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Expectations are a tricky thing for coaches. Do you dare say that you expect a team to reach a specific goal? Do you set a bar that may or may not attainable? Isn't it better to just say platitudes and the let the chips fall where they may?
Maybe. Maybe not. But Scott Shafer is gonna Scott Shafer. And quite frankly, I like it.
"We won seven, so I want to win eight or more this year," Shafer said Wednesday on the local radio show, "Upon Further Review." "That's the first thing.
"I really want to continue to develop our kids. I really believe the stronger we are academically and the better we are at learning how to improve ourselves as well-rounded individuals, the better we'll be on the football field."
"The goal is to get better each season. That's why we start off by saying we want to win eight games," Shafer said. "Ultimately, we want to win an ACC championship, and that's the goal and we want to do that with kids graduating. That's where the bar set is right now."
Fair enough, really. Most coaches would shy away from specific numbers but I also think Shafer's just about on target. The Orange should improve this season and, schedule aside, eight wins does not seem any crazier than seven wins in 2013 did.
Anyone who might get on Shafer's case for not expecting to go 13-0, well, you're a dumb-dumb. You probably also like to say that you do things 110% and comment daily on The Asylum.
Plus, I always want my coach thinking we'll do better this year than we did last year. And if we can inch closer to being able to expect ACC Championships, all the better.
