Glass half - purple

[fupaladin01]

I'm choosing to exercise some sunny optimism heading into this season. There is only one game we SHOULD lose.

Of the teams that typically challenge us, THREE are at home. Samford's defense isn't that strong, and our defense should be able to slow down their offense now that Hiers is FINALLY gone. Chatty wil want revenge for certain, but they've lost a good bit of talent, and we beat them with our backup QB last year. WCU will be a handful for our "young" defense, but they've lost production at RB and WR, and I trust D Vaughn will dial up enough blitzes to frustrate the SoCon's best QB Cole Gonzalez.

Of the remaining dangerous teams we must travel to, they're at the end of the season. Practically a whole season of experience will have been gained for our players that "don't have any". ETSU will have a ton of transfers and a new system to learn under Lamb, and Mercer will be dealing with a new system as well - albeit from a very seasoned, solid coach- but with a possible conference title on the line and seeding in the playoff in play, I trust our guys will give it all in games 11 and 12.

A lot is made of players / talent but I honestly think we have the best coaches in the SoCon in every phase. Our line will be fundamentally sound and possibly bigger than before. Our offense has weapoins everywhere and a coach who will get to expand his playbook. Special teams will not let us down again like they did in MT- Spangler won't let them.

The bar has been raised in the last few years with our program, and an incredibly experienced senior class has offered mentoring experience unlike any other time, and our young talent is waiting to show that they belong to this proud tradition.

It's great - to be - a Fur-man Pa-la-din!

[apaladin]

Agree but I don’t think your glass is half purple, but overflowing purple!

[FUBeAR]

I'm choosing to exercise some sunny optimism heading into this season. There is only one game we SHOULD lose.

Of the teams that typically challenge us, THREE are at home. Samford's defense isn't that strong, and our defense should be able to slow down their offense now that Hiers is FINALLY gone. Chatty wil want revenge for certain, but they've lost a good bit of talent, and we beat them with our backup QB last year. WCU will be a handful for our "young" defense, but they've lost production at RB and WR, and I trust D Vaughn will dial up enough blitzes to frustrate the SoCon's best QB Cole Gonzalez.

Of the remaining dangerous teams we must travel to, they're at the end of the season. Practically a whole season of experience will have been gained for our players that "don't have any". ETSU will have a ton of transfers and a new system to learn under Lamb, and Mercer will be dealing with a new system as well - albeit from a very seasoned, solid coach- but with a possible conference title on the line and seeding in the playoff in play, I trust our guys will give it all in games 11 and 12.

A lot is made of players / talent but I honestly think we have the best coaches in the SoCon in every phase. Our line will be fundamentally sound and possibly bigger than before. Our offense has weapoins everywhere and a coach who will get to expand his playbook. Special teams will not let us down again like they did in MT- Spangler won't let them.

The bar has been raised in the last few years with our program, and an incredibly experienced senior class has offered mentoring experience unlike any other time, and our young talent is waiting to show that they belong to this proud tradition.

It's great - to be - a Fur-man Pa-la-din!

Great post - FUBeAR especially likes the part acknowledging the difference Coaching makes for Furman.

At the FCS level, Coaches will still tell you it’s the “Jimmy’s & Joe’s” (as it truly is at the A4 FBS level), but the ones who truly recognize that it’s actually so much more about the “X’s & O’s” and the Coaches DEVELOPING their “Jimmy’s & Joe’s” are the programs that win multiple championships. Furman is head & shoulders above in that aspect.

Only negative is the ‘knock’ on Special Teams in MT. NO Special Teams Coverage Player can defeat a block in the back and it’s very, very difficult for them to defeat blatant holding. Both of these were prevalent (at least 11 total instances) during both returns that the Officials allowed Montana to score. There was near nothing the Furman Players (and Coaches) could have done to prevent those scores. It was an absolute crime that they were allowed to stand. They clearly impacted the outcome of that critical game.

[Paul C]

So what you’re saying it’s really “the Jim’s and the Joes, the Xs and the Os, and the Hoes in the striped clothes”

[FUBeAR]

So what you’re saying it’s really “the Jim’s and the Joes, the Xs and the Os, and the Hoes in the striped clothes”

[gofurman]

I'm choosing to exercise some sunny optimism heading into this season. There is only one game we SHOULD lose.

