'18 Recruiting Forum: Official South Carolina Pre-Game/Game Thread

[LA Vol]

I agree that is our history, but I think we're seeing improvement under Pruitt. Did we make mistakes last night? Absolutely, but point to me a team that doesn't. I think we could have overcome our mistakes in that game. We weren't able to overcome the mistakes of the refs.

I don't disagree with you-- I'm just taking a big-picture perspective. I think a team has to believe they'll win, then find a way when things go against them. Look at UK. They held off Vandy and they overcame all odds to beat Mizzou with 0:00 left on the clock. They don't have an elite roster-- they're just a tough, determined team that believes they can find a way to win. UF is the same. They've pulled off improbable wins against UT for years. Conversely, UT finds improbable ways to lose. Adversity comes in many forms, including bad officiating, and overcoming it is what good teams do.

 

[Crazy Ivan]

Not really much of a punishment, IMO. They still get an assignment and bring home a paycheck. How exactly is that punishment? "You suck at your job so we're going to continue to let you suck, just at lower profile games."

Well that was half tongue in cheek. They can be suspended for bad mistakes, at least that was the way it used to be when my father was an official. All crews have to meet with a rep from the league officials office after games and are evaluated on how they called a game, and the evaluations are sent to the head of officiating for a further review, and at that point they can dole out suspensions, and typically more training. And once off suspension, you don't work big games at first.

 

[Weezer]

I don't disagree with you-- I'm just taking a big-picture perspective. I think a team has to believe they'll win, then find a way when things go against them. Look at UK. They held off Vandy and they overcame all odds to beat Mizzou with 0:00 left on the clock. They don't have an elite roster-- they're just a tough, determined team that believes they can find a way to win. UF is the same. They've pulled off improbable wins against UT for years. Conversely, UT finds improbable ways to lose. Adversity comes in many forms, including bad officiating, and overcoming it is what good teams do.

As I said before, we're not that good yet. We're not good enough to overcome that much adversity. But, IMO, we're getting better. We're seeing progress. Given our last 10 years, that progress is what we should be cheering. No coach was going to be able to come in here, wave a magic wand, and poof, restore us to what we once were. Too much damage had been done. So we're stuck with a rebuild, and each week, I look for progression. I can see it happening. None of this one step forward this game, three steps back the next BS we've seen under the two previous staffs. I think Pruitt can get us to the place you describe, I just think you're maybe expecting it too soon.

 

[I4Jay]

You don't agree that UT beats itself and continually finds ways to lose? Okay. You're welcome to that opinion.

Sorry LA, I meant I didn’t agree that JJ’s penalty changed anything. Yes they scored but we answered right back. The defense just couldn’t make any plays i the 2nd half

 

[armydirtdart]

I think CJP is in a tough spot with our current QB situation. Do I think JG is a better Monday-Friday QB, maybe. But I do not think there is a wide separation between the two. Definitely not enough to not give KC more playing time. KC gives you better football IQ, a wider range on what the offense can do, more calmness under pressure, and is a game day QB. CJP stated so after the Bama game that they were able to give bama different looks after KC came in. CJP is in a tough spot, cause if he was to sit JG, not only would he check out for the rest of this season, he would probably transfer out after the season, and we do not have a QB ready to step up next year. He knew this year would be a struggle, so he has to play the cards that were dealt, and unfortunately that means going with a QB who is not able to rise to the occasion. We probably will not be any good at QB until 2020 at the earliest. Hopefully we can run the ball better and play better D until then. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Crazy Ivan]

I think CJP is in a tough spot with our current QB situation. Do I think JG is a better Monday-Friday QB, maybe. But I do not think there is a wide separation between the two. Definitely not enough to not give KC more playing time. KC gives you better football IQ, a wider range on what the offense can do, more calmness under pressure, and is a game day QB. CJP stated so after the Bama game that they were able to give bama different looks after KC came in. CJP is in a tough spot, cause if he was to sit JG, not only would he check out for the rest of this season, he would probably transfer out after the season, and we do not have a QB ready to step up next year. He knew this year would be a struggle, so he has to play the cards that were dealt, and unfortunately that means going with a QB who is not able to rise to the occasion. We probably will not be any good at QB until 2020 at the earliest. Hopefully we can run the ball better and play better D until then. Just my 2 cents.

