Apparently, everybody didn't come out to the field with the appearance of having themselves, and that's good.
I'm on board Diaco's love machine. This team is so much better than last year. The love machine seems to be everything it's made out to be, and so that means that everybody in the program knows they should have won this game. That also means that they're going to get out of bed tomorrow sore as hell, and want to get back to work to get better as soon as possible anyway. A game ends 9-6 with 2 TD's scored?
I can guarantee, without having seen a thing, that there are just as many mistakes to correct in this game, as there were in the first game vs. Villanova. So, you get to work and correct them. To finish a game like this, the problems of last year are gone. Without a doubt.
Now - to the last call, I was sure the field goal had been missed or blocked again, but whatever Diaco made a call and live with it. This is the same guy that decided to scrap an entire offensive play book in the first quarter of a game last year. He's nothing, as I wrote, if not eccentric, entertaining and consistent. Consistently unconventional.
So, he decided to go for the win. Good for him, and the team. honesltly, as Fairfield noted - we've not just missed PAT's, we've had them blocked in 3 consecutive games. What really was the chance of making a FG vs. trying another trick play? THe difference - is playing for the win, or playing for a chance to win in OT, with your defense that is gassed and you've been riding all day. You can't constantly rely on your defense to win games. I got cooked for agreeing and defending Pasqualoni's decision to throw against Vanderbilt and try to to get a first down and win the game, and I still would do it again, and I don't think DIaco made a bad call here. Play for the win. Fine by me.
Perhaps in the future, a better way - would be to not have to take the game down to a trick play with under a minute to go to do it - play for the win.
Now - reality is if the love machine is what i's crackedup to be, these guys are going to be hungrier than ever, they're going to get better this week, and on Saturday - we'll have a chance to compete with Navy, and defend our home field and finish the first quarter of the season at 3-1.
I'll be there, and I can't wait.
and again - the kicking game needs some work.