Next Year Expectations

[technoCat]

With the schedule next year I would expect 9 wins. Can't wait to see how recruiting goes!

[onceacat]

Bump. Onto next year. Did today change anyone’s expectations for next season?

Not a bit. We're a deep, physical, maturing team, that will be ranked in the top 15 the lion's share of next season. The rock got rolling down the hill today, and we weren't up to stopping it. That's a great team, the bizons. Our arrow is up; today was house money.

Could not have said it better myself.

I don’t like the idea that we can get blown out by 6 scores and it’s “house money”. That was a bad loss.

[SonomaCat]

It was amazing that this team made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs to lose badly to the best program in the history of FCS today with a great LB/RB playing QB all season. Definitely house money. Had we won it would have been the biggest upset in college playoff history. A closer game would have been nice, but I also don't see any reason to be down on the team or the program right now. They definitely exceeded my expectations (and those of everyone else that pays any attention) by a whole bunch. I'm really excited for the future.

[aucat]

I like what Coach Choate said after the game: He says he knows what he needs to do: RECRUIT!

Next year's QB situation will be very interesting, especially if Chris Murray is back. I vote for TA to
play on defense.

[DriscollCat]

Not at all. Though it does open the eyes to the level you have to be at to beat the Bison.

I’m so proud of this year’s team and so excited for next year’s team!

[TomCat88]

This isn't smack on the Grizzlies, but a reminder to Cat fans that UM in its hey-day lost to WIU in 1998 52-9 in the first round (round of 16) and WIU was no NDSU, nor did they make it the championship game and I think they lost out the next week. The Grizzlies were in the national championship just two years later in 2000 and won it in 2001. My point being: a loss like MSU experienced can just as easily a prompt to greater success.

[Cataholic]

Bump. Onto next year. Did today change anyone’s expectations for next season?

Not a bit. We're a deep, physical, maturing team, that will be ranked in the top 15 the lion's share of next season. The rock got rolling down the hill today, and we weren't up to stopping it. That's a great team, the bizons. Our arrow is up; today was house money.

Could not have said it better myself.

I don’t like the idea that we can get blown out by 6 scores and it’s “house money”. That was a bad loss.

Your negative posts all season have really gotten old.

[Cataholic]

This isn't smack on the Grizzlies, but a reminder to Cat fans that UM in its hey-day lost to WIU in 1998 52-9 in the first round (round of 16) and WIU was no NDSU, nor did they make it the championship game and I think they lost out the next week. The Grizzlies were in the national championship just two years later in 2000 and won it in 2001. My point being: a loss like MSU experienced can just as easily a prompt to greater success.

Great post. We still have some work ahead of us, but the future looks bright!

[onceacat]

Bump. Onto next year. Did today change anyone’s expectations for next season?

Not a bit. We're a deep, physical, maturing team, that will be ranked in the top 15 the lion's share of next season. The rock got rolling down the hill today, and we weren't up to stopping it. That's a great team, the bizons. Our arrow is up; today was house money.

Could not have said it better myself.

I don’t like the idea that we can get blown out by 6 scores and it’s “house money”. That was a bad loss.

Your negative posts all season have really gotten old.

Apologies. When did being frustrated by losing by 42 become "negative" postings? I'll be pretty frustrated if we lose to Texas Tech by 42 next fall, too.

I guess I remember not that long ago when a 7-4 record & a blowout loss in Round 2 of the playoffs was a bad season. I think it was a decent season, just not great.

[ilovethecats]

Bump. Onto next year. Did today change anyone’s expectations for next season?

Not a bit. We're a deep, physical, maturing team, that will be ranked in the top 15 the lion's share of next season. The rock got rolling down the hill today, and we weren't up to stopping it. That's a great team, the bizons. Our arrow is up; today was house money.

Could not have said it better myself.

I don’t like the idea that we can get blown out by 6 scores and it’s “house money”. That was a bad loss.

Your negative posts all season have really gotten old.

Apologies. When did being frustrated by losing by 42 become "negative" postings? I'll be pretty frustrated if we lose to Texas Tech by 42 next fall, too.

I guess I remember not that long ago when a 7-4 record & a blowout loss in Round 2 of the playoffs was a bad season. I think it was a decent season, just not great.

Each season is different though. We were picked 8th in the league. Our schedule was brutal. Our qb situation was a mess. Nearly NO ONE thought we were a playoff team when this season started. It looked even bleaker about 5 weeks ago. And yet here we are. A team that won 5 straight games before running into an NDSU buzzsaw. A team almost guaranteed to be national champs again.

Losing by 42 is never fun. I think they should have kept it a bit closer than that. But I don’t know how anyone can look at this team and all they overcame this season and not be happy with how they performed?

Personally I am VERY proud of this team.

