Pat Forde offers USC season prediction....and sums up most of our history.

18IsTheMan

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We could all make that prediction, How much does it pay?
I read it mostly as a summary of our perpetual fate as a program.

We are rarely in a position where we can predict a totally awful season or a really good season. Almost every season it's kind of like "we could be good or we could be bad".
 
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Piscis

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I read it mostly as a summary of our perpetual fate as a program.

We are rarely in a position where we can predict a totally awful season or a really good season. Almost every season it's kind of like "we could be good or we could be bad".
It usually falls somewhere in the middle, hence the history of mediocrity. Individual games where the gamecocks upset a highly favored opponent provide the most joy to SC fans. Really good/great seasons are too rare to keep a gamecock fan interested and invested.
 
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Uscg1984

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That "prediction" is particularly correct about us, but I think it also highlights the difficulty of preseason predictions in the new era of college football. Virtually everyone has a different team each year, with whatever you did last year having very little predictive value for what you might do this year.
 

18IsTheMan

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That "prediction" is particularly correct about us, but I think it also highlights the difficulty of preseason predictions in the new era of college football. Virtually everyone has a different team each year, with whatever you did last year having very little predictive value for what you might do this year.
That's certainly true.

If pieces fell in place with what we picked up from the portal, we could be a 10+ win team.

If not, we could be a 4-win team.
 

18IsTheMan

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The question is how much are they paying him to basically NOT make a prediction! What a wuss!

I think his inability to predict is very fair. His thoughts represent mine most seasons. It seems that most year we enter with a lot of "ifs". If this and this and this, then we could win 8 or 9 game. If that or that or that, we could end up losing 9 games.

It's just the nature of how our program operates.
 
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Lurker123

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That "prediction" is particularly correct about us, but I think it also highlights the difficulty of preseason predictions in the new era of college football. Virtually everyone has a different team each year, with whatever you did last year having very little predictive value for what you might do this year.

This is true. Every team has a bunch of new faces. For each team, their new faces are diamonds in the rough and will improve their team. Everyone else's are big question marks that will negatively affect their team.

It'll be an ongoing challenge to accurately gage those portal transactions.
 

Piscis

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This is true. Every team has a bunch of new faces. For each team, their new faces are diamonds in the rough and will improve their team. Everyone else's are big question marks that will negatively affect their team.

It'll be an ongoing challenge to accurately gage those portal transactions.
Every portal acquisition is a "HUGE GET!" and every player who leaves and enters the portal is "no real loss". Amazingly, the kid who left State U. as "no real loss" magically becomes a "HUGE GET!" when he signs with State Polytech.
 

Cackmandu

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I think his inability to predict is very fair. His thoughts represent mine most seasons. It seems that most year we enter with a lot of "ifs". If this and this and this, then we could win 8 or 9 game. If that or that or that, we could end up losing 9 games.

It's just the nature of how our program operates.
The difference is we’re fans not experts paid to give our opinions. I would hate to read an article full of words that basically say, I just don’t know!
 

gamecock stock

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I'm looking forward to seeing how our offense and defense work together; or maybe I should say, IF they work together. This season, for me, is a very difficult season to project.
 

Cackmandu

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I'm looking forward to seeing how our offense and defense work together; or maybe I should say, IF they work together. This season, for me, is a very difficult season to project.
The other thing that relates to this is most every other team is in the same situation. With all of the transfers coming and going for every team how do you know how offenses and defenses are going to jell on every team you play, it's a big question mark for every one and very difficult to predict.
 
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FLGCK93

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Feb 1, 2022
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When we are favored to win and lose…we blame. When we are not favored to win and win…we cheer. There is a discrepancy between winners and losers. We should never expect nothing but the best from our coaches and players. Heck, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State and on expect to win every weekend. Do we?
 

gamecock stock

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The other thing that relates to this is most every other team is in the same situation. With all of the transfers coming and going for every team how do you know how offenses and defences are going to jell on every team you play, it's a big question mark for every one and very difficult to predict.
What I'm questioning is how our defense is going to do when our offense is pass happy, either scoring fast or going 1,2,3 and out fast? That is not conducive to having a good defense. Is Shane Beamer smart enough or strong enough to put in restrictions on the offense? I don't know.

"Offense sells tickets; defense wins championships."
--- Bear Bryant ---
 
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rockingamecock

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Nobody on the planet can explain why we're consistently mediocre in football. It makes no sense whatsoever.
 
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gamecock stock

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Nobody on the planet can explain why we're consistently mediocre in football. It makes no sense whatsoever.
I suspect that Ole Miss fans were asking the same thing prior to Kiffin going there. From 1972 until Kiffin arrived in 2020, they had a .55 winning percentage, nothing to brag about. Kiffin left there with a .74 winning percentage. What suddenly changed? Will Ole Miss now continue their winning ways under Pete Golding? That's not a bet I'd be willing to make.
 

