let me start by saying I LIKE FROST. i want him to win here, and i think he will. but in my opinion, i think the issues with this team boil down to one thing: just being intentional about exactly what it is you want to see as a coach. that's what separates good/great coaches from the rest. i'm not sure we are being intentional about the simple things, and its showing.
- correction in practice. if practice is as high tempo as it supposedly is, how much time do they actually spend teaching and correcting? i'm pretty sure someone said last year that they actively do not spend time correcting, but rather, they focus on reps, and address corrections in the film room. maybe we need to adjust that a bit.
- player management. i don't think it's right for anyone to say they have no talent on this team. there is talent. but inexplicably, you only have wandale, spielman, and martinez, with a regressing washington and a limited mills. i find it hard to believe that those are the only guys we've been able to get ready, in spite of injuries. it's not right that you can't play other guys until someone gets hurt. that's just not going to work. there's no way in heck that guys will be ready when their number is called.
- coaches keep talking about waiting for playmakers to make play. that just doesn't sound right to me. i submit that if you are "waiting" for these playmakers, then that means you are not actively preparing them mentally and physically to perform when the lights are brightest. that needs to change. i know players play, coaches coach, but ultimately, there is something to be said for making sure players are ready to be fundamentally football players. these players haven't looked ready to play in any game this season, except maybe south alabama.
- coaching leadership. every week this season, the head coach has mentioned one player, and in most cases, mentioned a specific point of emphasis, and then another coach has come out and said something opposite, or the things the head coach mentions just shown up on gameday. the staff can be as close knit and familial as they want, but ultimately, i still contend that they aren't all on the same page. something is going on that we won't hear about. i can cite examples, but my post is too long already.
- being too cute, outhinking yourself, making adjustments in game. nothing more needs to be said. sometimes you have to move away from part of your gameplan in game or in season, really. you have to be humble enough to do so sometimes.
- you can't always coach effort, but you definitely don't have to allow poor effort either. this head coach said last year that there was no difference between "you can't" and "you won't". well, time to field only players who are willing. at least, that means we will have one of those two.
- correction in practice. if practice is as high tempo as it supposedly is, how much time do they actually spend teaching and correcting? i'm pretty sure someone said last year that they actively do not spend time correcting, but rather, they focus on reps, and address corrections in the film room. maybe we need to adjust that a bit.
- player management. i don't think it's right for anyone to say they have no talent on this team. there is talent. but inexplicably, you only have wandale, spielman, and martinez, with a regressing washington and a limited mills. i find it hard to believe that those are the only guys we've been able to get ready, in spite of injuries. it's not right that you can't play other guys until someone gets hurt. that's just not going to work. there's no way in heck that guys will be ready when their number is called.
- coaches keep talking about waiting for playmakers to make play. that just doesn't sound right to me. i submit that if you are "waiting" for these playmakers, then that means you are not actively preparing them mentally and physically to perform when the lights are brightest. that needs to change. i know players play, coaches coach, but ultimately, there is something to be said for making sure players are ready to be fundamentally football players. these players haven't looked ready to play in any game this season, except maybe south alabama.
- coaching leadership. every week this season, the head coach has mentioned one player, and in most cases, mentioned a specific point of emphasis, and then another coach has come out and said something opposite, or the things the head coach mentions just shown up on gameday. the staff can be as close knit and familial as they want, but ultimately, i still contend that they aren't all on the same page. something is going on that we won't hear about. i can cite examples, but my post is too long already.
- being too cute, outhinking yourself, making adjustments in game. nothing more needs to be said. sometimes you have to move away from part of your gameplan in game or in season, really. you have to be humble enough to do so sometimes.
- you can't always coach effort, but you definitely don't have to allow poor effort either. this head coach said last year that there was no difference between "you can't" and "you won't". well, time to field only players who are willing. at least, that means we will have one of those two.
