Total Frustration

The past two weeks have brought us back to a place that many Tiger fans would have been happy to see a month ago. Coming out of one of the more grueling opening month schedules in D-1 with a 2-2 record. That is fine, but my frustration lies in how we got there. Open the year with a heart stopping performance in the final seconds to overcome a 4th quarter deficit in front of a raucous crowd at home. Good job Tigers 1-0.
Next, we go on the road to a typically well coached MD team, and without the aid of the crowd, pull out another 4th quarter comeback and show the folks at ESPN, hey, we don’t have to be at home to win a close one, especially being on TV. 2-0, we have a little momentum now.
Week 3, “The U” comes to Death Valley for the first time and experiences a rumble and shake that I haven’t heard even at past USuCk and FSU games in the Valley. A heartbreaking loss but with all the same heroics as the previous games including a 4th quarter comeback. Some streaks, such as OT wins, are just meant to be broken. 2-1 (and not a shabby 1) still looking good. Tweak out a few errors and we may really have something.
Week 4, what the hell happened to us? This is one of the poorest all around efforts I have seen in a while. Granted, expecting to come out of the stretch at 3-1, which many people started doing after A&M, was a little over zealous but hey, think positive. My problem begins with the coaching staff this week though. It’s like we jumped in a Delorian and went back to Tommy West football a-la 1997. What happened to our offense? Running between the tackles with 9 men in the box? I don’t care how good Merriweather and Davis have looked, it ain’t gonna work folks. Running 3 yard routes on 3rd and 6…..um, I think I know why we didn’t convert ANY of them. It just looked like the coaches were the ones still asleep this game. Oh, and we threw one pass longer than 15-20 yards. Too bad WE COMPLETED IT AGAINST SINGLE COVERAGE THAT WAS THERE ALL DAY! We won’t talk about clock management just before the half, when 25 yards puts us in J. Dean range and we do nothing to go at it. The coaches can say all they want about missed assignments and the like. It happens, but don’t go pushing the blame on them because you didn’t have enough intestinal fortitude to challenge them to make a decent play. I can’t say enough about the defensive play. The coaching here was lacking as well, the players did there job for the most part. Why do we have coverage playing 12 yards off the line on 3rd and 4 for the other team. Do we like giving them the first down? I was somewhat unimpressed by our tackling as well. You aren’t going to arm tackle D-1 running backs, especially when everyone is soaking wet in 90 degree heat and a little on the slippery side. To give up only 10 points, all early to boot, though is quite an achievement. Too bad they spent well over 10 minutes longer in the field than the opposition’s D. And my final frustration…the crowd. Have you not noticed the D thrives on your noise? You could have conducted Sunday morning service in their half the game. I saw more empty lower deck seats than I care to admit as well. It was hot, yes. We gave a lot last week, yes. Do you lay down and be quiet just because the coaches are dropping the ball? NO! Get fired up, and be the teams motivation when those in charge aren’t getting it done.
Here’s hoping we go to Winston, put it on the Deamon Deacons like a top notch football team should and that a few fans (I know there are plenty of alums in NC, SC, and VA all within three hours) make the trip get behind our guys. We can get this thing rolling again and run through the rest of the conference schedule and see where it puts us. We may come out on the other end quite surprised.