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Thread: Favored vs. Underdog

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    Super Moderator PawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond repute PawDawg's Avatar
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    Favored vs. Underdog

    We have a 6th year HC and several returning rock stars...

    We will be an underdog at USA. My guess is +3

    We will be favored at home vs. Southern. At least 21. It's the SWAC.

    +28 at lsu

    +7 at NTU

    -1 vs. UAB

    +6 at UTSA

    -7 vs UTEP

    +21 at Fla Awn Us

    +10 at MSU

    -7 vs Rice

    +20 at USM (also owns us)

    +1 vs. WKU


    We'll be favored vs UAB, UTEP, and Rice at home. Dogs in all other games.

  2. #2
    Champ FriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond reputeFriscoDawg has a reputation beyond repute
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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    A bit pessimistic there. Using the 2017 final Sagarin predictor ratings in matchups and making Tech a full TD worse than that, here is what it comes up with.

    -4 at USA
    -23 vs Southern
    +29 at LSU
    +6 at North Texas
    -4 vs UAB
    +4 at UTSA
    -21 vs UTEP
    +20 at FAU
    +30 at State
    -15 vs Rice
    +6 at USM
    -5 vs WKU

    USA opener is critical. 3 games flipped results with Tech figured at a TD worse.
    Last edited by FriscoDawg; 07-02-2018 at 11:04 PM.

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    I think we'll beat SU, UTEP, and Rice...have a "puncher's chance" to beat UAB and WKU, and the rest? Well, some definite losses and a couple of "who knows?"

    Hogdawg says all we have to do is beat LSU, that's our Super Bowl. I don't agree with that. But a win in BR would be nice. But, before we get there, we open at USA. That game will set the tone for the season. Last year we pulled away late, in the most lethargic game I have attended at Aillet since we lost to SW Mizzou State 13-10 way back in the mid-80's.

    Hope we have a QB this year....that would help.

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Quote Originally Posted by dawg80 View Post

    Hope we have a QB this year....that would help.
    Who needs a QB when you got a rock star?

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Y’all are vastly underestimating this team. I love being pessimistic (which I call realism because of our history of underachieving) but with this defense we should be in any game. We are so deep at DB and D Line. Add these linebackers to the group that still has Dae’Von Washington, Collin Scott and Brandon Durman? Our defense will be awesome. This may be the best crew of corners we have ever had. Amik, Kitchen are top notch. Jae Jae sneed, Trey spencer and Michael Sam? That’s ridiculous. I’m almost upset we can’t run a quarters defense and let them all ball hawk

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Quote Originally Posted by Dixonfor6 View Post
    Y’all are vastly underestimating this team. I love being pessimistic (which I call realism because of our history of underachieving) but with this defense we should be in any game. We are so deep at DB and D Line. Add these linebackers to the group that still has Dae’Von Washington, Collin Scott and Brandon Durman? Our defense will be awesome. This may be the best crew of corners we have ever had. Amik, Kitchen are top notch. Jae Jae sneed, Trey spencer and Michael Sam? That’s ridiculous. I’m almost upset we can’t run a quarters defense and let them all ball hawk
    Our HC will find a way to screw it up. He has NEVER EVER allowed a defense to be the winner. Same with special teams.

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Never allowed? We’ve had two capable defenses in his tenure and certainly let Manny’s D shine.

    Our special teams have underperformed...no argument there.

    Adequate QB play and this team will challenge for the west. Honeymoon is over for LK. They should be just as good, but LK never sticks around very long.

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Quote Originally Posted by PawDawg View Post
    Our HC will find a way to screw it up. He has NEVER EVER allowed a defense to be the winner. Same with special teams.
    So you think he screws with the offense so much he can’t let the other phases shine? Special teams is huge. You win and lose games there a few times a year. Defense is out there for half the game. I really think our D is more talented than ever (twss) if you go through our two deep it’s rediculous considering our budget and footprint. We can’t waste this squad we have.

  9. #9
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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    If our defense can package and replicate the Frisco Bowl performance, we'll be fine. Even without a QB. But, those kind of games come along once a decade. I love defense! Defense wins championships...we all know that. But, we are heavily "QB dependent" as are most football teams. It is the singular most important position, even when you have a good defense.

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Quote Originally Posted by Dixonfor6 View Post
    Y’all are vastly underestimating this team. I love being pessimistic (which I call realism because of our history of underachieving) but with this defense we should be in any game. We are so deep at DB and D Line. Add these linebackers to the group that still has Dae’Von Washington, Collin Scott and Brandon Durman? Our defense will be awesome. This may be the best crew of corners we have ever had. Amik, Kitchen are top notch. Jae Jae sneed, Trey spencer and Michael Sam? That’s ridiculous. I’m almost upset we can’t run a quarters defense and let them all ball hawk
    Agree 100 with you. Also, as with nearly every QB we've had- they get better with age. The never-ending bitching about Higgins was waaaaay over the top incorrect and by prettymuch the same BB&B posters. Florida fans made the same wrong 'assumptions' that Driskel would never improve- LOL!

    This will be a very good Tech team and we won't be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory with 1-point losses by settling for more FGs than any FBS team. If someone wants to complain about something our 7 road games schedule is much more of a concern.

