IIRC, aside from loosing Foster, Farmer, Oz and Stan, we only used a partial playbook last year. The entirity was not installed until this year. Perhaps the guys are thinking too much. trying to make the perfect "insert whatever" instead of kust beating the guy across from you. Ironically, to my eye, we seem more "vanilla" this year than last. I guess a perfect storm of youth, inexperience, complete playbook, lack of adjustments etc....
I think a lot of this is on desire. BUT alot falls on the coaches. It took 7 games to see guys half a$$ing? how many of us saw that against USA........