I always rewatch the game to break it down dispassionately before I write up my recap, and I'll do that here. This is not my game recap, but I want to get some of what I'm mulling over in the heat of the moment into a post while I'm still in the moment.
First of all, whiners blame the officiating, but GOD DAMN was that terrible. They called a roughing the passer on a blocked punt but missed a blatant horse collar tackle on our QB and a late hit out of bounds against one of our receivers. And that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure I'll find more.
More disheartening than all the bad calls, though, was the fact that it made our team lose composure. We started getting legitimate calls against us because we started playing undisciplined football. We got emotional, which goes against what Frank Beamer preaches. Don't panic, hang in there, take advantage of opportunities. We were the less disciplined team in the second half.
I don't know about the lack of carries by Wilson. I know the sideline reporter said he did not have an injury that was sidelining him, but you don't retape a player's ankle in the middle of the game for no reason, and I know I caught a glimpse of him on the sidelines on his hands and knees at one point. And late in the game he did NOT look like himself on some carries. I know DW is a gladiator and wants to be in the game even if he's missing a leg, but if the coaches were limiting him out of concern for his health then I can't fault that.
Defense and offense both came up way short here, but I have to fault the offense a bit more there if only because the defense was down Jayron Hosley. Dietrick Bonner had a terrible game, but I'm not going to crucify a freshman pressed into prime time duty against what is honestly a world class corps of receivers.
Their D line absolutely SHREDDED us. If you want to know why we make their defense look all world while every other team in the bowl subdivision steamrolls them it's because Curt Newsome's blocking scheme has ZERO ANSWER for big, physical D lines. Newsome has become the albatross around our knecks, more so than even Stiney in this admin's humble opinion. Cut our losses and cut Newsome. Now. Stiney is a good enough positions coach to take over the entire offensive line as well as tight ends, which opens up another coaching position to bring some new blood in somewhere.
We abandoned the zone read after the negative result on the first play of the game. Typical and frustrating to see. By the time we reincorporated that play into our game play Clemson's defense was playing with their ears pinned back.
Brent Mushberger and Kirk Herbstreit are just fucking horrible.
All that being said, I still think LT is going to come out the other end of this ass kicking a better QB. He threw a lot of picks tonight, but they all came after we were in panic pass mode and their secondary was sitting back to read routes. Dude still needs to tuck that ball on scrambles, though. Teach him, Mike O'Cain. You've done a great job bringing him along so far. Help him learn from his mistakes tonight.
Bring on the Chikin Bowl and an SEC also ran.
