This board...seriously. Some of you guys are unbelievably...
That said, a few thoughts:
1. McGee impressed me by changing defensive coordinators immediately after FAU. I would have been more impressed, though, had he made that change after Memphis.
2. If you told me pre-season that we were going on the road in conference missing the following starters (particularly the upperclassmen) then I would have never bet on a win:
DE - Boyett-Sr
DT - Scott-Sr
S- Davis-Jr
S - Jones-Sr
CB-Farmer
LB-Challenger
2nd team S - Maclin
WR-Nelson
WR-Humphrey
WR-Williams -Sr (remember, I said pre-season)
But we won. Even though it was FIU (who, unlike UAB, had won a game over a D-1 team prior to this game... so I'm not sure who we think we are by looking down on them and while also whining about arrogant UAT fans....). We won without nine projected starters on the field (6 on defense), without our best player on offense and special teams (WR-Nelson) and our most productive player on defense (S-Jones), without our best defensive tackle (Scott - in a position where we have zero depth), and by mixing 3rd team true freshman safeties, a LB and a running back into our defensive backfield.
We won...anyway. And we won it under pressure in the four quarter in a do-or-die situation, as has already been pointed out. That's a good step forward. You don't go from crawling to running in one step, and baby we've been crawling for a while.
Oh, and we ran the ball really well against two FIU defensive tackles who are supposedly NFL quality players. We have several really impressive freshman on offense, but I digress.
With a team like UAB -thin depth-wise and full of freshmen and sophomores - injuries have more impact than with a deep, mature team.
So none of this is an excuse for losing prior games (FAU was an inexcusably poor game at home, and Troy was an inexcusably poor 4th quarter...both of those are games we had the ability to win but got outcoached and out-played) - but a celebration and recognition of how many obstacles the team had to overcome to win their first conference game on the road.
Finally, looking at the 2nd half stats, I think the new defensive coordinator has already made a difference. I'm not sure he's our guy long-term, but it's already an improvement. That position seems to have been McGee's blind spot prior to FAU. Glad to see that he's willing to learn and make changes and admit when he's wrong.
Out.
No one looks down on FIU in comparison to UAB, at least I don't. They are two really bad football teams. I just don't think you can take a lot from a game like this, much like you couldn't take much from the NWSU game. If we keep the ball rolling and show improvement over several games, ill change my tune.
You do make good points, however. We could've folded down the stretch like so many other blazer blunders of the past, and we did play through a lot of injuries.
Well said Ranger. Some on here need an enema.
(10-16-2013 06:48 AM)ranger1386b Wrote: [ -> ]This board...seriously. Some of you guys are unbelievably...
That said, a few thoughts:
1. McGee impressed me by changing defensive coordinators immediately after FAU. I would have been more impressed, though, had he made that change after Memphis.
2. If you told me pre-season that we were going on the road in conference missing the following starters (particularly the upperclassmen) then I would have never bet on a win:
DE - Boyett-Sr
DT - Scott-Sr
S- Davis-Jr
S - Jones-Sr
CB-Farmer
LB-Challenger
2nd team S - Maclin
WR-Nelson
WR-Humphrey
WR-Williams -Sr (remember, I said pre-season)
But we won. Even though it was FIU (who, unlike UAB, had won a game over a D-1 team prior to this game... so I'm not sure who we think we are by looking down on them and while also whining about arrogant UAT fans....). We won without nine projected starters on the field (6 on defense), without our best player on offense and special teams (WR-Nelson) and our most productive player on defense (S-Jones), without our best defensive tackle (Scott - in a position where we have zero depth), and by mixing 3rd team true freshman safeties, a LB and a running back into our defensive backfield.
We won...anyway. And we won it under pressure in the four quarter in a do-or-die situation, as has already been pointed out. That's a good step forward. You don't go from crawling to running in one step, and baby we've been crawling for a while.
Oh, and we ran the ball really well against two FIU defensive tackles who are supposedly NFL quality players. We have several really impressive freshman on offense, but I digress.
With a team like UAB -thin depth-wise and full of freshmen and sophomores - injuries have more impact than with a deep, mature team.
So none of this is an excuse for losing prior games (FAU was an inexcusably poor game at home, and Troy was an inexcusably poor 4th quarter...both of those are games we had the ability to win but got outcoached and out-played) - but a celebration and recognition of how many obstacles the team had to overcome to win their first conference game on the road.
Finally, looking at the 2nd half stats, I think the new defensive coordinator has already made a difference. I'm not sure he's our guy long-term, but it's already an improvement. That position seems to have been McGee's blind spot prior to FAU. Glad to see that he's willing to learn and make changes and admit when he's wrong.
