I've been thinking about this "lose the locker room" business as well as Heupel being a "players coach". Should it not be a 2 way street? Heupel is supposed to stick with and support Joe Milton because he's a good guy and has been loyal. So when a team or a good many players just mail it in against SCjr last year, UF this year, bama for a half this year and the entire game against Mizzou this year, isn't it fair to think this team might lose a position coach, coordinator or head coach? Why wouldn't a staff look to someone else if the player they put their faith in isn't getting it done or giving 100% for 4 quarters? Is that the coaches fault? Does the coach not owe it to the rest of the team to play any player who can help the team win?
I can accept our talent deficiencies and losing as long as the fight is there. For a good many, it was not there on Saturday. Aside from the talent deficiencies on this team, a bigger problem is our staff trying a bit too hard to be "players coaches" instead of just being coaches? Maybe turning to a younger player and putting some of these secure juniors/seniors on the bench is precisely what this staff should have done far earlier this season? Based on Saturday's performance, it's hard to imagine things being any worse. For that matter, the fans would be a lot less upset knowing a kids youth led to the breakdowns instead of a lack of effort by upperclassmen. Maybe that's how bama and uga keep their teams focused week in and week out. You take a play off at those places and there's someone salivating at the prospect of taking your job and more importantly, they know those coaching staffs won't hesitate to pull the trigger. Look at the impact on Milroe. Everyone said Milroe would be done when they benched him early in the season. Didn't turn out that way at all. Probably lit a fire under him that's led to a very solid year from the kid. No, I'm not calling for Nico. Just using Milroe as an example. Yeah, the stench from the Mizzou embarrassment remains in my nostrils.
