2008 Underachievers and Overachievers [Archive]

GoAgs72

January 5th, 2009, 06:58 PM

Probably need to add UC Davis to the underachievers. They had the personnel to end up at least 8-4 but instead were 5-7, their worst season since the 1960's. Close games with Montana and Central Arkansas showing they had potential but struggled in almost every game.

GoBlueHens83

January 5th, 2009, 07:17 PM

Based on Shoenhoft's skills and the lack of a viable backup, I disagree.

I agree with you there. However, Schonehoft was only part of the problem. The OL wasn't that great, worse in the second half of the season. I mean it's going to hurt when you lose the likes of Flacco and Cuff. I knew we would not be great this year, but did anyone honestly think we would be that bad? When you go from National Championship game, to your worst season ever, I think that makes us underachievers.

BigHouseClosedEnd

January 5th, 2009, 07:23 PM

I agree with you there. However, Schonehoft was only part of the problem. The OL wasn't that great, worse in the second half of the season. I mean it's going to hurt when you lose the likes of Flacco and Cuff. I knew we would not be great this year, but did anyone honestly think we would be that bad? When you go from National Championship game, to your worst season ever, I think that makes us underachievers.

I see your point. I'm just saying that the Delaware kids played hard against us (2nd to last game of the year). I don't think they gave up.

Delaware also lost some tremendous players off the '07 team.

JackTwice

January 5th, 2009, 07:40 PM

MVC:

Over: SIU, SDSU
Under: YSU, NDSU

I actually think SDSU underachieved this year.

mtgrizfan4life

January 5th, 2009, 08:13 PM

Unfortunately when a program has done what the GRIZ have done for this long, it is hard for those outside of GRIZNATION to put any GRIZ team in the Overachieved category.

However, postseason picks were 9-3 to 8-4 with a chance of missing the playoffs. Based on those expectations/picks, yes they did overachieve by a landslide.

As for Weber State, I picked them 2nd and to make the playoffs. As for the national scene, then indeed Weber State overchieved.

EWU hands down for the underachiever.

Fordham

January 5th, 2009, 08:23 PM

why do we need to go here?

xoopsx :o

McNeese75

January 5th, 2009, 09:19 PM

No doubt the Cowboys left a few on the field this year. :(

Green26

January 5th, 2009, 09:25 PM

I suppose Weber overachieved, but some in the Big Sky picked that they would be tough this year and potentially better the EWU. Of course, we also thought EWU would be very good. The national scene never gave Weber full credit for how good they were, as shown by the polls.

I wish Weber and Cal Poly had had a chance to plans teams other than each other and Montana. I think Weber and CP would have won some playoff games.

ngineer

January 5th, 2009, 09:33 PM

Patriot League:

Overachievers:
Colgate
Bucknell

Underachievers:
Lehigh
Fordham
Holy Cross

As Expected:
Georgetown
Lafayette

JohnStOnge

January 5th, 2009, 10:10 PM

No doubt the Cowboys left a few on the field this year. :(

I'd say McNeese underachieved except that when you look at them losing Quinten Lawrence and Immanuel Friddle (Friddle did come back but I don't think he was ever close to 100%) that's a pretty big hit. Their defense wasn't good but I wasn't expecting it to be. If they were going to win they were going to win with offense and you're talking about losing their two "stretch the field" receivers.

LarryBoy

January 5th, 2009, 10:16 PM

SoCon:

Overachievers:
Samford, Wofford (as always), Western Carolina (actually winning a conference game)

Underachievers:
Furman, The Citadel

seantaylor

January 6th, 2009, 12:34 AM

GSU underachieved.

CatMom07

January 6th, 2009, 02:49 AM

So............

SLC
overachiever
Texas State
underachiever
McNeese

Some may put UCA here but I fully expected them to do as well as they did. After going 4 - 7 in 2007, TxSt was picked to finish 6th in 2008.

Syntax Error

January 6th, 2009, 05:31 AM

Even though they lost to a good Weber team, CP has to be feeling their one and done in the playoffs qualifies as underachieving

blackcaesar3k5

January 6th, 2009, 06:16 AM

MEAC
over FAMU, BCU
Under DSU, Hampton, NSU

SWAC
over PVAM

under Southern

JMU Newbill

January 6th, 2009, 07:17 AM

Can't help but feel like JMU underachieved.

