Anyone find it interesting that...

[Eisenhower_1952 87]

we have lost by an exact total of 8 points in 3 of 4 losses this year.

[Tiger 8,821]

We're just a score away in 3 of those 4 losses. Such is the case when you have little in-game experience on your roster at key positions. This team/roster is still learning how to win games and it will take a year of lumps to get it straightened out. Just enjoy the progression because, as is with most AU teams, when the core is young we have 2011 type seasons but when they grow up and get older they become very good and challenge for SEC championships. The total returning yards on offense was very low coming into this season and our offense basically rebooted everything it was working toward since January 2nd after 3 games into the season.

IMO we will be fine in the future and the same people implying Gus forgot how to coach will be back to saying what they were saying about him in 2013.

[SCTiger2011 1,277]

We're just a score away in 3 of those 4 losses. Such is the case when you have little in-game experience on your roster at key positions. This team/roster is still learning how to win games and it will take a year of lumps to get it straightened out. Just enjoy the progression because, as is with most AU teams, when the core is young we have 2011 type seasons but when they grow up and get older they become very good and challenge for SEC championships. The total returning yards on offense was very low coming into this season and our offense basically rebooted everything it was working toward since January 2nd after 3 games into the season.

IMO we will be fine in the future and the same people implying Gus forgot how to coach will be back to saying what they were saying about him in 2013.

Is this "core" big enough though to have a lasting impact? Not accusing/being a smart aleck, I'm honestly just curious if the team has enough young, producing talent to stabilize going forward? I can foresee possibly Sean White and definitely Kerryon Johnson being play-makers, but I just worry that the 2016 team will open with the same lack of big time playmakers at WR/O-line. I guess I'm just saying I see some good players, but not necessarily a strong "core" to build upon.

And, as for the defensive side, Cowart and Carlton Davis (assuming Adams and Lawson split) again don't give us a cohesive "core" in my opinion.

I'm sure I am overlooking some key players on both sides of the ball, and I agree with you Tiger that we're close in a variety of areas from turning some Ls into Ws, but I just fail to see that strong core (a la 2003) that make me super-optimistic for 2016. War Eagle!

[aucanucktiger 1,791]

Three games by 8...last time we started consecutive double digit win seasons was '88...spooky!

[Ber798297 241]

we have lost by an exact total of 8 points in 3 of 4 losses this year.

And I believe in those games we kicked field goals instead of scoring touchdowns in the red zone several times.

[Eisenhower_1952 87]

Let me correct myself. We have lost 3 games, each by 8 points.

[Weegle777 78]

Good point. As bad as we have "looked", or seemed to have looked, this team has scrapped its way through this season. They're close. One or two bounces that went our way in 2013 and we would still be in the hunt.

[Tiger 8,821]

We're just a score away in 3 of those 4 losses. Such is the case when you have little in-game experience on your roster at key positions. This team/roster is still learning how to win games and it will take a year of lumps to get it straightened out. Just enjoy the progression because, as is with most AU teams, when the core is young we have 2011 type seasons but when they grow up and get older they become very good and challenge for SEC championships. The total returning yards on offense was very low coming into this season and our offense basically rebooted everything it was working toward since January 2nd after 3 games into the season.

IMO we will be fine in the future and the same people implying Gus forgot how to coach will be back to saying what they were saying about him in 2013.

Is this "core" big enough though to have a lasting impact? Not accusing/being a smart aleck, I'm honestly just curious if the team has enough young, producing talent to stabilize going forward? I can foresee possibly Sean White and definitely Kerryon Johnson being play-makers, but I just worry that the 2016 team will open with the same lack of big time playmakers at WR/O-line. I guess I'm just saying I see some good players, but not necessarily a strong "core" to build upon.

And, as for the defensive side, Cowart and Carlton Davis (assuming Adams and Lawson split) again don't give us a cohesive "core" in my opinion.

I'm sure I am overlooking some key players on both sides of the ball, and I agree with you Tiger that we're close in a variety of areas from turning some Ls into Ws, but I just fail to see that strong core (a la 2003) that make me super-optimistic for 2016. War Eagle!

I totally understand what you're getting at. As I remember when 2012 ended most rational thinking people wouldn't have considered anybody on that team outside of possibly Tre Mason & Greg Robinson to being close to talented enough to be starters on an SEC Championship team.

But WR could be a problem, but nothing that will be too much worse than what is on the field now IMO. We lose Ricardo and Ray with Ricardo being a huge loss for us. Ray has been solid minus a huge drop vs Ole Miss. On the OL we should return everybody back next year. Maybe Young leaves. Defense will probably be an issue again next year I'm sure but I think overall the offense should improve. I personally am looking for the offense to be fun to watch again. Defense has been bad for almost a decade now so that doesn't bother me as much but if our O isn't the typical Gus level offense we are screwed. As is the case this season.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

The receivers are a problem for the simple fact that none of the young receivers have actually gotten chances to do anything. I've seen none of Davis or Slayton or any of those guys except Truitt (MBJ leaving hurt a lot too)