While it's clear there are tangible issues surrounding the team (various OL troubles, injuries, stubbornness to stay "balanced" offensively, inexplicably soft defense on the back 7, not adequately replacing Senquez, Prewitt, Bird, etc), I think it's clear the team has not fully adjusted to being front runners in a mental capacity.
This may sound like BS, but when you are a top-ranked team, you get every opponent's best effort. It is clear since the Alabama game we have not had the same swagger/intensity required to be the king of the hill. You have to expect that each opponent is going to come at you with everything they have, including a game plan that aims to expose your weaknesses, and you need to be ready to counter that. Vanderbilt showed up in Oxford ready to shock the world and it showed. Florida had a great game plan with and made calculating in-game coaching adjustments. While we couldn't weather the early storm against UF, I was mostly disappointed that we didn't play (or coach) desperately enough to get back in the game.
For example, down 25-0, our first drive of the 2nd half, we methodically (aka slowly) use up almost 7/8 minutes off the clock, while not using tempo and trying to quickly score, and then settle for a worthless FG that accomplishes next to nothing in terms of trying to win the game. Remember when we were up double digits on Alabama and they made a furious comeback, striking quickly and not wasting a second of the game clock?? It's take mental fortitude and a non-ruthless opponent to fight back like they did.
Alabama is a prime example under Saban and why they have sustained success. They know that each time they step on the field the other team is playing their biggest game of the season. You need to weather the early storm and be ruthless, hence why Alabama has never been blown out in Saban's tenure like we have 3 out of the last 6 meaningful games. From my limited view, we seem to think we can show up and just be who we are and the results will take care of themselves. Ohio State this season appears to be going thru the same motions as well, hence playing down to their much more inferior competition. Obviously we do not have quite the elite level talent those programs do, which makes extreme preparation and mental toughness even more paramount for success for a program like ours.
Football players aren't robots, and our staff and players appear to not be ready to do what it takes to be to play when you are the hunted team. I may be totally off base here, but I don't get the sense of hunger, desperation, or leadership on or off-the-field with this group. If anything, maybe this loss to Florida will help convey the truth that our goals this season are now on a knife's edge, and it was the prescribed kick in the ass required. However, I see our 3 recent blowout losses as evidence that we are not ready mentally to win big.
This may sound like BS, but when you are a top-ranked team, you get every opponent's best effort. It is clear since the Alabama game we have not had the same swagger/intensity required to be the king of the hill. You have to expect that each opponent is going to come at you with everything they have, including a game plan that aims to expose your weaknesses, and you need to be ready to counter that. Vanderbilt showed up in Oxford ready to shock the world and it showed. Florida had a great game plan with and made calculating in-game coaching adjustments. While we couldn't weather the early storm against UF, I was mostly disappointed that we didn't play (or coach) desperately enough to get back in the game.
For example, down 25-0, our first drive of the 2nd half, we methodically (aka slowly) use up almost 7/8 minutes off the clock, while not using tempo and trying to quickly score, and then settle for a worthless FG that accomplishes next to nothing in terms of trying to win the game. Remember when we were up double digits on Alabama and they made a furious comeback, striking quickly and not wasting a second of the game clock?? It's take mental fortitude and a non-ruthless opponent to fight back like they did.
Alabama is a prime example under Saban and why they have sustained success. They know that each time they step on the field the other team is playing their biggest game of the season. You need to weather the early storm and be ruthless, hence why Alabama has never been blown out in Saban's tenure like we have 3 out of the last 6 meaningful games. From my limited view, we seem to think we can show up and just be who we are and the results will take care of themselves. Ohio State this season appears to be going thru the same motions as well, hence playing down to their much more inferior competition. Obviously we do not have quite the elite level talent those programs do, which makes extreme preparation and mental toughness even more paramount for success for a program like ours.
Football players aren't robots, and our staff and players appear to not be ready to do what it takes to be to play when you are the hunted team. I may be totally off base here, but I don't get the sense of hunger, desperation, or leadership on or off-the-field with this group. If anything, maybe this loss to Florida will help convey the truth that our goals this season are now on a knife's edge, and it was the prescribed kick in the ass required. However, I see our 3 recent blowout losses as evidence that we are not ready mentally to win big.
