OT: MSU Post Game Thoughts
- Thread starter ThrustMaxwell
- Start date
Marcello just threw some gasoline on the fire.
I was going to save some of this for 3 things I know, 3 things I think on Wednesday, but why wait?
Below are a few items I'm hearing from inside the locker room and others close to the program. If you don't want to hear some bad news, look away. I'm not hearing a lot of positive things inside the locker room, so click away if you'd rather go along your day without hearing what players are thinking in private.
- There is animosity in the locker room. Some defensive players have not been fans of Jarrett Stidham for nearly a year, and while that's not affecting play, obviously, the locker room features a lot of quiet corners, if that makes sense. Some players are playing for themselves, though the defense has managed to come together unit by unit, and are held together by Deshaun Davis and Marlon Davidson. The offense isn't the only unit with issues with chemistry, so I want to make that clear, and so did one of my sources.
- Chip Lindsey calls the plays and they're filtered through Gus Malzahn. Simple. Players know it and they think it's strange, leading to some unfavorable opinions of the head coach among players on both sides of the ball.
- Right or wrong, some players don't like Jarrett Stidham's happy, go-lucky attitude. He was smiling wide and skipping around outside the locker room after the game, prompting some parents and players to shake their head and grumble. Stidham is disconnected from the team, save for a few close friends, and a lot of the defensive players are not happy with him, his performances and his attitude. He shows leadership on game days, but the players don't see a killer instinct and his words ring hollow to several offensive players, and it's bothering the defensive players from afar.
- Several players are discussing departures after this season. Malzahn is being criticized privately by a handful of players inside the locker room, which isn't uncommon for any program, but the whispers are audible grumbles this season -- and have been for most of the year.
- Several receivers are frustrated with Stidham. Several offensive linemen want to leave if they believe they can be drafted in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft, but inserting my own opinion here, who exactly is going to be drafted from that offensive line?
- Simply put, there's dissension, albeit quiet, but it's growing and it's clouding the thoughts and actions of players at practice and on game days. There's not a player on offense everyone turns to for guidance, and while the offensive line has been an absolute mess, Stidham has done himself no favors in the eyes of the players.
- Malzahn is unaware of these opinions in his own locker room.
Again, that's what's happening in the locker room. I'm just sharing what I've been told by several people. I'm not taking sides and I'm certainly not altering what is being told to me.
My thoughts:
- I'll be surprised if Chip Lindsey doesn't look for a way out after this season.
- Several players will leave the program if something drastic doesn't change with the atmosphere of the program.
- Accountability is an issue. There needs to be more action rather than talk, in the locker room and in the coaches' offices. If anything, there probably actually needs to be an airing of grievances among coaches and players in a team meeting. What's happening now is not constructive and is bordering on cancerous.
Below are a few items I'm hearing from inside the locker room and others close to the program. If you don't want to hear some bad news, look away. I'm not hearing a lot of positive things inside the locker room, so click away if you'd rather go along your day without hearing what players are thinking in private.
- There is animosity in the locker room. Some defensive players have not been fans of Jarrett Stidham for nearly a year, and while that's not affecting play, obviously, the locker room features a lot of quiet corners, if that makes sense. Some players are playing for themselves, though the defense has managed to come together unit by unit, and are held together by Deshaun Davis and Marlon Davidson. The offense isn't the only unit with issues with chemistry, so I want to make that clear, and so did one of my sources.
- Chip Lindsey calls the plays and they're filtered through Gus Malzahn. Simple. Players know it and they think it's strange, leading to some unfavorable opinions of the head coach among players on both sides of the ball.
- Right or wrong, some players don't like Jarrett Stidham's happy, go-lucky attitude. He was smiling wide and skipping around outside the locker room after the game, prompting some parents and players to shake their head and grumble. Stidham is disconnected from the team, save for a few close friends, and a lot of the defensive players are not happy with him, his performances and his attitude. He shows leadership on game days, but the players don't see a killer instinct and his words ring hollow to several offensive players, and it's bothering the defensive players from afar.
- Several players are discussing departures after this season. Malzahn is being criticized privately by a handful of players inside the locker room, which isn't uncommon for any program, but the whispers are audible grumbles this season -- and have been for most of the year.
- Several receivers are frustrated with Stidham. Several offensive linemen want to leave if they believe they can be drafted in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft, but inserting my own opinion here, who exactly is going to be drafted from that offensive line?
- Simply put, there's dissension, albeit quiet, but it's growing and it's clouding the thoughts and actions of players at practice and on game days. There's not a player on offense everyone turns to for guidance, and while the offensive line has been an absolute mess, Stidham has done himself no favors in the eyes of the players.
- Malzahn is unaware of these opinions in his own locker room.
Again, that's what's happening in the locker room. I'm just sharing what I've been told by several people. I'm not taking sides and I'm certainly not altering what is being told to me.
My thoughts:
- I'll be surprised if Chip Lindsey doesn't look for a way out after this season.
- Several players will leave the program if something drastic doesn't change with the atmosphere of the program.
- Accountability is an issue. There needs to be more action rather than talk, in the locker room and in the coaches' offices. If anything, there probably actually needs to be an airing of grievances among coaches and players in a team meeting. What's happening now is not constructive and is bordering on cancerous.
Also, wasn't sure where to post this. To channel by inner @cardeja, would look good in O&B:
I'll take 49 please!
Oh look, it's all those things we've been predicting and bitching about for years festering into AIDS. Oh well, guess Imma sit back and watch the dumpster fire get a few more tires thrown on it after each loss.
the stidham stuff is the most interesting imo. He always came across as someone who was groomed to say what everyone wanted to hear, but it never came across as genuine to me. But JGT and some others always said that he worked really hard and was really professional, so I just kind of put it to the side. But those kind of fake attitudes can be a pretty toxic if you're not performing well which he definitely isn't.
