Week 5: vs Richmond 10/8 @ 3:30PM

[B9j2j6s]

Richmond beat a ACC team and we beat a MAC team. The team is going to have to play their best game of the season to have a chance. If we play the way we did in the first half against St. Francis we are toast.

[Clickclack]

 

We have not proven to be #16 team in the country. Sorry

 

Completely agree. To see that some are putting us in the Top 15 (AGS Pollsters) is mind boggling. We are a complete paper tiger as of now. This is not to blame or put pressure on Sussman...but if that kid puts it together consistently, we are definitely a much better team that has the ability to be a Top 16 team.

 

Right now, no. Buffalo is garbage; URI is garbage; Holy Cross is o.k.; and St. Francis just didn't have the depth....

 

We have played no one of true significance from a Polling perspective.

Win 2 of the next 3...and it's a completely different story. Not one of the next three games is easy.

 

 

Agreed...UB is a joke, the rest of the W's are mediocre. Having said that, even if we are a paper tiger, there is something to be said about learning as a young team to win. This WILL pay dividends going forward...beat Richmond and we'll really be on to something. Right now I'm not convinced just yet...they had a garbage first half against St. F. Do that against Richmond and we'll be 3 TD's down before the half is over.

 

Program is moving in the right direction, no doubt about that an my expectations have been shattered but we are not a top 16 team.

[UAFAN]

What happened in Richmond's 42-14 loss to SBU?

[MRuler 79]

Fellow Great Dane fans, we are putting way to much emphasis on rankings. Outside of the top 3 its all a crap shoot. Reading some of the posts it seems no one believes in the glass is half full theory. Being ranked 16th or 6th is irrelevant. How many teams are ranked that aren't nearly as good or as bad as their ranking? Outside of North Dakota State all of them.

 

The wins we have are not garbage wins. Is Buffalo really that bad of a win? No! Is Buffalo really that much worse than Richmond? No. If they were in the CAA they have the ability to beat both Nova and Richmond. They still were much bigger and somewhat faster than we were. That's all history as are the wins over the rest of them. For the record Richmond is not the 1980 Russian Hockey team they can and will be beaten! They lost to Stony Brook for Christ sakes.

 

Our kids believe in themselves, Gattuso is an outstanding coach and will have a very good game plan. Its an NFL staff, they know what they are doing. So stop it with the comments about garbage wins and $ienaty game plans until you have coached at the college level. If Sussman lights it up, great. If we run the ball 80 times out of 85 plays and we convert first downs, score and contain them we will win. Remember we have 3 FBS transfers that have upgraded the D and that my friends is the difference between last years D and this year's. Logan, and Dillon are having monster seasons. Our O line is playing lights out. Richmond is not the Washington redskins (there I said Redskins).

 

We will win come Saturday. Our kids are fired up to prove themselves, the crowd will be awesome as the storm looks to not hit the area until Sunday. Think positive thoughts guys.

Edited October 4, 2016 by MRuler 79

[MRuler 79]

Should we get some rain that will help our cause by slowing down Richmond.

[Dane96]

Ruler, with due respect...and we've been board friends forever, URI is garbage...as is Buffalo (when it iscompared to FBS schools). I've watched all of URI's and Buffalo's game. To your point, however, about Buffalo...they are probably a 3-4th place team in the CAA.

 

Now, is this to take anything away from the staff, players, that we are 4-0 or the fact that we beat an FBS team. Absolutely not.

However, only ONE Game did I feel we had completely throttled the other team...and that was Holy Cross. Two games we could have easily lost (St. Francis and Buffalo). Again, to your point, the fact that we pulled those games out is an absolute credit to the staff and the players for designing, executing, and believing in the game plan and themselves.

 

I don't look at any of our next three games and say, "Easy win".

That said, this team is FAR beyond what I expected this year and, if you ask him via a "secret squirrel", I think Coach would agree. We are so, so young...and the future is bright. You take this defense and couple it with an third-year QB in Sussmann (if he keeps improving) and a kicker who can actually make a field goal, and we would be an Extremely good football team.

 

We are very good...and I like the growth.

[MRuler 79]

Dane 96 I agree with most of what you state. We have been board friends forever. But a win is a win is a win. There are no garbage wins. Buffalo is a bad team in the FBS but how much worse are they than Richmond? Probably not that much worse. Remember our kids who are playing read this stuff. I agree Rhode Island is a lower tier team and I don't think we played exceptionally well against SFU but we can only play who is on the schedule. Yes, Richmond and Nova will be tough outings and I expect to beat Maine as I believe they are over rated. I think Richmond is over rated as well. We have a legitimate chance to beat everyone on our schedule (no I am not drinking...yet) all we need is 4 more wins and I believe we make the NCAA's.

 

If we lose Saturday it does not preclude us from the playoffs. The program is in GG' third year and he has done nothing short of walking on water. His hands were tied because he had a very good NEC team playing in the CAA when he got here and went 7-5. He is completely aware of the limitations of his QB and it wouldn't shock me to see a JUCO or an other FBS transfer if Susman doesn't pan out.

 

Forgive my spelling & grammer. I am neither an attorney nor an English teacher.

Edited October 4, 2016 by MRuler 79

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

Your guys conversation is candid and refreshing. Keep it up. I'd rather be arguing about the validity of our record than agreeing about a certain other topic that's dominated lately. Great stuff.

[UAalum72]

Sussman learning on the job

 

I don't know if they're just for practice, but pics show a return of white helmets for the first time since 2003.

 

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

Throwback helmet day or something like that

[UAalum72]

Throwback helmet day or something like that

Except it's not, because it has the new logo

[Eli]

I like the white WAY more than current yellow helmet. Wish they'd use/incorporate this Damian logo though:

 

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

You're speaking my langauge ELI. Damien's head on the white would be amazing. Or Damien's head with the Purple jersey and dark helmet.

[APA73]

Please, no cartoon dog on the helmets. Just when people forgot about Marmaduke it looks like we are emulating Scooby-Doo. Cartoons and football don't mix.

[Eli]

Looks nothing like Scooby Doo but whatever you say, homeslice. You can always alter the Damien logo to be a little more aggressive looking...similar to how the Miami Dolphins redid their logo to be more 'aggressive'.