Thought #1. Covid saved Harbaughs job.
In my mind, 2020 doesn’t count. Just too many things outside the programs control, imo, for it to count for anything other than an exhibition season. We were down a coach, players opted out, there were no fans, there was no juice...a huge waste.
HOWEVER, it was just awful enough to purge the program of coaches and players that were not getting it done or were pulling in the wrong direction. Lots of younger guys got experience. All of the players should have been humbled.
Then, Coaches got younger and more flexible. New concepts arrived. Players have held themselves and others accountable. The fun and the juice is back (so far). Mistakes are at an all time low and execution has been outstanding at times in all phases.
Thought #2. The improved Culture is a direct reflection of the energy and synergy of the team and coaches.
That starts at the top with Harbaugh. His attitude is 180 degrees from where it has been the past few years. And despite the negative energy surrounding the program from the media, he seems to be blocking it out and using it for motivation.
Matt Dudek also deserves a lot of credit. After small classes in 2014 and 2015, plus tons of attrition in the 2016 and 2017 classes, it is the oft maligned 2018 class that helped steady the ship. After losing 25 transfers and 8 early entries from the 2016 and 2017 27 and 30 man classes, we needed a class of less “me first” guys. Only 42% of those classes exhausted their eligibility. Despite Covid and the transfer portal, 12/20 class of 2018 are playing their fourth years in 2021, 20/26 class of 2020 guys are still here. All after tons of coaching changes....Id say most of the Dudek guys have been good fits. And even though we are ranked 17 in College Team Talent on TOS (a measure of talent accumulation), that includes recruiting service whiffs on Ronnie Bell and Hassan Haskins....but i digress
Its the coaching synergy, though, that has made the biggest difference so far. What a coup to grab the guys we were able to grab after all the coaching drama over the years. Here lies a major reason we haven’t been better (QB play being another). I think we have had some good coaches, but some really major egoes that just couldn’t Hit their strides together....until now?
Thought #3. Cade deserves to start, JJ needs to play.
It may not seem like it, but Cade has been the best QB of the era. Thus far in his 9 game career he is 93/152 61% 1156 10 TD 0 INT....if he did that over 4 games, nobody would have a problem. And he is doing it sans his best receiver in every game but one. Is he missing receivers? Sure....all QBs do, and he is a rare third year frosh. He has executed the offense as asked....and they are not going to ask too much of him. He is very accurate and very productive. He is a better version of Shea Patterson. He has lots of room to improve, but he is establishing a standard for the position in this era for others to surpass...
Which brings us to JJ. He brings a bigger arm and more athleticism to the position and will probably surpass Cade, eventually. But not today. And not as long as he is taking care of the ball. He does deserve snaps to gain experience and because he opens up the offense a little bit because he is a bigger threat to run AND a igger threat to stretch the field.
If we are fortunate enough to compete for championships, JJs role will grow. Similar to Tua’s frosh year.
Final thought...
1. great call on the squib to end the half. it was a well calculated risk that cost us 10 yards of field position with less than 40 seconds left... give credit to Wisconsin for two well executed passes against our best players..
In my mind, 2020 doesn’t count. Just too many things outside the programs control, imo, for it to count for anything other than an exhibition season. We were down a coach, players opted out, there were no fans, there was no juice...a huge waste.
HOWEVER, it was just awful enough to purge the program of coaches and players that were not getting it done or were pulling in the wrong direction. Lots of younger guys got experience. All of the players should have been humbled.
Then, Coaches got younger and more flexible. New concepts arrived. Players have held themselves and others accountable. The fun and the juice is back (so far). Mistakes are at an all time low and execution has been outstanding at times in all phases.
Thought #2. The improved Culture is a direct reflection of the energy and synergy of the team and coaches.
That starts at the top with Harbaugh. His attitude is 180 degrees from where it has been the past few years. And despite the negative energy surrounding the program from the media, he seems to be blocking it out and using it for motivation.
Matt Dudek also deserves a lot of credit. After small classes in 2014 and 2015, plus tons of attrition in the 2016 and 2017 classes, it is the oft maligned 2018 class that helped steady the ship. After losing 25 transfers and 8 early entries from the 2016 and 2017 27 and 30 man classes, we needed a class of less “me first” guys. Only 42% of those classes exhausted their eligibility. Despite Covid and the transfer portal, 12/20 class of 2018 are playing their fourth years in 2021, 20/26 class of 2020 guys are still here. All after tons of coaching changes....Id say most of the Dudek guys have been good fits. And even though we are ranked 17 in College Team Talent on TOS (a measure of talent accumulation), that includes recruiting service whiffs on Ronnie Bell and Hassan Haskins....but i digress
Its the coaching synergy, though, that has made the biggest difference so far. What a coup to grab the guys we were able to grab after all the coaching drama over the years. Here lies a major reason we haven’t been better (QB play being another). I think we have had some good coaches, but some really major egoes that just couldn’t Hit their strides together....until now?
Thought #3. Cade deserves to start, JJ needs to play.
It may not seem like it, but Cade has been the best QB of the era. Thus far in his 9 game career he is 93/152 61% 1156 10 TD 0 INT....if he did that over 4 games, nobody would have a problem. And he is doing it sans his best receiver in every game but one. Is he missing receivers? Sure....all QBs do, and he is a rare third year frosh. He has executed the offense as asked....and they are not going to ask too much of him. He is very accurate and very productive. He is a better version of Shea Patterson. He has lots of room to improve, but he is establishing a standard for the position in this era for others to surpass...
Which brings us to JJ. He brings a bigger arm and more athleticism to the position and will probably surpass Cade, eventually. But not today. And not as long as he is taking care of the ball. He does deserve snaps to gain experience and because he opens up the offense a little bit because he is a bigger threat to run AND a igger threat to stretch the field.
If we are fortunate enough to compete for championships, JJs role will grow. Similar to Tua’s frosh year.
Final thought...
1. great call on the squib to end the half. it was a well calculated risk that cost us 10 yards of field position with less than 40 seconds left... give credit to Wisconsin for two well executed passes against our best players..
