We’ve beat it to death so I won’t rehash it all, but there is just no way in hell one player (inexplicably) playing poorly is solely responsible for the unhinged product we saw those last three games.
We averaged 7.6 points per game over the last three games. That would make us the worst offense IN THE COUNTRY not named UMASS.
You dont just go from a top 20 team to one of the worst teams in the country just because your QB starts playing poorly.
I agree with you about Doc and Cramsey.
But I STRONGLY reject the notion that something didn’t destroy the chemistry of this team, at least the offense.
You do when you QB can't complete a pass. That isn't hyperbole either. He didn't compete a single pass in the first half against UAB. If he doesn't throw 5 INTs against Rice we win.
This train didn't have to derail, but Doc and Cramsey decided to keep chucking the ball with a QB that was seeing ghosts. It's even more inexcusable when you have a back like Knox sitting there who is completely capable of taking over the game.
I posted this after before Rice. In games where Knox rushed for 100+ we are something like 11-2 and when he scores we are 13-2. When he doesn't we are now 5-7.
Where was the Gaines package we saw against UAB during the Rice game? Get Grant out to collect himself.
This team did not quit. The defense held all three opponents in check and in both the UAB and Buffalo games the offense fought back into those games. Teams that quit don't do that.
Coaching and QB play are why we lost the last three games.
I will conceded that the team energy was never there during Rice, but they came out a lot different against UAB. But Grant was 0-9 for the entire first half. Are you arguing he just didn't care and wasn't trying? Are you arguing that the WRs were just purposely not catching the balls?
When your defense on the field for 42 out of 60 minutes (Rice game) you bet there are going to be tempers and flare ups on the sidelines.
Also Grant missed wide open WRs that he was seeing all season long. Against Rice Artie Henry is wide open streaking down the sideline. All year long Grant sees that and drops a dime. Grant was running around and not even looking down field on that play. I saw Corey Gammage wide open several times against Rice and Grant never even looked his way. Against UAB he had a guy wide open in front of him in the flat on a third down with wide open field in front of him and Well's lazy pass was batted down by the defender he was running from.
I see people point to Gaines' effort or lack thereof as a sign of the team giving up. We've been on him for half efforts every since he had that big game against Appy. He's been giving half efforts all season long.
Grant went from scanning the entire field all season long to locking on and forcing the ball to his first reads the last three games. He went from looking like the next Pennington to looking worse than Isaiah Green.
I worried about him all season long because he was never facing adversity or getting hit. Once he faced real adversity against Rice and UAB he wilted. Now he's gun shy.
Cramsey's pass-pass-run wasn't helping. Not to mention always throwing on 1st down and constantly keeping your struggling young QB behind the chains.
I go back to the UAB game. Grant just hit a really nice shot down the sideline on a rollout. We're now down around the 20. Instead of keeping it going we call some stupid short out, then I can't remember the 2nd down play, then he pulls Grant on 3rd down putting Gaines in for a keeper that goes nowhere and throws Grant back out there on a 4th&5 and calls a 3 yard out to Willie Johnson that even if caught wasn't going anywhere. That Gaines play should have went on 2nd down not 3rd where you send a struggling QB out there on 4th&5 in an obvious passing situation.
How about before the half. We take the ball back with 40 seconds left. Why don't you kneel it and go to the half and collect yourselves. Instead deep in our own territory we throw a short out that is nearly been picked. Doc never decides to run plays in that situation no matter the circumstances.
When we finally hit a wall our coaches looked like they just started coaching and our young QB started to fall apart. Sorry but the defense played far too well for me to just say the team decided to quit.
I don't deny a fight happened, but I do deny that it caused our losses.
