“Bottom 10” football list has NC State flavor

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Mr Wuf at 2012 Music City BowlSFN affiliate, Big Lead Sports has released their list of the 10 most disappointing college football teams of 2013. We all knew that this was going to be a part of the off-season narrative, so there is no reason to try to hide from the obvious. Let’s just accept 2013 and continue to look ahead to expected improvement in 2014 and 2015 and Coach Doeren attempts to re-build a depleted program with some actual Division One football talent.

On BLS’s list you will find the following sprinkled in between the likes of the University of Florida, Boise State, Michigan and Texas A&M:


North Carolina State Wolfpack: N.C. State tried a great leap forward from Tom O’Brien’s mediocrity. They faceplanted, despite returning talent and a schedule with eight home games. The flicker in the first half against Clemson was extinguished and never returned. They finished 2-9 against FBS teams (barely won their FCS game). They lost every ACC game. Only one was by single digits. If Jacoby Brissett is not the answer next season, questions may be asked of Dave Doeren.

I accept that NC State was a big disappointment in 2013 – our weak schedule and recent performance as a program that always seemed to find a way to become bowl eligible set a bit of a standard and general expectation that a minimum of six wins and bowl eligibility should’ve been within our grasp. But, BLS doesn’t do themselves any favors when they make the comment “despite returning talent”. Without re-debating the amount of ‘talent’ currently residing in west Raleigh (I really hope that you will click here), I would hope that BLS would at least research/reference the impact of injuries to our roster if they are going to throw out a very questionable statement about talent. Additionally, if the margin of defeat is so important to mention then BLS might be interested in knowing how many games NC State led or was within one score after three quarters. In fact, that statistic might also serve to further underscore the point that our ‘talent’ (and depth) wasn’t what it needed to be.

Willie Taggart at USF 2013Also of interest on the most disappointing list is a 2014 opponent of NC State’s – the South Florida Bulls. The Wolfpack is scheduled to travel to Tampa to take on the Bulls in the middle of next September. Ironically, Taggart replaced Skip Holtz at USF when Holtz replaced Sonny Dykes at Louisiana Tech. Dykes was considered by many to be the second choice for the NC State job (as well as the job he ultimately landed at Cal) behind Dave Doeren, who won his first game as NC State Head Coach over Skip Holtz at Louisiana Tech. Shew!

South Florida Bulls: USF sits in a rich recruiting ground. They hired a promising young coach in Willie Taggart. They encouraged fans to get on the bus. However, the bus, almost immediately, had a flat tire, flipped multiple times, smashed into a forest of trees and burst into flames. They lost by 32 to McNeese State in the opener and just kept being terrible. 120th in yards/play offense. 122nd in touchdowns. Just awful.

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Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
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  • 12/13/2013 at 8:50 AM #34766
    PackFamily
    Participant

    Darrell Hazell was the coach of Kent State, whom CDD’s team beat on the MAC game. Taggart was at WKU.

    Like CDD, Hazell, Taggart, Dykes (and Bielema) all had horrible seasons. Either all of the coaching hires from last year were duds or all of those programs are hard to turn around (or both).

    12/13/2013 at 9:23 AM #34767
    FergusWolf
    Participant

    Unfortunately, we’ve gone past “what have you done lately” to “what was the last thing you’ve done” in doing performance appraisals.

    It’s been hashed over any number of times, but if he was hired today, and performed the same as he did in his first 3 seasons (38-47 overall, 13-29 in the ACC), then Coach K would have been fired before he had a chance to win 171 ACC titles and 47 national championships.

    It’s great that the people at Big Lead Sports needed to write about us to fill up their web-page, but none of that changes anything.

    DD has my support for at least 2 more years. After that if there isn’t the appropriate signs of progress, then I’m all for going shopping.

    12/13/2013 at 9:23 AM #34768
    Fastback68
    Participant

    Time to make some horse leather. 2013 strength of schedule list per fan sided.com. article dated 6/13/13. This is based on pure win loss ratio of a team’s 2012 final record. Not subjective power rankings like Phil Steele.

    13 – Pittsburgh (Hardest of all ACC teams), 16 – NC State, 24 – GT, 28 – UVA, 45 – Clemson, 53 – Syracuse, 60 – UNX, 63 – BC, 67 – Maryland, 71 – Florida State, 74 – WF, 85 – Duke, 94 – Miami, 102 – VT.

    Our ACC opponents had a 59% ACC win ratio so our 16th (58.67 win ratio) hardest schedule doesn’t drop with regards to conference play based on final 2013 standings. It could drop based on the final results of OCC opponents but I’m not sadistic enough to go look that up.

    SOS is not an excuse. We sucked because we suck.

    Several posters during the year wished Cutcliffe was coaching NCSU. He went 20-40 in the first five years. I believe certain State fans would have dragged him to the Tower of London and cut his head off 18 months into that scenario. Duke had a favorable schedule. Even Steele listed them as the 77th easiest schedule. Let’s see what the devils do next year with a bull’s eye on their back.

    DD, I hope you have great success at The – North Carolina State University for 20 – 30 years. Worst to First, baby!!

    BJD was right as usual, State should have played UVA after the season.

    12/13/2013 at 10:02 AM #34769
    StateFans
    Keymaster

    Willie Taggart mistake fixed. So sorry. My bad

    12/13/2013 at 10:24 AM #34770
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    UVA is a much more “disappointing” 0-8 bunch. Their talent is better, and the coaching staff is well-established in Hooville. Their poor contract negotiation skills (especially the Gillen buyout) is the only reason London and crew are still employed.

