3 things. First, team attitude this year. Off the charts better this year. Last year you had upperclassmen sitting behind true freshmen. By mid season it was pretty clear what was going on. Frankly, there were some who should have been starting. But a couple ringleaders really brought the entire team down. Negative, no support for freshmen. By the end, especially the NW game, it was toxic.
Those guys are gone and things have really changed in the locker room. Support, believing the team will win. And McGee didn’t help matters either. I don’t think I ever saw him happy, and he made some bad decisions which made things worse. It is fun being around young guys who are enthusiastic and believe they can win.
Defense this year. I like Hardy. Think he can be good. But why he did not name a LB position coach (although he initially did) is beyond me. Yes, he knows the job but he is the coordinator. Abrams departure hurt. Timing was bad. The youth in the defensive backfield needed all the help they could get. Byrd did what he could, but last year he was coaching millionaire pros on how to defend against Tom Brady. Different animal than an 18 year old just out of high school. God bless the new position coach, but he is not ready for a P5 position job.
Who is left? Clark, who has been much criticized. He replaced Phair, a great coach who could not recruit. There is a reason he is back in the NFL. The guy is good. Very good coach, even by pro standards. Clark has a magnetic personality, works his but off, but was a GA last year. I still don’t think this is necessarily a bad hire. USC had him pegged to be the next DL coach. But he doesn’t have the experience yet. He too could use some help.
So, no LB coach, Byrd trying to hold down the fort in the backfield, a fill in, and a coach who looks younger than some of the players he is coaching. Hardy looking over everything. People don’t see this, but it’s not ideal. This is not an excuse, but might explain some things.
Finally, academics. This will divide some folks. Let’s put it this way. Whitman and Lovie put on a compelling case. And it has paid off. The standards are different though no one will admit it. Think about it. We have a partial qualifier on the team. Before, we had to pass on fully qualified players who could sign with Iowa or Michigan without any problem. I hope it remains this way. We have lost some good players for what in my mind was no good reason. I’m fine with people disagreeing with me. From my perspective, the previous “standards” were unevenly applied, and a couple people seemed to take perverse pleasure not in upholding academic standards, but for asserting superiority for their own egos or agendas. But hey, that’s just me. No bitterness at all......
Those guys are gone and things have really changed in the locker room. Support, believing the team will win. And McGee didn’t help matters either. I don’t think I ever saw him happy, and he made some bad decisions which made things worse. It is fun being around young guys who are enthusiastic and believe they can win.
Defense this year. I like Hardy. Think he can be good. But why he did not name a LB position coach (although he initially did) is beyond me. Yes, he knows the job but he is the coordinator. Abrams departure hurt. Timing was bad. The youth in the defensive backfield needed all the help they could get. Byrd did what he could, but last year he was coaching millionaire pros on how to defend against Tom Brady. Different animal than an 18 year old just out of high school. God bless the new position coach, but he is not ready for a P5 position job.
Who is left? Clark, who has been much criticized. He replaced Phair, a great coach who could not recruit. There is a reason he is back in the NFL. The guy is good. Very good coach, even by pro standards. Clark has a magnetic personality, works his but off, but was a GA last year. I still don’t think this is necessarily a bad hire. USC had him pegged to be the next DL coach. But he doesn’t have the experience yet. He too could use some help.
So, no LB coach, Byrd trying to hold down the fort in the backfield, a fill in, and a coach who looks younger than some of the players he is coaching. Hardy looking over everything. People don’t see this, but it’s not ideal. This is not an excuse, but might explain some things.
Finally, academics. This will divide some folks. Let’s put it this way. Whitman and Lovie put on a compelling case. And it has paid off. The standards are different though no one will admit it. Think about it. We have a partial qualifier on the team. Before, we had to pass on fully qualified players who could sign with Iowa or Michigan without any problem. I hope it remains this way. We have lost some good players for what in my mind was no good reason. I’m fine with people disagreeing with me. From my perspective, the previous “standards” were unevenly applied, and a couple people seemed to take perverse pleasure not in upholding academic standards, but for asserting superiority for their own egos or agendas. But hey, that’s just me. No bitterness at all......
