Today's Presser

[JJ Husker]

If anybody listened to Sports Nightly tonight, Matt Davison made a point that I'm tending to agree with right now.

Jeff Culhane asked Matt how to build consistency in a team, and Davison said one of the biggest things is holding players accountable. If there was ever a time where the offense wasn't holding up their end of the bargain or wasn't performing as they should, guys like Jason Peter, Mike Brown, Grant Wistrom, etc., would walk down to the offense on the sidelines and let them know what they thought, whether it was nice or not. Davison said one reason many of those 90's teams were so good, among many other reasons, was because of their commitment to accountability.

Davison went on to to say he didn't notice anybody - from the offense or defense - walking towards each other and trying to hold one another accountable. That doesn't mean it didn't happen, of course, but it was just one man's observation. And I gotta say that to some degree, what Davison is saying makes sense. Who can we definitely say is a leader on the defense? Who, from both sides of the ball, is trying to make players accountable for their actions? Coaches can only do so much. At some point, the players are responsible for what happens on the field.

Outside of talent, coaching, execution, etc., the players have to be responsible for one another's actions. If one fails, everybody fails.

:yeah Amen.

All these threads quesioning the coaches but this is where I think we're at. At some point the players have to accept responsibility for what happens on the field. I have spent a bit of time coaching (not college level but I think it relates) and it has been my experience that with some kids, groups, or teams, you can tell them the right things and try to motivate until you're blue in the face but, at the end of the day, they are the ones who have to decide they're gonna get r done. I don't see a severe lack of talent or severe teaching/coaching deficiency with our team. But I have seen some very uninspired football. If you don't step up and do it for the guy next to you, it ain't gonna get done.

 

[Hunter94]

so, for example, except for Fonz, our DB's have been getting their asses handed to them......are they just slow, untalented or poorly coached?...or all of the above?

 

[knapplc]

Andrew Green in particular has shown growth this season. He's no Fonzie Dennard, but he's gotten better.

Let's worry about next year next year.

 

[Igetbored216]

Andrew Green in particular has shown growth this season. He's no Fonzie Dennard, but he's gotten better.

Let's worry about next year next year.

I don't know. Maybe it's just me but whenever one of our DBs gets burned, I usually see that it's number 11. Obviously it's just not him to blame; for instance all of our DBs bite hard on play action which usually leaves someone wide open for an easy pitch and catch. It was like this at the beginning of the season and I still see the same mistake being made at the end of the season.

We still do have two games left. One good thing about ANY bowl game is that there is basically what amounts to as another fall practice. Based on what I have seen, I don't think practice will hurt any of our players. In taking more reps, I am hoping maybe things start clicking with some of the younger players and they can finally put it together for our bowl game. This will obviously breed confidence and maybe this confidence and level of play will carry over to next season.

 

[knapplc]

Andrew Green in particular has shown growth this season. He's no Fonzie Dennard, but he's gotten better.

Let's worry about next year next year.

I don't know. Maybe it's just me but whenever one of our DBs gets burned, I usually see that it's number 11. Obviously it's just not him to blame; for instance all of our DBs bite hard on play action which usually leaves someone wide open for an easy pitch and catch. It was like this at the beginning of the season and I still see the same mistake being made at the end of the season.

We still do have two games left. One good thing about ANY bowl game is that there is basically what amounts to as another fall practice. Based on what I have seen, I don't think practice will hurt any of our players. In taking more reps, I am hoping maybe things start clicking with some of the younger players and they can finally put it together for our bowl game. This will obviously breed confidence and maybe this confidence and level of play will carry over to next season.

The fact that he's still getting burned doesn't mean that he's not getting better. It means that he's not there yet.

 

[Lyons in the Sea of Red.]

Andrew Green in particular has shown growth this season. He's no Fonzie Dennard, but he's gotten better.

Let's worry about next year next year.

I don't know. Maybe it's just me but whenever one of our DBs gets burned, I usually see that it's number 11. Obviously it's just not him to blame; for instance all of our DBs bite hard on play action which usually leaves someone wide open for an easy pitch and catch. It was like this at the beginning of the season and I still see the same mistake being made at the end of the season.

We still do have two games left. One good thing about ANY bowl game is that there is basically what amounts to as another fall practice. Based on what I have seen, I don't think practice will hurt any of our players. In taking more reps, I am hoping maybe things start clicking with some of the younger players and they can finally put it together for our bowl game. This will obviously breed confidence and maybe this confidence and level of play will carry over to next season.

I dont know what you are seeing. If I were you I would worry A LOT more about the fact that Thorrell is still getting snaps and playing with Ciante. Those guys get burned constantly. I dont even think its bad coaching anymore, they are just bad.

 

[Enhance]

If anybody listened to Sports Nightly tonight, Matt Davison made a point that I'm tending to agree with right now.

Jeff Culhane asked Matt how to build consistency in a team, and Davison said one of the biggest things is holding players accountable. If there was ever a time where the offense wasn't holding up their end of the bargain or wasn't performing as they should, guys like Jason Peter, Mike Brown, Grant Wistrom, etc., would walk down to the offense on the sidelines and let them know what they thought, whether it was nice or not. Davison said one reason many of those 90's teams were so good, among many other reasons, was because of their commitment to accountability.

Davison went on to to say he didn't notice anybody - from the offense or defense - walking towards each other and trying to hold one another accountable. That doesn't mean it didn't happen, of course, but it was just one man's observation. And I gotta say that to some degree, what Davison is saying makes sense. Who can we definitely say is a leader on the defense? Who, from both sides of the ball, is trying to make players accountable for their actions? Coaches can only do so much. At some point, the players are responsible for what happens on the field.

Outside of talent, coaching, execution, etc., the players have to be responsible for one another's actions. If one fails, everybody fails.

:yeah Amen.

All these threads quesioning the coaches but this is where I think we're at. At some point the players have to accept responsibility for what happens on the field. I have spent a bit of time coaching (not college level but I think it relates) and it has been my experience that with some kids, groups, or teams, you can tell them the right things and try to motivate until you're blue in the face but, at the end of the day, they are the ones who have to decide they're gonna get r done. I don't see a severe lack of talent or severe teaching/coaching deficiency with our team. But I have seen some very uninspired football. If you don't step up and do it for the guy next to you, it ain't gonna get done.

Exactly my point. I think at this point, given the performances on the field, the players need to start realizing some of this is their fault. They probably do, but they need to be more accountable for that performance.