I can’t tell you how disappointed that I am to see so many people quit. I hate quitters, plain and simple. I saw less quitters on the 0-11 team than I did today.
Wilson is the only player that I saw play hard 100% of the game.
Of course the defense quit at the end but I give them a break considering the offense completely screwed them.
We got a good bowl, good bowl opponent, good tv time slot, and…we get embarassed AND quit in the process.
I am really disappointed, and understand your passion, but to compare this body of work this season to 0-11 is really harsh.
No one likes excuses, but the biggest quitter was the head coach and the ones who carpet bagged off to Austin. Those are the one’s who deserve the ire. Not the players.
Maybe I said it wrong. I am not trying to compare seasons. I just remember that despite being 0-11 and I never remember seeing anyone give up.
I’m sure the emotional roller coaster this year hasn’t helped but I just felt that some players cashed it in early.
You are correct. Herman is the biggest quitter and he robbed all those kids he made promises to.
What the team lacked today was good coaching. The obvious handicap UH had going into today was obviously too much for the remaining staff to manage.
The players are young men, and have proven they can be lead and pointed in the right direction when focused. When not properly inspired and guided, you get what We saw today.
This bowl game seemed like more than players simply not executing. Kudos to SDSU, staff and players.
These kids have been through too much. I hope our leadership fully invests in elite coaches and staff to support Applewhite. These kids need to be able to trust their coaches, and they’ve clearly been let down with the mass exodus. It’s really quite sad.
Maybe this game will be a blessing in disguise.
You aren’t the only one who drew that conclusion, OP. Damned near all of our kids opened up a giant can of quit in the second half, once they figured out that there was no one left on the staff that was willing and/or capable of making our usual adjustments. Yes, part of that is because we had a bunch of graduate assistants who had to step up. But neither Major nor Orlando covered themselves in glory this afternoon.
I am keeping my expectations for the staff lower than you. No P5 invite and Applewhite’s salary [less than DC at A&M and Orlando getting $1M per year] make me think UH will hire young, yet to be proven coordinators with “reasonable” salary requirements. If there are names that I recognize, then I will be pleasantly surprised.
It’s crazy to think that all of the five year Seniors were recruited by Sumlin. So not only did they not play for the head coach that recruited them, Applewhite was their third head coach to play for. I wonder if any of the players heard at halftime that Orlando had made a deal?
Even Applewhite said he hadn’t been on the field during game time since 2012. How many of our coaches this game had experience talking to the players during game time about missed assignments and adjustments. It was a skeleton crew. San Diego State made adjustments after the first quarter and our players had no one on the sideline to tell them what needed to change.
There were what, 4 coaches? Who was in the press box to help make changes, graduate assistants. The players did not quit, some of you have no clue. 9 coaches on the other sideline figured out what was going on during the first quarter and made adjustments. Which of the graduate assistants made the best adjustments?
Agree that the team left high and dry with half the coaching staff in Austin and the other on their way out. Exactly how the game played out…Coogs dominated the 1 qtr, looked sharp, then Aztecs adjusted and we had no answer. Not fair to judge CMA or players on this game. Not fair to our seniors either.
Hell of a season still IMO, turn the page and looking forward to CMA filling out his staff and moving forward.
I don’t buy it. Players have pride. I have two words for this.
VERY EMBARRASSING.
It puts immediate pressure on our new Coach. This is never a good way to end and start a new season. Just think of the recruits that were there or what we displayed on tv. I sure hope that we are trippling the recruiting effort and put a MAJOR (yes I said it) recruiting strategy.
So you think guys in the booth and position coaches talking to players between series are just needless expenses? lol
If Herman was the coach with skeleton coaches do you think he looses?
I do. We saw how the team performed under him this year when rumors were flying. Team has also played completely different outside of Houston this year.
Once SDSU figured out that we were a one dimensional offense with a poor offensive line, we were toast as they just blitzed with impunity at that point. Didn’t help that Ward had almost no accuracy going downfield and that players weren’t making plays (pick 6…).
In the end, SDSU was just better. Hate to say it, but they were calm and collected even when they fell behind and they trusted their coaches. Our guys didn’t have that opportunity.
Ah well, let’s see how the new staff shakes out. Still have a lot of returning players and some guys that didn’t get much playing time this year who should be factors next year. Hopefully, they use this as motivation for next year.
If I’m Applewhite the first thing I said to those kids after the game is “Remember this feeling, and don’t EVER let it happen again.” Hopefully it’s used as motivation for next year.
JD reported that Orlando told the team a while back he wasn’t returning. He said he didn’t want to be a distraction. He was honest and to the point. I commend him for that.
The announcers said it best. Basically they said that with an understaffed UH team, it was a test to see who could win out: coaching (SDST) or athletes (UH). Even they knew what we were dealing with.
I don’t put too much stock in this game. Let’s see who CMA hires, I have a feeling we’re gonna be alright.
Ed Oliver never quit.
I saw him running downfield to make several tackles.
IMHO, way too much distraction for what? two months? No continuity. Some can blame the players, I won’t, nor our new coach. The old coach…well, no need to drag that up again. As we used to say in Brooklyn; Wait 'til next year.
I was in the Tampa area this week and the bowl game made me wish that we could have hired Charlie Strong with his staff, especially a coordinator like Gilbert and line coach like Mattox. I hope we have the money to hire a good staff. The previous staff is now way out of our league with a DC at $1M and head coach at $5.5M.
Yes. Absolutely. Original game plan was working. SDSU then adjusted to busting outside on the perimeter, and we never adjusted. We kept playing the same base defense that adjusted on motion from the TE.
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