Most of the time, all problems are due to lack of good coaching. The teams which keep all mistakes down to a small percentage, the results are most always due to the coaching and the mindset of certain members of the team. Fundamental tackling, blocking, etal, is also due to good coaching. Regardless of those who think these things don't happen, they do happen. Many times when a team is unhappy with certain segments of the process, linemen will sometimes let tacklers through on purpose, backs will run lackluster, receivers will miss easy passes, etal. A fan can bury his head in the sand, but these things do happen every season at some schools. I have seen it happen many times over the years, and I have no doubt that it happened at USC this past year until Kiffin was fired. I have seen teams make all these little mistakes and purposeful omissions to get a coach fired. The next year, a new coach comes in and miraculously all of these items disappear and everyone is doing well again. Regardless of the naysayers on this issue, it absolutely does happen every year at some schools.
Will these problems disappear next year, when the team is not divided on the choice of quarterbacks, remains to be seen. I am sure there will less division over this issue next year, but if the team is unhappy in other areas, the same type of problems may exist. For instance, if there is no free substitution and few players get all the playing time in the games, I can assure you there will not be blissfulness on the team (unless the team is winning most of the games), because the less players that get in a game, the less each feels part of the team, and this creates more disharmony. Although, I detest the idea of players not giving their best because they do not like the choices or coach, the fans can see the same things of which the players are aware. It was no secret to the fans that Vad Lee was not the answer as an option QB. It was indisputable about the reasoning that the other QB's should have been given playing time to provide an alternative and ready the other QB's for game service. If the QB was performing at high efficiency, there would have been no division among the players regarding this issue, nor would the fans have been unhappy with the choices made.
Personally, I think the ineptness of the team this past year was a shared role of both the coaches and the players. I think the players became upset at some of the poor choices and game plans by the coaches, and I believe some of the players did not try to do their best.
Rodney's post ^ makes good sense and would explain a lot. Recall when Bobby Ross was very close to hanging it up at Tech and move on. The players called a private meeting and aired out their laundry. Next thing you know, we don't lose anymore games that season and finish as national champs the next year. Call it team chemistry or whatever, you don't win consistently without it (e.g., compare Bobby Cremins vs. B*** L****), regardless of the quality of the players.
