the offensive play calling in the second half, after we made it a one score game in the third quarter, and after the rain began, was....well, perplexing, to put it mildly. It was as if we didn’t know it was a monsoon out there. Being at the game, and seeing and feeling how bad the weather was, I really could not believe we had JOK throwing the ball so often. I’m not going into specifics here, as I suspect the board has done so ad nauseum during my four day hiatus (I always stay away for awhile after losses, knowing this place turns into a firing squad that is difficult to stomach). But we did get out coached in the last quarter and a half of that game, and that is not going to happen very often with Jim in charge. It underscores many of the issues Borton called out in his insightful piece. I have to believe Jim will be doing everything he can to address them.
That said, the real tests now lie ahead of us, as they always do when you suffer an unexpected loss. How we respond in the weeks to come, starting this Saturday, will define this season, not last Saturday. Bounce back against Indiana and go into Happy Valley with much, much more than a fighting chance, knowing we can’t afford a loss, is what I am talking about. So, take care of business on the road on Saturday and then pull one out in Happy Valley and the madness in the monsoon will turn into a bad memory I can live with even if it remains painful. Considering how much confidence I have in this staff and how good our defense is, I expect nothing less.
That said, the real tests now lie ahead of us, as they always do when you suffer an unexpected loss. How we respond in the weeks to come, starting this Saturday, will define this season, not last Saturday. Bounce back against Indiana and go into Happy Valley with much, much more than a fighting chance, knowing we can’t afford a loss, is what I am talking about. So, take care of business on the road on Saturday and then pull one out in Happy Valley and the madness in the monsoon will turn into a bad memory I can live with even if it remains painful. Considering how much confidence I have in this staff and how good our defense is, I expect nothing less.
