What would a good 2014 season look like to you?

[UAalum72]

No surprise, Columbia picked eighth in the Ivy.

[Dane Pound]

Bump

[danefan]

We won the games we were supposed to. Took 2 out of the 4 winnable but tough CAA games (UD, Maine, JMU, SBU) and lost the ones we were "supposed" to lose.

 

Can't complain about that!

[Clickclack]

I know it's the day after the season ended, this season smashed my expectations.

 

Maybe it's early but I'll ask...what are the expectations for next season? What realistic losing a QB and star RB and excellent WR among others?

 

Who is the QB going into the winter and spring (on paper)?

 

How do we beef up the D line? Are any red-shirted kids slated to play there?

[Dane96]

I think we will take a step backwards next year. I think a lot of people will come to realize what Fiacchi did this season for us. I am not worried about the receiver spot. Like Danefan, I believe we have big voids to fill at RB, QB, TE and LB. I think the QB battle will come down to Sweeney and Shanley. I think RB will be interesting, as I think Croskey is the future...but does Martin have an edge. We RS a couple of TE's over the years, so let's see what happens.

 

A step back next year, will be three steps forward in two years. Mark-it. We are still so, so small on the D-Line to make an impact next year in the CAA.

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

What is our rs story on DL. I know we have monsters in waiting on the OL

[UAalum72]

Also Holy Cross is adding scholarships and likely improving, and Buffalo is no Columbia, so the third OOC may be key to if we even have a chance at .500 next year.

[DanesRGood]

Shouldn't have posted. My bad.

Edited November 24, 2014 by DanesRGood

[dslyank]

I think if anyone asked Gatuso this question, he would say we will compete for a championship next year. Whether he believes this or not is another story, but he is all about a winning attitude and definitely instilled that in this years team and I am sure he will attempt to do the same next near. I would be very surprised that any one on his staff would talk about taking a step back.

 

Also, what happened to all the talk about the back-up qb's being better than Fiacchi and the red shirts being bigger/faster/stronger???

Edited November 24, 2014 by dslyank

[Ruler]

There will be multiple JUCO & FBS transfers coming in 2015 to get "bigger" and I am sure a QB will be in the mix. They are scouring JUCO's and FBS potential transfers literally today! Chuck P got Stony Brook ramped up this very way.

 

They will be in playoff contention from now on (they were this year). No step back this year. For the most part they will no longer lose blue chip FCS recruits to other schools. The depth charts will be stocked come spring ball.

[Eli]

I too don't really think we'll have a step back. It's hard to take a step back when you're replacing NEC kids (who may or may not have overachieved at the CAA level) with legitimate CAA level kids. Just don't see it happening. Fiacchi had his great moments, but he also had a lot of bad ones. Shanley/Sweeney can't be much different. Gontarek will be a year better, as will Harris. Secondary will be a year old (we were very young there). I think the only spots we may lose some production on are TE and RB...but we don't know who the JUCO's and potential transfers are so...someone may fall into our lap after they see how we turned it around going from a 1-win to a 7-win season.

 

I do have one observation though...what happened to Ngachie? He showed flashes last year of being a BEAST (and also did against SB this weekend), but he seemed to lose some playing time and you didn't hear his name of the PA system very often this year. Did NiCastro steal all his glory? That guy as well as Dorsey seemed to be EVERYWHERE.

EDIT: Looked at the stats...

Ngachie - 28 tackles, 1 sack (44, 1.5 last year)

Dorsey - 111 tackles, 1.5 sacks (85, 0.5 last year)

NiCastro - 120 tackles, 3 sacks (62, 3.5 last year)


Other (Offensive) stats...didn't realize some of these:

Edited November 24, 2014 by Ilko