BTP Team Group Therapy aka “why do we do this to ourselves?” edition

TheRealEssad: Mic check 1 2 1 2

JEOHankins2: Back in business, lets go!

PirateWolf: Yo!!!

TheRealEssad: Welcome back to the show, how was everyone’s Saturday?

Say, between 12-3 EST?

PirateWolf: Welp!

JEOHankins2: hahaha

I resigned to defeat after the failed TD in the start of the 2nd half

TheRealEssad: During one of our wins, I ate a big bowl of ice cream.. so I’ve been continuing to eat said ice cream during each subsequent game as if it’s a good luck charm

Turns out it is NOT

PirateWolf: I say I’m not superstitious, but I’m superstitious as fuck

TheRealEssad: Haha, same

JEOHankins2: hahahahaha

TheRealEssad: I wear the same State shirt and sweatshirt until we lose, then rotate

PirateWolf: Same here. That’s why the black/white outs kill me

TheRealEssad: I happen to have one black State shirt I got super cheap like 17 years ago

PirateWolf: I uncharacteristically clipped my fingernails on the way to the FSU game in ‘98 and them clipped them every game day for the next 3 years...

TheRealEssad: NICE

JEOHankins2: well you guys are much more dyed in the wool than I am

PirateWolf: Guilty as charged

TheRealEssad: You gotta step it up man

I went with my family to disney world the week of the notre dame game two years ago, when we thought if we won we’d get Gameday.

I sent the family out to go shopping that afternoon so I could stay and watch us get destroyed

PirateWolf: Ouch. I was at that game. Lovely campus, by the way... Horrible game

TheRealEssad: Ooh, it might have been worse being there. I don’t know if I’ll travel to another away State game. I’m bad luck

PirateWolf: I was going to go to the Wake game this year, but no thanks now

JEOHankins2: I lived with a former Chapel Hill basketball player during the infamous Bambard-Clemson game...right when he went to kick...I turned the TV off which was my superstition for a final play in a game...my roommate was in his room watching on his own and I heard him yell “HE MISSED IT!”...I ran outside sat on the flat bed of my truck...and didn;t even watch overtime....after that I said “you know what, I’m going to take all these games in stride now”...until basketball season

I am already going to GT...I am glad we beat Syracuse cause I can at least talk myself into us winning that then beating Chapel Hill for bowl eligbility

TheRealEssad: Man, that game

Quite the epitome of being a State fan

Speaking of Chapel Hill, did y’all hear the late breaking news?

Mack just flipped 2020 WR recruit Stephen Gosnell

JEOHankins2: Right after we offered his brother...yeah it was brewing...Gosnell was saying all the right things but it was a forgone conclusion

PirateWolf: Lame

TheRealEssad: Yeah it sucks

But I am hopeful that we have found a crew to build with in the passing game

I like what I saw from Carter, Provillon and Angeline

Plus Thayer obvi

PirateWolf: Yeah, those guys looked good

Definitely a good young group to build around, just need to make it through the rough waters

JEOHankins2: Yeah...I am at this point where I see enough talent to not fret about the future...the only hope left for this year is 6 magical wins...and health in the offseason

TheRealEssad: The news of Witt, Ingram and Smith being out for the season makes things even worse

Part of me is taking the high road thinking that this is more reps for the young guys

JEOHankins2: Got to

I believe that’s what we need to do going forward...

TheRealEssad: I honestly don’t think the BC loss requires much figuring out

It was the worst combination

No offense meant the defense was gassed, and they had a dual threat of MASSIVE RB’s

I was hopeful this would be the last year we’d have to face Dillon, but now this Bailey guy shows up

JEOHankins2: It’s the first loss of the year with very little to learn from the tape after the first watch (on defense at least)...it was a break down of fundamentals, setting edges, gaps...

