So I got a hypothetical for you guys: what do you think 2023 would have been like if Streeter hadn't gotten fired after the 2022 season?
Part of me thinks that the season goes better simply due to familiarity with the system. Maybe our OL plays better because Austin is familiar with coaching a simple zone scheme as opposed to more counter trey stuff. I definitely think we would have connected on more deep plays but only because we would have taken more. Maybe we beat NC State and Miami. Do we still have the turnovers which led to the Duke loss? Do we stay close with FSU? Are we able to have the 4th quarter explosion against Kentucky?
One of the biggest issues with our offense was it had become incredibly stale and predictable. It was like a vanilla high school offense and we were trying to run it in P5 football. Scott and Elliott had changed things from what Chad did (doing some research here) but most of that was simplification. I think Tony was pretty good in some areas (game planning, wrinkle plays) but not so good at others (offensive evolution at a macro level). Streeter didn't really have any positives, especially when the scripted stuff was over (like we saw against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl).
Ultimately, I think things may have looked better at times last year due to big plays but it would have been papering over the cracks. We needed a major overhaul, to rip the band aid off, even if it hurt in the short term. It exposed some of the issues with the program (country club mentality, short comings at the OL coach, vanilla scheme) and is putting us in a better position long-term.
Part of me thinks that the season goes better simply due to familiarity with the system. Maybe our OL plays better because Austin is familiar with coaching a simple zone scheme as opposed to more counter trey stuff. I definitely think we would have connected on more deep plays but only because we would have taken more. Maybe we beat NC State and Miami. Do we still have the turnovers which led to the Duke loss? Do we stay close with FSU? Are we able to have the 4th quarter explosion against Kentucky?
One of the biggest issues with our offense was it had become incredibly stale and predictable. It was like a vanilla high school offense and we were trying to run it in P5 football. Scott and Elliott had changed things from what Chad did (doing some research here) but most of that was simplification. I think Tony was pretty good in some areas (game planning, wrinkle plays) but not so good at others (offensive evolution at a macro level). Streeter didn't really have any positives, especially when the scripted stuff was over (like we saw against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl).
Ultimately, I think things may have looked better at times last year due to big plays but it would have been papering over the cracks. We needed a major overhaul, to rip the band aid off, even if it hurt in the short term. It exposed some of the issues with the program (country club mentality, short comings at the OL coach, vanilla scheme) and is putting us in a better position long-term.