Syntax Error

January 6th, 2009, 07:20 AM

Can't help but feel like JMU underachieved.Top 5 teams that made the semis did not underachieve IMO. Top 5 teams that went 1 or 2 and done............... maybe.

Tealblood

January 6th, 2009, 07:22 AM

in the big south I think CCU underachieved
I also think Liberty underacheived-they were supposed to be awsome this year

Libertine

January 6th, 2009, 09:28 AM

Winning 10 games is underachieving now?

appstate38

January 6th, 2009, 10:25 AM

OL FU

January 6th, 2009, 10:28 AM

SoCon:

Overachievers:
Samford, Wofford (as always), Western Carolina (actually winning a conference game)

Underachievers:
Furman, The Citadel

Furman underachieved in 2007. They finished about where most people expected in 2008. I approach 2009 more with curiousity than optimism. :(

Touchdown Yosef

January 6th, 2009, 10:39 AM

I think ASU overachieved a little as well. I never thought we could go through the socon undefeated after losing all the players we lost from last year.

The Citadel was the biggest disappointment for me, I really expected much more out of that team.

T-Dog

January 6th, 2009, 10:59 AM

SoCon:

Overachievers:
Samford, Wofford (as always), Western Carolina (actually winning a conference game)

Underachievers:
Furman, The Citadel

That plus these.

I'd put UTC into the under category. Sure they weren't expected much pass their 1-10 mark, but that one win was to a lower division team and I don't think the team quit midgame several times.

App I'd say is over because of all the holes we had to fill early on.Sure the playoffs were under, but I never though we'd go 8-0 in conference.

Georgia Southern is probably under. They had to rebuild this year and came so close in most games they lost. 2009 will be the real test of how good Hatch is.

Elon underachieved. They should have made the playoffs but blew it on the last day. Too much talent not to make it.

WOCO

January 6th, 2009, 11:15 AM

SoCon:

Overachievers:
Samford, Wofford (as always), Western Carolina (actually winning a conference game)

Underachievers:
Furman, The Citadel

SOCON
Over- Samford
Under- Citadel

I dont that you can say Wofford overachieved. We are consistantly pretty darn good.

AppAlum2003

January 6th, 2009, 11:17 AM

I would say I overachieved during all of my pre-game tailgating activities in Boone. I mean, no one thought before the season that you could make 7 hamburgers and 3 hot dogs at the same time on a Red Devil, but I proved the naysayers wrong.

I would say that I did underachieve, however, from a variety standpoint. Beer is just so easy and inexpensive and I got lazy. I'll try my best to do better next year.

Touchdown Yosef

January 6th, 2009, 11:43 AM

SOCON
Over- Samford
Under- Citadel

I dont that you can say Wofford overachieved. We are consistantly pretty darn good.

I leave them off my lists and pay no attention to who they lost or gained, I just expect them to be dangerous on any weekend and they always scare me.

jaxstatealum

January 6th, 2009, 11:45 AM

Over - Samford; without question
Under - Furman

813Jag

January 6th, 2009, 11:47 AM

MEAC
over FAMU, BCU
Under DSU, Hampton, NSU

SWAC
over PVAM

under Southern
Totally agree, the defense never showed up most of the season. From 8-3 to 6-5 big drop off. I don't think PV overachieved, they're just continuing their progression. The SWAC didn't really have an overachieving team this year.

FCS_pwns_FBS

January 6th, 2009, 12:54 PM

PhoenixPhan06

January 6th, 2009, 01:04 PM

Meaning no disrespect to them but Elon underachieved bigtime. Going from a top ten team to missing the playoffs, with the talent on that team. Sad thing is, they will probably be highly motivated next fall.

None taken. You are spot on! It was heartbreaking to miss the playoffs after being so close for a second straight year.

Overall we definetly underachieved. Our offense didn't live up to expectations as the run n' gun offense of '07 which to some degree can be attributed to a new OC. On the flip side, our running game made great strides in '08 and can certainly do more of the same in '09 with the entire backfield returning. Our defense really stepped up and IMO overachieved and kept us in the top 25 all year.

With so many players returning in '09, the expectations will again be sky high. This time around however, our experience and the HUGE chip on our shoulder we'll be playing with will put us over the hump and into the playoffs for the first time ever!

