How would you define success for Macdonald’s first season?

[oldschlhwkfn]

This article is from field gulls, but how would you define success?

What would you consider a successful first season for Mike Macdonald?

A new coach comes with new expectations... right?!

www.fieldgulls.com

Along with improvements in Offense, Defense and Special Teams (when was the last time a Hawk player returned a kickoff or a punt for a TD?) I'd like to see improvements in coaching and coaching decisions - clock management, use of challenges, etc.

 

[JayhawkMike]

This is a tough one for me. I just don't see us being Super Bowl contenders without taking a step back and having a developmental year. I also don't want to be a 500 team yet again. I also firmly believe Geno does not have the ability to win us more than a single game in the playoffs and likely not even that so I feel like any Geno snap is a wasted snap for the long term success of the team.

IF he develops the team and the youngsters and give SH the start from the beginning I have no other expectations and we could go 3-14 and while I would not like the record I would understand it is a means to an end and be okay with it.

IF he starts Geno and simply tries to modify what we did the last year then 10-7 and the playoffs should be the expectation though I think that is the poor road to follow. Of course then we will get to see Geno blow a playoff game which won't be fun.

 

[SeaWolv]

I don't think what I've listed is that crazy, honestly. He's a defensive coach. If the defense doesn't show a considerable improvement over last season, that is a failure IMO.

Yes defensive improvement is important, which is why I said being a top 10 defense is enough for me to consider the year successful.

I don't care all that much about wins and losses at this point, although if MM gets the D into the top 10 I'm sure the wins will be there. Seattle was ranked #28 in defensive DVOA last year so anything 16 and up is a considerable improvement.

We don't know how well Grubb's system will translate to the NFL yet so I'm willing to give MM a pass there as long as the D is significantly better.

Either way I wouldn't fire him after one season.

 

[oldhawkfan]

A Super Bowl win would definitely put a label of a successful season.

 

[toffee]

Either way I wouldn't fire him after one season.

That won't happen.

Old Pete was fired when he failed to improve our defense. If young Macdonald also couldn't improve your defense after a couple of seasons, his tenure would be short.

 

[Scout]

Run defense and tackling needs to improve on defense. On offense, a better push from the interior OL.

 

[Palmegranite]

A minimum of qualifying for a playoff spot. Therein lies success!

Win a playoff game, or a good battle post season, down to the dying seconds.

OK, confidence and hope restored.

 

[Torc]

Well, I can rest assured that a .500 season is not in our future.

We've been 9-8 the past two years. I think the coaching has improved, but both sides of the ball learning new systems is going to mean some growing pains. I think we have a similar record to last year but improve throughout the season. I may be underestimating the situation - if last year's defense had even been average we'd have been in the playoffs. I think Macdonald gets the D at least into the average range.

I think Geno is good enough to get us into and yes, win, in the playoffs. There is ONE QB currently in the league who is capable of willing his team to a championship when the players around him are subpar, and that is Mahomes. Brady was the other recent example who was capable of it. Beyond those two, EVERY quarterback lives or dies by his teammates. We have the skill positions to really go far on offense, assuming Grubb's schemes work well in an NFL setting. I believe they will, and we'll all be pleasantly surprised by the progress this year.

I consider success to be being competitive in every game (granted in every season there are some outliers) and in the playoff hunt for the entire season. That's not the GOAL, obviously. But every step beyond that makes the season even better. I expect to see discipline and improvement as players get used to the new schemes in game situations. Training camp only takes them so far in that. I expect to see Geno and Grubb with their tablets on the sideline, making adjustments during the game. Mostly, I expect the team to compete for the ENTIRE game, not just the 4th quarter.

 

[Jegpeg]

If we had kept Pete we would probably be looking at a 9-8 season or there abouts, with little chance of going deep in the playoffs ut also little chance of being out of the play-off hunt until the last week or so. For Mconald's first season to be a success in 12 months time we ned to have a higher expectation that that.

Getting to the playoffs will be a strong factor in that but if we sneak in and are outmatched in the WC round have things relly improved?

If we start slow and improve as the team gells into the new play style so in 12 months time we are hopeful of a deep playoff run in 2025 that would be a success even if we don't make the play-offs, maybe Sam is put under centre and looks like the next Josh Allen.

 

[jammerhawk]

Yep, the D was especially sucky at times.

Not being able to stop Puca Nachua (sp.) was especially hard to watch where the same play couldn’t be stopped again and again.

There will hopefully be an ability to adjust in real time or at least somewhat quickly that has been missing for some time.

 

[hawkpride]

Scout got it right.
"Run defense and tackling needs to improve on defense. On offense, a better push from the interior OL."

I just want to see solid tackling again, not a player that looks like a piece of paper blowing in the wind, which was all I saw last year especially. Hell, I could do that.
The rest, time will tell, even Pete did not go out the first year of his coaching term winning it all.

The OL always takes time to gel.
Give it time.

 

[SeaWolv]

Run defense and tackling needs to improve on defense. On offense, a better push from the interior OL.

Last year the defense was bad at both run (30th) and pass (22nd). Yes the run D was worse but we need improvement in all areas.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Overall team improvement, a hell of a lot better on defense. Progress. No matter what the record is, I want to see them trending up. Esp. on defense.
I don't want them being predictable like the last several years. I want to see a team with actual discipline.

 

[Seahawks Guy]

11 wins. Better defense.

Can't think of any reason why the team should regress.

 

[RiverDog]

I can't put a W/L number on what I would consider a 'successful' season simply because I don't know what to expect. I do think that there's a possibility that we could be SB competitive much earlier than we've all anticipated, perhaps even this season. But I won't be disappointed if we end up with just a 4- or 5-win season. If I had to put money on a W/L outcome, it would be in the .500ish region, 9-8 or 8-9.

 

[SeaWolv]

11 wins. Better defense.

Can't think of any reason why the team should regress.

It's entirely possible they could take a step back before taking a step forward in terms of W-L record. I would be fine with that if it means the D is significantly better and the offense is showing signs of starting to click. They may be in a lot of close games in 2024 and they may end up on the wrong side in several of them. I'm ok with that if we're seeing growth.

I could see them going anywhere from 7-10 to 10-7 depending on how quick the players mesh with these new offensive and defensive schemes.

 

[sutz]

Lot of good responses here. I also won't put a W/L number on what I expect. I'll just say that I want to see a few things to pass the "eye test" that there is improvement, mostly on defense of course.

1. I want the opposing punter to get more attempts than our offense scores TDs.

2. I want to see a real running game that shows more than 3 or 4 plays called.

3. Related to #1, I want opponents to score more FGs than TDs and not many of either.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

11 wins. Better defense.

Can't think of any reason why the team should regress.

you expect 11 wins? Dayum.

 

[GeekHawk]

Nobody will have tape on our new offense. 12+ wins, coming up!

 

[Torc]

Nobody will have tape on our new offense. 12+ wins, coming up!

Not even WE have tape on our new offense!