Thank you to all of you with the positive and forward thinking posts.
I also want to thank all the fans that showed up...I know it didnt look full or loud on TV but the late arriving crowd filled in pretty well in the lower bowl level and made it tough on UNC to get some plays off and Kaaya even had to quiet the crowd a bit. Many stayed beyond a horrid mistake filled first hafl...I look forward to seeing what this team can do in person in Blacksburg on Thursday!
It is not time to remove Richt as OC nor is it time to bench Kaaya. Richt has years of experience winning 9-10 games on average in the SEC. If there was a better QB option on this squad he would have that individual on the field. He admitted he called too many passes too early at FSU. I liked the play calling at UNC better. I like running to set up the pass...can this OL do it? I doubt it now. But I like that philosophy versus throwing it around, not running clock and getting Kaaya further killed back there.
Let's talk about execution. I re-watched the game twice this morning. There was no play that I saw where all 11 guys executed what they were supposed to do. That is concerning. We all heard this week how bad the offense practiced this week. It showed in the game. The OL does not run block well or pass block long enough. Walton dances and misses holes. Yearby does not have Walton's speed or strength but he does hit holes better. I would like to see what Gus or Homer would do on those third and fourth down and short scenarios. There is no better OL option. This is not Richt's fault. That is on the former staff. Please someone tell me as OL coach how would you fix this mess? No depth, one injured starter from the FSU game, you are seeing the roster issues from years of failed recruiting. If the players execute what was called yesterday, Miami wins this game.
What I will call out Richt for is the continued penalties by seniors and upperclassmen. I dont mind Richards or one of the frosh LB's making a 15 yard mistake. But Coley? McDermott? Elder? Lewis? I would hope (though I doubt) that the seniors or upper classmen get together finally and say no more to the penalty nonsense and stupid mistakes. Richt should create a sit out a series or two or something for these penalties and mistakes regardless of who you are, what class you are and what position you play. Unacceptable and makes us look like a laughing stock perception wise.
Kudos to the punter yesterday and punt return unit...really took Switzer out of punt return. Kudos to the kickoff team (not returns) but kickoff team as the kicker and coverage have improved recently.
Please take Lewis off of kick returns. I get the coaches think he is the best back there. I would rather see someone more dangerous....why not coley or elder or homer or mullins or even berrios?
Please put someone more dangerous back on punt returns. I get Berrios having the best hands but we are putting no pressure on a teams punter to not kick to a guy. We dont have a dangerous threat back there...perhaps that is also a roster defficiency from the past regime.
Proud of the defense...keep in mind they had no Carter back there in first half. When Carter returned, the pass d tightened up minus that one drive where it looks like redwine was hurt. The second team defense across the board major drop off. Re-watch the game...when UNC made big plays it was when subs were in along all three lines of defense. Definite improvement on effort and execution of D. Only play I question is on the Switzer TD I thought Elder was shadowing him everywhere and Johnson was on him on that play and barely missed the pass break up. I couldnt tell if Elder was out, hurt or if UNC just caught them sleeping with that matchup.
I get that folks need to rant and rave. But do not stop supporting this team. Keep coming to games as you can and continue to give this staff a chance. If you asked me halfway through this season for 4-2 with two close losses and winnable games I would take it. Did anyone really think this team with a huge lack of depth and elite talent would go undefeated or challenge for playoffs this year?
Likely the coastal is out...that is disappointing. But can still finish the month winning at VT and at ND. 6-2 headed into Nov with a winning record in Oct? Ill take that.
I think who plays this week in terms of injuries will really have an impact on this game Thurs...not sure how banged up VT is but Canes will be missing some guys and depth may be tested. Good news there is Richt and his staff rest of the season for recruiting and keeping guys scholarships active can really take a look and see who will fight and who can play and who needs to go. As a recruit, what an opportunity to come in here and play early...the staff has to sell that, if this recruiting class is not a top 5 in the country come signing day and if we all arent excited about this coming signing day, it will be a major fail and time to fully criticize this staff.
This team will face more adversity on the road in hostile environments the next two weeks, it will be exciting to see how they react. I am not going to call out Richt or any coach. I will call out every third and fourth year player on this team. What are you doing to lead? How are you leading by example on the field? Are you walking the sideline and getting guys pumped up or calming them down when needed? Who is telling folks to not make stupid penalties and mistakes beyond the coaches? Or do those few jrs/srs that are NFL bound already have a foot out the door for a possible draft spot...that has been an issue around here since the Coker years and it takes more than one year of partial recruiting to fix that.
