The coaches are ultimately responsible for the failures of this team thus far, but when the opportunity presents itself to make a big play the players have to make them.
A great illustration of this occurred on two different kick off returns yesterday. In no way am I blaming the loss yesterday on our kick off return team (we all know that unit is the least of our worries) and I'm not posting this to call out Reed and Pringle. It was just 3 easy to see examples of big plays that were there to be had and we didn't make the play.
On the first one, Reed caught the kickoff on our side of the field and the return was set up to TCU's side. It was extremely well blocked. After Reed cut across the field, Wood has his man blocked to the outside. Reed continues to run to the outside instead of cutting up inside the block. He might have scored if he did.
On the other one, the return team again blocked it extremely well. There were only two defenders unblocked. The TCU defender designated as the safety and the kicker. Pringle ran right by the safety to block the kicker. Maybe he didn't see him, but it sure looked like he looked right at him. The safety is the guy who makes the tackle. If Pringle blocks him, Reed is one on one with the kicker and you would take your chances with that every time.
Both of those plays are ones Pringle and Reed are very capable of making, they just didn't get made. I'm sure you go through the film and find many plays like this.
A great illustration of this occurred on two different kick off returns yesterday. In no way am I blaming the loss yesterday on our kick off return team (we all know that unit is the least of our worries) and I'm not posting this to call out Reed and Pringle. It was just 3 easy to see examples of big plays that were there to be had and we didn't make the play.
On the first one, Reed caught the kickoff on our side of the field and the return was set up to TCU's side. It was extremely well blocked. After Reed cut across the field, Wood has his man blocked to the outside. Reed continues to run to the outside instead of cutting up inside the block. He might have scored if he did.
On the other one, the return team again blocked it extremely well. There were only two defenders unblocked. The TCU defender designated as the safety and the kicker. Pringle ran right by the safety to block the kicker. Maybe he didn't see him, but it sure looked like he looked right at him. The safety is the guy who makes the tackle. If Pringle blocks him, Reed is one on one with the kicker and you would take your chances with that every time.
Both of those plays are ones Pringle and Reed are very capable of making, they just didn't get made. I'm sure you go through the film and find many plays like this.
