Perspective

[IGot AHerdOn]

IF you are going to fly off the handle and begin blaming coaching, put everything in perspective and considering the following:

1) Backup quarterback has played 8 of 10 games this season after still being in high school (or a post grad year or whatever) one year ago.
2) We are basically on our 5th and 6th running backs (Foster and Davis). We are down Devon (injury), Remi (hasnt been healthy all year), Pittman (injury) and Grooms (kicked off the team).That leaves us with Keion Davis and Hyleck Foster, who 6 months ago, at the end of spring practice, no one would have expected to play running back.
3) Our starting slot receiver at the beginning of the year, Foster, is now our running back. The explosive, projected starting outside receiver (Jean-Louis) was kicked off the team for being a knucklehead. Our best and most consistent receiver this year (Reaves) had ONLY 8 CATCHES COMING INTO THE YEAR!
4) Our offensive line has missed a starter or two in every single game this season
5) Arguably, our best defensive player was dismissed before the beginning of the season (Leggett).
6) One of our starting corners from the beginning of the season (Baxter) only has 16 tackles all season

Look, guys, I think we are all frustrated by yesterday. But, remember all the above when thinking about this season.

And before we go blaming coaching, for the love of Pete guys, all this crap above has happened and we are still 8-2. In my opinion, we need to THANK coaching! Without the coaching we have had this year, not just from Doc, but from Furrey, Mirabal, Legg, Heater, Cronin, Barclay, etc, we would not be in as good of a position as we are.

The ONLY part we can blame on coach is the discipline. Guys like Rowe and Allen need to just shut their yap sometimes and get back to the huddle. My dad always told me abut Johnny Unitas who would score, flip the ball to the official and go to the sideline. I am not asking for that but just for someone to play with "swagger" but also some respect!

 

[Herd Fever]

IF you are going to fly off the handle and begin blaming coaching, put everything in perspective and considering the following:

1) Backup quarterback has played 8 of 10 games this season after still being in high school (or a post grad year or whatever) one year ago.
2) We are basically on our 5th and 6th running backs (Foster and Davis). We are down Devon (injury), Remi (hasnt been healthy all year), Pittman (injury) and Grooms (kicked off the team).That leaves us with Keion Davis and Hyleck Foster, who 6 months ago, at the end of spring practice, no one would have expected to play running back.
3) Our starting slot receiver at the beginning of the year, Foster, is now our running back. The explosive, projected starting outside receiver (Jean-Louis) was kicked off the team for being a knucklehead. Our best and most consistent receiver this year (Reaves) had ONLY 8 CATCHES COMING INTO THE YEAR!
4) Our offensive line has missed a starter or two in every single game this season
5) Arguably, our best defensive player was dismissed before the beginning of the season (Leggett).
6) One of our starting corners from the beginning of the season (Baxter) only has 16 tackles all season

Look, guys, I think we are all frustrated by yesterday. But, remember all the above when thinking about this season.

And before we go blaming coaching, for the love of Pete guys, all this crap above has happened and we are still 8-2. In my opinion, we need to THANK coaching! Without the coaching we have had this year, not just from Doc, but from Furrey, Mirabal, Legg, Heater, Cronin, Barclay, etc, we would not be in as good of a position as we are.

Logic has no place on this board, @Marine03 will come on here and discredit everything you wrote and everything the coaches and players built in the name of the Quitter

 

[Handyandy727]

I agree with this post 100%

 

[zz1038]

Well written post but, time management and critical decisions ( fg's vs going for it on 4th, etc) have been awful at times and that my friend is coaching.

 

[bbneutralfan]

Not to mention the continued lack of discipline by the O line OR the QB not making sure the O line knows the snap count. Ten games in and the line keeps jumping. Thought this had something to do with coaching but I could be wrong.

 

[IGot AHerdOn]

Well written post but, time management and critical decisions ( fg's vs going for it on 4th, etc) have been awful at times and that my friend is coaching.

I won't argue that some of the timeouts, especially in the second half were used poorly but what critical decisions are you referring to from last night?

 

[andy4theherd]

honestly, i think we are 8-2 in spite of coaching...

we have played the 146th ranked schedule so far. let that sink in. there are several FCS schools with harder rated schedules.

South Dakota State
North Dakota State
Illinois State
Northern Iowa
Youngstown State
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois
Western Carolina
Cal Poly
South Dakota
ect
ect
ect

we lost to two of the three highest rated teams on our schedule (#112 Ohio and #91 MTSU; S. Miss is #92). yes, we have many injuries. we have many new players. something probably 60+% of all college teams can say. we also have some extremely poor coaching and play calling over the last several games. the poor game management has plagued Doc since he got here.

 

[coalguy]

8-2,8-2,8-2 and 8-2 soon to be 9-2.Don't worry be happy.I am could have been alot worse if you consider 8-2 bad.

 

[IGot AHerdOn]

honestly, i think we are 8-2 in spite of coaching...

we have played the 146th ranked schedule so far. let that sink in. there are several FCS schools with harder rated schedules.

South Dakota State
North Dakota State
Illinois State
Northern Iowa
Youngstown State
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois
Western Carolina
Cal Poly
South Dakota
ect
ect
ect

we lost to two of the three highest rated teams on our schedule (#112 Ohio and #91 MTSU; S. Miss is #92). yes, we have many injuries. we have many new players. something probably 60+% of all college teams can say. we also have some extremely poor coaching and play calling over the last several games. the poor game management has plagued Doc since he got here.

I agree all teams have injuries but I would guarantee no other team in the country is on their 5th and 6th running backs WITH a true freshman QB WITH their best receiver having so few catches the three years before WITH multiple starters missing from the offensive line every week.

 

[flairforherd]

Basically, our end result this season won't be much different than if we had gone undefeated and won CDOA: We're still going to go to a low-level bowl, probably in Florida, and play a team from another G5 conference in a game few people care about other than the fans of the teams playing in it.

 

[herdcanefan3]

I didn't know this thread was about the access bowl.

 

[Marine03]

I didn't know this thread was about the access bowl.

Unless we are talking about real contenders there should not be a thread about an access bowl on HN

 

[flairforherd]

I didn't know this thread was about the access bowl.

Before the MTSU game there was a lengthy thread about how it was still a possibility. Yes, some of our fans were THAT delusional.

My point though is that the MTSU loss really does nothing to affect the bottom line of our season.

(Edited previous post to delete reference to Access Bowl thread.)

 

[Marine03]

I kind of disagree with you and here's why. The MTSU loss solidified what most of the country already thought of us. Which is our record is a product of the weakest overall schedule in CFB, and we are the most overrated 8-1 team in the country prior to that game. When you're trying to break through in the G5 world and gain notoriety you can't lose these games, not to a 3-5 team

 

[flairforherd]

I kind of disagree with you and here's why. The MTSU loss solidified what most of the country already thought of us. Which is our record is a product of the weakest overall schedule in CFB, and we are the most overrated 8-1 team in the country prior to that game. When you're trying to break through in the G5 world and gain notoriety you can't lose these games, not to a 3-5 team

Well, I think I agree with that, but ask yourself this: From that aspect, is the loss really that much different from a three-point win? In terms of national perception, I really don't think so. I also don't think the nation knows, or cares, how beat up we are on offense, and how many back-ups we are forced to play because of it.

 

[Marine03]

Yes a loss is absolutely different than a 3 point win, most people understand winning ugly but no one understands an inexcusable loss. I think this loss set us back more than what we know.