Post by korculabeav on Sept 10, 2017 10:15:38 GMT -8
One can draw endless case studies from decades and thousands of football games of how mental fortitude and toughness exist within a team and within the greater program . These attributes are very coachable. They exist to some extent in everyone. How much a person bucks up, stands tall, perseveres and goes out under adversity to give it 150% is on the individual AND the leader who they are under the command of. It is up to the coach to draw out that fortitude in every player.
What I have observed in 3 games for the Beavers is a team bereft of toughness and fortitude. The strongest evidence of this to date is what happened last night between the end of the 2nd quarter and the later 3rd/4th quarters. OSU had made a great comeback on two drives getting to 17-14. They were moving the ball down the field, were excited, energetic and had all the momentum.
They go into halftime with much of this momentum in tact. They were going to receive the kickoff to start the 3rd qtr. History shows quite often teams that get the ball to start the 2nd half often score. The team should be energized and chomping at the bit to come out of that locker room thinking "WE HAVE THIS!". The coaches should be giving inspiring and positive motivational pep talks on how the team came back from adversity in the 2nd quarter. "Go out and finish this"!
OSU then proceeds to come out of the locker room jogging, looking listless and a bit depressed like the coach had just unloaded on them. Meanwhile Minnesota and their energizer easy shot coach, Fleck, come running out together with a look of "we are going to pummel you" and "we are going to dance on your midfield logo".
Beavs get the ball and what happened? Did they make a long, commanding, statement making drive to score a TD or even FG? NO! They go 3 and out in less than a minute looking clueless, not caring and wanting to head back to the locker room. From there the rout is on for the Gophers. Celestin and his incredible story of heart after losing his dad this year must have been an inspiration for his fellow Gophers. That man had MORE FORTITUDE than the entire Beaver team combined single handedly stopping multiple OSU drives.
It was clear OSU did not have the fortitude under adversity to stand up and say this is enough. This is an epic failure on the coaches to not draw out and instill toughness and perseverance into these young men. That is on GA and his staff. How you take a positive situation into halftime and come like they did to FAIL is a sign this staff is INCOMPETENT. It may also be a sign that many of the players are incapable of learning the poise needed to endure the swings of momentum that occur in a games. This has happened 3 straight times in almost the exact same manner in the CSU, PSU and Minnie games.
This team is lost. As others have said, this coaching staff is NOT getting this team back this year or possibly ever. This topic plays heavily into the overarching discussion of whether this staff should continue here.
Boys of Tin indeed.....