This team was a mess. We lost at home to The Citadel. Two of the wins were hold on for dear life games against USF and NCSU, pretty bad teams. We finished last on our side of the conference. Two of our last three games were 45-0 and 52-7. We did not get better as the year went on. I grade Collins and this team a D.
But, the season is over and there is nothing to change these dismal results. So, let’s go to work. Players have to get better. Coaches have to know how to coach kids up. Hold on to your verbal commitments and finish recruiting strong. Waffle House tweets, juice, and pushups after onside kicks (in a game you lose by 45 to your rival) are stylistic gimmicks that lack substance. Willie Taggart was a hit at FSU until he had to play games, as Bobby Bowden sagely noted.
I am not a big Collins fan. His style, kind of a metrosexual version of Ed Orgeron is not my cup of tea. But, he is our coach. I want him to be successful. I just believe it is going to take a lot of work, not a lot of hype. Good luck. And, those who love Collins need to admit this was a bad season and not lay all of the blame on Paul Johnson. Give your man a lot of time. No need to turn on him after one or two more bad seasons. This year showed us he is not a savant capable of winning big with the players he inherited. So, he has to get his players in and get them some experience.
Next year’s schedule is a tough one. It will be difficult to envision a winning season. But, I hope to see improvement and can hope we can get back to a winning season and a bowl by year three or four. By year five and six we will know what Collins can do with his players he recruits as they move through the program. I hope he turns me into a big fan by then.