KU FB projected success - faith over logic?

[VeloClone]

I found this older column in the KC Star. I couldn't find it referenced anywhere here.

This seems to reflect much of the sentiment I see on this site.

KU's projected success is faith over logic - KansasCity.com

He seems to look at it realistically and even gives the 'Clones some props.

 

[ahaselhu]

From what I've read on KU message boards, they seem to be pretty realistic about their chances. In general they think 6 wins would be a big success, and 3-4 wins are probably likely.

 

[VeloClone]

From what I've read on KU message boards, they seem to be pretty realistic about their chances. In general they think 6 wins would be a big success, and 3-4 wins are probably likely.

Interesting that most of the "experts" don't see it that way and are vastly overestimating their potential IMO.

 

[trajanJ]

Most of the KU boards I've seen and the friends I know aren't expecting much. Depth and experience playmakers is a real concern and it hasn't helped that several players have been kicked off or have suffered a season ending injury. I think 6 wins would be a huge year and I'm not expecting this team to end up going to a bowl. Gill needs a chance to bring in his athletes and he's off to a very good start recruiting.

 

[VeloClone]

Most of the KU boards I've seen and the friends I know aren't expecting much. Depth and experience playmakers is a real concern and it hasn't helped that several players have been kicked off or have suffered a season ending injury. I think 6 wins would be a huge year and I'm not expecting this team to end up going to a bowl. Gill needs a chance to bring in his athletes and he's off to a very good start recruiting.

Good analysis. Too bad so many experts are piling unreasonable expectations on a squad that clearly isn't ready.

 

[intrepid27]

Coaching success in a weaker conference does not always translate to success in Big XII - See proof Greg McDermott - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[stateofmind]

I thought this was a bit of an odd statement:
"Even within the North, Missouri and Iowa State have the experience advantage at quarterback, Kansas State and Nebraska at running back, Colorado on the offensive line and the Cornhuskers throughout the defense. And none are breaking in a new staff."
Wouldn't you give experience to ISU at RB and offensive line as well as at QB? Guess not. Just for the record, I think Blair has been very good to ISU over the years.

 

[trajanJ]

I don't think Gill and McDermott have much in common. Gill got most of his experience at the highest level while they were at their very best. Then he took over the very worst team in college football and made them competitive. His ex-players loved him and he never had a problem with players transferring out.

I think some publications have KU too high but I've seen a couple that have them dead last in the North, so you can't get any lower than that. I was very interested to see how Gill would build his staff and I give him an A+ for that. This staff, on paper could be the best KU has ever had and it seems like a very good recruiting staff. The big question will be, "can they coach on the field?" If they can coach it's not unreasonable to think they can surprise a couple of teams. The playmakers are gone but they do return a lot of starters and they have some good young talent. If you add up the recruiting rankings for the last 4 years they were quite a bit higher than K-State and ISU and even with CU (who now would be ranked a lot lower since their high ranking recruits have already left the program) and just a few spots behind MU. So if some of the younger talented guys can play, there could be some wins out there with their current schedule. I would guess that this year KU will suffer some growing pains from inexperience and look a lot better next year. Of course the schedule gets tougher next year.

 

[Cyballz]

I don't think Gill and McDermott have much in common. Gill got most of his experience at the highest level while they were at their very best. Then he took over the very worst team in college football and made them competitive. His ex-players loved him and he never had a problem with players transferring out.

McDermott took over a team that won only 4 games the previous year and took them to 3 NCAA tourneys. He also did not have problems with transfers while at UNI and his ex-players there loved him. He has a lot in common with Gill.

 

[trajanJ]

I guess since they both made lower level teams better and then ended up coaching a BCS team that makes them have a lot in common. With that kind of thin logic you could compare anybody to almost anybody else. Nick Saben Turned Toledo around before he got the job at MSU. Toledo just happens to be in the same conference as Buffalo, and if we compare Gill to Saben we are at least comparing the same sport. Looks to me like he's got more in common with Saben than McDermott.

McDermott had zero years experience in BCS program at any level. He never played at that level or was an assistant at that level. He never knew what it was like to be recruited by the top coaches in the country and was never part of a staff that had the opportunity to even look at those type of players. He wasn't known as a great recruiter. His last UNI team didn't have anybody on it that wasn't from Iowa or the bordering states so he wasn't real familiar with National recruiting. With the exception of 1 coach he didn't put together a very good staff. The more I look into it, McDermott and Gill couldn't be further apart.