Of the teams that typically challenge us, THREE are at home. Samford's defense isn't that strong, and our defense should be able to slow down their offense now that Hiers is FINALLY gone. Chatty wil want revenge for certain, but they've lost a good bit of talent, and we beat them with our backup QB last year. WCU will be a handful for our "young" defense, but they've lost production at RB and WR, and I trust D Vaughn will dial up enough blitzes to frustrate the SoCon's best QB Cole Gonzalez.

Of the remaining dangerous teams we must travel to, they're at the end of the season. Practically a whole season of experience will have been gained for our players that "don't have any". ETSU will have a ton of transfers and a new system to learn under Lamb, and Mercer will be dealing with a new system as well - albeit from a very seasoned, solid coach- but with a possible conference title on the line and seeding in the playoff in play, I trust our guys will give it all in games 11 and 12.

A lot is made of players / talent but I honestly think we have the best coaches in the SoCon in every phase. Our line will be fundamentally sound and possibly bigger than before. Our offense has weapoins everywhere and a coach who will get to expand his playbook. Special teams will not let us down again like they did in MT- Spangler won't let them.

The bar has been raised in the last few years with our program, and an incredibly experienced senior class has offered mentoring experience unlike any other time, and our young talent is waiting to show that they belong to this proud tradition.

It's great - to be - a Fur-man Pa-la-din!

I have one disagreement here. Obviously we agree on Ole Miss. man we drew a legit CFP playoff contender with an NFL QB. Stinks

I agree also on Chatt and Samford. Some on WCU.

But you note our challenges we travel to are at end of season…. William and Mary will be possibly legit and maybe favored especially at home. That’s a tough one. And in September …. Similarly ranked but on the road - I see them as much harder than ETSU etc. Know it’s ooc but would love to get that one for our Conference

[The Jackal]

I'm choosing to exercise some sunny optimism heading into this season. There is only one game we SHOULD lose.

Of the teams that typically challenge us, THREE are at home. Samford's defense isn't that strong, and our defense should be able to slow down their offense now that Hiers is FINALLY gone. Chatty wil want revenge for certain, but they've lost a good bit of talent, and we beat them with our backup QB last year. WCU will be a handful for our "young" defense, but they've lost production at RB and WR, and I trust D Vaughn will dial up enough blitzes to frustrate the SoCon's best QB Cole Gonzalez.

Of the remaining dangerous teams we must travel to, they're at the end of the season. Practically a whole season of experience will have been gained for our players that "don't have any". ETSU will have a ton of transfers and a new system to learn under Lamb, and Mercer will be dealing with a new system as well - albeit from a very seasoned, solid coach- but with a possible conference title on the line and seeding in the playoff in play, I trust our guys will give it all in games 11 and 12.

A lot is made of players / talent but I honestly think we have the best coaches in the SoCon in every phase. Our line will be fundamentally sound and possibly bigger than before. Our offense has weapoins everywhere and a coach who will get to expand his playbook. Special teams will not let us down again like they did in MT- Spangler won't let them.

The bar has been raised in the last few years with our program, and an incredibly experienced senior class has offered mentoring experience unlike any other time, and our young talent is waiting to show that they belong to this proud tradition.

It's great - to be - a Fur-man Pa-la-din!

My ramblings:

1. Ole Miss is going to be tough.

2. We retained our entire coaching staff. That's rare in D1 football. It sounds like it is not for lack of opportunities - they want to be at Furman. That sort of continuity is going to pay dividends.

3. I do not really worry about the teams with tempo offenses (Samford, WCU, etc.) Furman usually seems to have them figured out most years and they often aren't physical enough to throw haymakers with us for four quarters.

4. Games against UTC are typically close, but we always seem to get up for them. Beating them at home in '22 was one of the first big hurdles for Furman to get back in the national conversation.

5. The games that worry me are the road games against traditionally tough defensive teams that can turn a game ugly - Mercer, ETSU, the Citadel, VMI, etc. When Furman struggles, it seems like it happens against a team that may not have as much talent, but can frustrate the offense and turn the game into a rock fight.

I genuinely believe that Furman has developed an excellent team culture. I know we lost some guys, but I think Hendrix has gotten this program to a point where we are deep and talented at every position, everyone is "bought in" to what we are doing, and that the next man up is going to step in and do his job.