  11. #11
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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Quote Originally Posted by DogsWin View Post
    Agree 100 with you. Also, as with nearly every QB we've had- they get better with age. The never-ending bitching about Higgins was waaaaay over the top incorrect and by prettymuch the same BB&B posters. Florida fans made the same wrong 'assumptions' that Driskel would never improve- LOL!

    This will be a very good Tech team and we won't be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory with 1-point losses by settling for more FGs than any FBS team. If someone wants to complain about something our 7 road games schedule is much more of a concern.
    So, your basic argument is "Smith will improve." How can he can't!? A lousy 56% completion rate. A lousy runner. Misses wide-open receivers, usually by throwing it in the ground. Which is the ONLY reason his INTs weren't very high. His passes are so bad, no one can get near 'em! Shows ZERO leadership ability.

    I admit, and said this before, I (we) got spoiled by a string of good QBs, and we have been blessed over many, many decades (forever really!) at Tech with GREAT QBs! We are "QB U." Even our "run-of-the-mill" average QBs, by Tech's standards, put up numbers that would make them all-time career leaders at half of the Division I schools.

    IN FACT!! I was watching a Big 10 game one Saturday, some years back, and a QB completed a pass and the TV guys said, that makes him the all-time career passing leader in the history of the program (I think it was our good friends at Illinois). The number (passing yards) was so pedestrian I went back and pulled Rattay's game by game stats, and he had 6 games that totaled more than that Big 10 guy's career numbers. I mean, the total yards he threw for in those 6 games was more. Then I checked Tech's all-time career passing yard leaders and we had something like 30 QBs who had more career yards than that guy!

    Point is....you can't fool Tech fans into thinking you're some kind of "good" QB. WE KNOW WHAT A GOOD QB LOOKS LIKE HERE!

    I was one who was VERY concerned about Higgins being our starter. That was based on what he did...and didn't do...in 2013. I have also posted many times, I was wrong. Higgins had an awesome year in 2016! One of the best seasons ever for a Tech QB....and that is saying something! So, I am expressing concerns about Smith continuing as our starter heading into 2018. I will be THRILLED to post a couple of years from now....I was wrong to be concerned. But, Higgins EARNED it. Smith has to earn it too. No free passes are given here.

    And yes...we have a tough schedule with those 7 road games this year. It is possible we could go 0-7 in 'em. Even though I am predicting 2-5. Having a GOOD defense helps greatly.

  12. #12
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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Smith will earn it too. He just needs the time that Higgins, Driskel, Dunigan,... had. All of these guys and many others have shown the same growth with age, maturity, experience,... QB is by far the hardest position to master, but history has proven that kids will do so with time. Smith is C-USA's 3rd most productive returning QB and he still has 2 more years remaining.

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    I have to say that I am concerned about Smith. Our defense should shine and if Smith can just game manage, I would be happy. I do think he has running ability and just HOPING that he worked on his passing game this summer, because we DO have some talented receivers. It will be up to our defense in every game, if he hasn't improved vastly..... I am the "optimist", though. We are currently undefeated and I will go into every single game thinking we will win it!

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    Super Moderator PawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond reputePawDawg has a reputation beyond repute PawDawg's Avatar
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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Quote Originally Posted by champion110 View Post
    I have to say that I am concerned about Smith. Our defense should shine and if Smith can just game manage, I would be happy. I do think he has running ability and just HOPING that he worked on his passing game this summer, because we DO have some talented receivers. It will be up to our defense in every game, if he hasn't improved vastly..... I am the "optimist", though. We are currently undefeated and I will go into every single game thinking we will win it!
    I think you describe the problem with "The Rock Star". Our coach is trying to make a game manager out of a great athlete.

    We will see how it works out, but IMO an average HS QB should be able to complete passes while not under pressure to open receivers.

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    Re: Favored vs. Underdog

    Quote Originally Posted by DogsWin View Post
    Smith will earn it too. He just needs the time that Higgins, Driskel, Dunigan,... had. All of these guys and many others have shown the same growth with age, maturity, experience,... QB is by far the hardest position to master, but history has proven that kids will do so with time. Smith is C-USA's 3rd most productive returning QB and he still has 2 more years remaining.
    Dunigan had the "Wow! factor." First time I saw him play his arm stood out. Had a frickin' cannon! He was also a good runner, but mostly kept plays alive with his scrambling ability, and then because of his arm he was a threat to complete a pass. In fact, one of his best throws ever came at USL. He was flushed from the pocket and while running along the 50 spied a Tech WR open in the EZ, 5 yards deep. It was a frozen rope! 55 yards in the air and it got there in a hurry! Ball never got more than about 10 feet up, it was a bullet (almost). So, even though he struggled with INTs....many of those not his fault, receivers couldn't handle that fastball coming at 'em and there were a lot of deflected picks...he was also spectacular! At times, he was feast or famine. One game he had 4 TD passes and 4 INTs. But, he did settle in after his sophomore season, and reduced the INTs. POINT IS...even though there were issues, we were willing to give Dunigan time to correct the flaws because he passed the eye test so easily! One could see the enormous potential.

    Back to today...clearly Holtz is sticking with Smith. So, I certainly hope all concerns are set aside this year.

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