[CTcard]

I also submit there’s some frustration with this season, and for a couple of different reasons - 1) we at times we did a lot better than initially expected; (how many folks here predicted Bryce would have a 2000 yd Bridesman year?) and 2) we had several shoulda/coulda/woulda games where just a play or two might have flipped the outcome. Personally I was ready to write this season off after the SDSU loss; then next thing I knew we had a shot at the Cotton Bowl. So my personal frustration is amplified by a big retrospective sigh as to what could have been. Had we merely gone 6-6 into the Vegas Bowl I probably wouldn’t have cared that much.

I was frustrated because initially I expected this team to be very good.

Last year we ended with 10 wins. We lost very few people going into this season, though the losses included our clear two best players.

The defense in particular looked primed to approach the glory years again. There were stars in the making in the backfield (remember all the articles that this would be our best ever secondary?), a large solid corps of LBers, and worries on the DL but one star and some younger guys who should be coming along. The only full-time starters lost were Thomas and Lloyd, with Hoffpaiur a part time starter.

The offense at least seemed it should be better. Losing McCaffrey was of course tough, but Love was obviously a talented back with 100 yard games every time he started. QB seemed it had to get better. The OL returned 4 of 5. WR had some issues, but we had some big guys at least. Starters lost were McCaffrey, Rector, Caspers, and Owusu was a part-time starter. Still pretty light losses as college teams go.

So, I expected a good year hoping for a dominant defense and an improved offense.
We kind of got the latter, with a few nasty sputters, and eventually found a path forward at QB.
We never really got the former, though the performance against und was very good.

We went 3-4 in one score games (W=Utah,OSU,cal; L=SDSU,WSU,$C#2,TCU).
In retrospect that seems not far off par for the course, at the time the Ls seemed to hurt more than than Ws salved.

[CTcard]

I also submit there’s some frustration with this season, and for a couple of different reasons - 1) we at times we did a lot better than initially expected; (how many folks here predicted Bryce would have a 2000 yd Bridesman year?) and 2) we had several shoulda/coulda/woulda games where just a play or two might have flipped the outcome. Personally I was ready to write this season off after the SDSU loss; then next thing I knew we had a shot at the Cotton Bowl. So my personal frustration is amplified by a big retrospective sigh as to what could have been. Had we merely gone 6-6 into the Vegas Bowl I probably wouldn’t have cared that much.

I was frustrated because initially I expected this team to be very good.

Last year we ended with 10 wins. We lost very few people going into this season, though the losses included our clear two best players.

The defense in particular looked primed to approach the glory years again. There were stars in the making in the backfield (remember all the articles that this would be our best ever secondary?), a large solid corps of LBers, and worries on the DL but one star and some younger guys who should be coming along. The only full-time starters lost were Thomas and Lloyd, with Hoffpaiur a part time starter.

The offense at least seemed it should be better. Losing McCaffrey was of course tough, but Love was obviously a talented back with 100 yard games every time he started. QB seemed it had to get better. The OL returned 4 of 5. WR had some issues, but we had some big guys at least. Starters lost were McCaffrey, Rector, Caspers, and Owusu was a part-time starter. Still pretty light losses as college teams go.

So, I expected a good year hoping for a dominant defense and an improved offense.
We kind of got the latter, with a few nasty sputters, and eventually found a path forward at QB.
We never really got the former, though the performance against und was very good.

We went 3-4 in one score games (W=Utah,OSU,cal; L=SDSU,WSU,$C#2,TCU).
In retrospect that seems not far off par for the course, at the time the Ls seemed to hurt more than than Ws salved.