Go Phoenix and thanks for puttin up with me for 200 posts!

EmeryZach

January 6th, 2009, 01:11 PM

Over - Maine
Big Under - UMass

OL FU

January 6th, 2009, 01:14 PM

With the exception of Samford and maybe Wofford, I don't think any SoCon team did as well as their respective fans would have liked. Don't know about Wofford's fans, but as good as they were all year it's disappointing they did not get past the first round.

I can guarantee that Furman did not do as well as its fans wanted. Take a look at the uffp and even talk to fans that don't post on the uffp. We, like you, aren't used to sitting at home on Thanksgiving weekend.

On the other hand, some of us surmised that FU might struggle with the graduation losses and a conversion to a new offense and a new defense. I think Furman has the ability to make some noise next year, but some one needs to look at the spreading the offensive field vertically as well as horizontally:(

malibudude

January 6th, 2009, 02:16 PM

Even though they lost to a good Weber team, CP has to be feeling their one and done in the playoffs qualifies as underachieving

Can't speak for the team, however as a fan, with talent they had I believe they underachieved.

appfan2008

January 6th, 2009, 02:23 PM

over samford
under the citadel...

those were the biggest 2 IMO in the socon

CSUBUCDAD

January 6th, 2009, 03:24 PM

in the big south I think CCU underachieved
I also think Liberty underacheived-they were supposed to be awsome this year

I think Chuck South was an overachiever this season. Picked to finish no better than 4th and was runner up to a very good Liberty squad.

leatherneck177

January 6th, 2009, 04:01 PM

Underachieved: WIU
Overachieved: Maine

BEAR

January 6th, 2009, 05:14 PM

Over: UCA- hey, even a fan can see a transitional team that is good usually ends up in 2nd or third place. UCA rocked this year. I was surprised. My losses picked were Tulsa, nicholls, McNeese and one more. So 7-4 at best was my prediction. Surprised the heck out of me.

Under- McNeese. With a good portion of that team back and dominating they way they did last year, I thought for sure that the Boys would take another one. Surprise. On a side note-It looked like the wind came out of their sails in the final game when they heard TxSt. won and they were left out of the playoffs. (You had to be there I guess.)

The SLC is going to be fun next year. xthumbsupx

Reign of Terrier

January 6th, 2009, 06:09 PM

I think Chuck South was an overachiever this season. Picked to finish no better than 4th and was runner up to a very good Liberty squad.

After seeing you guys play early in the season I thought you were pretty good, you hung with us for 3 1/2 quarters.

Reign of Terrier

January 6th, 2009, 06:13 PM

Wofford offensively met and surpassed expectations. Our defense, with the exception of Halloweenxbangx xbangx xbangx , surpassed expectations. When we were healthy we were strong.

CID1990

January 6th, 2009, 07:58 PM

I don't think anyone underachieved the way we did this past season.

I'm not sure that I would say that Samford overachieved. I predicted in other threads that they would be much better than most posters were predicting. They have a monster OL and a good QB and RB. Not really sure if anyone in the SoCon really overachieved. Given some conspicuous absences, I think ASU overachieved somewhat. I thought at the beginning of the season that they would really miss Gary Tharrington, but nobody else (non-ASU posters) really paid much attention to that. I think that they definitely missed him. His absence freed up an extra lineman on everybody's offense.

YaleFootballFan

January 6th, 2009, 09:01 PM

Ivy League:

Overachievers: Brown, Penn

Underachievers: Yale, Cornell

GrizFamily

January 6th, 2009, 09:20 PM

Unfortunately when a program has done what the GRIZ have done for this long, it is hard for those outside of GRIZNATION to put any GRIZ team in the Overachieved category.

However, postseason picks were 9-3 to 8-4 with a chance of missing the playoffs. Based on those expectations/picks, yes they did overachieve by a landslide.

And I would not trade it for any other program, FCS or FBS. It's great to be a GRIZ!!

LarryBoy

January 6th, 2009, 10:17 PM

SOCON
Over- Samford
Under- Citadel

I dont that you can say Wofford overachieved. We are consistantly pretty darn good.

I say that Wofford (almost) always overachieves because no one ever thinks that Wofford can make a run with the personnel that they have. But the coaching and discipline is always there.