JG needs to live in the film room for a good while.

 

[therickbol]

JG needs to live in the film room for a good while.

At this point the concern is it goes deeper than that. Some kids can live in a math classroom and still not fully pick up Geometry. Just never clicks. In the moment of the game with the speed at which information must be deciphered some guys just reach a point where they can do what they can do and it is what it is. Worried that's the case here.

 

[therickbol]

How are they worse than the roster we ran out there yesterday? 100% disagree. You give any college coach the choice of which roster to take over to coach 1 game and they must win the game....they choose USCe roster. Don't have to enjoy the truth but it is where we are at right now.

 

[OrangenSC]

The decision not to go for the FG is the only thing I disagree with tonight.

I agree, maybe. But even with that, it doesn't mean it was a bad or stupid decision; it just means I don't agree with it. Fans just can't understand that. We can disagree with decisions without it meaning the coach is wrong, or outcoached, or incompetent, or any of the other nonsense fans come up with. Some are just so arrogant that they think they're right, no question, no opinion, no discussion. I'm right and coaches, or others, are wrong.

 

[OrangenSC]

Things that are allowed for players of other teams does not pertain to Tennessee players.

Like the obvious targeting on Chandler on the sideline that wasn't called. Why is nobody talking about that one? So inconsistent.

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

Like the obvious targeting on Chandler on the sideline that wasn't called. Why is nobody talking about that one? So inconsistent.

Not even inconsistent...just plain atrocious. It’s sickening. Yet, Bituli gets targeting in the Auburn game for something a lot less worse than the targeting on Chandler.

 

[wrangler]

I agree that is our history, but I think we're seeing improvement under Pruitt. Did we make mistakes last night? Absolutely, but point to me a team that doesn't. I think we could have overcome our mistakes in that game. We weren't able to overcome the mistakes of the refs.

You could also say that we could have overcome the officiating, but not our own mistakes.

We couldn't do both, but one of those is in the control of our players.

 

[volsagain]

JG needs to live in the film room for a good while.

Better make arrangements, if he doesn't start getting rid of the ball or tuck and run when he's about to get his head knocked off .

 

[Weezer]

You could also say that we could have overcome the officiating, but not our own mistakes.

We couldn't do both, but one of those is in the control of our players.

Overall, the mistakes of the refs were far more egregious. Which cost us more? Our mistakes or the refs mistakes? I'm not excusing the mistakes of players, but when a ref's mistakes lead directly to a score for a team, that's a problem.

 

[NMVol]

Did the refs call a play dead before the Bituli play for a review of a previous play? I was listening on the radio. Made it sound like SC would have scored but for the whistle. What a strange series. Sounds like it was botched by the replay official on multiple plays.

 

[Crazy Ivan]

Sorry LA, I meant I didn’t agree that JJ’s penalty changed anything. Yes they scored but we answered right back. The defense just couldn’t make any plays i the 2nd half

It might have made a huge difference Had the penalty not given them good field position and they didn't score before half and we scored on that first possession of the second half to go up 21-3, it could have changed what SC wanted to do offensively in the 2nd half. Obviously we have no idea if it would have changed the game, but I don't think it can be summarily dismissed as inconsequential.

 

[Crazy Ivan]

nevermind. didn't meant to post.

 

[LA Vol]

Sorry LA, I meant I didn’t agree that JJ’s penalty changed anything. Yes they scored but we answered right back. The defense just couldn’t make any plays i the 2nd half

I misunderstood-- my bad. I think JJ's penalty gave SCAR an opportunity to mount a comeback, but you're right-- we did keep in front of their scoring for a while. The D had a bad night and SCAR was able to capitalize.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

I didn’t say corners.
There are talented guys all over the field. Very few good football players. That’s why we don’t see the Ws. Guys don’t understand ddown and distance, try to be heroes, attack with the wrong shoulder, fail to high point passes, missing cut back lanes, missing blocks, missing assignments.

I know you didn't say corners, I'm saying they are about the only "superb talents" that I see out there on defense, the rest are mediocre talents, and pathetic at execution.