I am one of the most historically optimistic Coog Fans for over 2.5 decades… often historically accused of “sunshine pumping”.
And it’s as plain as day to me what everyone else is seeing. We are in trouble. The sample size is large enough now. This coaching staff is not it. When you are gifted a 10 win team that struck fear in anyone whom we played… When 11 months ago we crushed the heisman trouphy winner, when last year we took Oklahoma to school with relative ease… And in half a season turn the team into what we are seeing now can only mean one thing - it’s the coaching. And we are not just losing, but losing in embarrassing, heartbreaking ways. We kept the Herman blueprint specifically to avoid this.
I don’t have the patience – and I am not alone in this as 25,000+ empty seats will back me up on this one next home game – I don’t have the patience to live through another Jenkins, Helton, Dimel or Levine.
Talked to many long time Cougars today and folks are freaking out on a level I have rarely ever seen. And rightfully so. This is simply not acceptable ever, and certainly not for another 2 seasons.
Though I feared it (like everyone else did in the back of our collective Cougar minds), I dare not have dreamed we quite possibly may not even qualify for a bowl this year. From P5 crashers to possibly not even bowl eligible when 70plus teams go bowling is simply hard to believe. All in 6 weeks of the season.
I want Applewhite to be successful, I like the guy. I love our players and know they work hard and play for pride and the glory of UH.
But, as I said before in an earlier thread, this is damaging us in a mighty way. And I have never wanted to be more wrong and will gladly eat crow if it gets turned around in short order. However, I ain’t counting on it. And as a sunshine pumper, I don’t like feeling this way.
I hear what you are saying and the losses have been disappointing this season. For me, it is not as clear to me yet whether the coaching is the true cause but I am not an expert. I will give Major the benefit of the doubt that he needs a King / Bryson (or the incoming recruit) to run this offense. If this is the case, I am more confused by King not getting a chance now and I have to wonder why Major does not already have “his guy” running the show since he is not new to the program. With an outsider, we are usually told to wait a couple of years to implement his system. As you pointed out, this was a continuity hire.
Let’s not forget that while last year’s team did take down OU and Louisville, it also lost to SMU and Memphis so there were obviously some coaching issues last year. And there were some significant players on the defense lost to the draft / NFL free agency. Ironically, last night’s 2nd half defense is what I expected this season from the outset with the loss of talent and a new DC and losing to Memphis 41-38 is not a surprise – just the way it happened with 42 points in a half…Ugh!
Oh well, I appreciate the dedication and passion. I just don’t have it in me to do the rollercoaster thing anymore so I am just showing up to watch football and resetting my expectations to the Briles era: 1) bowl eligibility; 2) try to win the conference.
We played horribly against Tulsa and we lost two close games to very good teams that have either been ranked or are currently ranked. Both of those teams have QBs that are as good as anyone in the country.
Let’s not forget we have a win against Arizona who is 4-2 with wins over Colorado and UCLA.
The Tulsa game was abysmal but show me a season where we havent had a Tulsa type game. There is always one.
I am not happy either but objectively I think if this team has a healthy Greg Ward we are undefeated. We are a QB away.
My biggest gripe is this staff plays not to lose. When you have somebody down, put your boot on their throat. When we have a lead Major wants to shorten the game not lengthen the lead.
This coaching staff just has no killer instinct. When we have the opportunity to put an opponent away, we become the most conservative. We have seen this in every game. On offense and on defense. At this rate, if you are a recruit, put tradition and all that aside, ask yourselves if this is the coaching staff that you want to play for? Everybody wants to play for a team that is a winner. Has swagger. Are we playing like that kind of team today? This season could have a longer term impact than just this season. Ugly football.
How could anyone not think it’s the coaching? Have you seen Applewhite’s press conferences? The guy clearly has that “deer in the headlights” look. I think he realizes he is in way over his head. I simply do not see any sense of passion or excitement from him - too low key and very uninspiring. I think we’re in real trouble. Three years of this mediocrity will kill this program and attendance/support will disappear.
The game hurt a lot. It was heartbreaker, we had so many chances. That int in the end zone, just hold on to it. The penalty after was such a non call but it changed everything. Then the Postma fumble and I just couldn’t take anymore. Still I think it just feels worse than it. Our offense can be better but we saw more. Given who is in the system I think our future is much brighter. It sucks this will not be a very good year but I don’t think we should jump the ship after less than season with Applewhite. That seems unfair
We had 540 total yards. Offense scored 3 TDs in second half. Best all around offensive scoring performance this year. Balanced attack too. This game was lost by our defensive secondary not understanding the basics of covering. When the WR looks up/back that means the ball is coming and you need to find it and make a play on it. Our guys are just chasing the WRs around a trying to make a tackle after the catch. This is their play outside the red zone and I have to believe they are coached to do it that way. So the secondary coach needs changed.
Sorry. I was talking about the season in general and not just the collapse in the 2nd half against Memphis.
I thought the offense finally looked good enough against Memphis. The defense started the season well so I hold the offense mostly accountable for the season so far. But I agree the defense owns the Memphis loss.
This is what Applewhite has to own up to. We saw it on day one vs Arizona but lots of us were willing to chalk it up to first game jitters, playing a road P5 team, etc.
Now in the middle of the season the offense is still plain vanilla and this is strictly an Applewhite trait.
Getting your doors blown off my Tulsa should’ve started his change of plans
Now going forward he better open up the offense. He’ll lose to USF regardless. Better to go down guns blazing.
It’s frustrating to see the inconsistency. Tulsa was just a horrible loss, and then the team looks good for part of a game against a decent Memphis team, then falls apart. I’m not sure what kind of team we really are, but it’s clear we aren’t good enough to win unless we play very well. I honestly don’t know how much of this is coaching and how much talent; probably a combination of both, but the troubling thing to me is it seems likely that the rest of the season isn’t going to be pretty. It’s becoming clear to me that there’s no simple, or quick, solution.