I don’t disagree at all, just saying there are eight unimpressive teams on our schedule. But three of those are toss-ups at best, and beating all the teams you should beat and winning all the toss-ups is actually very hard.
I oscillate between “we were hurt significantly by shuffling around assistants” and “Pruitt had worn thin and guys were just done.” I dunno, probably a mix of several.
We played too many teams that only had to run 5 plays to get people open. Florida sent a man in motion to the strong side and picked on the weak side. Of course slants whenever anybody wanted. And we telegraphed blitzes, leaving good qbs time to see we are dropping a DE 20 yards back in coverage. We also weren't coached to disrupt the los and force the offense to react. Just a cluster all around. And a mentally drained team knowing JG was going to send the D back out soon, or put 7 on the board for the other team
All of the above for sure. But I know I’ve seen you reference it from knowing someone with a son on the team that they’re just having fun again. And I think that’s the biggest thing. Pruitt to me is like the opposite of Gus Malzahn. Malzahn only coached briefly as an assistant and was validated early as a HC but never really knew how to run a program. Pruitt went from HS to Saban staff and that was almost all of his experience so to him it’s the only way, and he didn’t realize you can’t operate that way before proving yourself. The result was what appeared to be the least fun environment imaginable for players. Kind of incredible that he was (at least in my opinion) the ultimate player’s coach while simultaneously running a completely miserable program.
yes i've been told from a few fronts that the atmosphere has turned around completely. We will see if it shows on the field, but as everybody knows, we looked robotic the last few years, seldom playing with energy and enthusiasm. It's a game, and we lost that in translation somewhere. More than likely as you mention, the Saban style background, which works for Bama and Saban with NFL talent all over the field, but not with most college programs. Its as if players, outside of a couple, lost all instinct they learned over the years. Seems it was an all business, uptight atmosphere. I expect JH, and his background as a player knowing how to play loose, will be a factor, as he is well aware that overthinking means playing slower. Hopefully peer recruiting will pay off and we can impress some kids in the fall.
Every year I hear how the attitude is different and better only to discover its really a toxic shit show. I really hope its different this time, but I can't get my hopes up before seeing the product on the field.
Honestly, if you look at how things got late in Fulmer’s tenure, or Urban Meyer’s at Florida, I begin to think that it’s very, very hard not to turn your environment into a toxic shit show
I dont ever recall players throwing the former HC under the bus as these players have, on social media and in the players only portion of visits, where 3-4 players sit with a recruit and his family to answer questions without the presence of any staff.
You've got to not be an asshole or change assistants constantly while winning consistently. Meyer had no control of his locker room and Fulmer quit around 2002.
Heupel is trying to create a fun environment. I think he'll have to get a few years' worth of his recruits for it to really set in.
Coaches are fun and real. Feels like coaches are approachable about anything.. Atmosphere a 180 degree turn. They had no fun under Pruitt and it always felt like a job where they dreaded going to work.
I'll just keep repeating this: the up-side of being past the JG years is real and will likely be measurable.
I’ll go one further, I’ll say JG and his issues had as much to do with the programs woes as any coach any scheme. I’m looking forward hopefully to being pleasantly surprised by the QB play.
He definitely singlehandedly cost us games, missing wide open wrs for tds and first downs, but also then turning into turnovers. For example missing the wide open TE vs Florida, then turning it over a play or 2 later. 14 pt swing in 1 minute, and a deflated team. I dont think we as fans generally understand how much he mentally hurt our whole squad, game after game after game. And Pruitt allowed it to keep happening