Maybe On The Banks is right about us. We might be the worst team in a very bad league, folks. Building a team under new leadership is a process, and that process is usually accompanied by growing pains. And today was a really, really bad cramp on our teen-aged body.
Coaching changes and system changes take time to be successful. It's not like we were playing for a BCS game this year anyway, so I think all we can ask is that we see progress week to week. At the quarterback position, let's hope that progress comes sooner than later. B.J. Daniels has failed to impress this year so far, and he's had five games to take charge of this offense. It'll be up to Skip to decide if the mistakes he's making are correctable, and whether he should be the guy for the balance of this year and the next two seasons. Certainly he's enough of an athlete that he needs to be on the field in some capacity. His backup Bobby Eveld is a true freshman, so it doesn't seem like we have somewhere else to turn in 2010 even if we wanted to, barring yet another Evan Landi position change.
I'm sure a lot of the focus will be on BJ in the aftermath, but at least it's a short week before West F'in Virginia. I was at today's game with beer in hand, and I don't have the benefit of film or replay, but it certainly didn't seem like he had a lot of time out there either. We all knew this was going to be a tough year, but honestly I didn't think it would be this bad. I mean we've owned Syracuse like we do the Marshall Center. But it is often darkest before the dawn.
The loss go beyond our wounded pride as well. This makes it pretty difficult to get to six wins and a sixth straight bowl. And that's a streak which is a legitimate point of pride for our program. The extra practice time could be very useful in building for 2011 also.
But it is what it is, so let's just ask for continued improvement until Skip can get the players he needs to run the system he wants. We usually leave the football around here to Ken and Voodoo, but Ken is stuck in traffic, and Voodoo is watching is beloved Rays get knocked out of the playoffs near his Dallas home. And I didn't DVR the game. So this is off the top of my head.
Positives: Lindsey Lamar's run back. Craig Marshall in beast mode. Um, uh... short week so no time to sulk??
Negatives: Allowing the winning 98 yard drive. Tackling. Kicking game (blocked PAT? Really??). INT's and inefficiency in the passing game. Skinny Raymond getting hurt. Allowing 178 yards rushing.
Add or subtact from that Cliffs Notes list in the comments.