I will preface by saying I have not posted in a LONG time. However, all of this anti-Herman talk has me fired up.
Anyone thinking Herman and his staff are not our guys...you are wrong. This man knows football, and has learned it from great coaches. He will be a great coach himself. I am a former football coach, and have dealt with issues like he is dealing with on an obviously much smaller scale. Many people calling for his head have probably never coached a down of football in their lives. These things take time. Remember, DKR was 6-4-1 in his first year as HFC.
Here is what I know:
- Herman and his staff inherited a team in which only 4 players have ever been a part of a winning season. Let that sink in for a second. Changing a losing culture is incredibly difficult. Again, if you've never coached, you don't understand how hard that is.
- This team went 5-7 last year...and it was a very bad 5-7 (I was at the KU game...the complete lack of engagement from the team on the sideline was humiliating and infuriating).)
- This team has basically had the perfect storm when it comes to injuries. Hell, we actually found a QB with moxie, only to have him injured. In reality, if he is properly assessed, we possibly win OU or OSU games because we don't put him back out there.
- We had a schedule with one Non-Con cupcake...and we thoroughly beat the daylights out of them.
- The OL injuries have decimated the entire team....they are more important than any injury to any skill player.
- Our DL has been lucky to be injury free, therefore our D has been great. How else do you think we are able to play odd fronts with only 2 second level defenders against 11 personnel with the threat of QB run (Essentially a potential 8 on 5) and still consistently stop the run?
Despite all of this, we have been in almost every game, and have played hard in each of them. I realize people are not in the mood to hear about moral victories, but many of you are very young and did not live through the late 80's and early 90's like I did. Those seasons were like these. Unfortunately, we have been here before. We have been here in different times in our history, and we will be here in the future. If you are a lifer like myself, you will go through a few of these. If you love a team for your life, you will go through 2-3 periods of despair, and 2-3 period of euphoria.
Right now, Herman is working on shifting the culture of this program. He is making it to one where we do not quit in football games. Even in this most recent game, the D took a chance at 17-7 and simply missed a tackle that would have been a turnover on downs. Instead, we sold out and it went for 6.
This team doesn't quit....that's important to note. Even teams under Mack quit (63-14 ring a bell?). We have great days ahead. Be patient and let this play out.
Again...DKR was 6-4-1 in his first year...sure glad we didn't quit on him after one year...