A bright future....really.

[CougPatrol]

Now that I'm back at work (slacking), and not having to type my messages on my phone, I can provide a more detailed analysis of what I saw last weekend. Surprisingly, I seem to have found myself in the role of cheerleader on here now.

I've already posted about the weather and how awful it was, so I won't belabor that too much; however it was a huge factor; particularly after halftime. The players came out after the break to an empty stadium and what felt like sub 35 degree rain and wind. Why did it bother us more than them? Not sure exactly, but I think it's because Saturday's game was the biggest game of the year for PSU. We also have a ton of kids who, even though they appear to be upperclassmen, were making their first appearances as regular contributors. Just not a lot of leadership out there right now.

As far as physical appearances go, this is the best our roster has LOOKED in years. Both lines are big, the skill players are cut and springy, and the secondary look like athletes.

Everyone associated with our program is fed up with the "be patient" mantra, but I think we all need to step back and consider that by my count, we only have 12 seniors combined on our offensive and defensive 2-deeps. That's only 12 seniors out of 44 kids. When you look closer at our roster, the experience and leadership we have is virtually non-existent. Our 3 QBs go Soph, FR, FR. Wicks, Morrow, and Harrington go Soph, Soph, FR. Marks is returning from a RS year. Dom Williams is a first time go-to guy. Cracraft is proven vet, but after that, they're all greenhorns. The defense has similar concerns; a bunch of guys who are first or 2nd year regulars.

The thought of enduring another season where we lose games is breaking a lot of our fans, which is understandable, but I'm more confident about our future now than I've been in a long time. Next season, we'll return a ton of battle tested players on our 2-deeps. That's a complete reversal from this season. Most importantly, we'll return virtually all of our skill position players, including 2 QB's with a lot of game experience.

If we continue to lay eggs like we did on Saturday, much of my optimism will evaporate, but I'm anxious to see if this team improves as the season rolls on. I'm guessing we will, but to what degree?

 

[CougEd]

Now that I'm back at work (slacking), and not having to type my messages on my phone, I can provide a more detailed analysis of what I saw last weekend. Surprisingly, I seem to have found myself in the role of cheerleader on here now.

I've already posted about the weather and how awful it was, so I won't belabor that too much; however it was a huge factor; particularly after halftime. The players came out after the break to an empty stadium and what felt like sub 35 degree rain and wind. Why did it bother us more than them? Not sure exactly, but I think it's because Saturday's game was the biggest game of the year for PSU. We also have a ton of kids who, even though they appear to be upperclassmen, were making their first appearances as regular contributors. Just not a lot of leadership out there right now.

As far as physical appearances go, this is the best our roster has LOOKED in years. Both lines are big, the skill players are cut and springy, and the secondary look like athletes.

Everyone associated with our program is fed up with the "be patient" mantra, but I think we all need to step back and consider that by my count, we only have 12 seniors combined on our offensive and defensive 2-deeps. That's only 12 seniors out of 44 kids. When you look closer at our roster, the experience and leadership we have is virtually non-existent. Our 3 QBs go Soph, FR, FR. Wicks, Morrow, and Harrington go Soph, Soph, FR. Marks is returning from a RS year. Dom Williams is a first time go-to guy. Cracraft is proven vet, but after that, they're all greenhorns. The defense has similar concerns; a bunch of guys who are first or 2nd year regulars.

The thought of enduring another season where we lose games is breaking a lot of our fans, which is understandable, but I'm more confident about our future now than I've been in a long time. Next season, we'll return a ton of battle tested players on our 2-deeps. That's a complete reversal from this season. Most importantly, we'll return virtually all of our skill position players, including 2 QB's with a lot of game experience.

If we continue to lay eggs like we did on Saturday, much of my optimism will evaporate, but I'm anxious to see if this team improves as the season rolls on. I'm guessing we will, but to what degree?

I hear you Patrol. When I look at the Pac 12 the question becomes how do we get ahead? UW is in a similar spot. They are young. OSU, Cal (but they will lose their QB). Stanford (they lose their QB as well...might not be a bad thing)

They look like football players. The oline looks like a Pac 12 line. There clearly is track speed at WR. I wonder if it is more pure speed than cutting ability. Take Martin for example, clearly he has top end speed. And I know he is really young. But on two kick offs he buried his helmet in the back of one of our players, and two of three times he took the wrong lane, because if he went to the "other" crease I have a feeling he is still running.

This happens with young players, but we are perpetually young. I will remain hopeful. But I will confess I don't have the confidence I had when he was hired in 2011.

 

[CougPatrol]

I will remain hopeful. But I will confess I don't have the confidence I had when he was hired in 2011.

Next year is it for Leach. It's the do or die season. We open with Eastern WA, at Boise State, and vs. Idaho. Will we lose on Labor Day to an FCS school again? Eastern looks loaded on offense; particularly at QB. After the non conference games, we have 5 Pac-12 home games, and will draw Oregon State and Colorado on the road.

The pirate will be walking the plank if we don't show dramatic improvement next season.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Next year is it for Leach. It's the do or die season. We open with Eastern WA, at Boise State, and vs. Idaho. Will we lose on Labor Day to an FCS school again? Eastern looks loaded on offense; particularly at QB. After the non conference games, we have 5 Pac-12 home games, and will draw Oregon State and Colorado on the road.

The pirate will be walking the plank if we don't show dramatic improvement next season.

A couple months ago, there were some extended threads where I took a lot of heat when I suggested that Leach was in trouble if we didn't start to win games by the end of next season. Unfortunately, a lot of people had enough time pass by since last season for them to fail to realize how fragile our fanbase is right now. If we lose to Rutgers, the stadium will feature at least 10,000 empty seats for Wyoming. If we are sitting at 2-5 on October 31st, the stadium will be lucky to be half full for our game against Stanford. If things go badly, we could see even worse for the Buffaloes on November 21st. The student section will be lucky to be 25% full as they bail for the holiday early. Long story short, these are fragile times.

The good news is that I happen to think that our team is much better than it looked against PSU and I think we can still make some noise. We are going to score against Rutgers. We obviously need to figure out how to defend the run this week or we are screwed, but I like our chances if we can force the opposing offense to work. A 4-2 start is still possible, even if it is unlikely.

Our fanbase is getting ready to give up so Leach needs to make dawn happen as soon as possible. This weekend was one of the darkest moments for me as a Coug.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Are you sure your new perspective isn't just the typical 5 stages of grief cycle that everyone goes through?

Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

Serious question. We all do this.

 

[spongebob11]

Like I've said before, I don't see the players on D, the speed on D that the '92 team had.

I don't see how you turn the corner when Portland State is 7 yds down field before someone lays a hat on them.

Mike Price got his rep as an offensive Guru...but look at all of his good defenses('92,'94,'97,2001-2002 and a lot of the credit for '03)

We aren't anywhere close to that.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Like I've said before, I don't see the players on D, the speed on D that the '92 team had.

I don't see how you turn the corner when Portland State is 7 yds down field before someone lays a hat on them.

Mike Price got his rep as an offensive Guru...but look at all of his good defenses('92,'94,'97,2001-2002 and a lot of the credit for '03)

We aren't anywhere close to that.

Price took his best athletes and put them on defense as I recall. Turned out to be a good move.