[orsalak]

9-4 or 10-4

[BelgradeBobcat]

This isn't smack on the Grizzlies, but a reminder to Cat fans that UM in its hey-day lost to WIU in 1998 52-9 in the first round (round of 16) and WIU was no NDSU, nor did they make it the championship game and I think they lost out the next week. The Grizzlies were in the national championship just two years later in 2000 and won it in 2001. My point being: a loss like MSU experienced can just as easily a prompt to greater success.

That's a great point and I think Choate, by his comment that he needs to go recruiting, knows what holes he has to fill. Will he be able to land the players he needs???

[Cataholic]

Bump. Onto next year. Did today change anyone’s expectations for next season?

Not a bit. We're a deep, physical, maturing team, that will be ranked in the top 15 the lion's share of next season. The rock got rolling down the hill today, and we weren't up to stopping it. That's a great team, the bizons. Our arrow is up; today was house money.

Could not have said it better myself.

I don’t like the idea that we can get blown out by 6 scores and it’s “house money”. That was a bad loss.

Your negative posts all season have really gotten old.

Apologies. When did being frustrated by losing by 42 become "negative" postings? I'll be pretty frustrated if we lose to Texas Tech by 42 next fall, too.

I guess I remember not that long ago when a 7-4 record & a blowout loss in Round 2 of the playoffs was a bad season. I think it was a decent season, just not great.

Even when we win, you make negative comments. If you put the slightest bit of positivity in a post, you always add “but” and then qualify it with a negative comment. It reminds me of the entitled Griz fans of yesteryear. They could go 9-2 during the regular season and say the coach is on the “hot seat”. This was a remarkable season under difficult circumstances and over 95% of posters are encouraged by the progress. I recall that you are younger poster and patience is not something your generation is familiar with. I am just glad that you have no input on decision making with the staff because we would be a in constant rebuild with a new coach every year.

[RobertoGato]

2016: 4-7, 2-6 in conference
2017: 5-6, 5-3 in conference
2018: 7-4, 5-3 in conference

So I guess another step forward would be:

2019: 9-3, 6-1 in conference

TTU is the obvious loss off the top. If UCD is as good next year, then playing them on the road is a logical spot to peg another one, and you figure they drop maybe one of the other OOC games (SEMO, WIU, NFST, UND).

[84CatGrad]

Bump. Onto next year. Did today change anyone’s expectations for next season?

Not a bit. We're a deep, physical, maturing team, that will be ranked in the top 15 the lion's share of next season. The rock got rolling down the hill today, and we weren't up to stopping it. That's a great team, the bizons. Our arrow is up; today was house money.

Could not have said it better myself.

I don’t like the idea that we can get blown out by 6 scores and it’s “house money”. That was a bad loss.

Your negative posts all season have really gotten old.

Apologies. When did being frustrated by losing by 42 become "negative" postings? I'll be pretty frustrated if we lose to Texas Tech by 42 next fall, too.

I guess I remember not that long ago when a 7-4 record & a blowout loss in Round 2 of the playoffs was a bad season. I think it was a decent season, just not great.

This is just my opinion but any year we beat the pink bears, it's a good year.

[WalkOn79]

Not worried about UC Davis, but EWU and Weber, yes very concerned. uC Davis will be a one hit wonder, EWU and Weber are proven and a they are a thorn in our side.
I say 7-4 for us next year

But we don't play either, so we're going to be better than a 7 win team

Plus, I think we have a twelve game schedule. I expect us to finish no worse than 8-4.

I think 8-4 next year is really disappointing given how easy our schedule looks at this point. Ceiling of 11-1, floor of 9-3.

Ceiling is definitely 11-1 but I would say the floor is 8-4 not 9-3. We open against and FBS school and then an FCS playoff team. After that we go to WIU, a team we barely beat at home this year. After the 'Necks it's very realistic that we win every game until UC Davis, another playoff team. Cat-Griz is of course a toss up (we'll be a better team but so will they).

With a full offseason to develop our QBs and a style that suits them the offense should be much better. The big question is how the D-line recovers from losing all the current senior leadership.

I can see us reeling off 11 straight wins after giving Texas Tech a bit of a scare but I can also see us starting slow at 0-2 or even 0-3 with a new OC and then not getting the breaks to fall our way over the last two weeks.

Why do people think we'll have a new OC? I think Matt's the guy and he'll be with us for a few years.

[84CatGrad]

Feels like a good time for a limerick:

Have you heard of a Coach named Choate?
Who is quickly righting the Bobcat boat?
He keeps whooping the bears,
Sure, he's made some errors,
But can you think of a coach with bigger scrote?

[DriscollCat]

Not worried about UC Davis, but EWU and Weber, yes very concerned. uC Davis will be a one hit wonder, EWU and Weber are proven and a they are a thorn in our side.
I say 7-4 for us next year

But we don't play either, so we're going to be better than a 7 win team

Plus, I think we have a twelve game schedule. I expect us to finish no worse than 8-4.

I think 8-4 next year is really disappointing given how easy our schedule looks at this point. Ceiling of 11-1, floor of 9-3.

