Ok... so it is quite clear that the team has hit "The Wall". Most teams do when they are riding a win streak... the trick is to not get caught when on the lull. (See Clemson, Oklahoma, TCU, etc.) All teams hit this wall at some point or another... sometimes after a huge win, heartbreaking loss or even if your starting QB gets knocked out of the game... there are so many reasons this can happen.
For the last 2 weeks we have watched this dynamic, play-making offense sputter and putt along like your moms old station wagon and its been frustrating as hell to see. Blame it on the extreme high of a thrilling win against FSU followed up by another thrilling win against GT... or the let down of losing Walton and not having AR at full strength while he struggles to regain his former self... perhaps fatigue of not having a bye week like we should have to refocus and regroup. Whatever the reason... The Wall has been hit full force.
Whenever I'm faced with trying to figure out what might happen next in any situation... I try to look at the past for similar situations and the results they yielded.
Check out last year's schedule/results:
9/3/2016 FAMU - W 70-3
BYE Week
9/10/2016 FAU - W 38-10
9/17/2016 @App St. - W 45-10 (Statement game... we're here to play!)
10/1/2016 @GT - W 35-21 (ROLLING!!)
10/8/2016 FSU - L 20-19 (Heartbreaking Loss)
10/15/2016 UNC - L 20-13 (Hit the Wall)
10/20/2016 @VT - L 37-16 (Stumbling and puttering)
10/29/2016 @ND - L 30-27 (Trash 1st half... Found our feet in the 2nd half)
11/5/2016 Pitt - W 51-28 (Statement game... we've had enough)
11/12/2016 @Virginia - W 34-14 (Back to looking like we did early on)
11/19/2016 @NCST - W 27-13 (Rolling again)
11/26/2016 Duke - W 40-21 (Exclamation point)
12/28/2016 UWV - W 31-14 (Ready to F#ck NCAA up in 2017!)
So... based on what I see here, this team hit the wall last year in Mid October after a heartbreaking loss at home to FSU. We spent the next 2-3 weeks stumbling and puttering until we found our legs in the 2nd half of the ND game. We pummeled Pitt the first weekend of November and since then... we havent stopped!!
Check out this years schedule/results so far:
9/2/2017 Bethune - W 41-13
9/9/2017 @Arky St - Canceled (stupid storm)
9/16/2017 BYE WEEK (Felt like football season was over before it started)
9/23/2016 Toledo - W 52-30 (Rusty... but showed up well)
9/29/2017 @Duke - W 31-6 (Statement game)
10/7/2017 @FSU - W 24-20 (HUGE WIN... despite losing Walton for the year)
10/14/2017 GT - W 25-24 (ROLLING!)
10/21/2017 'Cuse - W 27-19 (Hit a wall... hard to maintain the emotional high after 2 close games in a row)
10/28/2017 UNC - W 24-19 (Still reeling... but got the job done)
11/4/2017 VT - TO BE DETERMINED
Based on the schedule this year... this team hit a wall around the mid to late October. Could be coincidence... could be a pattern. (I tried to go back to 2015, but those results were skewed because AL GOLDEN.
)
Now, I'm sure there is some kind of study somewhere that shows how these things happen often... even if it's not really talked about. People might say, "well... Syracuse was jacked up to host Clemson on a Friday night at home and brought their best game..." without notating that Clemson may have hit that wall. "...Iowa State had upset on their mind when they rolled into Norman..." without acknowledging that OU might have hit the wall. "...Washington St played out of their minds that night..." completely glossing over the wall that Washington ran into. Same could be said for UNC... who were basically playing their bowl game last Saturday since they are ineligible for post season play, and wanted nothing more than to wreck our season. No mention of the Wall our boys have hit.
My point is... "The Wall" exists for everyone... and almost ALL teams run into it at some time or another. Now, here is where the Orange and Green glasses come on...
My feeling is that this team will push past The Wall right now, just as they did last season at this time. This week is the week! Last year they dropped 4 in a row, sprung on by the gut wrenching loss to FSU at home and hit the wall mid October. This year, while we havent lost (yet), the team has still fallen victim to the lull that a major D1 college football schedule presents in mid/late October from back to back to back close games. But if history is any indication... early November is our friend! This week should be the bounce back, and it couldnt be timed any better!
I think everyone is tired of hearing about these close wins against over matched opponents... including the players. The road to the ACCCG is paved for us if we can beat VT, and I for one feel that will be the catalyst for a drastic turn around in results on the field. This team is learning what it takes to be a Champion... even if they fall short this year in the ACCCG, it could be the spring board for the next 5 years or more of ACC dominance and NCAA relevance. BUT THEY MUST WIN THIS WEEKEND AGAINST VT.
Maybe my sample size is too small... maybe I'm reaching here... maybe my orange and green glasses are getting fuzzy in my older age... but dammit! It doesnt set up any better than this. If they want it... here it is! Go and take it! an absolute MUST WIN game against a division rival... it's the reason why guys come to The U! Miami is a team with something to prove right now!
