This is all a very good conversation. I would like to add a few thoughts.
BC threw a lot more stuff at us than I have seen in a single game before. Whether that changes drastically what the assignments are, I have no idea, but I would say it caused some confusion. That was palpable.
To my eye Shamire looked so much better. Did he whiff some? Yes. Did he pile drive some guys? Yes. Did he pass pro well? For the majority of plays, yes. Did he have energy the entire game? Absolutely yes. In fact, he had the look of relaxed confidence late in the game when he used to look in a panic a little because he was so darned tired. I don't know what all his assignments were and I frankly don't care. This was his first game among the leaders.
Second string players are people too. They are working hard, and if the guy on first string is missing assignments, then that guy on second string deserves to be a part of the conversation. First string players are entitled to NOTHING. All this consternation over the depth chart should just stop. Coach may not have called a perfect game. Lord knows I never have. However, that has absolutely nothing to do with whether he should hammer the point home with his kids when they screw up. If they have been executing better during camp and didn't during the game, then dammmmmit, they should hear about it and hear about it with passion. As long as it can be backed up on film, I have absolutely no problem with getting after the players. Maybe instead, our players should just run to one of those "safe spaces" on campus where their feelings can't be hurt. Give me a break. We don't need to be protecting our players from our padded seats at home. The guy across the LOS next week will be trying to take their effing heads off.
We can all have our opinions about whether coach should throw his players under the bus in public. Whatever. In the player's meetings, I darn sure hope they are being taught about their mistakes.
As Flea said, we won the game.
I am glad our coach is driving home the message that we can be better. Seriously, do we really wish he was pumping the kids up in the film room telling them how great they are because they won the game? That is a recipe for disaster if we did indeed play sloppy. On the sideline after the game, praise them for heart and finding a way to win. In the film room, pound them for mistakes and FORCE them to get better. We are not looking for mediocrity this season. If we are going to be better, we have to shoot for it.
I am incredibly sensitive to the entitlement mentality. It drives me crazy. Another 3-9 season is just waiting for us if we are willing to accept it. Coaches don't have to be perfect before they are allowed to criticize the players, point out mistakes, and motivate them to fix them, even by force. For you people in our readership out there who have folks working for you, imagine how you would react if one of your people approached you and said " I am not working better because you aren't motivating me properly".
