[SkiBum80]

I don't disagree that counting wins is the ultimate measure of success on the building-back road.
But I suggest that "competitiveness" is a close second.
Which is more of a subjective, hard to rigorously define criteria.
But a simple yardstick for me is, how many games do we go into the half thinking that we still have a chance to win this thing?
Playing a competitive game against a team like, say Notre Dame, that ends in a loss, is still a disappointing loss.
But it would indicate progress and hope compared to the alternative of blow out after blow out.

[SkiBum80]

I don't disagree that counting wins is the ultimate measure of success on the building-back road.
But I suggest that "competitiveness" is a close second.
Which is more of a subjective, hard to rigorously define criteria.
But a simple yardstick for me is, how many games do we go into the half thinking that we still have a chance to win this thing?
Playing a competitive game against a team like, say Notre Dame, that ends in a loss, is still a disappointing loss.
But it would indicate progress and hope compared to the alternative of blow out after blow out.