CaribbeanGreen

Is your LoveQuoner@gmg.net account still active? You used to e-mail me some pretty pointed criticisms of Rawlings from that account.

Gagree. Thinking last night was well below expectations/a very disappointing performance and thinking that we're well positioned for the future/are rebuilding/have a solid staff are not mutually exclusive. You can think both. In fact, I bet the house that the entire staff feels the exact same way, even if some around here can't get that.

This. Well said. You're good at typing words.

I just gave numbers from post-Dodge, since we (theoretically) have the same dude calling plays and the same stud RB. Closest line of association I can draw. It's my opinion that if we had played FIU post-Dodge firing last year, we'd have put up more than 10 points- we were a totally different offense. That can never be proven, just like comparing the FIU games to each other is still shaky since neither of us is the same team. All I'm saying is that I was very surprised and disappointed the offense was shut out tonight, especially with the way we ended last year and all the momentum and excitement, and the blame goes all around. That's all. I expected a loss, but thought we'd put up some points and be competitive into the second half. Love what I heard from Mac, though... NO EXCUSES. Looks like he also feels this is totally unacceptable, which is what you want to hear. Going down 28-0 in the 1st quarter in conference play is never, no way, no how understandable. Period. It's a total systemic failure, and I'm glad to hear him say it. Now, we have to fix it. Still have hope we can fix some things and turn the ship around by the rest of Belt play. Not panicking per se, but uneasy. You may be right, and the end of last season may have no relevance to any expectations this year, regardless of all the familiar personnel.

And frankly, Miner, I'd love to spoon and make up. It's been a bad night. if I indeed misunderstood you , then we probably agree on most things in this thread. I think the OLine sucked, too. I also think almost every skill position sucked, and I think getting shut out in conference is surprising and shouldn't happen again. I'd venture a guess your thoughts aren't far off there. I feel like there's still enough of that talent that put up those big numbers last year to do some damage this year. Hopefully we get some things ironed out by real conference play. BFFs?

Then we agree to disagree..... though I'm not sure what you're even disagreeing with me on at this point. Speaking of straw men, well, the whole first 3/4ths of your post. I never once said anything about the future. I said tonight was an embarrassment, and having freshmen OL's isn't an excuse for getting shut out by FIU. I can't believe anyone was expecting our offense to get shut out before 6pm tonight. Where I said anything about the future is beyond me. I didn't. I'm still excited about Mac, recruiting to the new stadium, and having Dodge gone. Starting kids now will reap rewards down the road. That said, tonight was still a disaster, way below expectations. It's not a zero sum situation. As for blaming the OL, when you started this with "A true frosh came in and took a starting spot. Not a single guy from last year's line is playing the same position. Still don't get it?" as a reply for why I shouldn't be surprised we produced 40+ fewer points than the last half of year, that was the implication for what I clearly "didn't get" and why you weren't surprised with the massive drop off in production. If that wasn't the case, I guess I still "don't get it".

I agree with almost everything here... I admit, I expected more from Thompson. That's part of my argument in this thread - he deserves some blame as well. If you read Harry's tweets, he held on to the thing waaaay too long at times. Freshmen on the O-Line or not, that gets a QB killed. I'm honestly surprised, as Thompson has shown pretty impressive flashes in the past. I hope we don't see musical chairs there, but I'm afraid you'll be right. As for knee jerking, sure, maybe a little. It's probably focused here because the defense has been terrible for a long time, but the offense has put up points... and tonight, it was just so, so ineffective at almost every spot.

Sure they do. Totally agree. The line sucked. So did pretty much every other position on the field except Chancellor. That's all I'm sayin'. Lots of blame to go around... we still shouldn't be getting shut out in conference.

Okay, I give up. Sorry, I'm not going to climb aboard this "we just can't expect to compete with mighty Florida International" train. All I'm saying is that our offense getting shut out by FIU was very, very surprising to me, and I feel like if we're being honest it is to most of you as well. It seems to me we all felt a lot of momentum coming off the way the offense was so, so good under Canales the last few games of the year (which I gave the point totals to). Now, with a senior Dunbar back on Walker watch lists, excitement of the new unis, coach, stadium, era.... to act like getting offensively abused is just to be expected or can fully be chalked up to a young O-line isn't being honest or fair. Raise expectations. I didn't expect to win. I expected to be competitive, and expected a hell of a lot more from the offense. I think most of you did too.

