Game #10 Buffalo

[GP1]

Frankly, I don't believe the injuries to Pohl, belief is all WE have here, has had much if anything to do with the problems for the last 4 games. Pohl isn't the QB to run the system Bowden wishes he could run.

I don't believe it had everything to do with it, but I do believe it was the beginning of the end for a program that is as fragile as ours is. Pohl was at least good enough to win with some help when the team was riding high. If they won not running the system Bowden wanted to run, then I was willing to wait until he had someone he wanted to run the offense run it. I like winning over system validation.

The Zips program is fragile like a fine wine glass. The late game loss at OU cracked the glass. The absolute collapse at Ball State shattered the glass. After a collapse like that and with our history of losing, it is very hard to put the pieces back together by the end of the season. It just doesn't happen for programs like ours.

An incident happened in the game Tuesday that illustrated how fragile we actually are. When did the first crack in the glass happen? With 4:55 to go in the first quarter, they run Bickley and he loses five yards. Next play, a WR drops a pass thrown right to him which would have gained the Zips at least 7 yards making it third and eight or maybe less if he picked up a couple of extra yards. Third and 15 we run the ball for a gain of one, but third and 15 is almost impossible for anyone to get let alone how our offense has performed lately. So we punt and Buffalo scores on the next drive and they don't look back. A novice observer of the Zips might say the game was over when Buffalo scored. Experienced observers of the Zips understand that the game was over when Bickley lost five yards on the previous drive on first down...that was the first crack...the second crack came on the next down and the glass was beyond repair. The rest of the game is just the the same old nonsense I have been watching for almost 3 decades now.

[Balsy]

You need a hair shirt.

You come off as either being on the Bowden family payroll, or having a last name that rhymes with Fisterspill.

I defend Bowden because I think he's doing a good job with what he was given. I'm not ready to throw Bowden and co under the bus. The majority of the players on offense are non-Bowden guys. Bowden has done a good job of bringing in transfers to fill a few holes, but it's still not enough. I'm willing to give Bowden the benefit of the doubt. If I don't see drastic improvement in the next two years, then I'll be on board with the rest of you.

They beat Pitt. Maybe the biggest OOC win ever.. Not get overly excited? Sure

The problems we're having now are the same problems we were having at the beginning of the year. The offense stunk in spring practice, it stunk against Howard for a awkward amount of time, it stunk against EMU and Miami, Marshall. Pitt was the outlier as opposed to the trend. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but the Zips offense has never a led substantial, come from behind win under Bowden. Almost every game we've won under Bowden against D-I opponents has been because the defense held the other team's offense just enough to win.

[Dave in Green]

Keep in mind that Dave finds wallpaper paste a bit on the spicy side, Lee.

What I really find is that quality whole foods taste good without having to load them up with spices as they do with processed junk foods, and putting a lot of spice on crap doesn't turn it into good food.

[Zipgrad01]

But isn't that on us the fans? We put unrealistic expectations on this team, where reality was no where near those expectations. Isn't it unfair to get irate (as you put it) at coaches and players who didn't develop the overly hyped, unrealistic expectations? Coach reminded us (fans), time and time again not to get to far ahead of ourselves, yet (as fans always do) we got overly excited.

For the record: I'm not happy about this season's results either. I expected a 7-5 season in order to consider it a success. It is not.

“Right now, I’m just trying to play ball and get to a 10-2 record,” he said.

Ten and two?

“Ten and two,” he answers. “The atmosphere around here? The losing culture is over. We’re not having that no more.”

Right....the players didnt have unrealistic expectations. They haven't won a damn game since.

[K92]

“Right now, I’m just trying to play ball and get to a 10-2 record,” he said.

Ten and two?

“Ten and two,” he answers. “The atmosphere around here? The losing culture is over. We’re not having that no more.”

Right....the players didnt have unrealistic expectations. They haven't won a damn game since.

There you go again with your, your, your FACTS.

[Balsy]

“Right now, I’m just trying to play ball and get to a 10-2 record,” he said.

Ten and two?

“Ten and two,” he answers. “The atmosphere around here? The losing culture is over. We’re not having that no more.”

Right....the players didnt have unrealistic expectations. They haven't won a damn game since.

Notice I said coach...not players.

There you go again with your, your, your FACTS.

See above.

[Zipgrad01]

right...because the coaches had no expectations

[K92]

Notice I said coach...not players.

See above.

You'll have to forgive my friend. You see, he doesn't live by lex parsimoniae.

[Zipgrad01]

"And we've never even won eight games in a season," said Bowden. "We have a chance to do a lot of good things this year."

This was said when we were 4-2 going into Ohio.

I doubt a lot of good things is getting smacked down by Ohio, Ball State, BGSU and Buffalo.

[Balsy]

Balsy says and I quote....." Isn't it unfair to get irate (as you put it) at coaches and players who didn't develop the overly hyped, unrealistic expectations?"

Are you just making this up or do you actually believe the bullshit you spew?

The overly hyped 2014 expectations of the Zips were not made by the players and coaches. (First interview of the season before the Howard game, Bowden talks over...and over...and over again) about how the expectations are a bit "pre-mature", but they've made it as a challenge to the players to rise to those expectations, as pre-mature as they be.

While you cherry-pick quotes from Bowden about having a chance to do a lot of good things, in the same conference he was cautionary about what the expectations of this team should be.

I wouldn't blame a senior LB who started with one of the worst coaches in college football history to make comments such as that, especially when those comments are coming from your leaders.

