I keep thinking back to Coach Klieman’s preseason outlook when he said, “This team will ultimately be judged by how we respond to adversity this season.”
It’s hard to think of anything more adverse than beating Stanford in a huge opening game, then losing the star QB who came back for a sixth season, early in the second game. Fighting through to win that game and then beating a high quality Nevada team - with a future NFL QB - with our backup QB.
Only to lose the first three conference games in very unconvincing, sub standard fashion and suddenly being 3-3, and on the road in Lubbock. As we all know we were down 14-0 before we ever took an offensive snap. But we ultimately battled back, never quit and somehow escaped with a 1-point win.
Fast forward to a four game winning streak and the possibility of finishing with six straight conference wins.
Klieman deserves major credit for keeping this team together after Skylar went down, after losing our first three conference games and fighting through the game in Lubbock to keep the season alive.
The 4th and 8 play in the fourth quarter Saturday perfectly illustrates this team this season, “How are we going to respond to adversity?”
We might lose a few too many recruiting battles, don’t have the financial resources of most of our rivals, and must play tough, blue collar football to win games, but we have the right guy in charge. And like the HOF head coach whose name adorns the stadium before him, Klieman’s a battler and doesn’t hide behind excuses and inequalities for our success.
Go Cats!
It’s hard to think of anything more adverse than beating Stanford in a huge opening game, then losing the star QB who came back for a sixth season, early in the second game. Fighting through to win that game and then beating a high quality Nevada team - with a future NFL QB - with our backup QB.
Only to lose the first three conference games in very unconvincing, sub standard fashion and suddenly being 3-3, and on the road in Lubbock. As we all know we were down 14-0 before we ever took an offensive snap. But we ultimately battled back, never quit and somehow escaped with a 1-point win.
Fast forward to a four game winning streak and the possibility of finishing with six straight conference wins.
Klieman deserves major credit for keeping this team together after Skylar went down, after losing our first three conference games and fighting through the game in Lubbock to keep the season alive.
The 4th and 8 play in the fourth quarter Saturday perfectly illustrates this team this season, “How are we going to respond to adversity?”
We might lose a few too many recruiting battles, don’t have the financial resources of most of our rivals, and must play tough, blue collar football to win games, but we have the right guy in charge. And like the HOF head coach whose name adorns the stadium before him, Klieman’s a battler and doesn’t hide behind excuses and inequalities for our success.
Go Cats!
