in which he utters some words many Falcon fans have wanted to hear (emphasis added)....
Everybody’s looking to blame somebody. I’ll take the blame. You can write it, it’s my fault,” said BG’s Gregg Brandon. “I’m the head coach, so it’s my fault. The performance of the team, it all comes back to me.”
Still Brandon remains optimistic, emphasizing that having eight months to work with the younger players should pay benefits for the 2007 season. A total of 14 true freshmen and 17 redshirt freshmen saw their first collegiate action in 2006.
“None of these (true) freshmen who played for us this year have been through an off-season, have been through a spring ball (except Jerett Sanderson). They had no idea what it takes to play at this level. This season they found out,” Brandon said. “They weren’t ready. We got exposed. But that’s the hand we were dealt. Will that make them better down the road? Absolutely. They got big-time battle experience.
“My concern with this team is that they don’t get beat up so much, mentally, emotionally, physically, that they never come back.”
Of course, words are words. I think everyone who is rooting for Coach--and I'm one of them--would like to see him be more careful about commenting on his players when he talks to the media. Beyond that, he needs to challenge himself to bring this team around. If some part of him still thinks "hey, I didn't miss that FG" then I worry we won't get the job done.
The last paragraph is one of the things everyone fears going into the off season. This staff has a huge job ahead of them. Even this "battle tested" team will only go from being freshman-dominated to being sophomore-dominated next season, and along with that developmental curve there are also the morale issues to deal with. Another losing season, and we really could lose the team--yet winning is not a certainty next year.
Final note: internet rumors are that we are going to schedule Navy home and home, with the Midshipmen making the trip to BG next season. Navy may be the first team in history to schedule a home and home with us and come to our place first! Anchors aweigh!
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