Here I go...jumping into the deep end of the pool! Being a former (for now) coach myself, I try to avoid criticizing coaching decisions where I don't know all the factors at play. I understand that innumerable elements factor into individual playing time that are not visible to the average fan who pays their money to show up and see the finished product on Friday (Saturday). I always hated it when fans (usually parents) questioned my decisions to play one player over another. Most of the time I was cordial and understanding. They (the parents) just wanted their kid to play. While being nice, I was usually thinking sarcastic things in my mind like, "I am playing the other kid because I think he gives us a better chance to LOSE than your son, and THAT IS WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO...LOSE THE GAME!" Occasionally, I would lose my diplomacy and get ugly, which always made me feel great in the short term and terrible in the long term.
With that background said, I am completely skeptical of the explanation we are having to digest for how playing time at RB and on the OL has been distributed this season. The given answer, "UBIV behind THIS OL is not the answer" is, IMHO, a slap in the face of most people who can see, much less those of us who have made a decent living (not 9 mil per, unfortunately) coaching this game.
Here is what the OL looked like in 2023:
LT - Victor Curne (or Jayden Williams, still on the team)
LG - Quincy McGee
C - Caleb Warren (still on the team)
RG - Jeremy James (still on the team)
RT - Micah Pettus (still on the team)
Backup - Reece McIntyre (still on the team)
UBIV's 2023 numbers behind this OL:
95 attempts, 552 yards (540 net after 12 yards lost) 4 TD, long run 43 yards, 42 ypg. 11 receptions, 87 yards, 1 TD, long reception, 25 yards. Full disclosure: UBIV was the change of pace guy, the 2nd back, not the feature back.
The OL in 2024:
LT - Diego Pounds (Jayden Williams was hurt all year, but seems to be healthy now) transfer from UNC
LG - Nate Kalepo transfer from UW
C - Reece McIntyre (starter all season)
RG - Gerquan Scott (Julius Beulow started some as well, transfer from UW) transfer from USM
RT - Micah Pettus
We all know that UBIV has the only 100-yard rushing game we have had this season. We know that he is the only player to run for more than 50 yards on a play this season. We know that he had a big run for a TD and a couple of big receptions against UGA. Some questions about the OL that UBIV doesn't "fit" with:
1. Why has Caleb Warren not been able to beat McIntyre (or Scott, or Beulow, or Kalepo for that matter) or at least get some in-game reps? He has 36 starts in his career, but can't play on our OL this year?
2. Likewise, why has Jeremy James been pushed aside similarly? Over 50 starts in his career and can't beat out an undersized transfer from USM (no offense to Scott, but still a fact)?
3. Why does Micah Pettus not play against Oklahoma, then returns to RT the next week? I mean, who is in charge here?
4. Nothing against the kid personally, but how has McIntryre gone from a backup to an indispensable starter?
5. How has Acker, who began last season as a starter, "regressed" so much that he has changed numbers to a TE number?
6. Is the absence of Curne and McGee, both of whom did not grade particularly high last year, broken the mojo of the OL this year?
7. Why can't Williams, who was highly regarded out of HS, not able to get any reps now that he is healthy?
8. Did the RB starter from last season cover up last season's OL's ineptness that much? Does the evidence of that guy's performance at tOSU this year support that?
9. Has Kalepo played so well this season at RG that he has earned every meaningful snap? Why was Beulow moved to RT, and then lost his spot back to Pettus?
10. Who is in charge, who makes the call, on OL player portal evals? Who is in charge of OL player development?
IMHO, the explanation given, that UBIV and this OL, together, were "not the answer" (but a converted WR was) opens up more questions (some listed above) than it answered. Ok, I am going to stop there. I know that Neal and Chase, heck, Tyler too, say that we have to accept the explanation that has been given, and I suppose we do. That doesn't mean we have to believe it as gospel. It just doesn't pass the sniff test. I mean, CLK has earned some benefit of the doubt. That said, this situation has been a microcosm of the entire 2024 season. Frustrating. There is a word. That is all.
With that background said, I am completely skeptical of the explanation we are having to digest for how playing time at RB and on the OL has been distributed this season. The given answer, "UBIV behind THIS OL is not the answer" is, IMHO, a slap in the face of most people who can see, much less those of us who have made a decent living (not 9 mil per, unfortunately) coaching this game.
Here is what the OL looked like in 2023:
LT - Victor Curne (or Jayden Williams, still on the team)
LG - Quincy McGee
C - Caleb Warren (still on the team)
RG - Jeremy James (still on the team)
RT - Micah Pettus (still on the team)
Backup - Reece McIntyre (still on the team)
UBIV's 2023 numbers behind this OL:
95 attempts, 552 yards (540 net after 12 yards lost) 4 TD, long run 43 yards, 42 ypg. 11 receptions, 87 yards, 1 TD, long reception, 25 yards. Full disclosure: UBIV was the change of pace guy, the 2nd back, not the feature back.
The OL in 2024:
LT - Diego Pounds (Jayden Williams was hurt all year, but seems to be healthy now) transfer from UNC
LG - Nate Kalepo transfer from UW
C - Reece McIntyre (starter all season)
RG - Gerquan Scott (Julius Beulow started some as well, transfer from UW) transfer from USM
RT - Micah Pettus
We all know that UBIV has the only 100-yard rushing game we have had this season. We know that he is the only player to run for more than 50 yards on a play this season. We know that he had a big run for a TD and a couple of big receptions against UGA. Some questions about the OL that UBIV doesn't "fit" with:
1. Why has Caleb Warren not been able to beat McIntyre (or Scott, or Beulow, or Kalepo for that matter) or at least get some in-game reps? He has 36 starts in his career, but can't play on our OL this year?
2. Likewise, why has Jeremy James been pushed aside similarly? Over 50 starts in his career and can't beat out an undersized transfer from USM (no offense to Scott, but still a fact)?
3. Why does Micah Pettus not play against Oklahoma, then returns to RT the next week? I mean, who is in charge here?
4. Nothing against the kid personally, but how has McIntryre gone from a backup to an indispensable starter?
5. How has Acker, who began last season as a starter, "regressed" so much that he has changed numbers to a TE number?
6. Is the absence of Curne and McGee, both of whom did not grade particularly high last year, broken the mojo of the OL this year?
7. Why can't Williams, who was highly regarded out of HS, not able to get any reps now that he is healthy?
8. Did the RB starter from last season cover up last season's OL's ineptness that much? Does the evidence of that guy's performance at tOSU this year support that?
9. Has Kalepo played so well this season at RG that he has earned every meaningful snap? Why was Beulow moved to RT, and then lost his spot back to Pettus?
10. Who is in charge, who makes the call, on OL player portal evals? Who is in charge of OL player development?
IMHO, the explanation given, that UBIV and this OL, together, were "not the answer" (but a converted WR was) opens up more questions (some listed above) than it answered. Ok, I am going to stop there. I know that Neal and Chase, heck, Tyler too, say that we have to accept the explanation that has been given, and I suppose we do. That doesn't mean we have to believe it as gospel. It just doesn't pass the sniff test. I mean, CLK has earned some benefit of the doubt. That said, this situation has been a microcosm of the entire 2024 season. Frustrating. There is a word. That is all.
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