What Did You Expect?

[GP1]

33% of the season is completed. Lets give the Zips a performance review.

UCF was what I thought it would be. Good team on the road in Florida in August = loss

JMU was a good team that gave us a good game and we won. I expected that to happen.

Michigan far exceeded my expectations.

Lafayette exceeded my expectations. They are a better team than we are and we had a shot to beat them.

I expected the Zips to be 1-3 at this point. I didn't expect the Zips to play as well as they have. Therefore, this season has exceeded expectations.

The bad news is we are still 1-3. It looks horrible for recruiting because it should be 1-4 after next week. I expect this team to get to four wins this season. Fall short of that and the season will fall short of expectations.

What do you think?

[skip-zip]

Most of us that know football certainly knew that ULL was a decent Sun Belt team, and that the Sun Belt has become very comparable to the MAC, and that we are on the mend as a program.

But, I think many of us were hoping that our level of play against Michigan was somewhat of a breakout, or at least a big step forward. So, it was an anticipated game for that reason. But personally, I'm leaning more in the direction that Michigan was just a spectacular, singular performance this morning.

[GJGood]

33% of the season is completed. Lets give the Zips a performance review.

UCF was what I thought it would be. Good team on the road in Florida in August = loss

JMU was a good team that gave us a good game and we won. I expected that to happen.

Michigan far exceeded my expectations.

Lafayette exceeded my expectations. They are a better team than we are and we had a shot to beat them.

I expected the Zips to be 1-3 at this point. I didn't expect the Zips to play as well as they have. Therefore, this season has exceeded expectations.

The bad news is we are still 1-3. It looks horrible for recruiting because it should be 1-4 after next week. I expect this team to get to four wins this season. Fall short of that and the season will fall short of expectations.

What do you think?

I am very much in the same boat with you on the UCF, JMU, and Michigan games. The Zips didn't really exceed my expectations against the Cajuns. I thought that game would be close at the end and it was. I expected Akron's confidence to be up but also was worried about coming out flat after the way the Michigan game ended. I think both of those things happened. The first quarter against the Cajuns was brutal then the Zips played even with a team that is one of the favorites in their conference and has won 18 or 20 games the last two years. I am encouraged but not really surprised.

I, too, can see the team going something like 3-5 in the MAC and maybe better with some good bounces. A .500 record in the MAC would exceed my expectations. Bowl eligibility (at least 5-3 in conference) though, would stun me.

[GP1]

Sorry. Original post was supposed to be a poll.

[Dr Z]

Expectations change as a team progresses. I expect the team to get better and better this season because of our experienced staff, and the fact that we now have some talent to compete in the MAC. I expected better execution last night. We beat our selves. The defense is doing exactly what coach has said it needed to...start taking the ball away. The offense needs to get better tempo. I expect us to get more wins this season. I voted "meeting", assuming you are referring to a time frame of "before the season started." If you take it game by game, UCF = meet, Dukes = meet, UM* = exceeds, and Cajuns = below.

* I only vote exceeds because I didn't realize how bad UM really is, had I known how bad they are, I would have voted "meet." The fact that UM is ranked is a complete JOKE.

[GP1]

I voted "meeting", assuming you are referring to a time frame of "before the season started."

I did.

[Spin]

Most of us that know football certainly knew that ULL was a decent Sun Belt team, and that the Sun Belt has become very comparable to the MAC, and that we are on the mend as a program.

But, I think many of us were hoping that our level of play against Michigan was somewhat of a breakout, or at least a big step forward. So, it was an anticipated game for that reason. But personally, I'm leaning more in the direction that Michigan was just a spectacular, singular performance this morning.

After watching Michigan play UConn last night, I doubt that Michigan is really a top 25 team

My read on the Michigan game is it was a combination of Michigan not as good as everyone thought they were, and Akron being a lot better than we thought they were. I don't want to diminish what our men did going into that stadium and taking on a top 15 team. To play even a top 40 or 50 team that strong is a remarkable improvement over the teams we had before.

As heartbraking as these losses have been, they have exceeded my expectations.

[skip-zip]

I don't want to diminish what our men did going into that stadium and taking on a top 15 team.

That's my point.

I don't want to diminish what they did either, but if the Michigan game was an absolute anomaly, and doesn't elevate our level of play in the future, then it's just another loss. I'm hoping that's not the case, but yesterday's performance has me leaning in that direction. I hope I feel differently after next Saturday.

[Dave in Green]

@GP1, good analysis. The bad loss to UCF was a little worse than I'd hoped for, but that was more than offset by virtue of playing Michigan and Louisiana close and having a realistic chance to win both games. So the Zips have at least slightly exceeded my expectations overall so far.

[Kangaroo Craig]

The team has definitely improved. And the near and long term outlook is promising; however, when it comes to expectations, I go strictly by the record. Since the Zips are 1 - 3, I gave them a grade of "met".

[johnnyzip84]

I predicted 4-8, with likely wins over JMU, K.E.N.T., Miami and UMass. I still think the Zips are on track for that, so I voted "meeting".