Out.
Thanks, ranger, for the reasoned explanation. That was spot on, and I needed to read that. I have been as frustrated as anyone, and get tired of the explaining/defending/excusing...but reading your post reminded me what we were up against, and how that win actually looks under those circumstances.
Those are are very good points and in any given year would be very understandable.
The problem is that UAB fans have been told we are too young, too injured, too unlucky to win for 10 years now. At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
(10-16-2013 11:32 AM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
Or dumb ears.
Deaf and dumb double entendre - see what I did there? I thought it was funny.
(10-16-2013 11:32 AM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]Those are are very good points and in any given year would be very understandable.
The problem is that UAB fans have been told we are too young, too injured, too unlucky to win for 10 years now. At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
This.
Every team in the country has injuries. Look at ECU, they have injuries all over, and their fans went nuts over 1 loss.
Why so many of our fans feel the need to defend a program that is consistently 4-8 over and over is beyond me. At a certain point, I don't want to hear any more excuses, I just want to see results.
(10-16-2013 11:26 AM)LPDragon Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks, ranger, for the reasoned explanation. That was spot on, and I needed to read that. I have been as frustrated as anyone, and get tired of the explaining/defending/excusing...but reading your post reminded me what we were up against, and how that win actually looks under those circumstances.
+1
(10-16-2013 11:32 AM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]Those are are very good points and in any given year would be very understandable.
The problem is that UAB fans have been told we are too young, too injured, too unlucky to win for 10 years now. At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
The one explanation that consistently falls on "deaf ears" is our lack of facilities that are on a par with the peers we have to play. We are now on our third FB coaching staff and still hoping for an improved record.
New coaches? CHECK! New players? CHECK! Same renovated weight room facilities or none at all in other categories? CHECK! Change of record for a season? We'll have to wait to see, but so far, no change. CHECK!
So far we seem to have an unshakable belief that a "house" (the FB program) can be built from the roof (Coaching staff) down to the foundation (infrastructure), not the other way around. What happens to UAB if, after a few years of "same old-same old" facilities, the McGee staff walks away from UAB as a hopeless cause?
(10-16-2013 12:44 PM)blazers9911 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2013 11:32 AM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]Those are are very good points and in any given year would be very understandable.
The problem is that UAB fans have been told we are too young, too injured, too unlucky to win for 10 years now. At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
This.
Every team in the country has injuries. Look at ECU, they have injuries all over, and their fans went nuts over 1 loss.
Why so many of our fans feel the need to defend a program that is consistently 4-8 over and over is beyond me. At a certain point, I don't want to hear any more excuses, I just want to see results.
Amen brother..
We're supposed to be OK with 3-4 wins this year, according to about 85% of posters here.
How many should we be OK with next year?
It was time to show some real change in the W/L column 4 years ago.
(10-16-2013 04:13 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2013 12:44 PM)blazers9911 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2013 11:32 AM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]Those are are very good points and in any given year would be very understandable.
The problem is that UAB fans have been told we are too young, too injured, too unlucky to win for 10 years now. At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
This.
Every team in the country has injuries. Look at ECU, they have injuries all over, and their fans went nuts over 1 loss.
Why so many of our fans feel the need to defend a program that is consistently 4-8 over and over is beyond me. At a certain point, I don't want to hear any more excuses, I just want to see results.
Amen brother..
We're supposed to be OK with 3-4 wins this year, according to about 85% of posters here.
How many should we be OK with next year?
It was time to show some real change in the W/L column 4 years ago.
I'm still holding out for 5. USM, a split between MTSU and UTSA, and steal another one somehow.
(10-16-2013 04:13 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote: [ -> ]Amen brother..
We're supposed to be OK with 3-4 wins this year, according to about 85% of posters here.
How many should we be OK with next year?
It was time to show some real change in the W/L column 4 years ago.
So, Answer, keeping in mind that you concern yourself with "both" questioning (still) how we got here and the immediate next steps - as per your reply in another thread - if it was time to see real change in the W/L column 4 years ago (we did, incidentally, as that was Callaway's 3rd season and he improved from season #2) you would think the coach back then would have been fired. Oh wait, he was.
The new coach took over a 3-win team - that, again, got that the coach fired - and got 3 wins out of them. This surprised you? I'm kind of confused because you acknowledge history when pointing out how long we've been bad, but you talk about the present as if some "water to wine" miracle should dang-right have taken place between "then" (two weeks ago? last season? when you last got into this yesterday?) and "now" (apparently, right this instant...not as per the FIU game).
