winning the "winnable" games. That's what Prince has to do this year. In spite of the complaints about our offense, Prince's cliches, and the real and/or percieved "split" between Prince's players and Snyder's, at the end of the day that is how Prince deserves to be measured this year.
Outside our first 4 games, we are now entering our most managable 4 game stretch of the "winnable". So far Prince is 4-1 in "winnable" games, the biggest disappointment being Baylor. In some ways we helped create Baylor's season. Baylor was still Baylor in a lot of ways when we played them, 1-3 in the OOC and still trying to figure out a new offense when we went down there and really handed them a game. Since them Baylor has been finding their own ways to win in games that are "winnable" and now we need to do the same. We've done that so far against 1-AA ISU, a very bad FIU, a struggling Marshall, and a solid OSU team.
And for us to seriously expect wins this year against legit Top 25 teams (NU and MU) or legit Top 10 teams (UT, Louisville), that simply is wishful thinking. Yeah, you never know and a huge upset would be nice, but those 4 losses shouldn't be rehashed too much, even with the mistakes Prince and his young staff have made.
Now the key stretch of games approaches and no doubt this saturday is the most winnable of them all against a team nowhere near as good as OSU. Iowa State is a team that's falling apart, its only win in its last 6 games a 1 point 4th quarter comeback over 1-AA Northern Iowa. They haven't been able to overcome defensive losses and the disappointment of giving away 2 straight North titles. McCarney may be done and Prince could drive a major nail this weekend. If we as fans really want to let loose on Prince and the things he's done wrong, it will be deserved if we lose this weekend. The key in this one will be not finding ways to give the game away and give ISU confidence like we did in Waco.
You then have a great shot at CU, survive against UT, and the final game against the most generous team in college football down the road in Lawrence. The nice thing would be to go into Lawrence with 6 wins and bowl elgible with the pressure of needing the win on the road.
If Prince can manage to get 2 wins in these last 3 "winnable" games then I think we have to say this first season was a success. I don't care how ugly or pretty we win, he just needs to get this team and program back to winning. The issues with the offense can be worked out, IMO at this point we just need to find ways to win.
The 0-4 against UL, NU, MU, and UT are not what we need to focus on for this team. Now let's see what we do in the other 8. Going 7-1 would be fantastic, and 6-2 should be more than acceptable. 5-3 or 4-4 gives real reason for concern and IMO that should be our focus as we finish.
Not to compare too much, but as Snyder built his program, that's what he majored on; winning the "winnable". It wasn't until his 5th season that he really went past that with a win vs a ranked OU team in Manhattan. Let's let Prince go through his growing pains with some patience and see if he can finish this season winning at least 2 of these last 3 winnable games. That's the step this this inexperienced coach needs to make (and ultimately this program after a two years slide) no matter how many times he says "rugged", "bold and daring", or "championships".
