[ColoradoTree]

The argument that the team loses games that they shouldn't is ridiculous. Every team does. stuff happens. But, again, what do you want to do? Clean house every time we have an off game? What is the actual remedy here? It's not like I like sitting through games like Colorado last year or Oregon State this year, but why myopically focus on those? I really, really like sitting through Rose Bowls and Pac-12 CGs, of which we've had a historic number under Shaw.

Well said.  No coaching staff is perfect.  No group of 18- to 22-year old young men and women will be perfectly consistent.  And when I complain periodically about personnel choices (like Costello staying on the bench against Oregon State) or play-calling (whether it be running too much, e.g., the Michigan State Rose Bowl, or running too little in key moments, e.g., the Utah game a few years back when we had it 3rd and 2 on the Utah 6 with about a minute left and a timeout, but we threw for the end zone twice instead of running for the first down and then clocking the ball, or punting on 4th and 2 from inside the opponent's 40), it's really just so much sound and fury.  Stupac hit on a point that I think about every time there's a high-profile coaching change in college sports--"so you're not happy with the current guy, but will the replacement be any better?"  Sure, I'd like our offense to be more effective at times, but if it's not?  I will mumble to myself and sit back down, because I don't want a remedy.  I recognize that there's no person better suited to leading this program than David Shaw, and I am so incredibly proud to root for a program led by such a good man. 

I mean, I'm not in total "ride or die" mode with Shaw.  A losing season, or even one where bowl eligibility wasn't mathematically certain with a few games to go, should warrant introspection.  But the dude's worst season as a head coach still had 8 wins and 2nd place in the division, and we followed up that season with Christian's record-breaking year and another Rose Bowl win.  Yeah, the Northwestern loss stunk, but from the outside looking in, there was some introspection, and a more exciting offense resulted.  If we win the Alamo Bowl, that's 6 out of 7 years with double-digit wins.  Things could be better, and that's always true. But man alive, things could be so much worse. 

[ColoradoTree]

The argument that the team loses games that they shouldn't is ridiculous. Every team does. stuff happens. But, again, what do you want to do? Clean house every time we have an off game? What is the actual remedy here? It's not like I like sitting through games like Colorado last year or Oregon State this year, but why myopically focus on those? I really, really like sitting through Rose Bowls and Pac-12 CGs, of which we've had a historic number under Shaw.

Well said.  No coaching staff is perfect.  No group of 18- to 22-year old young men and women will be perfectly consistent.  And when I complain periodically about personnel choices (like Costello staying on the bench against Oregon State) or play-calling (whether it be running too much, e.g., the Michigan State Rose Bowl, or running too little in key moments, e.g., the Utah game a few years back when we had it 3rd and 2 on the Utah 6 with about a minute left and a timeout, but we threw for the end zone twice instead of running for the first down and then clocking the ball, or punting on 4th and 2 from inside the opponent's 40), it's really just so much sound and fury.  Stupac hit on a point that I think about every time there's a high-profile coaching change in college sports--"so you're not happy with the current guy, but will the replacement be any better?"  Sure, I'd like our offense to be more effective at times, but if it's not?  I will mumble to myself and sit back down, because I don't want a remedy.  I recognize that there's no person better suited to leading this program than David Shaw, and I am so incredibly proud to root for a program led by such a good man. 

I mean, I'm not in total "ride or die" mode with Shaw.  A losing season, or even one where bowl eligibility wasn't mathematically certain with a few games to go, should warrant introspection.  But the dude's worst season as a head coach still had 8 wins and 2nd place in the division, and we followed up that season with Christian's record-breaking year and another Rose Bowl win.  Yeah, the Northwestern loss stunk, but from the outside looking in, there was some introspection, and a more exciting offense resulted.  If we win the Alamo Bowl, that's 6 out of 7 years with double-digit wins.  Things could be better, and that's always true. But man alive, things could be so much worse.