How big were these last three games for our football program?

[messageboardsuperhero]

I'd say they were massive.

We played well against Bama. I don't take the moral victory route- but that was a good game for us in that we got a packed stadium, recruits were there, fans were going nuts, etc. Basically, the Bama game generated some much-needed excitement.
We kept the bowl streak going- which gives us more practice time with the young guys and keeps us moving in the right direction.
We got the Egg back and got some momentum back on our side in-state.
Lastly, and most importantly, we should enter 2014 on a good note- which is HUGE because we needed some excitement with next year being the year we open up our expansion. Sales on the premium seating have started to pick up now because of our finish, and I don't think people have fully grasped what a packed-out, bowled in stadium will do for the atmosphere.

At the end of the day, 2014 is a big year for us- with the stadium expansion and team on the upswing- so these last three games of 2013 have been just what the doctor ordered to get us back on track and refocused going into a pivotal season.

[smootness]

It's hard to overstate their importance. It sustained the forward progress the program has made over the last 5 years and avoided any kind of backslide. Our momentum slowed down a good bit at the end of last year, and we needed something to give us a spark again, and we got it.

Next year is huge for us, but we now have the chance, with a really good year, to take the program to a place we've never really been before in terms of perception.

[gravedigger]

What I heard most people say during the slide last year and the early season trouble this year was simply that they wanted to see the team compete to the end against tough competition.

In that respect I think the team did just that. The coaching staff redeemed themselves because we did not repeat the late season slide even with major injuries to our two beat qb's.

We saw mental toughness. That is something to build on as well as wins.

[Goat Holder]

Unbelievably huge. A turning point in our program.

Alot of coaches can come in and have success early with another's players. Not many can sustain and build once the program is 'theirs'. It takes a complete coach to do that. We'll look back at that late season run and realize that's what made our program.

[messageboardsuperhero]

What I heard most people say during the slide last year and the early season trouble this year was simply that they wanted to see the team compete to the end against tough competition.

In that respect I think the team did just that. The coaching staff redeemed themselves because we did not repeat the late season slide even with major injuries to our two beat qb's.

We saw mental toughness. That is something to build on as well as wins.

This is big- especially for a young team. Now we know we can battle for 60 minutes and win overtime games in the SEC.

[CJDAWG85]

I think winning in OT was the biggest positive. It showed a young team what happens when you keep playing hard and fight til the end. This team matured a lot over the final 3 games.

[Pollodawg]

How big were those three games, but how damn big was that final offensive possession in the EG OT? A hurt QB comes in, hasn't thrown a pass more than 10 yards in a month, hasn't practiced in three weeks, and leads us to victory the way Mullen got us used to in 2009-2010, through hard nosed, gritty determination and the will to punch the other team in the mouth until they quit. Just huge all the way around that last month of the season.

And what a change in made in Dan. When we won at Arky for the first time and he saw there was still hope left, he and the rest of the staff coached their ass off. I saw relentless effort again from the top down. And I liked it.

[thunderclap]

We saw mental toughness. That is something to build on as well as wins.

Completely agree and this had been my biggest gripe with Dan going back to last year. Thrilled to see it turn and hope it stays that way.