The schedule this season was always clearly split into three parts: a relatively weak non-conference slate to open, followed by four winnable Pac-10 games. Then the bye week followed by a treacherous closing five games. I think all Sun Devil fans hoped to be 7-0 at this point, but I for one assumed that 5-2 or 6-1 was more realistic.I hate to look backwards, but it's impossible not to think what would the record be had Dirk Koetter been retained as Head Coach. I know that some fans think we'd be 7-0 regardless, but honestly I think we'd be 4-3 at best. This year's team is simply different from what we've seen for many years. I really don't think we've played a perfect game so far, and there are obviously areas that need improvement, yet we still beat a decent UW team by 24 points.
The question now becomes: what will be a satisfactory finish to this season? Would we be happy with 2 more wins for a 9-3 record, or do we need more?
4 comments:
Erickson has gotten so much more out of this team than Koetter could have hoped for. The team still has some holes but they've managed to win the games they were supposed to win even when they haven't played their best ball. I'd love for the Devils to beat some combination of Cal, Oregon and USC and they have a decent shot, much more so than under Koetter. Still, given the holes on this team, I'd be happy with 2 more wins, as long as one of those wins is over UA.
I'll be happy with a 9-3 finish, but I think we have a chance (a realistic one, not the Koetter "technically possible" variety) to do much better than that. Just in case this is a very special season, I've already informed my boss that I might be headed to New Orleans this Jan. Suddenly, that doesn't sound far fetched.
But, even if that didn't happen--though it'd certainly cement DE's spot among the gods if he did--and we made it to a respectable bowl and played all the teams tough, I'm going to be thrilled. DE has not only the team believing, but he has the fans believing in a way they haven't since that cinderella season of 96.
Honestly, if ASU loses 3 out of the next 5 games(in getting those 2 wins), I think the general fan's nature would be much about bitching. I just think 2 wins would be too close to missing out on a BCS bowl to leave behind anything but a frustrating aftertaste after the team has tasted some national exposure for the first time in a while.
For myself, I might be comfortable with two wins, but I don't think I'll call myself happy short of 3 more, barring key injuries.
SoleD
this team has a unique once in a lifetime opportunity--they better take it.
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