I know I should let it go but....

[DoggieDaddy13]

The Liberty Bowl....

Did Leach's criticism of player's opting out of the bowl game (Cross and Emerson) damage the locker room?

While fans would agree with Leach for the most part, perhaps our players felt differently about it.

Or did the bowl just feel unimportant to them because players like Cross and Emerson decided not to play?

I get that we had starters out with the Omicron Wuhan, but we really looked gawdawful as a team.

 

[patdog]

Yeah, you should let it go. Leach criticizing opt outs had nothing to do with it.

 

[msudawg12]

No

 

[Smoked Toag]

Combination of all the factors:

1) Leach should let the opting out go, he's missing the big picture;
2) The Liberty Bowl does not matter, same as all the other non-playoff bowls, players know this;
3) I'm sure we didn't have the best COVID prevention policies in place, because of #2 above.

Leach needs to look in the mirror with this opting out stuff. Coaches leave all the time before bowls. He did it himself. He would have done it at Wazzou too, but we hired him after the bowls were over.

 

[kired]

I'm convinced some of our guys were playing with covid (or maybe they'd had it recently?). Wheat looked like he was completely out of shape. I know Polk hurt his ankle or something early, but he was dragging around too. Neither of them looked 100% but they aren't guys you'd expect to slack off.

But longer term - I wonder if this is just what we get with Leach's offense in bowls. Does having a month off hurt the rhythm of this offense? Looking back at his last 10 bowl games, his offense typically has underperformed in bowl games since he left Tech.


2021 Liberty - L, 7 points / 344 yards
2020 Armed Forces - W, 21 points / 271 yards (had a pick 6 vs Tulsa to get 28 pnts)
2019 Cheezit - L, 21 points / 366 yards
2018 Alamo - W, 28 points / 327 yards (with Minshew)
2017 Holiday - L, 17 points / 296 yards, two TDs after they were down 35-3
2016 Holiday - L, 12 points / 303 yards, only TD came in closing seconds
2015 Sun - W, 20 points / 382 yards
2013 New Mexico - L, 45 points / 500 yards
2009 Cotton - L, 28 points / 469 yards (had pick 6 to get to 34)
2008 Gator - W, 31 points / 441 yards

 

[philduckworth]

I don't know if it effected the Liberty Bowl. But Leach needs to STFU about opt outs and the transfer portal. You have to adjust with the times.

 

[Smoked Toag]

I don't know if it effected the Liberty Bowl. But Leach needs to STFU about opt outs and the transfer portal. You have to adjust with the times.

Has he complained about the portal? I haven't seen that, seems he's taking full advantage as much or more than anyone.

 

[Joe Schmedlap]

They just sucked. End of story

The Liberty Bowl....

Did Leach's criticism of player's opting out of the bowl game (Cross and Emerson) damage the locker room?

While fans would agree with Leach for the most part, perhaps our players felt differently about it.

Or did the bowl just feel unimportant to them because players like Cross and Emerson decided not to play?

I get that we had starters out with the Omicron Wuhan, but we really looked gawdawful as a team.

 

[philduckworth]

Has he complained about the portal? I haven't seen that, seems he's taking full advantage as much or more than anyone.

Yes, he said he's against it. He said he thinks it damages individuals and it damages teams.

Just not smart at all be Leach. Dave Emerick and our recruiting staff has to work thru this.

 

[NOATLDAWG]

I think it is more about the OTHER team having a month to prepare for an offense that is genuinely pretty limited by only running a napkin's worth of plays... If you have a captive audience of a defense that will listen to your coaching for a month, you can shut us down pretty quickly. Same as prep for a triple option. Preparing for it in week 7 and having only 3-4 days of prep is very different than having a month to prep for it. That's the biggest reason that most coaches put in a lot of trick plays/wrinkles into their bowl prep...