I still think there's a reasonable shot of an upset as well in any of the remaining games, hopefully sooner than later since success breeds more success.

The tough Michigan loss looks to be partially fool's gold. I'm not sure there's much difference, if any at all, between the Wolverines and the Ragin' Cajuns.

[footballzip]

I can see improvement too. The bottom line is the team has to start winning games. No one cares about close games or moral victories. It is time to start WINNING GAMES!!!

[LZIp]

I still hold onto my prediction of 5 wins. JMU, Can't, Miami, UMASS, and an upset along the way.

Performance wise, they have exceeded my expectations. Winning wise, just have met. So, not much to complain about from me, yet.

[lance99]

At this point, it is an mixed bag for me. I put exceeded(in the poll) because of the Michigian game, but below because how the JMU game went.

The can play with anyone in the MAC, just some adjustments have to be made.

I still hold on to the 6 win plateau, even if the next thre games will be the hardest all season.

[dre22era]

I expected more stability & consistency this season but still as of now I am left with not knowing what to expect next game in regards to a stable consistent running/passing game and defense.

I can't name a MVP on this team right now

[Captain Kangaroo]

I can't name a MVP on this team right now

Justin March. Hands-down.

[Lee Adams]

Actually expected them to win 2 games thus far. ULALA was one of them. When they start getting credit in the win column for 'beating the spread',then we can start paying attention to that insignificant piece of information. Or, maybe TB is getting a bonus for every game where the Zips 'beat the spread'. Its a losers mentality that has been fertilized here pretty much since this program went D-I. Whats the record?

[legendofzippy]

I said meets expectations. Thought we'd be 1-3 and we are. The scores weren't what I thought though.

Now the real test begins. We absolutely cannot go 0 for MAC again.

[Buckzip]

Justin March. Hands-down.

Over Zach D?

[Captain Kangaroo]

Over Zach D?

Yep.

He's been awesome. Two 4th quarter INTs. Making plays all over the place.

D'Orazio has had some great games. Certainly the offensive MVP to-date. But overall, March is been awesome since the first snap of the season.

Fun to have this debate, instead of "Who is less-worse, Moore or Nicely?"

[Buckzip]

Yep.

He's been awesome. Two 4th quarter INTs. Making plays all over the place.

D'Orazio has had some great games. Certainly the offensive MVP to-date. But overall, March is been awesome since the first snap of the season.

Fun to have this debate, instead of "Who is less-worse, Moore or Nicely?"

Quoted for truth.

[Ham]

The La game was my one trip from Iowa to see them in person. That makes evaluating performance a whole lot better than TV, but still way behind watching film. KP16 can make some throws, but it would be fun to watch those first 2 passes with him in the film room. Still exceeds. JC7 looked good, but when he took on 2 defenders head on and fell forward pushed him to slightly exceeds. D transfers didn't impress that much. I don't agree with those calling for more Mizel; 44 looked far better than I expected from comments that I have read here. Jt55 looked engaged this year, but he still has a long way to go to reach his potential. O line just doesn't seem to be able to get the push we need to get our running game moving, but pass blocking was better. On offense, we were like a heavy weight fighter, hesitant to throw a punch in early rounds, content to avoid harm. Don't worry about setting up your left hook. We just need to come out punching! I watched the D give up 35, but they still exceeded. Looking ahead, I believe we have the talent to play with our next 8 foes. Will we make an 8 - 0 run? I'm not smoking anything funny, but I think we will win half of them!

[Buckzip]

The La game was my one trip from Iowa to see them in person. That makes evaluating performance a whole lot better than TV, but still way behind watching film. KP16 can make some throws, but it would be fun to watch those first 2 passes with him in the film room. Still exceeds. JC7 looked good, but when he took on 2 defenders head on and fell forward pushed him to slightly exceeds. D transfers didn't impress that much. I don't agree with those calling for more Mizel; 44 looked far better than I expected from comments that I have read here. Jt55 looked engaged this year, but he still has a long way to go to reach his potential. O line just doesn't seem to be able to get the push we need to get our running game moving, but pass blocking was better. On offense, we were like a heavy weight fighter, hesitant to throw a punch in early rounds, content to avoid harm. Don't worry about setting up your left hook. We just need to come out punching! I watched the D give up 35, but they still exceeded. Looking ahead, I believe we have the talent to play with our next 8 foes. Will we make an 8 - 0 run? I'm not smoking anything funny, but I think we will win half of them!

The defense just doesn't seem to be an attacking defense. it seems more read and react. That is on Amato. That is his style.

Mizell is still a bit rusty after coming in so late. He should get stronger as the season goes on.

Turner will never be what he was pre-shooting IMHO. However, he is doing "ok". I think next year he will have a breakout year. He's got speed to burn.

Again, Amato needs to let these guys do what they do best, which is attack.

[LZIp]

coincidentally, i thought the defense's best game was against Michigan, when we attacked!