Cackmandu

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I suspect that Ole Miss fans were asking the same thing prior to Kiffin going there. From 1972 until Kiffin arrived in 2020, they had a .55 winning percentage, nothing to brag about. Kiffin left there with a .74 winning percentage. What suddenly changed? Will Ole Miss now continue their winning ways under Pete Golding? That's not a bet I'd be willing to make.
Yeah, but Kiffen’s return to Oxford should be fun!
 

kidrobinski

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When we are favored to win and lose…we blame. When we are not favored to win and win…we cheer. There is a discrepancy between winners and losers. We should never expect nothing but the best from our coaches and players. Heck, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State and on expect to win every weekend. Do we?
Aside from a couple of teams just phoning it in at the end of a head coach's time here (Brad Scott, Muschamp, Paul Mainier in baseball) I seriously doubt any player has gone into any game expecting to lose.
 

Go Gamecocks

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At least he didn't post 2-10.

 

Piscis

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I suspect that Ole Miss fans were asking the same thing prior to Kiffin going there. From 1972 until Kiffin arrived in 2020, they had a .55 winning percentage, nothing to brag about. Kiffin left there with a .74 winning percentage. What suddenly changed? Will Ole Miss now continue their winning ways under Pete Golding? That's not a bet I'd be willing to make.
Beamer ain't Kiffin.
 

gamecock stock

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Beamer ain't Kiffin.
I agree with you. He is not even Eli Drinkwitz.

Without saying it, my hidden point was that Ole Miss hired someone in Kiffin who was a proven winner. Does that ALWAYS work out? Of course not. But it does improve the odds that it will. If we look back at SC football history, we have had the most success when we hired Head Coaches who had produced as HC at prior FBS stops (something Beamer did not do) . Did they sustain that success? No, for various reasons they did not stay in the position for long.
 
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Piscis

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They are looking at 6-6 with a new leader in 27.
6-6 means a bowl game, probably a crap bowl, but a bowl game none the less. Win or lose the bowl game and that will be more than enough for Beamer to keep his job. I can predict the off season talking points.

"Briles really made improvement in the offense. The offense will be much better in his second year since they will know the offense".

"The OL played so much better this season. With a season of playing together under their belts and Clements recruiting, the OL is going to be a real strength next season".

"White will make sure the defense is good. I don't worry about the defense".

"There isn't a game on the schedule we can't win. I can easily see 10 wins".
 

18IsTheMan

Heisman
Oct 1, 2014
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6-6 means a bowl game, probably a crap bowl, but a bowl game none the less. Win or lose the bowl game and that will be more than enough for Beamer to keep his job. I can predict the off season talking points.

"Briles really made improvement in the offense. The offense will be much better in his second year since they will know the offense".

"The OL played so much better this season. With a season of playing together under their belts and Clements recruiting, the OL is going to be a real strength next season".

"White will make sure the defense is good. I don't worry about the defense".

"There isn't a game on the schedule we can't win. I can easily see 10 wins".
In a million million years, we would never fire a coach who just took us to a bowl game.

And, realistically, we probably shouldn't. Although going to a bowl game doesn't really mean much these days since you have to pretty awful bad not to get bowl eligible, the perception by some...or the selling point by the athletic department...is that a bowl game signifies a successful season.
 
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Gamecock Jacque

Joined Dec 20, 2020
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In a million million years, we would never fire a coach who just took us to a bowl game.

And, realistically, we probably shouldn't. Although going to a bowl game doesn't really mean much these days since you have to pretty awful bad not to get bowl eligible, the perception by some...or the selling point by the athletic department...is that a bowl game signifies a successful season.
We'll see. 🙂
 

Piscis

All-Conference
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Even if he wins a crap bowl I believe the decision has already been made.
I don't think Briles comes if he had any indication that Beamer was a dead man walking. Say what you want about some secret deal to make Briles the head coach, but if the offense sucks (again) and the season is bad enough for Beamer to be fired, Donati would have a hard sell convincing the fans and donors that Briles was the guy to make head coach.

The sad truth is; gamecock fans, while not happy, would be OK with 6 regular season wins. The money would keep coming in and Donati would not fire Beamer and pay a huge buyout if the fans were satisfied. Donati's, and Tanner's, primary job is to bring in money for athletics. The AD is not some sort of "All Sports Head Coach". He is the CEO of a large corporation that sells athletics. As long as the revenue is flowing in, the AD is doing his job.
 

kidrobinski

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…you have to pretty awful bad not to get bowl eligible….
For a school in the ACC, yes but one in the SEC? Mmmm…..

As an aside, it appears a couple three posters on here are projecting their personal Beamer angst on Donati.
 
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