And the reason we're able to say the Rebels are better is because they beat Georgia Tech in the Music City Bowl. Had the Rebels lost it would have been more difficult to find improvement in identical 7-6 records, and we might have had questions about where things were headed after losing three straight. But thanks to the 25-17 victory we can put the improvement checkmark next to this 2013 season and enjoy the final impression from the year being one of triumph.
Winning cures everything.
But there really was progress. Those wins over Vandy, Texas and LSU shouldn't be glossed over. They were big. The Music City Bowl was a definite step up from the BBVA Compass and 8-5, well, that's better than 7-6, no question about it.
Parrish Alford talks more about the progress on his blog this morning:
Winning the bowl game and finishing 8-5 lets Freeze keep control of the progress aspect of the journey discussion.
Houston Nutt won two Cotton Bowls in his first two seasons, but after the second, there were questions around the program. Dexter McCluster was gone. Your quarterback was gone, and key defensive players were gone. The talent wasn’t being replaced.
Freeze has won two lesser bowls but returns most of his talent on both sides of the ball and appears to be adding to it.
Carrying a bowl win into the off-season conversation was an important step.Now it's on to recruiting season. In keeping with the coaching staff's bass fishing recruiting metaphors, Hugh Freeze may fill his live well with another class of wall hangers again this February. Considering some of the best players on the team this season were true freshmen (Nkemdiche, Treadwell, Conner, Engram), it would seem there's a lot to look forward to in 2014.
Happy New Year!