Notwithstanding my immediate post game comment (influenced by several $3 pints of Sam Adams), I am pragmatic enough to realize Karl Dorrell is not going anywhere. The "Pac-10 COY" has earned another season because of our "9 wins" on our cream puff schedule heavy on the tough Pac-10 games at home and the easy ones on the road, sprinkled in with the worst Oklahoma team in recent years. Dorrell will be back next year. That said we do have to make some big changes in this program and needs to happen soon. Here is a set of sober suggestions for next season:
1. This team needs someone to toughen it up. We not only got outplayed and outmuscled today (those were expected), but we also got outhit and out-competed. The DL was manhandled as everyone expected but the OL is also way too soft. How many times did we fail in short yardage situations this year? Way too many. We need to get more physical. Chris Horton looked like the only guy who wanted to hit somebody. Even Havner has looked soft. We need to do something to harden this team up.
2. We need to shake up the defensive coaching staff. Kerr has got to go, and probably a few others. It's not just a matter of schemes or personnel; our defense just plays with poor fundamentals. Poor tackling, bad angles, etc. This is not a well-coached defense. The personnel up front was lacking this year but I have to think that there are at least 50 college DC's out there who could have done better than we did today. This defense is worse than last year's; worse than the '98 defense. Maybe the worst in school history. How does a game like Arizona happen? Plus Kerr is not a dynmaic recruiter; rarely do recruits even mention him.
3. We need to get some big running backs. Mo Drew is a great player, but we can't go on without some backs who can run with power and break tackles. MD is a home run hitter but he does nothing to wear opposing defenses down; we need to bring back the power running game.
Let's hope these changes take place soon. Otherwise we are going to be seeing more of this in coming years:2. We need to shake up the defensive coaching staff. Kerr has got to go, and probably a few others. It's not just a matter of schemes or personnel; our defense just plays with poor fundamentals. Poor tackling, bad angles, etc. This is not a well-coached defense. The personnel up front was lacking this year but I have to think that there are at least 50 college DC's out there who could have done better than we did today. This defense is worse than last year's; worse than the '98 defense. Maybe the worst in school history. How does a game like Arizona happen? Plus Kerr is not a dynmaic recruiter; rarely do recruits even mention him.
3. We need to get some big running backs. Mo Drew is a great player, but we can't go on without some backs who can run with power and break tackles. MD is a home run hitter but he does nothing to wear opposing defenses down; we need to bring back the power running game.
Photo Credit: From the Sidelines
Like driller said below I am not ok with TrOHans owning us for another year. This has got to end.