I think they prove it this week. Canes 31-23
For the last 2 weeks we have watched this dynamic, play-making offense sputter and putt along like your moms old station wagon and its been frustrating as hell to see. Blame it on the extreme high of a thrilling win against FSU followed up by another thrilling win against GT... or the let down of losing Walton and not having AR at full strength while he struggles to regain his former self... perhaps fatigue of not having a bye week like we should have to refocus and regroup. Whatever the reason... The Wall has been hit full force.
Whenever I'm faced with trying to figure out what might happen next in any situation... I try to look at the past for similar situations and the results they yielded.
Check out last year's schedule/results:
9/3/2016 FAMU - W 70-3
BYE Week
9/10/2016 FAU - W 38-10
9/17/2016 @App St. - W 45-10 (Statement game... we're here to play!)
10/1/2016 @GT - W 35-21 (ROLLING!!)
10/8/2016 FSU - L 20-19 (Heartbreaking Loss)
10/15/2016 UNC - L 20-13 (Hit the Wall)
10/20/2016 @VT - L 37-16 (Stumbling and puttering)
10/29/2016 @ND - L 30-27 (Trash 1st half... Found our feet in the 2nd half)
11/5/2016 Pitt - W 51-28 (Statement game... we've had enough)
11/12/2016 @Virginia - W 34-14 (Back to looking like we did early on)
11/19/2016 @NCST - W 27-13 (Rolling again)
11/26/2016 Duke - W 40-21 (Exclamation point)
12/28/2016 UWV - W 31-14 (Ready to F#ck NCAA up in 2017!)
So... based on what I see here, this team hit the wall last year in Mid October after a heartbreaking loss at home to FSU. We spent the next 2-3 weeks stumbling and puttering until we found our legs in the 2nd half of the ND game. We pummeled Pitt the first weekend of November and since then... we havent stopped!!
Check out this years schedule/results so far:
9/2/2017 Bethune - W 41-13
9/9/2017 @Arky St - Canceled (stupid storm)
9/16/2017 BYE WEEK (Felt like football season was over before it started)
9/23/2016 Toledo - W 52-30 (Rusty... but showed up well)
9/29/2017 @Duke - W 31-6 (Statement game)
10/7/2017 @FSU - W 24-20 (HUGE WIN... despite losing Walton for the year)
10/14/2017 GT - W 25-24 (ROLLING!)
10/21/2017 'Cuse - W 27-19 (Hit a wall... hard to maintain the emotional high after 2 close games in a row)
10/28/2017 UNC - W 24-19 (Still reeling... but got the job done)
11/4/2017 VT - TO BE DETERMINED
Based on the schedule this year... this team hit a wall around the mid to late October. Could be coincidence... could be a pattern. (I tried to go back to 2015, but those results were skewed because AL GOLDEN.
)Now, I'm sure there is some kind of study somewhere that shows how these things happen often... even if it's not really talked about. People might say, "well... Syracuse was jacked up to host Clemson on a Friday night at home and brought their best game..." without notating that Clemson may have hit that wall. "...Iowa State had upset on their mind when they rolled into Norman..." without acknowledging that OU might have hit the wall. "...Washington St played out of their minds that night..." completely glossing over the wall that Washington ran into. Same could be said for UNC... who were basically playing their bowl game last Saturday since they are ineligible for post season play, and wanted nothing more than to wreck our season. No mention of the Wall our boys have hit.
My point is... "The Wall" exists for everyone... and almost ALL teams run into it at some time or another. Now, here is where the Orange and Green glasses come on...
My feeling is that this team will push past The Wall right now, just as they did last season at this time. This week is the week! Last year they dropped 4 in a row, sprung on by the gut wrenching loss to FSU at home and hit the wall mid October. This year, while we havent lost (yet), the team has still fallen victim to the lull that a major D1 college football schedule presents in mid/late October from back to back to back close games. But if history is any indication... early November is our friend! This week should be the bounce back, and it couldnt be timed any better!
I think everyone is tired of hearing about these close wins against over matched opponents... including the players. The road to the ACCCG is paved for us if we can beat VT, and I for one feel that will be the catalyst for a drastic turn around in results on the field. This team is learning what it takes to be a Champion... even if they fall short this year in the ACCCG, it could be the spring board for the next 5 years or more of ACC dominance and NCAA relevance. BUT THEY MUST WIN THIS WEEKEND AGAINST VT.
Maybe my sample size is too small... maybe I'm reaching here... maybe my orange and green glasses are getting fuzzy in my older age... but dammit! It doesnt set up any better than this. If they want it... here it is! Go and take it! an absolute MUST WIN game against a division rival... it's the reason why guys come to The U! Miami is a team with something to prove right now!
I think they prove it this week. Canes 31-23
Last edited:
