RA, thank you for your article.
You have your restraints and constraints, being in the position you are in - both professionally and personally - to the program. But, also your personal and professional relationship for 40+ yrs covering HCMG. So thank you for the insight you CAN provide. I mean that. You bleed orange, and I love it! Seriously.
So, here are a couple of thoughts on my 40 + years watching the Cowboys from the stands as a teenager, and choosing to attend the University over the goons down south; then watching as an alum when I came home from overseas, and now, with my son who's an OSU jr., and all his crazy-ass fraternity brothers, who live and breathe the Cowboys as we ALL have done over the years, and all will continue to do until we're gone.
(Total Sidebar here - my son and a vast majority of his pledge class went to Norman and tailgated with sister/brother fraternities and sororities prior to the game. Surprisingly to me, they had a ball!! However, in the stands, as it went from 14 to 21 to 28 - 0, it became so obnoxious and unbearable, from the vitriol and the spit, beer and insults poured on them, he texted "thanks for the tix dad, but gotta roll or it will be a brawl w grown men in here." I guess those flashing sec lights on every score did a number, huh?
Funny, they claim we aren't their rival, yet they play us like losing is simply not an option. They certainly are coached like we're their rival on the field - they play to win and not to lose ((wish we had that mentality certain years)). In 2012, it literally took me and my group 15 minutes or so to get out of the stadium after enduring their "non-rivalry-Super Bowl-celebration" and nonsense that ensued after that debacle. I haven't been back since, and I certainly understand what the boys endured last night in a "no big deal you're not our rival game" as it got out of hand in the first!)
I say all that, because Bedlam brings out the "care." It brings out the "want," the "desire" to just win one god-doggone game.
Just one.
I know, I know, I know "old school mentality" yes. So what! I want to beat them in every damn sport every &|#} time.
I imagine everyone on this board (especially the subscribers) have an invested interest in the program with our time, our money, and our dreams. Besides a Big XII championship, Bedlam is the one we all want won.
That being said, the boys ^ are right this O line fiasco, for the last 3 years now, lands at the feet of Dickey and HCMG. Last night was an indictment on our depth, or lack-there-of (not enough effective recruiting), and his coaching. Woof.
It is time for Charlie Johnson to be hired and rejuvenate this situation. Put Dickey as a SR. advisor, but hire Charlie ASAP. He's young, he's bright, he's a self-made, decade-long NFL talent that can flat out coach. And, he's tough as nails. He's not nice, trust me on that. He's what we need. Immediately. Upshot, he already lives here and knows the ins-and-outs of the program. I would wager that recruiting would see an uptick w Charlie on the road versus Dickey.
Couple of other thoughts that come to mind from the game, the current landscape, and your article:
NIL - boys are right again ^, we can't be this "blue blood national brand" (as proclaimed from HCMG on the dais at Fiesta Bowl trophy ceremony) if you don't want to keep up with, or even attempt to stay up with, the NIL situation.
NIL is what it is until the guard rails are in place. As of now (this recruiting cycle), the guard rails are not in place, so we better keep up with NIL' ing, (OLinemen please), or we can put our head in the sand and not have a chance with certain recruits. Certainly not keeping this notion of being a "national brand" if we don't! Our current position of "not participating in NIL in the non-Cowboy-way " will not be good enough for football recruiting, if the NIL requirements and financial number's on OSU Olympic sports, are any barometer!
Culture. I Love hearing about culture. Being a former U.S. Marine, I can relate. Culture is discipline and toughness. Culture is taught. Culture is trained relentlessly over and over and over again. Culture is demanded. Culture is ALSO ROUTINE. In comparison to past years on a Friday night at the team hotel (especially road games), I'd say many a Friday night this season have not been routine, right? Unless the Pioneers were playing a Thursday night game I suppose?
I don't know … but you brought up the notion of "big picture" "small picture" ideas of identifying problems from not only last night, but basically this season and beyond, right? It's a legitimate question based on the past and what's been happening currently now for a bit.
Bottom line - Lack of recruiting quality depth at O line for years; coupled with letting several O linemen leave via the portal that would've been on the 2 deep was/is a monumental issue that is evident now. Especially last night when we ALL watched live on our HD TV's the debacle of 6 sacks and a dozen or more qb pressures etc with only a 3 man front!
And HCMG's own self-proclamation on his hesitancy of the portal, combined with conservative NIL plans, plus an old O line Coach … this downward trend has been on display for years, and was no more evident than last night.
Gotta adapt now, or we will continue to repeat the same old lessons of history for seasons to come - kind of like the past several year's unfortunately.
Sadly, Haven't even talked about play calling, or schemes, or 4th down punts near the middle of the field because all of the "X's and O's" are non relevant if you don't have the "Jimmy and the Joe's."
Up front, we simply don't.
Let's beat West Virginia!!!
Go Cowboys!!!
