Damn straight

It’s defeatism to suggest that a better coach isn’t out there who can achieve the expectations you have outlined. The bar has been lowered by a mediocre Athletic Director and a bumbling administration, but it can be raised if the right people are hired. We should not hold our breath, however, as long as the football cash machine continues to spit out money.

If your following the thread I was responding back to Mile’s comment that somehow my expectations are “defeatism” I am dissatisfied with Kelly and prefer we change but I do think we are to often expecting results that aren’t realistic. We can both be disappointed with his tenure and not also unrealistic of what their ceiling is no matter who coaches.

The expectations you laid out are much better than the results we’ve actually seen, so therein lies the disconnect. We haven’t made the playoffs yet, have not won a major bowl game since the 1993 season, and have been ranked in the top 20 only three times in the first seven seasons under Kelly. We finished #4 in 2012, #20 in 2013, and #11 in 2015. That’s it. Prior to 2012 we had not finished in the top 25 since 2006. By your own definition, you should be very unhappy with this lackluster performance.

I’m not making any assumptions about the quality of every student-athlete. I’m sure there are some iffy kids let in. To show how delusional you are, you mocked the expectations I laid out despite them being much better then what we’ve seen for the last 20 years! You wouldn’t sign up for a playoff berth every 5 years, 1 big bowl win every 3 and a top 15-20 program every year?

Mike, I definitely agree that we can compete at the highest level AND keep our academic soul at the same time, but I don’t think anyone can reasonably disagree that holding our athletes to the same academic standards as the rest of our students handicaps us to some degree. I’m willing to accept that. I also think a 4-win season is unacceptable under any standard. I hope that point came across in my first comment when I pointed out it’s challenging, but not impossible, for us to recruit top talent.

I will point out that our last 3 classes, including 2018, are all in the top 15 classes, according to 24/7 Sports.