Offensively, Leary and the OL have a lot to look at to improve...but other than that, it was just a piss poor game

TheRealEssad: Yeah, agreed. It was the opposite of the Syracuse game

That game had almost nothing to work from for offense to point to

BC game, there’s a lot for offense to look at, but not defense

It’s almost comical having so many 1st and goals and continuing to NOT score touchdowns

Almost hard to do just from an odds perspective

PirateWolf: Yeah, I’m actually not really upset about the loss. It sucks, but my expectations were low

This wasn’t as painful as the WVU loss... Probably because there were more answers at the QB position coming out of this one versus a ton of questions at that spot after WVU

... Or maybe I’m just beat down

TheRealEssad: Haha

Yeah, agree

Isn’t it weird how expectations work? Everyone seemed to be on the same page that we were hoping to get 7ish wins this year

But this is what that kind of season looks like

We’re too invested as a fanbase to be able to take a step back

It’s been straight up venomous in the comments

PirateWolf: So question

If the home wins/road losses held true the rest of the way, would you take it?

JEOHankins2: 100%

10000%

like no question

we beat Clemson and Chapel Hill? Heck go 6-7...

PirateWolf: Hahaha

TheRealEssad: That means we beat Clemson?

Minus that game, if we went 2-3 down the stretch?

PirateWolf: I’m there, too. 7-5 with wins over Clemson and UNC? I’m completely on-board

Oh yeah, those would be two of DD’s career highlights

JEOHankins2: That’s right we would be 7-5

TheRealEssad: Knocking Clemson out of CFP while possibly holding UNC back from a bowl

chef’s kiss

PirateWolf: Haha. “Chef’s kiss”

So at least now I know I’m not the only one thinking that would be acceptable

Especially with Miami taking the trophy for “first to lose to GT”

TheRealEssad: I’d even take winning at Wake and also beating UNC

It’s the “get ‘em next time” evergreen optimism of being a State fan that actually gives me confidence going into the Wake game

JEOHankins2: hahahaha

PirateWolf: Good on ya, man

SPOILER ALERT FOR THE PREGAME PREDICTION: I’m 100% expecting a loss

JEOHankins2: Look...beating a ranked Wake team in Winston is exactly the kind of poetic justice that would happen

TheRealEssad: Hey, you just legit posed the thought of actually beating Clemson

PirateWolf: That’s true

Welp!

I’m a State fan

... And may or may not be - but definitely am - several drinks in right now

TheRealEssad: Haha

I’m in a State fan group text and had some people recently wondering aloud why we put ourselves through this punishment

But we can’t turn it off

PirateWolf: I’d rather nothing else

TheRealEssad: Facts

JEOHankins2: Fully

TheRealEssad: Part of my brain is saying, “don’t trust any game in Winston!”

Then the other part is like, “but their record is kinda padded by weak teams...”

Beating FSU was legit

But they gave up 62 points to Louisville

JEOHankins2: I think we match up poorly with every team we play next except GT...

so to me we need this game to be super weird

PirateWolf: FSU finishing off that game with back-to-back unforced fumbles to run out the clock was magnificent

JEOHankins2: like it often is when we play them...just in our favor

TheRealEssad: Remember when it seemed like the defense perked up when Hockman came in relief a few weeks ago?

I’m wondering if they’ll feel the same lift now that it seems most likely the team is Leary’s

On the other hand, Newman is a legit threat at QB for them, and our secondary is about to pull people out of the stands

PirateWolf: Is Newman or Hartman playing for them now?

JEOHankins2: hmmm

TheRealEssad: That’s a good question, I’m actually not sure

JEOHankins2: I think the expectation is Newman will be healthy

by time we get to them

TheRealEssad: Hartman started last week and threw over 300 yards

JEOHankins2: Hartman is solid...he was playing well last year before Newman just snatched the job

TheRealEssad: So they have the reverse problem of multiple QB’s than we had?

