I didn't want to leave this only in the Zoom thread in case you didn't plan on looking there ...
Here's what Justin Wilcox said when I asked about the state of the program and what gives him confidence that with a couple staff changes and whatever else is done in the offseason that next season can be substantially different?
"I think you look at the games that we had a chance or opportunity to find a way to win but didn't. It's playing up to our potential more often. I think we have some very good players on the team. We need to get healthy -- like a lot of teams, there's some very, very talented players, some of those guys are very young so I think the future is bright. The team cares about each other, they're good guys, they work hard, they practice hard. The chemistry and culture in the room is strong. They're disappointed and frustrated that we're not having more success on the field, but not once have we seen a guy hang it up, so to speak. So it gives me a lot of confidence, but it is frustrating, it is disappointing not getting the results that we all think we are able to achieve. There were a number of times, as I mentioned, especially this year and last year where a play or two plays or three plays, you're looking at a difference in eight, nine games. So we need to find a way to make up those margins and I'm certain we can do that. It won't be easy, but I'm certain we can accomplish that."
My follow-up, asking how what he envisioned for the season didn't align with how it played out (beyond the record). Was it just injuries or what other specific frustrations has the season brought?
"There's no way to plan for injuries, and they're a part of the game, you roll with it. That's why you have 85 scholarships, and we've got to make sure that the guys who are maybe backups, the 2s and the 3s, that they're playing to their potential. Just like everybody who's dealing with injuries, the starters are our starters for a reason. We want the next guy up, the 2s or the 3s to be working extremely hard in practice, so that when they get their opportunity that they live up to the standard at that position or on that unit. We've got to continue to push that, we've got to continue to push the players, so that when we have somebody get dinged up that that next man up is playing at the standard that we've all set."
Here's what Justin Wilcox said when I asked about the state of the program and what gives him confidence that with a couple staff changes and whatever else is done in the offseason that next season can be substantially different?
"I think you look at the games that we had a chance or opportunity to find a way to win but didn't. It's playing up to our potential more often. I think we have some very good players on the team. We need to get healthy -- like a lot of teams, there's some very, very talented players, some of those guys are very young so I think the future is bright. The team cares about each other, they're good guys, they work hard, they practice hard. The chemistry and culture in the room is strong. They're disappointed and frustrated that we're not having more success on the field, but not once have we seen a guy hang it up, so to speak. So it gives me a lot of confidence, but it is frustrating, it is disappointing not getting the results that we all think we are able to achieve. There were a number of times, as I mentioned, especially this year and last year where a play or two plays or three plays, you're looking at a difference in eight, nine games. So we need to find a way to make up those margins and I'm certain we can do that. It won't be easy, but I'm certain we can accomplish that."
My follow-up, asking how what he envisioned for the season didn't align with how it played out (beyond the record). Was it just injuries or what other specific frustrations has the season brought?
"There's no way to plan for injuries, and they're a part of the game, you roll with it. That's why you have 85 scholarships, and we've got to make sure that the guys who are maybe backups, the 2s and the 3s, that they're playing to their potential. Just like everybody who's dealing with injuries, the starters are our starters for a reason. We want the next guy up, the 2s or the 3s to be working extremely hard in practice, so that when they get their opportunity that they live up to the standard at that position or on that unit. We've got to continue to push that, we've got to continue to push the players, so that when we have somebody get dinged up that that next man up is playing at the standard that we've all set."
