We better hope Leach works out. Better hope that.
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We better hope Leach works out. Better hope that.
"Greatest Comeback in School History". What does that say about our program, that in a hundred plus years of playing and I'm sure a significant number of games where we were behind in the score (16 points or more) we finally came out on top at the end of the game. Not a good look for MSU football. This is what you would call a positive negative. Great that we were finally able to come out on top, but bad that we probably had many opportunities to do it.
For perspective we have had squeakers against G5 schools most years. 2014 2017 and 2018 may be the only exceptions in the last 10 or so years.
2010 we had to come from behind to beat UAB
2011 we had to force overtime to beat LA Tech
2012 we nearly lost to Troy
2013 we beat Bowling Green by 1
2015 we were losing or barely ahead of USM at the half
2016 South Alabama and Peter sirmon
As frustrating as Saturday was it is much better to be frustrated and 1-0.
I say all this to try and put things in perspective that struggling against G5 teams isnt something that is new for us. It has happened more years than not. So lets just all take a deep breath and relax.
I'll add a couple more:
2016 - needed to block a FG on the last play to beat 6-7 Miami (OH) in the bowl game
2017 - never really put away 4-8 UMass
Of all the teams listed above, only Bowling Green (10-4) and Southern Miss (9-5) were decent. I suspect 2021 Louisiana Tech will fall into that category too, but time will tell.
Based on statistical probability, we had a 7% chance of winning that game after they kicked the FG to go up 20 in the 4th quarter. While we should have never allowed ourselves to be in that situation, making a comeback like that shouldn't happen. Holtz played not to lose and we finally made some adjustments. Comebacks like that don't happen against superior opponents.
At least he didn't say they needed to be executed.
Actually Holtz was way too aggressive on offense after he got up 20. I think I counted 1 run play in his
Possessions where he should Have been salting the clock up 20. Holtz lost that game calling plays like
Someone who wanted to prove he wasn’t taking his Foot off the gas. We didn’t have to use a single timeout to score 3 touchdowns in 12 minutes.
Leach said on postgame interview that it started with him that needed to do better.
Given we scored on 3 straight possessions and they went 3 and out twice during those, I don't think their clock management was that big of a deal. In fact, I know when they got the ball the last time there was still well over 5 minutes of play left which they used up in moving into FG range. I don't think a few extra running plays during those three and outs they had would have made any difference except to give them less time on their last possession.
Bo Bounds this morning:
"From a source deep inside the MSU program, "you have no idea the harm Joe Moorhead did to this program."
How did he not accept accountability? He said multiple times that they have to do a better job of coaching. What he implied is if those individuals don't buy into the coaching that they will have to start swimming or selling Big Gulps.
Which for the record I think is a crazy awesome burn.