Cool cool

JEOHankins2: hahaha right

PirateWolf: Yeah. Asshats

JEOHankins2: Newman would present more problems b/c of the plays he’ll make with his legs

TheRealEssad: If we can be healthy in the front 7, we might actually be okay there

PirateWolf: If we had injury luck altogether, this would be a different season

TheRealEssad: Yeah, even Fedora got a pass one of those years because it seemed like the whole team was hurt

JEOHankins2: Yeah...frankly though IF we had to have one season where it all went off the rails for health

I am ok it being this one

TheRealEssad: I totally agree there

At some point you just have to shrug and say it’s one of those years

Hopefully guys get right for next year and the young guys take the experience of the play time

JEOHankins2: we were blessed to stay relatively healthy the last two years (although key injuries in big games may have changed the outcomes)

TheRealEssad: This was the year to have one of these

We got lucky with health the last two Finley seasons

You never want to see guys get hurt, but if it’s gonna happen, it’s okay

JEOHankins2: Again...I said it in a comment before...I just want this injury bug to stay with football

TheRealEssad: Yeah for real

Almost basketball time!

JEOHankins2: Nov 5 is right around the corner

PirateWolf: And then baseball season, amirite?!

...guys?

Okay. Just me. Self-five!

TheRealEssad: Haha, uh huh..

JEOHankins2: Was good to see Blake Harris participate in Primetime with the Pack...was worried he was going to leave the team (then again Ian Steele did Primetime last year and rolled out after one game)

TheRealEssad: Very excited, even though I really don’t know what to realistically expect from bball, but that is for another day

In closing, I just want to say hi to all the people hating on anyone trying to remain positive. Apparently we’re part of the so-called “Doeren defenders”

It’s one thing to want wins, but we have to keep the whole state of the program in mind

JEOHankins2: I think there is a Third Way to recognize the flaws...point them out...celebrate the successes...but avoid the level of hyperbole all fan bases get into

TheRealEssad: Yeah, we have to keep the perspective

Constructive criticism

PirateWolf: Yep. Look at how Doeren has done overall. He’s the best coach since Sheridan was here. Unless you’re at a legit blueblood of college football, you’re going to have rebuilding/step-back years.

JEOHankins2: What I love about BTP...is that folks aren’t afraid to challenge one another...they will get snippy at times, gotta accept that you can get roasted...but the vast majority of the community, no matter what side they fall on in the Doeren Debates come at one another with facts, figures, perspectives from years of experience watching, and overall love for the best university in the state of NC

PirateWolf: True

This community is excellent

TheRealEssad: Sometimes I think we’re in between generations of State fans. A lot of fans who may not have been through the ringer of the last couple decades.

There’s nothing wrong with that, all fans are welcome it’s just a unique state of affairs

JEOHankins2: And I’ll admit I am a Doeren fan as well...I don’t know if we will ever win a national title...or the ACC with the divisions as they are...but a clean program that can compete every 3-4 years...and has a distinct identity that is reflective of the school? I am good with that

TheRealEssad: And to some people that’s not good enough

To each his own, but your expectations will dictate your feeling with the results

Lot of comments saying we’re just accepting mediocrity

JEOHankins2: Yes

I respect that some people have different expectations...I understand to some folks his flaws are in-correctable and unforgivable until proven wrong...I just don’t see it that way, not right now...so agree to disagree there...my litmus is and always has been 2020, 2021

TheRealEssad: Yup

That’s all I really had this week. No real structure in this one, I didn’t feel this was one of those weeks to do the full break down

JEOHankins2: Sounds good man

TheRealEssad: I will be looking forward to UNC losing to Duke this Saturday

PirateWolf: Agreed. Let’s hope!

It’s been fun, as always!

And sacrifice a 12-pack of your favorite brew to the football injury gods, Pack fans

I mean, drink it, of course. Waste not, friends

TheRealEssad: Of course, no party fouls

We’ll probably take next week off as well, and reconvene after the Wake win

(EDIT: we may use the chat during the bye week to preview basketball)

PirateWolf: Sounds good

Later, y’all!

JEOHankins2: Peace!

TheRealEssad: Til next time!