That doesn't make it a realistic expectation. That doesn't make it less "pre-mature". It's more a guy who just wants to win, and less what the reality of the situation is. 10-2 was an unrealistic expectation for this team, as unfortunate and hard to accept as that may be.

Please try to understand what I'm saying instead of just flinging crap against the wall: I'm advocating that it's unfair for us Zips fans to unfairly judge this season, the coaches, the players, based on pre-mature, unrealistic expectations.

[K92]

Wow. Come up for air, already.

[Zipgrad01]

Do you expect him to say that we are going to crush everyone? It is still his out if we lose. "I told you guys not to expect too much"

For heavens sake, listen to an unknown coach up in New England. You would think he has coached the most averages teams in NFL history for the last decade.

[GP1]

I'm advocating that it's unfair for us Zips fans to unfairly judge this season, the coaches, the players, based on pre-mature, unrealistic expectations.

If the expectation after six games and a 4-2 record with a win against a BCS team and a QB who had gone 8-3 in his previous 11 was we would lose six straight, then we are well on our way to meeting those expectations.

My expectations after a 4-2 start was for us to go at least 4-2 in the remaining 6 for a 8-4 record. Maybe I expect too much. Maybe if I expect that and it will never happen, then I'm wasting my time following the Zips and I should just become like the other 99% of the alumni who could really care less.

[zippy5]

I defend Bowden because I think he's doing a good job with what he was given. I'm not ready to throw Bowden and co under the bus. The majority of the players on offense are non-Bowden guys. Bowden has done a good job of bringing in transfers to fill a few holes, but it's still not enough. I'm willing to give Bowden the benefit of the doubt. If I don't see drastic improvement in the next two years, then I'll be on board with the rest of you.

The problems we're having now are the same problems we were having at the beginning of the year. The offense stunk in spring practice, it stunk against Howard for a awkward amount of time, it stunk against EMU and Miami, Marshall. Pitt was the outlier as opposed to the trend. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but the Zips offense has never a led substantial, come from behind win under Bowden. Almost every game we've won under Bowden against D-I opponents has been because the defense held the other team's offense just enough to win.

Here was a post of yours after the Pitt game. Hindsight is 20/20, eh?

I agree with this. From the moment I heard coach speak, I knew we had us a winner. Lose Big, Lose Small, Win Small, Win Big. Recruiting players who can win whatever it takes, wherever it takes...and bringing in transfers who can fill in while they develop talent. That is the template for building a winner and Bowden and company are bringing us a winner.

Enjoy the ride Zips fans, it's going to be a fun year.

[skip-zip]

The problems we're having now are the same problems we were having at the beginning of the year. The offense stunk in spring practice, it stunk against Howard for a awkward amount of time, it stunk against EMU and Miami, Marshall. Pitt was the outlier as opposed to the trend.

I'm with you on this. I've been trying to point this out all along as some people on here had been beating this "we were fine until Pohl went down" drum.

And it's not as if we were some marvel on Offense against Pitt either. We struggled most of the first half, and got a couple of great breaks with the a fantastic play on the ball by Bennett on a long pass, and a big play by Hundley to open the 2nd half.

Truth is....We've struggled to get much going offensively for almost 2 years, with the exception of a few stretches of a very few number of games.

[Balsy]

Here was a post of yours after the Pitt game. Hindsight is 20/20, eh?

I agree with this. From the moment I heard coach speak, I knew we had us a winner. Lose Big, Lose Small, Win Small, Win Big. Recruiting players who can win whatever it takes, wherever it takes...and bringing in transfers who can fill in while they develop talent. That is the template for building a winner and Bowden and company are bringing us a winner.

Enjoy the ride Zips fans, it's going to be a fun year.

Yes...hindsight is 20/20...which is exactly my point. Again, try to actually understand me instead of just being a Troll. And I still do believe Bowden is the guy who's going to bring us the winner we all want, just needs more time to develop that talent and mentality. I'm guilty of having unrealistic expectations. I'm advocating that Zips fans take a step back from the cliff, stop throwing Bowden and co under the Bus, and ground ourselves in reality.

But I'm done feeding trolls.

I'm with you on this. I've been trying to point this out all along as some people on here had been beating this "we were fine until Pohl went down" drum.

And it's not as if we were some marvel on Offense against Pitt either. We struggled most of the first half, and got a couple of great breaks with the a fantastic play on the ball by Bennett on a long pass, and a big play by Hundley to open the 2nd half.

Truth is....We've struggled to get much going offensively for almost 2 years, with the exception of a few stretches of a very few number of games.

Exactly. Thank you. I should have listened to your caution earlier in the season, instead of getting overly excited

[zippy5]

The point is that you can't tell us all we had unrealistic expectations when you were touting the win yourself. Winning MAC games isn't unrealistic. Pitt hung 48 on Duke. They beat up VT. They aren't great, but handling them at their place.. Well, if this team could do that, it's not unrealistic to expect them to at least have a winning record in the MAC.

[K92]

But I'm done feeding trolls.

That's funny. The best way for you to accomplish your goal is to stop being a shill.

[GP1]

I'm with you on this. I've been trying to point this out all along as some people on here had been beating this "we were fine until Pohl went down" drum.

I agree. I mean, we were in horrible shape when he went down for one game with concussion symptoms. I can't imagine us being in a worse spot than having won 8 of 11 with him and being 4-2 with a win against a BCS team and having maybe the most favorable schedule we have ever had. Terrible position to be in.