CSNbbs

It is becoming obvious that this team not only pulled its fair share of wool over the pre-season coaches eyes when deciding who was going to come out strong this year. This same sweater was wrapped firmly around many of our own craniums too. We have talent... just not enough.

I think Cubit and Co. have been forced into plugging square blocks into round holes hoping nobody notices all year long. Trying every and anything to get momentum, change games, and steal wins. This team to me, is exactly what it was supposed to be... mediocre at best. WMU is on the cusp of fielding a strong squad year in and year out, this year is just not one of those teams.

Let me come back to talent. We have talent, alot of talent... but that talent is forced into covering for the missing pieces... the holes in the roster that arent as talented... thus taking one really talented kid, and making him do more than he should have to... or be critizided along side his peers when things don't quite go the right way.

Miller was quoted as saying about his defense... "I coach what I know... do you want me to try and coach something im not familiar with?" True... so true. We have to live and die by the sword that the queen of the BCS has handed us. That sword has surgically removed many of the organs that made our system breathe last year... and well... this is what happens the following year(s). Hate to say it... but this is a mini-building time. WE just dont have the pieces to the puzzle... and now your understanding why Dad Cubit, liked son Cubit so much at QB.

Ryan was smart, and i mean smart as hell in that system. He knew what was happening, and the talent of Hiller just isnt polished when he has to think so much about doing the right thing. Jennings and Scheffler offered him consistent reliable targets when he was a freshman... this skews how he looks right now because he doesnt have that go to comfort he was used to having... Our recievers are good now, but they arent that good yet. I like what I see... but there are confidence issues brewing all over that field... and its only going to get worse if we keep calling for the heads of the coaching staff... and berrating individuals on performance.

The smoke in mirrors is the retoric that Cubic must throw to the press... even though we all knew he wasnt happy with his offense before the season started... we all saw smoke and figured he was just blowing things out of proportion as a coach who is as picky about perfection as Captain Cubit is. Nope... he was serious.. and now we are seeing what he meant... I have been more than criticle of the coaching staff this year... and I officially back off that stance. Bad play calls are only bad if they apparently fall flat on the field... If hiller gets the first down on the 3rd and 11 using the qb sneak.. and it goes from dumbest call ever.. to brilliant! Bill Cubit is trying to make a cake right now... and he has the eggs, milk... cake mix... no bowl... no spoons... and an oven thats on the fritz half the time... He's the same coach, the same man... that has brought respectability and accountability to this program again. We shouldn't soon forget.

That sounds all well and good, but the reality is if we get a clipping call vs. Akron we're 3-1, and if we get a better spot on West's 10 yard run on 3rd down then we keep the ball for 2 more minutes minimum, maybe get a field goal, and BSU doesn't have the luxury of a 4 minute waltz down the field.

I'm not blaming officials when I say this, I'm only pointing out that this is a game of inches, and the difference between being 4-0 instead of 2-2 is that close.

Last year Cubit Jr. made a great come back against EMU to steal a game at the end scoring 15 points in the final quarter. That was a game of inches that went our way. NIU fumbled inside the 5 yard line, and we ended up winning 16-14. Game of inches again. Nate Meyer had to kick a 21 yard field goal in the final minute to beat Miami last year.

Now if the football gods didn't lean our way last year we don't have 8 wins we have 5.

This team is better than last years team in my opinion and on paper it should be, as it is full of numerous players from last year, with a year more of experience. Execution and dumb luck is the difference. Part of that stems from new coaches, but most of it stems from players not exectuting. As for the dumb luck. One has no control over that.

The schedule hurt us early both in Ws and Ls and in developing a team identity. The loss to Akron killed all the momentum from the modest win streak against CCSU and Toledo, and the D let down against Ball State. 1-3 at home and a bunch of missed chances. As the Big Tuna likes to say we are what our record says we are.

What really hurts is that the division is so wide open and everybody else has problems to. Even in the midst of all this disappointment if we got a few breaks Saturday we could have been in position to steal a MAC championship. Hey there is always next year, I believe we will have a strong squad coming back next season and hopefully a more favorable schedule.

I'm not so sure that the D let down against Ball St. - that was the most potent offense we had faced in the MAC this year, averaging 34 ppg.

A couple of big plays (one on a "gadget play") killed us. Defensive mistakes, yes. But I still lay that loss on the failure of the redzone offense.

What I despise is the stupid MAC divisional format. Either scrap the divisions or just go to a 9 game conference schedule with all MAC games counting.

10 punts and numerous 3 and outs is not a let down. As MH said BSU was held below their scoring average, only the second time it's been done this year.

As Cubit stated today, yesterdays loss was about a lack of execution in the redzone.

Quote:I'm not blaming officials when I say this, I'm only pointing out that this is a game of inches, and the difference between being 4-0 instead of 2-2 is that close.

You all make solid points, but Dip makes the most astute ones. MAC teams are all very close in ability. The difference between winning and losing any game is usually pretty small.

But confidence certainly factors in. You get a few wins, confidence builds and suddenly you're making those few inches that make all the difference. You don't have confidence and you're coming up inches short.

This team seems to lack swagger and confidence. Many of the players are the same, but we're not approaching challenges the same. Is the difference in the coaching?? Good question.

Coaches are about 10% of the equation. For instance, Brian Kelly and Longo realizing Joe Staley's blazing speed might show up even if he puts on 60 lbs of muscle, is what seperates good coaches from bad coaches (Deboard). That recogzition was apart of our MAC Championship success and made Joe millions.

Coaching then is about putting players in the right position for success. Any dummy can work out the X's and O's.

Talent however is 90% of the equation. Every year Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern, Minn have the same opportunity to win the BIG 10 as Michigan or OSU. But no matter how much they want it, no matter how much Lloyd Carr sucks, no matter how many times they have lost, they can't overcome those extra stars and extra ounces of talent that the Michigan and OSU recruits have.

Once in a while the script flips, but the reality is set in stone.