Last week Heismanpundit wrote up a post on college football coaches (although he was keying on Bob Stoops), which I think is key to keep in mind for reality based Bruin football fans, as we go through this upcoming season. Here is Heismanpundit on coachspeak:
It's very important to understand 'coachspeak' when following college football. Coaches like to pump up their opponent, to go along with hyping of certain players, to talk about game plans publicly--only to think and do just the opposite most of the time.
One thing that coaches like to do to absolve themselves from blame is talk about 'execution.' When a coach puts together a game plan, he tells his team that if the game plan is executed, the team will win.
If the team loses, he can then blame the loss on lack of 'execution.'
What is never admitted by the coach is that the game plan could very well be the problem. Sometimes, it could even go so far as be the fault of the scheme. But to admit that, a coach would have to admit that he has been selling a load of bull to his team. And that won't happen.
So yes, keep in mind ... we are going into year 3 of Dorrell's (so far excruciating) reign at UCLA. He has had more than two years to put his complicated WCO in place. He has his own OC running the show (no longer can he blame Axman). He has a fourth year starter guiding his offense (and a once in a blue moon blue chip frosh. qb with ungodly talent waiting in the wings). He has a Heisman caliber tailback, an experienced OL, a superstar TE, and experienced receivers lining up on the offensive side of the ball. There is no reason given the cupcake UCLA schedule of 2005, UCLA should not be scoring 35-40 points a game, and have a semblance of defense, which will put up enough of a fight, so that it can at least win 8 regular season games, leading to a 9 win season.One thing that coaches like to do to absolve themselves from blame is talk about 'execution.' When a coach puts together a game plan, he tells his team that if the game plan is executed, the team will win.
If the team loses, he can then blame the loss on lack of 'execution.'
What is never admitted by the coach is that the game plan could very well be the problem. Sometimes, it could even go so far as be the fault of the scheme. But to admit that, a coach would have to admit that he has been selling a load of bull to his team. And that won't happen.
But yet we are seeing excuse makers already using Kevin Brown injury as a possible excuse for KD may not winning 9 games. Just don't buy it. It is Dorrell's fault that even after two years of his recruiting, just by losing one DL there is concern about depth at DL, even though we have recruited several DLs over last two years. Injuries will not be an acceptable excuse. Lack of execution of our "complicated Dorrell WCO" will not be an acceptable excuse. As the Seattle Times calls out so pointedly - we must see an appreciable progress under Dorrell this season - it means 9 wins. Nothing less will be acceptable.