- I think there's a lot to be said for the pessimist vs. optimist battle that Found put out there. It really has been a bit of a two-sided run for BD so far in Chapel Hill. On the one hand, there is a lot to be excited about- consecutive bowl appearances, some big-time wins (ND, Va Tech in Blacksburg, 3-0 vs Miami, etc), and a significant stint in the top 25 each of the past 2 seasons. But just as easily there are some question marks- 0-2 in bowl games, 0-6 against NC State and Virginia. In the end, I thought Butch was a touch ahead of my personal expectations last season, but thought things were a little behind my expectations for this season. While there's no doubt that the talent level has increased, there were some pretty disappointing lows this year that are tough to forget.
- There are some who will be happy if Carolina simply wins 7-9 games every season and is an annual participant in bowls, as BC has been for the past decade or perhaps UVa under George Welsh some time back. While some might look at this as defeatist, I'm not quite to that point, but I do think our expectations should be a little bit higher given the amount of money we are now investing in the program. I'm still struggling with the idea of UNC as a true national contender, as Butch has said he expects us to be, but I think contending for 10 wins and an occasional conference championship is certainly something we should hope for. And we're obviously not quite to that goal yet, although I think it would be foolish to expect that after just 3 seasons.
- However, with that said I really think that next year will be a true make-or-break season as far as whether we can turn the program under this coaching staff. Recruiting has dried up just a little bit from the initial success, and even the schedule reflects what should be increased expectations next season, with the season opener against LSU in the Georgia Dome. Also, here is a decent article reflecting just what the Heels have returning and how dangerous they could be. Some may laugh at us for doing this, but I think a reasonable expectation should be to seriously contend for at least a division title next season. If we go 8-5 again, I worry that the newness of Butch at UNC may begin to wear off, and we may struggle to turn that corner again in the future. Perhaps I'm being too short-sighted, but I really feel this is the chance. A lot is set up well for success in 2010 for the Heels football program. I'm already excited about that chance.
- Byrum, any thoughts on this?
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