edited by member... now that I know Shane was injured during the game... call it Over-Reaction Monday on Sat and Sun!!
So they are playing for the 4th coordinator and the offense will get better? I agree with that because there are some pretty good football players on offense. If only that were true of the defense they could help carry the team for awhile. And if those players had a "take no prisoners attitude", the tone would carry over to the offense. Problem is that there doesn't seem to be enough good football players on defense. Hall was at the right place at the right time yesterday and everybody is excited. But he was at the wrong place at the wrong time on some pass coverages. Last year we complained about poor pass coverages, players on defense out of position and bad tackling angles. Some things do not change. Better, but still an issue. Like a TX linebacker in the Maryland 2 hole while their back is in the 3 hole, and nobody else from TX around......6 points. Remember how Texas DB's could blanket a receiver and if a running back got lose the secondary would run their *** down? Even the hyped up Reggie Bush and Bo Jackson were run down like a dog. This defense just doesn't seem to have the FOOTBALL talent or attitude. Some good players, and a couple of very good players, but some mediocre players. Where are the headhunters? Where is the leadership? My hope with our new coaches was that they would bring smash mouth football to the program. Players who would hit the other team until they quit. Perhaps they will make it happen, because it may be the only difference in a few wins. Last year an OU coach supposedly said that U. of H. hit them harder than any team in his career at OU. I liked the sound of that. But yesterday it seems that the more agressive team was Maryland, and they wanted it more.
They talked a big game the last 9 months and fooled a lot of people into thinking that was going to happen. Then again, so did the last regime with Moorer and "The Pit". Ugh....
The one thing that's certain is some part(s) of the team isn't as good as we thought it was. I'm not an Xs and Os guy, so maybe someone can make this observation more specific. Was it any one position group, or a few in particular? The coaching staff in general, or maybe a few specific position coaches/coordinators? It'd be nice to know, because I'm sure a lot of us are still wondering what the hell just happened.
This was a massive failure by the coaching staff, plain and simple. If Herman were a traded stock, his value would have dropped from say $100/share to perhaps $20 in one afternoon. I'm all in on Herman, but I am very concerned. How could he have been so utterly outcoached, and his players out-toughed and out-hustled? Where was his judgment? Nonexistent. Deer in the headlights. This is not about talent. That argument has become very stale. Either that or we have had inferior talent every year since 2009...and I just don't buy it. If anyone can get it together, I do believe it's Herman. He better. Because his stock and our program is riding on it.
I will be the first to admit that there is a lot about football that I have yet to learn. And perhaps the posters who claim to know that talent is not an issue because it is the coach's fault are right. I do agree that they deserve some of the blame, and, I share your vision that Herman could get it done. Hopefully. I just happen to think that some of the glaring defensive issues are indeed the players fault (my main issue is with the secondary). You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink. For a 7 win team this talent may not be a problem. But if you want to win big, you need players that can get to the next level. The NFL has not been beating the door down. I will defer to them. Just saying.
No, that rarely happens. More like $100 to $85 as others will buy the dip. Single day losses of more than 15% are rare. It would take a season or seasons of failure to get to $20 (see Strong).
AJO, 1) Linebackers - out of position more than a fat lady in the circus, not to mention they can't read a big print primmer much less an offense. Duck your head an go, hoping you run into the ball somewhere. Did I mention they can't get off a block, but Orlando refused to substitute. 2) DBs - can't tackle and telegraph the coverage 10-15 seconds before the ball is snapped 3) OL - no comment other than one guy may have cost himself a few million Very interesting and telling comment yesterday. My nine year old grandson is in his second year of tackle football and frequently plays MLB. He said that it was obvious what Maryland was going to do. They flip their RBs and "the good one" is pointing with his stance where he is going. My grandson is not getting paid $1 million a year to notice things like that.
As I talk myself away from the ledge, there is one observation about Herman I made when he was hired and after that keeps coming back to me. I didn't like his arrogance. His smugness. I still don't. But to be fair, Harbaugh is a smug jerk and he wins. As I said in another post, I wonder if Herman was drinking his own KoolAid. After all, he's the one that told us this Texas team would be the toughest team on the field and that they would be fully prepared. "Aligned." I saw very little of that yesterday. Many have questioned Buechele's performance. I don't agree. But consider this: Did his coach back him? Hardly. Herman delayed the QB decision until very late in the fall camp and then never validated Buechele. He's our starting QB, "for now." What kind of message does that send to arguably the most important player on the field? It suggests a lack of confidence. And for what purpose? Motivation? Does anyone really think that Buechele needed...motivation? Is he lazy? Herman's mind games may have been one of the reasons that his QB was not stellar yesterday. They say that the biggest improvement for a team usually happens between game one and game two. Let's hope that it happens for the coach this year as well.
Given the loss, can I just say how impressed I was with the receivers? Their hands frustrated me last year. They had good hands and had great playmaking ability. Same guys, but I also liked our return game. Playmakers. We have a very good punter. Lastly, I thought our OUTSIDE linebackers were pretty solid. Not spectacular, but they pursued and wrapped up.
The one upmanship knows no bounds. Clearly Baylor and A&M were not content to sit idly while we botched our opener.
I agree. I don't like Herman's overall vibe. I don't know if it's arrogance, overconfidence or what but it's not good. His entire staff was absolutely outcoached Saturday and he should admit that. Team wasn't ready to play. For all he talks about discipline, blah blah blah on the first play from scrimmage of his head coaching career at UT, a PAT, we only have 10 men on the field. As late as Tuesday when a reporter said something about Shane being the starter on Sat. Herman corrected him and said Shane is the starter today (Tues) and will be on Sat IF he continues to practice well. What??? Special teams coach needs some severe talking to. 10 men on the field for a PAT, 2 kickoffs not even caught, 60 yard kick return allowed, 2 blocked field goals. Dismal.