You know it doesn't, almost "laws of physics" doesn't, happen that way, right? The new coach has his first, fully-his recruiting class in the program plus that weird "semi-his" class coaches have when they take over. That "fully-his" class is having a very visible impact on the field and the "semi-his" class is not totally shabby. He made a very unusual change to his staff when performance was unacceptable. In coaching circles, what he did is a ballsy move so it says a lot about his determination that he went through with it. My point is, what do you really want to be happening right now? 8+ wins? After 7 straight seasons of 4 or less wins? In the coaches 2nd year? A highly touted but still green coach? Nothing McGee has yet done tells me he could never get this program to better seasons in win-loss terms. In any case, he'll get the chance (as well he should). So you're either being a troll (quite possible) or you, in some vague sense not connected to the realities of our situation, expect(-ed) us to be 4-2 or 5-1 right now (which, as it happens, we are a few plays from being...but have no business being). You can wish water from a stone but unless Ron Popiel has made a breakthrough recently it ain't gonna happen.
There are still steps between "then" and "YAHTZEE!!"
Company, always on the run
Destiny is the rising sun
Oh, I was born 6-gun in my hand
Behind a gun I'll make my final stand
That's why they call me
Bad company
And I can't deny
Bad company
Till the day I die
Oh, till the day I die
Till the day I die
I don't think anyone said to accept where we are. Just explaining why you should not throw out the baby with the bath water or go jump off the highest bridge. I think we should give this coach a chance and support the team. Am I happy with two wins? Hell no I thought we would have four by now. I also realize where we are and how far we have to go to get there. Bashing the coaches, team, and fellow fans does no one any good except our enemies. I will go to games and support them and support UAB. I refuse to stay away and support the BOT because that is as good as they would have it.
I'm enjoying our current streak.
At least we'll be undefeated 2 weeks in a row. Meant for the positivity thread.
(10-16-2013 11:32 AM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]Those are are very good points and in any given year would be very understandable.
The problem is that UAB fans have been told we are too young, too injured, too unlucky to win for 10 years now. At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
There are excuses (which help nothing and seek to avoid reality) and there are reasons (which only help explain the reality a difficult situation, and are not a remedy in themselves). We haven't won anything for 10 years. There are reasons for that. None of us are happy about it. If the right people identify the right reasons and make the right corrections, then we will win more games.
But in my post, I was simply celebrating the fact that we won a conference road game with nine starters, many of them our rare upperclassmen, sitting out injured or no longer eligible to play.
I am as unhappy as anyone that we have consistently lost games, including many we were capable of winning, over the past 10 years. I'm ready for it to change, too.
(10-16-2013 04:13 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2013 12:44 PM)blazers9911 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2013 11:32 AM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]Those are are very good points and in any given year would be very understandable.
The problem is that UAB fans have been told we are too young, too injured, too unlucky to win for 10 years now. At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
This.
Every team in the country has injuries. Look at ECU, they have injuries all over, and their fans went nuts over 1 loss.
Why so many of our fans feel the need to defend a program that is consistently 4-8 over and over is beyond me. At a certain point, I don't want to hear any more excuses, I just want to see results.
Amen brother..
We're supposed to be OK with 3-4 wins this year, according to about 85% of posters here.
How many should we be OK with next year?
It was time to show some real change in the W/L column 4 years ago.
There' s a huge difference in looking at a team and predicting 3 - 4 wins, and being OK with that 3- 4 wins.
I think this team will win 4 games, based on their experience and talent and quality of coaching. I'm not OK with that, because I think we could win 6 to 7 if we played with extreme discipline and execution and the coaching was A+ quality.
But we have a B-level young coach who might grow into an A-level coach, and a young team full of sophomore and freshmen starters, and a generally low level of talent. That's why I expect 4 wins, not 8.
I'm NOT OK with it, but neither am I going to whine and demand that we win 10 games right now - or else I take my toys and go home (or jump from the bridge). I expect a 9 to 10 win season within 4 years of this coaching staff taking over - particularly in the new watered-down C-USA-Belt - but I also recognize that you don't build a college football team from 10 years of perpetual losing to 10 wins in one season. I also recognize that we hired a green coach, who has a lot of potential and a lot of room to grow.
(10-16-2013 11:32 AM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]Those are are very good points and in any given year would be very understandable.
The problem is that UAB fans have been told we are too young, too injured, too unlucky to win for 10 years now. At some point the excuses for poor performance, no matter how reasonable, are going to fall on deaf ears.
When you are putting less than 10,000 people in the stands that point has already been reached. The general populace and the approximately 50% of our fan base that no longer attend games don't care about injuries, the coach, the BOT, academic restrictions, etc. They just see pathetic football and have no interest in supporting it.