It isn't just foolish, it is incompetence. This isn't the NFL where you have players under contract (control). You have had the spring, pre-season and now 11 effing games and we still haven't installed the defense? Give me a break! Meanwhile we just lost to Charlotte and FIU (they were the laughingstock of football very recently) in the same season. This is absolutely ridiculous. Cumbie needs to figure a lot of this stuff out.
I suspect most of the defense - if not all - has been installed. With the exception of the SFA dbs and a handful of other players, no one on that side of the ball - mainly because of injuries - has had enough reps in the entire system to make a major impact.
That's been true about every new system we've installed throughout the I-A era. It's just this staff has been honest and upfront about where we are as a program.
And the reality is some on our defense who have had to play major roles were slated to be 3rd teamers coming out of the spring. Not nearly ready to get large numbers of snaps at this level. We can go simple with the defense all we want, but at times we've simply gotten crushed at the line of scrimmage.
Also, it's clear it's never been about this season. This has always been a major rebuild.
Would they have liked to get to a bowl game? Absolutely! And I think it's clear that would have happened had McNeil not gotten hurt. The Rice, Charlotte, and FIU games would have been similar to MTSU if he would have been on the field for 4 quarters in each of those games.
UAB is 5-6 and is playing for bowl eligibility, they should be motivated and bringing their "A" game. I want to see the Dawgs show up and match their intensity. That will be a reflection on coaching and where this team is mentally, which stems from the top: coaching and team leaders.
UAB will win by three touchdowns. That’s best case scenario for us. Worst case scenario is a score similar to UTSA score. I hope that SC is out hitting the recruiting trail hard to try and infuse some talent into this program. I don’t care about a star rating, give me a mentally tough kid that wants to be here and is coachable.
Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't UAB also have a first-year coach.
I hope the Dawgs do better than at least a 3-touchdown defeat. And on par with the UTSA result? Sheeesh! If that happens Coach Crummy should be fired immediately afterwards. This is effing UAB, they are 5-6, they are just another CUSA team (worse FBS conference). No way should Tech EVER lose to a conference foe by 6 touchdowns or such nonsense....NEVER!
What good are good recruits if the coaching staff is a joke? Crummy has to step up and show me something. This is his last chance this year. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I expect to see the Dawgs standing toe-to-toe with UAB and battling into the 4th quarter, at least. Winning? Yeah...why not? Might need a couple of breaks, but heck! Give yourself a chance.