I remember everyone being so down on the team after losing to Utah and Arizona to close out the 2008 season. I think we forget how bad it was after 2008. Yes, that team won some games (killed UCLA and snuck out a win vs winless Washington with the infamous Locker spiked ball that led to missed extra point). But TCU killed us. Utah won going away. Before that, UNLV and Colorado State were very close to upsets. The Arizona loss in the bowl game on top of all that made it feel like we were headed in the wrong direction after a good start for Max Hall in 2007. Winning 10 games seems like it should always be cause for celebration, but the mood here was DARK.

And then the 2009 schedule looked impossible - Oklahoma with Bradford? Florida State? Not to mention TCU coming back with Dalton and Utah coming off a sugar bowl win over Alabama.

I think the lowered expectations coming out of 2008 brought a focus that helped 2009 become a better team. That 2009 team wasn’t perfect, but the Oklahoma win was one of my favorite games of all time. The Florida state game sucked, but we got exposed after Russell Tialavea went out with the ACL injury in the first quarter. We were too thin on the D line, and with Russell out every rush for FL St was an automatic 4 yards. That was a close game at halftime and I still think it would have been a close battle if Russell hadn’t gone out.

The big difference between 2009 and 2008 was the signature Oklahoma win, and then beating Utah and a ranked Oregon State team with the Rodgers bros. Finishing on a high note changes everything.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the football team goes 3-9 or 4-8 this year. But I’m hoping the unusual focus on basketball during the offseason, paired with the sour taste left from missing a bowl game, will help the football team put their heads down and prepare with a much bigger chip on their shoulders. The schedule is so tough that it’s hard to imagine an upside better than 8-4 or 9-3, but making a bowl would show some nice progress. Winning 7 or more would provide some evidence that Kalani is learning and may be able to have long-term success with the right support staff. We’ll see!