost and his staff, better conditioning and the fair amount of roster turnover having an immediate positive impact. I'm personally unable to go that far because I can't get past some of the scheduling, the young QB situation and some pretty big question marks defensively. I believe it's asking a lot to predict all of that will gel well enough in less than a year to result in near double digit wins.
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Double digits would be a surprising accomplishment. 

It is so hard to tell because we have brought in 5 or 6 defensive players that may make a big impact, our QB play was poor at best (turnovers) so in some ways how can't it be better, the line O and D are both a year older with very little lost from last year and SF has to be an upgrade over MR from past 3 years (averaged 6+ wins) -----  compare all that to a tougher schedule in 2018.

Win total could be anywhere from 6-10 and it seems like a fair argument could be made for every number in between.

 
GBRFAN said:
There was a coach out there - can't think of his name or what school he coached at.  The first year he won like 6 more games and then the second year it was like 7 more games.  Wish i could think where he was or what his name was - sucks getting old and losing memory
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That's usually not the norm though, especially to a program that's struggling.

 
huskerfan333157 said:
That's usually not the norm though, especially to a program that's struggling.
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????  - It's actually easier to increase Wins at a team that is struggling then a team that isn't. 

UCF was struggling and so has NU.  Both teams had signs of some talent on the roster and both teams picked up a coach by the name of Scott Frost.  There is an argument to cover each of your concerns in the post about 5 up and each of your examples of great coaches having poor first years can be matched by examples of coaches that had great first years.

Guess we will see how it turns out -  plus Scott Frost isn't the norm.  Normal coaches don't get voted "coach of the year" and turn a team around as he did in 2 seasons.

 
I am optimistic listening to the players and seeing how the culture has changed, but I think it's important to keep in mind that this is a team who went 4-8 last year and a team who will be facing slightly tougher opponents (most of them on the road) this year. As much as the coaches/players/some of us might not want to admit, a winning season would be a positive year. It'll probably be more important to focus on "how" we're playing rather than the end result. 

 
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