Benning is all about the effort

Well.....hmmmmmm.....

I obviously didn't see what I wanted to see and honestly, that is the biggest source of confusion in my head right now. Yes, there are questions on the coaching staff. A prime example is, why the heck do we pass so many times against a team that is so bad against the run. I honestly felt like I was watching Huskers vs. ISU 2004 version. Going against a really bad rushing defense and thinking we need to pass constantly. It makes no sense.

However, my post in this thread was about player effort and attitude. This is what truly baffles me. Did they practice at all last week? Did they watch any films or actually do anything to prepare for this game? OK....I firmly believe that if TA was playing, we win this game. BUT, he wasn't. So...where was the players on the team around Fyfe saying...."Hey, it's your first start and we got your back." Where was the attitude from the O line that they have a new QB behind them and they need to step up their game and protect him so he can calm down and have a chance to be successful? Where was the Center saying...."Hey....I will make sure I hike the ball correctly so he can do his job".

Fyfe made some mistakes and I'm sure he knows that. Throw the ball away....PLEASE. However, most of those interceptions were while he was running for his life.

I honestly have no clue how a football program can come out and play with the total lack of attitude they did on Saturday. I purposely didn't post over the weekend because I wanted to really think about what I saw....well....my attitude hasn't changed. I have never been personally around a sports team that has the talent on it like they do but have the attitude they do at the same time.

Like I said, the coaches made mistakes. However, the players deserve one heck of a lot of blame for that game. I don't care if you have "bought in" or don't like the staff. Where the hell is your pride in going out and kicking someone's a$$?

This absolutely baffles me.

 
[SIZE=medium]Amen[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Hasn’t the hitting been gone from the in season practice schedule for a while now? (Billy C and Pelini included)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Take a page from Pete Carroll and have competition Tuesday where every single job is up for grabs.[/SIZE]

 
Pretty hard to have hitting in practice when your squad looks like a MASH unit. Can you imagine the uproar from the "fans" if some starters got hurt in practice because of the hitting going on.

There would be torches and pitchforks calling for the coaching staffs head. "Shouldn't they know not to have as much hitting in practice with as many injuries they've had this year. This staff is a joke and just doesn't get it"

Damned if they do....Damned if they don't. Can't win.

 
brophog said:
Agreed, though that's a problem across all programs now. Even at the next level.
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Agree that it is a problem. However, there are programs that still have that edge about them.

This is what I'm talking about. We haven't had that in a very very long time and that has to come from within the players. Sure, a coach can help it along. But, where is that fire within the players? It's just not there.

 
Benning still calling out effort today. But is also calling out the coaches for a bad game plan, not having "tough" enough practices, and not having any consequences for poor play.

 
Red Five said:
Listening the Sharp & Benning on podcast this morning. Only through Segment 2, but Benning is calling out the effort of this team. He doesn't absolve the coaches, but says the players need to "buy in" and "care" and that seems to be his #1 problem.

He talked about TA and his (bad) decision making, but he said he would take 105 Tommy Armstrongs on this team because Tommy gives it his all and cares.
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walksalone said:
Red Five said:
Listening the Sharp & Benning on podcast this morning. Only through Segment 2, but Benning is calling out the effort of this team. He doesn't absolve the coaches, but says the players need to "buy in" and "care" and that seems to be his #1 problem.

He talked about TA and his (bad) decision making, but he said he would take 105 Tommy Armstrongs on this team because Tommy gives it his all and cares.
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I completely agree with Benning on this. If you think the players are giving full effort, then you didn't watch on Saturday.

 
It's going to become increasingly clear that this isn't an effort thing. Heck, Riley even said it wasn't an effort issue today in the press conference (said that it "frankly isn't" when pressed). I respect him for that, because he's right. He also made some great points about human nature and resisting the urge to throw up your hands when faced with adversity. Said the frustration is not a human flaw issue. It's a result of the bad losses suffered so far.

I wonder if guys like Benning will eat their words at some point. Because there's no historic precedent to indicate this staff has the ability to get anyone to perform over their own heads. That's just plain reality.

 
Red Five said:
Benning still calling out effort today. But is also calling out the coaches for a bad game plan, not having "tough" enough practices, and not having any consequences for poor play.
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I can see every aspect of that.

Illinois and Purdue both stand out as brutal examples of a poor game plan.

The practices do need to get tougher in my opinion. We've got too many guys taking bad pursuit angles and playing a bit un-aggressively. Maybe more game-like practices could help this, but with all the injuries on the team, I can see why the coaches are leery about anybody else getting hurt.

The effort thing has been pretty obvious and easy to spot. It's not everyone, but it is some. We are a very inconsistent team, have been for a long time. We have been in almost all aspects of the game, but Bo used to at least get a pretty consistent effort. It appears Riley does not get that same respect from the players, and I don't know if that should be all that surprising.

I still look at the talent of this team as probably better than Illinois and Purdue for sure, but if those talented players aren't executing, making plays or giving consistent effort, then it's not gonna matter. We've not been able to overcome our inconsistency with a huge play here or there like we did in the past. We've been an inconsistent team for a really long time, but we used to have that couple of guys that made up for it here or there with a few big plays per game. Abdullah's absence is huge for this team. I'd sure like a Randy Gregory at DE right now as well.

 
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