RE: Final "Pre" thread --- Pre ODU/Post LSU Thread
I think a lot of what happened this year was typical of culture shift years. I think Bloomgren wanted a more focused, disciplined, and physical culture than what had existed before. At least on defense and special teams, I think he got some of it. Offense maybe not so much.
But what happens with a lot of culture shifts is that you have to tear it down before you can build it back up. What happened at mid-season may have been the tear down. I had posted earlier that it appeared that some significant event had occurred after the two UHs. I know that happened to Ken in 2005, he lost the team, and I have some knowledge of how it occurred. I worried that Bloomgren had lost this team. But maybe, just maybe, we saw some signs of the rebuild at the end of the year. I think there were hints at LSU, which didn't go nearly as badly as many of us had feared, even allowing for the fact that Eddie O called the dogs off pretty early. I don't know whether ODU was truly a corner-turning or just a one-off. 2019 will tell that tale.
I would have approached the season a bit differently. I'd have considered PV an absolute must win, the most important game of the year, kind of the way Fred felt about SMU starting the 1989 season, and prepared accordingly. Had to win that one or lose all credibility. Then I would have approached the UHs and Wake the way NFL teams approach pre-season. Play to win, but also play to get meaningful minutes for at least 60 players, particularly with the new redshirt rule. Not sure exactly how I would have treated USM in between the UHs and Wake. Since it was a conference game, probably put more emphasis on winning, but to some extent that would depend on how the two UHs went. Then getting into the conference schedule, figure out who is ready to help now, play them, and focus on winning, not rebuilding. In effect, I'd aim to have the midseason dip come earlier, accept worse results against the UHs in exchange for what I'd hope would be a faster turnaround and better results the second half of the season. Not sure the would have worked, but it's the way I'd have tried to go.
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