I don't even understand the argument at this point... but regardless of what mood I'm in, I'd feel the same way. Starting a freshman and having a lack of experience on the line does NOT fully justify a shutout, especially with Dunbar back there. There's more blame there... I can't see how this is debatable... and really? Worst rebuttal you've ever read? On THIS board?!? I'm gonna just assume you're joking or drunk and move on.... Would I prefer to start 5 four year starters? Of course I would. Is that reality? No. Not here, not in most place. I'm not comparing our line to FIU. Our line sucked tonight. That's not the point... I'm saying starting a freshman doesn't explain away being shutout by FIU. I'm sorry, but that's a fact. UL-M is starting TWO freshmen on the OL. Texas A&M is also starting two freshmen on their line. It happens at every level - WORSE than we have it, even. And guess what - I bet they both manage to score offensive points this week. They may not, but I wouldn't bet on it. I just don't see how this is a rational argument. It's a bit, right? We're not blaming a 41-point drop off, shutout against a Belt team on a Freshman starter, are we?!? All I've argued is that this was much worse than that. The whole offense sucked. "Starting a freshman" and "starters in new places" is a weak, bogus, Dodge-era excuse.

I look forward to the days when we're not saying (rationalizing) that we can't be expected to reasonably compete and score any points against FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL. Just too much talent, guys. I mean, you don't just roll into the Cage and expect to come out with a win.

Tap the brakes on how great FIU is. Sure, they're Belt-good... maybe they'd even BEAT K-St (not convinced).... but you're saying their defense is 41 points better than K-St's? Wanna rethink that? I think you're misunderstanding what i said... all I'm saying is a drop off from 40-point performances against Big XII talent to a SHUT OUT against FIU means there's a hell of a lot more offensive issue and blame than to the O-Line. I can't believe that's being debated.

Oh, I "get it".... Waaah. Different positions. A.... gasp!... FRESHMAN!!! Last five games last year, offensive points scored: 33, 35, 23, 37, 41. Tonight: 0. That freshman and guys sliding left to right sure made a huge-assed difference, eh? Imagine if we started TWO freshmen!!!!1! We might just give up safety after safety!!! I sure am glad I know all these other teams scoring "points" aren't starting freshman and are all returning starters on their lines. I'd think maybe there was a little more going on otherwise.

Also, yes. Everything about this game was like the worst moments of Dodgeball. Drops, dumb penalties, bad special teams, getting BURIED in the first few minutes, shotgun draws, WR screens, etc.... ....except the offense didn't usually get SHUT OUT by Sun Belt teams in any other era.

The safety was in the 4th quarter. This happened in the 1st when, I believe, it was "only" 14-0.

If Canales' offense keeps getting shut out by Sun Belt teams, we won't have to worry much about his career trajectory.

In the entire First Quarter, Kentucky has 0 points and -9 total yards. -9. WKU gave up 380 and 33 points per game last year.Think they upgraded their D? Where did their old coordinator go anyway?? Oh, wait....

Is this line THAT much worse than last year's when we were putting up big points against K-St.? Yeah, it's young... but Dunbar is still back there, we wished we had Thompson last year, and we scored points. It's midway through the 4th quarter, and our offense is getting shut out by a Sun Belt defense. Embarrassing. Not just "Welp, the trenches! Give it a couple years!"

I'll take "sentences I never expected to see" for $400. Did Captain Jack give 'em what for??

I was hoping someone took the ball and ran with it... I'm glad it was you. Internet!

CFB is for poor people?? What's Dallas, Beirut? Turner has perpetually sucked at football. I remember playing them in '96 (I was also in 10 (now 9) 5A), being up by literally 50 at halftime, looking up at the empty stands on their side, and feeling really bad for them.... which is amazing, because I was kind of a jerk back then.

Totally agree. I'd like better, and it wasn't "national" per se, but that was an awesome win, just absolutely dominating them like that.

"Throwing money" is one thing... cutting hundreds of thousands of teachers and programs is entirely another. It's not a zero sum game, education.

In our neck of the woods, though, beating Texas Tech has as much (I'd argue more) cachet and water cooler power than beating a 5-loss Tennessee team in the 70's. At worst, they're both signature wins. Is beating Tech a signature win for a BCS school? Nah. But for NT, a few years out of 1-AA, in Lubbock? Heck yes it was... Twice. It's not like the Spike Dykes teams were pushovers.

Miami, huh? I lived in Miami for 4 years, I'd love to show you around......