    12/13/2013 at 10:26 AM #34771
    tractor57
    Participant

    I’m not so sure I would say the program returned a lot of talent from the previous year. The mad scramble to fill the QB position points directly to that. There was some talent there but little beyond the first player at every position.
    I agree last season was disappointing (who could argue with this). The real question yet to be answered is can coach D and his staff turn the ship back to a positive direction. We might see some signs next season but if we do not that seat will heat quite a bit.

    12/13/2013 at 10:40 AM #34772
    Adventuroo
    Participant

    Speaking of Mr. Dykes….

    He was 22 & 15 BEFORE California. Then, he followed Horace Greely’s advice and went HOLLYWOOD.

    OPPS….he was 1 & 11 there…..so he is NOW 23 & 26.

    Maybe NO ONE expected better than that for CAL. WHY were THEY not in this top ten list of SHAME?

    No offense to all the folks that paid to write such and have Twitter followers, but folks that post here seem to be just as well informed….and knowledgeable.

    I certainly hope that Coach Doeren uses all this bashing and trashing to get the troops (including his staff) fired up. Remember Fedora’s STATE countdown clock….it worked…or maybe TOB just forgot how to coach in Q4 that year.

    NOW…what will happen in Austin today? What will happen in Tuscaloosa? I remember being at a condo on the outer banks over the Christmas and New Years holiday a 06/07. We had come back from a walk on the beach that morning and turned on the TV. It was on ESPN from the night before. There was a reporter standing all alone in the parking lot of the Miami Dolphins Stadium. The 10 & 6 Dolphins coach, who said he had NO interest in Alabama was NOT there for his scheduled presser. He was on a fat cat’s jet to Tuscaloosa…..HMMM? Those Texas Long Horn Jets have really nice appointments….and supposedly Platinum bathroom fixtures as Gold is too gaudy….

    We will see….

    12/13/2013 at 11:06 AM #34773
    vtpackfan
    Participant

    Brett Beliema’s say’s thank you. That’s the third highest paid HC in the land leading Arkansas to nothing but a moral W vs an unhealthy LSU squad.

    No one in their right mind should put any stock into the first year of a new regime. Over achieve, up and down, flashes of aptitude, or, dumpster fire central.

    There are a thousand variables that are going on in that first year that the new HC had nothing to do with- just inherited. By year three you will see a team that the HC has had full control over all the variables. I saw team traits in TOB’s 5-7 third year, with RW at QB, that persisted throughout the next three years ( the ” we’re not really into this today” one especially).

    12/13/2013 at 11:06 AM #34774
    packpowerfan
    Participant

    Asinine column, really. Florida was ravaged by injuries (and the transfer of their backup to State), A&M lives and dies with Manziel. They were smoke-and-mirrors last year as well. As for us? Who among us thought that this year would be a banner one? I remember a majority thinking that the CEILING would be 6-6 or 7-5 BEFORE injuries. Sure, Coach D had some seriously headscratching playcalling and time management issues. However, I wonder how much of that is his ability versus a “house money” type of season. Hell, I wouldn’t have ever punted the ball knowing the talent we had. Cash in your chips and move to next season.

    12/13/2013 at 11:22 AM #34775
    Greywolf
    Participant

    I was pleased to read SFNs’ comments critiquing the BLS write up on NCSU and don’t feel the need to add my insults to SFN’s injury of that POS article.

    IMNSHO It’s one thing for us on SFN to spout bullshit about State but an entirely different matter for some outside asshole to do so.

    12/13/2013 at 11:25 AM #34776
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Yep, 6 or 7 wins was absolute ceiling, getting almost every bounce of the ball, and almost zero injuries.

    I don’t know whether our number of injuries was abnormal or not. Doesn’t matter – this roster had no chance to withstand a very normal amount of injuries. Anything beyond the bare minimum would equal disaster.

    The most important thing was to get Mitchell under center so the line and skill players would be more ready for Jacoby Brissette.

    12/13/2013 at 2:18 PM #34777
    PackerInRussia
    Participant

    ^^ Agree on the “house money” mindset. Why not go for it on 4th down? What do you have to lose? You get to paint yourself (to recruits) as a guy who isn’t afraid to test the limits and take risks and other things like that that could give you an edge.

    12/13/2013 at 3:01 PM #34778
    wufpup76
    Keymaster

    “… Coach K would have been fired before he had a chance to win 171 ACC titles and 47 national championships.”

    ^Wow, I didn’t know he has done all that! 🙂

    12/13/2013 at 3:08 PM #34779
    13OT
    Participant

    Saying that State was 2-9 vs FBS teams is a stretch; does anyone really consider Louisiana Tech and Central Michigan on the same plateau as the ACC schools should be? State would have likely gone 0-12 against any OOC teams from BCS conferences, and would have lost against almost anyone else, especially had those been road games.

    If you want REAL bottom teams (programs), look no further than State, UVA, Syracuse and Wake in the ACC; Kansas and Iowa State in the Big XII; Indiana and Purdue in the B1G; Kentucky in the SEC, and Colorado and Cal in the Pac-12.

    Most of these will require years of repair, which for some of them would be like trying to fix Obamacare.

    12/13/2013 at 3:44 PM #34780
    Wulfpack
    Participant

    Stats can paint a picture in different ways. We weren’t competitive in 4-5 games, in which the outcome was decided by the half. That is a problem. It will change in due time.

    12/13/2013 at 9:28 PM #34781
    FunPack
    Participant

    Off topic here, sorry, but I haven’t heard anything about this yet: Anybody know why Travares Copeland is off the team? Any chance he will be back in the fall, or is he gone for good?

    As for bottom 10, that will change. The real trick is getting into (& staying in) the Top 25.

    12/31/2013 at 6:20 AM #34782
    wolfinisolation
    Participant

    I recall FSU going from “Ten Worst or disappointing” to top ten in 1976 to 1978…since then, FSU has won national championships and is playing for a national championship. I see the same for our current leadership!

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