Advantage to playing Syracuse first?

[Smokin' Joe]

A lot has been made about the difficulty about playing Syracuse first. Difficult to game plan, new systems, Paulus is an unknown....

But isn't there a flip side to that coin? Paulus will be better in his eighth game than his first. They will figure out how the personnel fits their schemes.

I think playing Syracuse in their first game is an advantage rather than disadvantage. Anyone disagree?

 

[thailleagle]

We win big = Optimism
We win small = Skepticism
We lose = Pessimism

 

[frozengopher]

What about win medium? Realism? I'm all for that.

 

[RodentRampage]

Advantages: Coaching changes don't produce results overnight. The team will still be in adjustment in their first game against a real opponent instead of a practic.

Their QB will be rusty. He may be great down the road, but it's unlikely in the first game.

One disadvantage is that there won't yet be any discouragement from a rough first-year transition yet.

 

[Threefinesweethams]

I think this works both ways as well because they don't have any film of our offensive and defensive schemes, but we can expect to have some kinks to work out in that game, especially offensively. The early part of this game will probably depend on who makes fewer mistakes and who can capitalize, but over the course of the game the Gophers' superior depth and talent should win the day.

 

[MrGopher]

I agree. If we are on the right side of the turnovers, we should be golden.