 

[Seinfeld]

Definitely agree with point 1. Leach’s ability to get guys into the NFL directly impacts his ability to land new talent, and there is absolutely nothing to gain from publicly condemning opt outs as a head coach. He can only lose here

 

[Smoked Toag]

Yes, he said he's against it. He said he thinks it damages individuals and it damages teams.

Just not smart at all be Leach. Dave Emerick and our recruiting staff has to work thru this.

Just found a couple of links. Yeah he needs to STFU.

https://www.outkick.com/why-mike-leach-is-so-right-about-ncaa-transfer-portal/
https://www.si.com/college/mississi...eceiver-makai-polk-transfer-portal-mike-leach

In the first one the author can't even figure out that the reason Leach coached in the bowl was because we hired him after it. Just basic lack of information, so how can you take that seriously? Then in the second article Leach praises Makai Polk as a portal success story.

Unfortunately I guess that is part of what comes with hiring a 60 year coach set in his ways.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

We lost the only Bowl that mattered this year (Egg Bowl) Liberty Bowl is a crap Bowl in a Crap Stadium In a Crap City.

 

[turfdawg]

As a fan I’m going to adjust with the times also and not waste my money on these meaningless bowl games also.

 

[Dawgtruc]

The Liberty Bowl....

Did Leach's criticism of player's opting out of the bowl game (Cross and Emerson) damage the locker room?

While fans would agree with Leach for the most part, perhaps our players felt differently about it.

Or did the bowl just feel unimportant to them because players like Cross and Emerson decided not to play?

I get that we had starters out with the Omicron Wuhan, but we really looked gawdawful as a team.

It feels like we should get used to being disappointed on Thanksgiving. It's a sheetshow in oxferd right now with all the defections (players and staff). But you better believe those terds will do whatever they have to do to win the Egg again. Including breaking another leg if they have to.

The pressure is on Leach to prove he can reverse the trend of sucking against rivals and in postseason bowl games.

 

[FISHDAWG]

I think it is more about the OTHER team having a month to prepare for an offense that is genuinely pretty limited by only running a napkin's worth of plays... If you have a captive audience of a defense that will listen to your coaching for a month, you can shut us down pretty quickly. Same as prep for a triple option. Preparing for it in week 7 and having only 3-4 days of prep is very different than having a month to prep for it. That's the biggest reason that most coaches put in a lot of trick plays/wrinkles into their bowl prep...

you mean kinda like us preparing for Ga Tech's option in 2014 ? ..... I thought the same thing (even though we didn't have our DC there) but Tech ran all over us with only a handful of offensive plays ... it's just whoever wants it more when the talent is relatively even

 

[BogeyGolfer.sixpack]

The Liberty Bowl....

Did Leach's criticism of player's opting out of the bowl game (Cross and Emerson) damage the locker room?

While fans would agree with Leach for the most part, perhaps our players felt differently about it.

Or did the bowl just feel unimportant to them because players like Cross and Emerson decided not to play?

I get that we had starters out with the Omicron Wuhan, but we really looked gawdawful as a team.

Did you watch the LSU game? We were in the same situation they were in...We probably should've canceled the game...No matter what Matt says or anyone else, half of the bowl games are won by the team who wants to be there. We were missing 13 players, that was not a representation of our team this year. You have to flush that game and move on. What it does do is pretty much guarantee that I want be traveling to any bowl games unless they are a NY6 and the team is motivated. No way I'm dropping 2K or so to watch that BS... But this isn't just a Miss. State issue, half the bowl teams didn't want to play...

 

[patdog]

We didn't have nearly as many players out as LSU did and I doubt we could have cancelled the game even if we'd wanted to. The fact is, the defense that was heavily hit by Covid played hard until they just ran out, but the offense that was pretty much intact sucked ***. Bowl games are just a crapshoot and it's been that way for at least the last 20 years.

 

[onewoof]

I have a number to a good therapist. PM me bro

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Just keep repeating this to yourself.

February 18-20, 2022 Dudy Noble

 

[NOATLDAWG]

more so the opposite of how we didn't even attempt to prep for it.