Ceiling is definitely 11-1 but I would say the floor is 8-4 not 9-3. We open against and FBS school and then an FCS playoff team. After that we go to WIU, a team we barely beat at home this year. After the 'Necks it's very realistic that we win every game until UC Davis, another playoff team. Cat-Griz is of course a toss up (we'll be a better team but so will they).

With a full offseason to develop our QBs and a style that suits them the offense should be much better. The big question is how the D-line recovers from losing all the current senior leadership.

I can see us reeling off 11 straight wins after giving Texas Tech a bit of a scare but I can also see us starting slow at 0-2 or even 0-3 with a new OC and then not getting the breaks to fall our way over the last two weeks.

Why do people think we'll have a new OC? I think Matt's the guy and he'll be with us for a few years.

Matt has done an admirable job, but I tend to expect Coach Choate to bring in extremely high caliber staff. I am expecting Choate to reveal someone with a track record on the offensive side of the ball similar to Gregorak on the defensive side. Choate specifically used the word “acting” when referring to Millers current role. My sense is that it wasn’t inadvertent that he used that word.

That is based on nothing but his track record for bringing in big time guys on his staff.

[91catAlum]

Not worried about UC Davis, but EWU and Weber, yes very concerned. uC Davis will be a one hit wonder, EWU and Weber are proven and a they are a thorn in our side.
I say 7-4 for us next year

But we don't play either, so we're going to be better than a 7 win team

Plus, I think we have a twelve game schedule. I expect us to finish no worse than 8-4.

I think 8-4 next year is really disappointing given how easy our schedule looks at this point. Ceiling of 11-1, floor of 9-3.

Ceiling is definitely 11-1 but I would say the floor is 8-4 not 9-3. We open against and FBS school and then an FCS playoff team. After that we go to WIU, a team we barely beat at home this year. After the 'Necks it's very realistic that we win every game until UC Davis, another playoff team. Cat-Griz is of course a toss up (we'll be a better team but so will they).

With a full offseason to develop our QBs and a style that suits them the offense should be much better. The big question is how the D-line recovers from losing all the current senior leadership.

I can see us reeling off 11 straight wins after giving Texas Tech a bit of a scare but I can also see us starting slow at 0-2 or even 0-3 with a new OC and then not getting the breaks to fall our way over the last two weeks.

Why do people think we'll have a new OC? I think Matt's the guy and he'll be with us for a few years.

Matt has done an admirable job, but I tend to expect Coach Choate to bring in extremely high caliber staff. I am expecting Choate to reveal someone with a track record on the offensive side of the ball similar to Gregorak on the defensive side. Choate specifically used the word “acting” when referring to Millers current role. My sense is that it wasn’t inadvertent that he used that word.

That is based on nothing but his track record for bringing in big time guys on his staff.

True, but Choate has also described Miller as a rising star in the coaching world. Demoting him would likely mean losing him, which I don't think Choate wants to do. I think there's a good chance he stays at OC.

[Long Time Cat]

Not worried about UC Davis, but EWU and Weber, yes very concerned. uC Davis will be a one hit wonder, EWU and Weber are proven and a they are a thorn in our side.
I say 7-4 for us next year

But we don't play either, so we're going to be better than a 7 win team

Plus, I think we have a twelve game schedule. I expect us to finish no worse than 8-4.

I think 8-4 next year is really disappointing given how easy our schedule looks at this point. Ceiling of 11-1, floor of 9-3.

Ceiling is definitely 11-1 but I would say the floor is 8-4 not 9-3. We open against and FBS school and then an FCS playoff team. After that we go to WIU, a team we barely beat at home this year. After the 'Necks it's very realistic that we win every game until UC Davis, another playoff team. Cat-Griz is of course a toss up (we'll be a better team but so will they).

With a full offseason to develop our QBs and a style that suits them the offense should be much better. The big question is how the D-line recovers from losing all the current senior leadership.

I can see us reeling off 11 straight wins after giving Texas Tech a bit of a scare but I can also see us starting slow at 0-2 or even 0-3 with a new OC and then not getting the breaks to fall our way over the last two weeks.

Why do people think we'll have a new OC? I think Matt's the guy and he'll be with us for a few years.

Matt has done an admirable job, but I tend to expect Coach Choate to bring in extremely high caliber staff. I am expecting Choate to reveal someone with a track record on the offensive side of the ball similar to Gregorak on the defensive side. Choate specifically used the word “acting” when referring to Millers current role. My sense is that it wasn’t inadvertent that he used that word.

That is based on nothing but his track record for bringing in big time guys on his staff.

True, but Choate has also described Miller as a rising star in the coaching world. Demoting him would likely mean losing him, which I don't think Choate wants to do. I think there's a good chance he stays at OC.

Bob Cole was an experienced Coach that many including myself had high hopes for and that didn’t work out. If Choate is sincere in his praise for Miller and I have every reason to believe he is I would expect Miller to stay.