time. the covid time was a great team for who they played and I loved that year!

But I want a great team that beats name brand teams, and challenges for the NC. So I generally get frustrated, but not really angry when we compete but still lose. And I can recognize when our talent level isn't quite there. This year. I see a lot of really good pieces, that will make us competitive.

I see it as a good sign that we aren't taking for ever to call in a play, that we aren't wasting timeouts in silly situations, and that we aren't going for it on 4th down in areas we shouldn't. Though I think some of our play calls on 4th down are suspect.

The year we lost to ND, arkansas and a couple of others that I traveled to, which is not inexpensive or easy for me(I'm east coast). was very depressing. and just added to my belief that Sitake has a ceiling and can't get past it.

And if we had never had great teams, 96, etc. I'd just realize I'm asking for the moon by thinking we could have a great team. But we've had great teams. We've caught lightening in a bottle more than once.

What I find frustrating is the apparent lack of progress on some fronts. Tuaki's d's were horrible and we all knew that 4 years in. So frustrating to watch it take so long to replace him.
Arod's o is the same way. Very frustrating the lack of development of a number 2 qb. You can go a long way getting #2 prepared if you played him in real situations when your team is up by 3 touchdowns. The use of personnel. Come on, you see them in practice, you know what they can and can't do yet we frequently have plays where the guys can't execute it well. Part of that is I think the opposing team does a really good job of scouting us and know what is coming. It's also hard as a fan to tell why he has certain guys in and others out.

So yes, I can look around and see Kansas's qb threw 3 picks and cost them the game. I can see ND face plant yet again, but come on, NIU beat them. I mean they beat them.

And yes, I remember Indycoug's post about how hard it is to develop a high quality qb.

I get all that. but that will never temper the desire to see us great and to feel significant frustration that the same errors are here year after year.