The other stuff is kind of normal and stuff we already knew. When you have high expectations and things don't go right, everyone is gonna start grumbling and saying they were right or know how to make things better etc.
Season's over anyways but I'll be curious to see who transfers. I think there was a pretty big exodus after 2015, which was the last season with high expectations that collapsed. So it wouldn't surprise me if somethnig similar happens. But I also think there's plenty of depth on the squad for it to be fine as well and start fresh next season. So whatever;
True. And that his teams are mentally weak and not abke to overcome adversity
[QUOTE="MomentInTheSun, post: 63073, member: 1190"But I also think there's plenty of depth on the squad for it to be fine as well and start fresh next season. So whatever; [/QUOTE]
I was 100% with you until this point.
I was 100% with you until this point.
Might lose the entire front 7. Most of the trash offense be back except Stidham and R Davis. Cox I guess.
Next year looks like a total disaster but maybe we at least play a running QB.
Next year looks like a total disaster but maybe we at least play a running QB.
not sure Marlon and Coe are good enough to bolt yet. Gonna be a drop off there but I don't think it'll be as big as people think. JMO
I think what we see from Stidham is him. I think he’s hard working, he’s professional in his attitude, but he’s not a rah rah, emotional guy. I don’t think he will ever be an alpha type leader. Just don’t think that’s his personality. And while I think he takes football seriously, I don’t think it’s everything for him like it is some other players. To some, this is the best chance they have. For Stidham, he has it made if football doesn’t work out. I think part of the observations about him from teammates are a bit of jealousy, which I don’t necessarily fault Those players for those feelings. Him coming in as a transfer and being anointed the guy and being hyped by Gus this offseason probably hasn’t helped, considering he has the lived up to that hype. He wasn’t part of that original signing class and probably doesn’t have the bonds of his teammates in the same ways as he would’ve had he come in as a freshman.
Sounds like Studham thinks he is too good to smoke a bowl with his boys.
If D has a slight drop off and offense still has holes at QB and OL, how do you feel about this schedule:
We gettin wrektIf D has a slight drop off and offense still has holes at QB and OL, how do you feel about this schedule:
If D has a slight drop off and offense still has holes at QB and OL, how do you feel about this schedule:
6-6
Wins: Tulane, Kent State, Arkansas, Samford
Toss-ups: Miss St, Ole Miss
Losses: Oregon, aTm, Florida, LSU, UGA, Bama
Yeah, I don't remember stories about Seanshine's teammates hating him. If he'd have had Stidham's build and arm that dude would've been balling for us.
Agreed. I'm not quick to call players lazy, but I will put that tag on a coach. I don't think these guys are working smart or hard really. I think they are putting some hours in but you can work 80 hours a week without really working more than 30. There is simply no way this crew is seriously analyzing tape of anything. There is no way to convince me of it. The product says that's false.
This is what most of this board expected. It's one of the primary reasons this place exists. Gus wasn't the right guy. This was obvious by 2015 for sure.
The deep-seeded issues we tried to warn everyone about for years are now festering to the surface and I will enjoy watching the slow burn as the situation devolves into utter destruction.
Lol’d hard @ “Malzahn is unaware of the dissention/discontent in his own locker room.”
There’s a fvcking shocker.
I genuinely do think they were/are working hard. I don't think this is a bbq gang assistants thing like under Tubs. I just think that when the head guy is stupid and stubborn, then there's no incentive for the assistants to exhaust themselves in coming up with new ideas on how to fix things bc Gus will just shoot them down. I think it's all at the top.
I do wonder if Gus' tenure at AU as the OC has sort of fostered a bigger paranoia complex within him. They fired Gene and brought him back because Gus was viewed as the real reason (from a coaching standpoint) for the natty. It's almost as if he knows that AU is capable of backstabbing people so he won't even consider letting Chip have any control because he may outshine him. It's almost like, "yeah you want control, then go fugg off to ark st like I did and try to earn it that way bc you ain't getting it here."
That may be right. I have 100% confidence that we will hear in the spring about now we’re practicing fundamentals we’ve never practiced before.
Every ex coach never taught fundamentals and all the new ones preach it constantly
the thing some au fans can't wrap their heads around is that both Chip and Gus can suck. Just like both Stidham and Willis aren't that good either. It's a depressing reality. But everyone always wants to think that there's a ready made solution to the problem but sometimes there isn't.
It is like these people have not been life long Boog fans. If they had, they would know what to expect the better part of every 10 years. 1 to 2 good seasons and 5-6 mediocre seasons 1-2 wtf happened seasons.
It’s why we need a new coach every 4-5 seasons. They all have great years during their 4-5 year stretch but can’t make it last. Embrace who we are
Not to come off like too much of a douche, but nobody has been saying they both suck longer than me.
There WAS a solution. Send Gus’ ass packing to Fayetteville and hire a real program manager. But AU managed to bungle TF out of that golden opportunity
Yeah, sort of like the old adage about the person who let the truck, boat, and helicopter pass after the dam busted because they were waiting on the gods to save them.
It's the whole Mark Richt dilemma, 10 to 9 wins every year for a decade but no championship or potential championship run every 4 years with a lot more ebb than flow in the 3 years in between.
It's not that Gus's teams lose games it how they look when they do. For his offense to look so hapless and anemic is inexcusable.
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Cubelic just got fired the fvck up about the anonymous player sources from Marcello's piece.
At least Marciello has sources, eh @Jay G. Tate?