Some may not call that overachieving, but it's commendable either way.

Silenoz

January 6th, 2009, 10:39 PM

Under: North Dakota State, Delaware, McNeese

Two of the top programs in I-AA, and a program that has been dominating the last few years

Over: Wofford

mikebigg

January 7th, 2009, 05:58 AM

Totally agree, the defense never showed up most of the season. From 8-3 to 6-5 big drop off. I don't think PV overachieved, they're just continuing their progression. The SWAC didn't really have an overachieving team this year.

I know folk expect Gram to always be in contention (no smack) but we overachieved when you consider that we only had 4 returning offensive starters coming back... Brandon Landers-QB (ineligible), Karim Muhammad OG (lost to injury), Frank Warren -RB (beat out by fellow soph. Cornelius Walker), Revay Smith -OG (moved to center). So actually at the start of the season, we ended up with only 1 offensive starter from the year before (and he was at another position).xthumbsupx

Kill'em

January 7th, 2009, 08:51 AM

GSU underachieved.

I don't think we did. I know Georgia Southern folks are tired of hearing about our youth but it's the truth. 6-5 is exactly where I thought we would end up. I hope '09 will be the year we are back in contention.
By the way, I also thought The Citadel underachieved and Samford overachieved. Montana definitely overachieved. I never thought they would make it as far as they did.

813Jag

January 7th, 2009, 08:57 AM

I know folk expect Gram to always be in contention (no smack) but we overachieved when you consider that we only had 4 returning offensive starters coming back... Brandon Landers-QB (ineligible), Karim Muhammad OG (lost to injury), Frank Warren -RB (beat out by fellow soph. Cornelius Walker), Revay Smith -OG (moved to center). So actually at the start of the season, we ended up with only 1 offensive starter from the year before (and he was at another position).xthumbsupx
You make good points, but in my opinion you guys were division champs last year and were picked to win it again.

mikebigg

January 7th, 2009, 10:24 AM

You make good points, but in my opinion you guys were division champs last year and were picked to win it again.

I know...that was a lofty expectation, but I have to give props to Coach Broadway and staff for the job done this year. The chemistry on this year's team was good... with so many open spots (especially on offense) there was a lot of competition and some jobs weren't nailed down until the 5th game of the season. In fact, our offensive (and my opinion) Team MVP Greg Dillon didn't become the starting qb until after he rallied us in game 5 (Prairie View).

Now comes the hard part... we were a young team, so it will be interesting to see how we handle success. Coach Broadway is a no nonsense guy... I hope he can keep the team focused for next season.

3rd Coast Tiger

January 7th, 2009, 10:28 AM

I'd say Sam Houston State University was the biggest underachievers hands down.

With all that talent. xsmhx Then on top of that the coaching staff is still intact. xsmhx xsmhx

813Jag

January 7th, 2009, 10:46 AM

I'd say Sam Houston State University was the biggest underachievers hands down.

With all that talent. xsmhx Then on top of that the coaching staff is still intact. xsmhx xsmhx
stirring the pot. xlolx

WOCO

January 7th, 2009, 10:59 AM

I say that Wofford (almost) always overachieves because no one ever thinks that Wofford can make a run with the personnel that they have. But the coaching and discipline is always there.

Some may not call that overachieving, but it's commendable either way.

That may be true but I think the players are better than people tend to realize. We always have a good number of all socon players and a few all americans. I'll tell you one thing though. The talent level is about to really step up a few notches. We redshirted some big time players (don't ask me why since we don't have a grad program) and we are about to upgrade the qb position to someone that can really get into the hole. Half of our DL were freshmen. There is one reason that we consistantly stay near the top of the Socon. We tend to play a lot of people over the course of the year so when "new" players step on the field, they tend not to have that initial shock of playing college football. For example, we had 6 players get at least 45 carries last year and 5 of them were in the top 14 rushers in the socon.

3rd Coast Tiger

January 7th, 2009, 11:13 AM

stirring the pot. xlolx

xconfusedx

I'm just stating what they all see/say anyway.

TheRiver

January 7th, 2009, 11:27 AM

Under:
I would also say SHSU, and the hang 60 movement on katfans.com I'm embarrassed. xoopsx

Over:Wofford

T-Dawg95

January 7th, 2009, 01:14 PM