Prior to the Nebraska game, I said that a loss would likely mark the start of the countdown to the end of the Fleck era. After losing (which everyone was eyeing as an easy victory just a week prior), we had this board on here rationalizing how Nebraska was way better than their record, etc so a loss was not as bad as it seems. For me, I had yet to see anything in Fleck that even gave me a glimmer of hope that he could turn this program around - yes, he was Brewster 2.0.
Then, against Indiana, he went for it on 4th in short early in the game and on the wrong side of the 50. It was a gamble that paid off and I think it completely turned the momentum of the game and allowed us to win. I gave Fleck an A last week despite the typical D collapse late in the game. I was hopeful that I was wrong and Fleck still had not lost the team and we actually were building to something.
This week, all those hopes were lost and I realize my mistake was in thinking that last week was the new normal - it wasn't. It was a nice gamble that paid off - but had we missed that 4th and short, I think Indian would have rolled us just like Illinois did this week. Again, Fleck has not put players into positions to be successful - and if superior talent on the field is the prerequisite for his system to work, his system simply will not work here.
After today, I can already write the next series of excuse articles for Fleck. After we reel off a few more losses to close out the season and the DC is sent packing - we will switch scheme back to a 4-3 or more traditional variant. We will then hear about how our talent was recruited for a 3-4 and we have to wait at least 2 more years so the recruits brought in are a fit for the system. All the while we will continue to sink to Brewster level incompetence (if we have not reached it already) without having a ray of hope in the future (like an on campus stadium will change everything - or the Athletes' village will change everything...). When Fleck is eventually run out of the town, the entire athletic department needs a house cleaning - no one should escape from this self-inflicted program destroying coaching change.
Then, against Indiana, he went for it on 4th in short early in the game and on the wrong side of the 50. It was a gamble that paid off and I think it completely turned the momentum of the game and allowed us to win. I gave Fleck an A last week despite the typical D collapse late in the game. I was hopeful that I was wrong and Fleck still had not lost the team and we actually were building to something.
This week, all those hopes were lost and I realize my mistake was in thinking that last week was the new normal - it wasn't. It was a nice gamble that paid off - but had we missed that 4th and short, I think Indian would have rolled us just like Illinois did this week. Again, Fleck has not put players into positions to be successful - and if superior talent on the field is the prerequisite for his system to work, his system simply will not work here.
After today, I can already write the next series of excuse articles for Fleck. After we reel off a few more losses to close out the season and the DC is sent packing - we will switch scheme back to a 4-3 or more traditional variant. We will then hear about how our talent was recruited for a 3-4 and we have to wait at least 2 more years so the recruits brought in are a fit for the system. All the while we will continue to sink to Brewster level incompetence (if we have not reached it already) without having a ray of hope in the future (like an on campus stadium will change everything - or the Athletes' village will change everything...). When Fleck is eventually run out of the town, the entire athletic department needs a house cleaning - no one should escape from this self-inflicted program destroying coaching change.
