Did Embree over-promise playing time?

[Buffnik]

It seemed to help with the 2012 class.

But the guys who didn't get it seem frustrated (see Hall, Jeffrey).

And I worry that trying to fulfill these promises led to playing a lot of guys before they were ready. Before they had taken the job from the older players above them.

I don't know that this was a problem with this season, but it would seem to explain why the team under-performed in a lot of ways. Too many players were learning on the job and playing to many minutes before they were ready.

Was CU football younger than it needed to be this year?

Did this create unrealistic expectations or possibly a sense of entitlement in some guys (similar to how Hawkins encountered problems with his WRs by giving them jobs without them earning them)?

Thoughts?

 

[30Something]

I don't know how many guys are frustrated by lack of playing time. Jeffrey Hall seemed pissed that Jon was fired, so I'm guessing he isn't blaming the coaching staff for the lack of playing time.

That said, I agree that the recruiting pitch of "we suck and you can fill a position of need as a freshman" probably results in getting a disproportionate number of players who would rather not compete for playing time. And yes, I think that creates issues for a program.

I speak from experience, because I was in the same boat over two decades ago as a high school senior. I had an offer to play for a top 5 ranked school (with a Sophomore all-american and an incredible Freshman in front of me on the depth chart). Coach told me I'd redshirt my freshman year, and I knew I probably wouldn't see the field until year 3 at the earliest. I chose instead to go to a struggling team (not CU), where I started every game as a true Freshman. Looking back, I was an impatient little child who was (quite frankly) afraid to fail, sit the bench, or be told that someone else was better than me. The sad thing is that the team was chocked full of guys who had the same mindset as I did. Damn near 50% of our starters were true freshman or sophomores. We all thought we had good players and would improve as a team as we got older. We never did, mostly because we were never pushed to excel in practice, and didn't have anyone breathing down our backs for playing time.

Ultimately the head coach finally got fired after my Junior season, and quite frankly should have been fired after 2.

I don't know how the habits of the CU football team well enough to say their experience is similar to mine. But if it is, I can tell you that its a tough hole to dig a program out of. You need a coach that can demand perfection, and make guys who really don't want the competition, compete.

 

[BuffUp]

There is always favoritism with all coaches, jobs, employment, etc... I think jon actually played who he had or felt he had to, other than those few "favorites". He probably did tell every recruit they can play now, every coach uses that pitch.

 

[cubuffs11]

I don't know how many guys are frustrated by lack of playing time. Jeffrey Hall seemed pissed that Jon was fired, so I'm guessing he isn't blaming the coaching staff for the lack of playing time.

That said, I agree that the recruiting pitch of "we suck and you can fill a position of need as a freshman" probably results in getting a disproportionate number of players who would rather not compete for playing time. And yes, I think that creates issues for a program.

I speak from experience, because I was in the same boat over two decades ago as a high school senior. I had an offer to play for a top 5 ranked school (with a Sophomore all-american and an incredible Freshman in front of me on the depth chart). Coach told me I'd redshirt my freshman year, and I knew I probably wouldn't see the field until year 3 at the earliest. I chose instead to go to a struggling team (not CU), where I started every game as a true Freshman. Looking back, I was an impatient little child who was (quite frankly) afraid to fail, sit the bench, or be told that someone else was better than me. The sad thing is that the team was chocked full of guys who had the same mindset as I did. Damn near 50% of our starters were true freshman or sophomores. We all thought we had good players and would improve as a team as we got older. We never did, mostly because we were never pushed to excel in practice, and didn't have anyone breathing down our backs for playing time.

Ultimately the head coach finally got fired after my Junior season, and quite frankly should have been fired after 2.

I don't know how the habits of the CU football team well enough to say their experience is similar to mine. But if it is, I can tell you that its a tough hole to dig a program out of. You need a coach that can demand perfection, and make guys who really don't want the competition, compete.

Good post - thanks for the insight.

 

[slider]

It seemed to help with the 2012 class.

But the guys who didn't get it seem frustrated (see Hall, Jeffrey).

And I worry that trying to fulfill these promises led to playing a lot of guys before they were ready. Before they had taken the job from the older players above them.

I don't know that this was a problem with this season, but it would seem to explain why the team under-performed in a lot of ways. Too many players were learning on the job and playing to many minutes before they were ready.

Was CU football younger than it needed to be this year?

Did this create unrealistic expectations or possibly a sense of entitlement in some guys (similar to how Hawkins encountered problems with his WRs by giving them jobs without them earning them)?

Thoughts?

I am convinced of this. Guys like Moten got PT last year at CB and little to none this year. Moten got passed by Yuri, Crawley, Hall, Bell etc. I'm dumbfounded by that.

 

[jpbuff]

Moten was a Hawk recruit, all the others you mentioned were Embrees. I think we all know why Josh was overtaken.

 

[Heywood]

It seemed to help with the 2012 class.

But the guys who didn't get it seem frustrated (see Hall, Jeffrey).


Thoughts?

Didnt I see a picture (two maybe) of him crying and hugging embo?

 

[Buffnik]

Didnt I see a picture (two maybe) of him crying and hugging embo?

He was also quoted as saying that he was looking to leave because his playing time was messed with.

 

[boulder77]

How many of the players that were at Embree's press conference were his recuits, and how many were Hawk's guys? I really have no idea. Just thought it would be interesting to know as it may indicate that the rumors of a rift in the locker room were or were not true.

 

[BlackNGold]

The whole "Embree" played favorites thing has been way overblown. This started when a poster on Allbuffs claimed that some juniors got passed over by Embrees recruits but if you look at the list of Juniors most of them are on the two deep and many of them starting. When this came up I asked a couple of people associated with the team (long time people I trust) and they told me overall the locker room was pretty good and tight considering the record and how easy it would be for it to deteriorate. The only junior I wanted to see get more playing time was Josh Ford...I watched Moten last year and this year and it never crossed my mind that he was getting passed over.

No coach promises playing time, they promise the opportunity to compete which because of circumstances a lot of young guys got that opportunity. I think way too much has been made out of Hall's very confusing tweet which he made during a moment of high emotion.

 

[somebody]

I thought there were confirmed reports of meetings of position players that excluded some players. But all of this is so incongruous with everything we know about Embree. He is a super Buff.