We are one day removed from the NC State versus Syracuse game. A game, that in my eyes, was an absolute debacle. A game that I believed not one NC State fan should be satisfied with. Yet, what did I learn? That I was the only one that found the win to be disappointing. A win against a team that was 1-8, with a backup quarterback, a fullback as their starting offensive guard, and starting 6 freshmen on defense. And yet, it was a back and forth game that required a brain freeze play by Rex Culpepper who spiked the ball on 4th down from inside the NC State Redzone.
I was utterly disappointed in the effort that was put forth by that team. I believed that all the fans would be angry and calling for heads to roll. What I found, was that there were people praising this team for its “gritty effort.” They praised the fact that NC State overcame a kick return for a touchdown (which Syracuse hadn’t done since 2011 against West Virginia), 2 turnovers, one of those that ended up being a safety, and giving up 6 sacks. NC State came out sleepwalking. It was the most uninspired and flat I have seen an NC State team. The fans seemed to be okay with this effort and were not bothered at all. They felt a win is a win, no matter how it comes.
I have been trying to understand how people can just push the way NC State has played the last 2 weeks. NC State has allowed teams with inferior talent to hang around way too much. Apparently, I need to be okay with the “just win baby” mentality. Well, I can’t. I cannot accept looking bad, making stupid decisions, and needing last-second mistakes by the other team to win games. I also need to come to terms with the fact that the fanbase is okay with Dave Doeren as its coach.
I know what the fanbase is going to say. They will say that Dave Doeren has won 9 games in back to back years. That this season, if they beat Georgia Tech, which I am not confident that they will, NC State will have the most ACC wins in program history. These are the same fans who look over at UNC and cry about how their schedule is so weak and that it is built on nothing. Well, NC State fans, how about YOUR schedule.
Take a look at the schedule that NC State has this season. They missed Clemson and Notre Dame. They got BLOWN OUT by Virginia Tech and UNC. They have beaten absolutely no one. The teams they have beaten have an overall record of 34-45. I would argue that 7 wins should have been the minimum of what should have been expected.
They will also say, “Dave Doeren cleared out all of the coaches after last season and he needs more time to get that staff together.” They believe that this shows that Dave Doeren is evolving as a coach. They will say that this is Dave Doeren’s 9th year as a head coach and we need to give him time to get better.
South Carolina pulled the plug on Will Muschamp and the Virginia Tech fans are at the gates and calling for Justin Fuente’s head. NC State thinks that it is in the same category as these 2 schools. However, they are more in line with Duke and Wake Forest. Being absolutely okay with going 7-5 or 6-6, and when you catch lightning in a bottle and get that magical season and get 9 wins. I had higher expectations for this program. I am finding that I am wrong and I need to rethink things.
This is the reason that NC State is not a football school. We as a fanbase like to claim that NC State is a football school. The truth of the matter shows different. NC State pulled the plug on Mark Gottfried after 6 seasons and 2 Sweet 16 runs.
The national media asked what did NC State want from its basketball coach, and that the fanbase was being unreasonable. In contrast, the national media continually asks why Dave Doeren isn’t on the hot seat after underperforming with teams that were loaded with NFL talent. When the national media asks why a coach isn’t on the hot seat and the fanbase doesn’t even question the results.
That is all the proof you need to see that NC State is a 7-5 program and won’t be much better. When you have those expectations, you cannot be considered a football school. NC State is a basketball school and that is okay. Just don’t tell me how I am wrong when all the evidence suggests otherwise.
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