I’ve been a big fan of Chuck Martin and when he ultimately moves on, he will have left Miami in CONSIDERABLY better shape than when he found it…. I also am aware we have lost to two teams that are not our equal. They have better pay, better facilities, more talent, more money.
With that said… enough is enough.
We are the most predictable team in the fucking country.
Second and 10? Draw play or RPO (a run)
Third and long? WR screen.
We do a great job scouting and exploiting the defense on our first drives… and then we make ZERO adjustments.
And how in the hell does a coach tell their players to fair catch everything, because the opposition is too fast.
Talk about laying the fuck down.
It is so difficult to watch every week.
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And news flash… Aveon, Gabbert, Dysert, Big Ben, John Elway… NO QB was winning this game with the offense being called like this.
We see other G5 and FCS teams knock off P5s. We see other coaches firing up their teams and quoted saying “we are here to win.”
Not us! Our coach tells our kids to fair catch every fucking kick.
And we’ll go ahead and probably win the MAC east or be right in the thick of it. But at some point we need to win one of these games, or at least put out a fucking effort.
I was at the only OOC game in 9 seasons where I thought we were actually playing seriously to win AND - were exceedingly well-coached…the double OT loss at Army. I was at Mobile and Minnesota, too, but I don’t think our coaching staff had any real expectation that we could actually win going in.
Expected wins: 3.37
Chances of going winless: 1.30%
Even if you accept that we’re only the #90 team in the country (I expect most people here don’t), to have not managed even a single upset is unacceptable. All of those losses are fine in a vacuum (except for 2017 Cincinnati), but at a certain point you have to win a game that you’re not supposed to win, and Chuck Martin has proven totally incapable of doing that.
As soon as we get a lead, our play book seems to close up and we become completely predictable. And what about never returning a kick when there is room to run? I get you are trying to avoid a disaster (fumble) but that is not how you best a highly favored opponent.
As I sit here watching Ohio State throttle Toledo, it occurred to me that, from a far (and I don’t pretend to know Chuck or be on the inside of the program), there is no strong sense of accountability that he places on the players. Yes, they play hard. Chuck seems like a really nice guy. However, when you watch our players’ body language, sideline communications/huddles, etc., it just does not appear that intensity permeates the situation. I recall watch Coach Walker rip into players and show major intensity. Players seemed to respond in how they carried themselves and how they played. I see that in Bearcat players, Buckeye players, and many other winning cultures. When the expectation, particularly for OOC is defeatist and lacking accountability, players simply give up. That is what we saw after one half at UK, same today against UC. Agreed - Enough is Enough.
Each year I hope we go on a run to 9+ wins and Chuck gets hired away during a busy coaching carousel by an AD who didn’t do much homework. If we had Gabbert or were well coached that’d certainly be possible with how rough the MAC looks this year, the remainder of our regular season has zero teams who are automatic losses. But good programs find a way to win, bad ones find a way to lose, and we’re somewhere in the middle where we win most games against bad competition and some against average teams but never rise above it. That’s fine if you’re Vanderbilt, but not a Miami program where we should strive for excellence.
Perhaps. I just don’t recall ever feeling that intangible leadership quality coming through. Maybe it is that simple - we can’t recruit the best talent. We can’t do it in football, and it appears based in academic ranking and trends that we are losing that battle as well. Perhaps expectations just need to be downgraded…
No one is comparing us to Michigan or Stanford or any Big 10 school or even AAC school. If you are… you are an idiot.
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I’m comparing us to our peers.
We are the only fucking MAC school not to beat a P5 in the last decade.
College Gameday was in the Sunbelt.
Georgia State beat Nebraska.
Marshall beat ND.
Just give us SOMETHING… and if we can’t win, at least show that you give a fuck and are playing to win
Having just watched Coach Martin’s post game presser, I’ve got to say it is more than obvious that he is exasperated and physically tired of the broken record. He has the self deprecating talk track down rather well. And I’m not taking a shot at Chuck. I can see that he truly cares and wants good things. Man, recruiting talent is so important. I just don’t think this generation of talent sees what past generations have seen in MU. Will take a very dynamic leader and extremely hard work to up the level.
Not sure there…we have three guys on nfl rosters…from last year and three guys that are some of the best players in their respective leagues and teams (B12, ACC, AAC)…
Have to assume there is similar talent on roster now…yet can’t manage more than 7-6 last year…probably looking similar this yr.
My point was that our solid academics are not an excuse for our mediocre performance nor a reason why we should temper our expectations, as was implied by another.
Chris Creighton is the only current MAC coach with multiple wins over P5 teams. And he’s at Eastern Michigan. If it can be done there, of all places, why can’t it be done at Miami?