[pcgoode]

As much as I care about the team, the 2018 iteration drives me nuts.  At times, especially in the last few games, they seem to be playing superbly and are a playoff contender or at least a conference championship contender.  And then, during the same game, they are just brutal.  

Seems to me there are four issues affecting performance:

1. Even year schedules are tough.
2. In-game adaptations on offense and defense take too long to be made, if they are made at all.
3. Injuries seem to be more prevalent than in past years.
4. Line play, particularly on the defensive line, is not where it needs to be.  I think there are many reasons for this.  I don't follow recruiting as closely as others, but I wonder if we are looking too closely at measurables and not enough at the raw desire to be a great football player. IIRC, a number of our best players from earlier on in the Shaw/Harbaugh era, such as Ben Gardner, Henry Anderson, Trent Murphy and David Parry, were no more than three star recruits, but their desire to win and become great football players was clearly obvious and a joy to watch at the time. Football is a highly emotional game, particularly on defense.  I wonder sometimes if the generally calm demeanor of Coach Shaw is rubbing off a little too much on our players attitudes.  Contrast this with Harbaugh with his EUTM.

[pcgoode]

As much as I care about the team, the 2018 iteration drives me nuts.  At times, especially in the last few games, they seem to be playing superbly and are a playoff contender or at least a conference championship contender.  And then, during the same game, they are just brutal.  

Seems to me there are four issues affecting performance:

1. Even year schedules are tough.
2. In-game adaptations on offense and defense take too long to be made, if they are made at all.
3. Injuries seem to be more prevalent than in past years.
4. Line play, particularly on the defensive line, is not where it needs to be.  I think there are many reasons for this.  I don't follow recruiting as closely as others, but I wonder if we are looking too closely at measurables and not enough at the raw desire to be a great football player. IIRC, a number of our best players from earlier on in the Shaw/Harbaugh era, such as Ben Gardner, Henry Anderson, Trent Murphy and David Parry, were no more than three star recruits, but their desire to win and become great football players was clearly obvious and a joy to watch at the time. Football is a highly emotional game, particularly on defense.  I wonder sometimes if the generally calm demeanor of Coach Shaw is rubbing off a little too much on our players attitudes.  Contrast this with Harbaugh with his EUTM.