Predictions For The Season - "Rational Optimism"

dukesteer

dukesteer

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Unless I missed it -- which is entirely possible, I haven't seen a predictions post yet, so here goes:

Every year we enter the first game with unrealistic optimism. We drink the KoolAid. I'm as guilty as anyone. This year, however, it does really seem different. Call it Rational Optimism.

Great coaching with mediocre talent often beats good coaching with great talent. I actually believe that we have very good talent with what I expect to be outstanding coaching. I believe that Herman is the real deal, and that he has the potential for greatness. I didn't feel that way about Strong, although I was hopeful, and I never believed that Mack was a "great football coach." Herman could be special.

My Mendoza line in 2017 is 10 wins. Less would be a disappointment. However, I am predicting 12 wins, and more would not shock me.
 
If we stay healthy - 10 wins.

Unfortunately I think we're still too thin at critical positions, so 8-9 wins is what I think we end up with.
 
I'm with LC, 10 wins are very possible IF they stay healthy.

I'm more confident going into the first game with TH than CS...
 
I'm one of the burnt ones that's holding of of drinking the koolaid. I hope the 10 to 12 wins happens I'm expecting 8 wins. As an aside, I'll be going into each game expecting us to win.
 
Is it possible for us to win 15 games? I call 15 wins...

JK - that was my explosive optimism. My here's my ice-cold worst-case version: we're already down an o-lineman and I see no reason to think this season's the year that our OL luck all of a sudden goes north. Depth along both lines still isn't there, almost all the WR talent we're all drooling over is still theoretical, we're playing with a backfield full of running backs held together by duct tape with except for the two freshmen. We keep hearing how good the DBs are going to be, but again, none of them have put together a full season that's been better than average. All of the things we're banking on to turn things around are theoretical, and Herman still hasn't coached a game in burnt orange. It's wayyyyyy too early to think this team has done anything more than made some significant upgrades in young talent and physical conditioning. That's good for three more wins than last year, beating the dregs that we lost to last season.

So the rational pick would appear to be nine wins, with a push to 10 if we stay healthy and some things fall the right way.

EDITORS NOTE: I'm looking at regular season, so I'm saying nine wins not counting a bowl appearance.
 
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After three years of 6-7, 5-7 & 5-7, my rational optimism says some experience and better coaching gets us 2-3 more wins. I'll go with 8. Maybe a bowl win gets us 9. I think we're heading in the right direction.
 
Mendoza at 10 wins?

I think the over/under is 7.5. 8 wins is suitable. We have issues on the OL and RBs who aren't staying healthy. I don't need an all-world offense...But one that can drive & score in the last two minutes is worth 2 wins. I don't know that we have that this season.
 
I'm going 11 regular season think the pokes get us at home but we get payback in Arlington. I know you said rational but if I rationalize my rationalness then it all sounds rational:e-face-shades:
 
I strongly believe we win 10 games, but it wouldn't be a shock to me if we win 11. Think about it, we lost 3 games last year that should have been wins with just a little bit of discipline. We lost another just going in with zero motivation. We are getting back the majority of our team that was considered young minus one big loss in DForeman. We also could have been in all of our games if we had a coach that could make during the game or halftime adjustments. So 10 wins seem like a real possibility if not more.
 
9 regular season wins and a bowl win. 10-3

I believe we are thin on depth, but also believe this coaching staff will improve performances of the talent on hand as the season progresses(ala UH). Injuries early in the season would hurt.
I dont see a game on the schedule that Texas cannot win. I also don't see this coaching staff losing any of the games they should win.

The Longhorns are going to be fun to watch again and I am so ready the the first game.
Is it too early to pack the tailgate ? Ha!
 
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Just a perspective: I can't get over the fact that Herman's Houston teams beat or dominated FSU, OU and Louisville. We won't play anyone tougher -- except in January...with the possible exception of USC. He has more overall talent with this team than he did at UH and he has the same D.C.

Love that KoolAid.
 
10 wins including the bowl. Kids just aren't used to winning. There will be a little lull between feeling great about ourselves and realizing you have to push it to a new level to kick butt against or top in-conference opponents.
 
On paper, I am with the 8 wins (9 with a bowl game) crowd. With 12 regular season games, I can find 4 losses with Oklahoma, OSU, USC, and KState on the schedule. I can also see a couple of wins come from there, too.

If this team beats USC, then who knows? Barring injuries at key positions, it would seem that the ceiling is high for this team.
 
beijinghorn1 said:
I think 7-6 also. I am not sold on WRs, Dline, Oline. I hope I am wrong.
Click to expand...
Beijing, stay away from that bad air in ...Beijing...

If there is a better corps of wide receivers in the conference, I will be surprised. There may only be a few better in the entire country. Yes, these guys have to prove themselves but I have never seen this level of talent throughout the group, up and down, and that includes the Roy Williams days. Heck, Heard and Foreman may only occasionally see the field.

The O-line: It struggled in 2015, improved significantly last year and frankly I think it will be very good this year. I believe that there are at least two future NFL starters in that group and I am not as worried about depth as others seem to be.

While the D-Line seems problematic, I wonder. The middle is pretty is solid, if not deep. And the ends? Well, with Roach and Hager just platooning, I'm very optimistic.

Coaching will make the difference in 2017. Same talent + much better coaching = 7 more wins.
 
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