It would be good to point out that only 5 teams in the top 25 have played 8 games in 8 weeks and only 2 of those teams play this weekend. 9 games in 9 weeks is a tough schedule even when you play an FCS and rest a couple of starters.
There is a chance that the “toughest practices in the FBS” could be having a toll on our durability in the long haul.
There aren’t a lot who played 4 in 19 days though. There’s a reason they are so beat up.
I am surprised this has not been a question in the press conferences over the last few weeks. With all of the injuries, the drop in on-field performance and no bye week for a while in the season, how has this impacted the team’s energy and ability to perform? Would he change it in hindsight? It seemed to pay off against OU
May want to listen to his last press conference. He goes into detail about injuries, including practice vs games. So much speculation.
Until the coaches solve the problem, isn’t their answers just speculation as well?
Terrible thread
Terrible thread
I think that it started out terrible, but turned into more of a discussion that kind of invalidated the first post. There are a myriad of possibilities why UH isn’t playing well. For UH fans to keep going to the “Coach must be leaving” card is no better than the bloggers who keep perpetuating the rumor. Sometimes teams lose games. Some times seasons go poorly. Ask Michigan State or Notre Dame fans about that. Does that mean their coaches are looking for other jobs?
Just accept the fact your team isn’t going to win the conference and go to a NY6 bowl every season. I remember in the off-season so many people posting and talking like UH was a shoe-in for NY6 bowl every single year. That isn’t how sports works. You have to play the games and hope you are blessed with enough wins to get there. If you don’t get enough wins, accept it, don’t come up with conspiracy theories.
100% agree.
Our society has become a video game society. Video games are not real folks. That instant result that you MANUFACTURE never happens in real life.
I keep mentioning it but the margin between a loss and a win can be very often minimal.
You gamble? Gambling is there so YOU CAN LOSE YOUR MONEY, NOT MAKE MONEY.
When I see there is a line on a game, any game it makes me cringe. A single injury can make or break a team. That is unfortunate but it is true.
Coaches are often second guessed or ridiculed. I can tell you that a Coach, any Coach lives their job 24 hours a day. That is why you have some many of them that are “burned out” The bad Coaches are the ones that make the same bad decisions over and over again.
Great discussion on reality. Go Coogs
I think a lot of the complaints aren’t valid. Talking about a tough training camp hurting us isn’t a good one. We used to complain about soft training camps where players weren’t prepared for tough games. I don’t think Herman leaving rumors are hurting directly either, they started in the middle of last season and were all anybody talked about during the conference championship run and Peach bowl.
To me it starts with a below average O-line, no depth at skills positions, and a couple holes in the secondary (sorry #1). That led to an overrated OC not being able to adjust as the season goes on. It led to a team like Navy making a back up LB and #1 floor mats, and it all came together when mixed in with no real leaders to divide and destroy the team as times got hard. That brings up the main problem now, there was no E-Rob or Farrow in anybody’s face when they weren’t producing. Cooper isn’t leading the O-line and helping out other guys.
We still have enough talent to win any game remaining on our schedule. That only happens if there is a significant event in the locker room to unite players. Also Applewhite has got to make adjustments. The defense will be fine, especially if Bowser can come back for Louisville/Memphis. Turnovers will come.
FortWorthCoog dropping some serious knowledge on this thread. Well done, sir! I completely agree with your entire post.
So how do we explain a team that used to allow no one to run against them to giving up 300 yds vs. Navy (ok, I know the suspension hurt and Navy’s triple option is hard to defend) and 178 yards with 0 sacks vs. SMU. The DL and LB crew that kept rushes to inches per carry earlier in the year struggled in those two losses. They did a little better against Tulsa but it is not like it was to start the season. Were there depth issues at those spots vs. SMU?
I am not throwing the defense under the bus but the sudden drop off in results is surprising and leaves many of us looking for what changed. For the SMU game, I feel like the two turnovers to start the game gave SMU the confidence they needed. Ward and crew were moving down the field with ease on that first drive – they get that opening score and I think the SMU players are thinking “here we go again”. I cannot explain the defensive struggles for UH.
We can all throw theories out as to why it has happened but none of us know for sure and I cannot rule out the coaching rumors, the training approach (even Herman is he will look at the approach in the offseason), the unity of the team after the fight, the late bye week, the lack of depth, etc.
Going undefeated is always tough but losing to SMU hopefully serves as a wake up call.
No Bowser or Taylor against Navy, that with a safety who is a poor tackler and a CB who wont even try did us in pretty good. Against SMU there were two break downs for big runs for 40 yards and 38 yards, but we did a pretty decent job overall holding them to 100 yards on 38 carries outside of those. They had our defense gassed with quick throws and a variety of runs. We never got a chance to really get pressure on the QB because of their style (Baylor only had 1 sack on them while SMU was forced to play from behind the whole game). Other than the 2nd quarter the defense was pretty good against SMU, the offense was just trash.
I agree with you on hoping it’s a wake up call. This is something that needs to wake up the team and get them to play together and get their “swagger” back. Somebody needs to call a players only meeting or do something.
Baylor had 2 sacks against NWST and 2 sacks against Rice. Baylor’s schedule has been a joke so far. 1/3rd of their sacks for the season came against the worst team in FBS football, KU. Let’s not compare our defense to theirs.
It’s a joke to say our defense was pretty good “other than the 2nd quarter.” We allowed an 88 yard drive in the first quarter and their first score in the second quarter started with a 31 yard pass in the first quarter.
They had a 28-7 lead at half and they did what any bad team does. SMU took their foot off the gas. It had nothing to do with our defense suddenly getting it. Their first three drives in the second half ended with completions short of the first down. The were making sure they weren’t going to lose the game by giving away points.
Fortunately UCF and Tulane aren’t much better than SMU. So the defense has a chance to work out the kinks before we play Louisville.
Things did change for us when Miles was fired-
Then getting turn down for the Big 12 was the nail to the coffin.
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