Let Louisville be a lesson to all of us

[lucustookis]

I mentioned this immediately after the FSU blow out win for Louisville. I stated on this board Louisville will lose at least 3 games after the entire season is done. At the time, the emotion of fans with their QB and dynamic offense had people predicting a final four appearance. The lesson to be learned with Louisville is DEPTH or lack of it.

Boise St back in the day was all the talk and they beat Bama in a bowl game and Oklahoma and people stated, this team should play for the title. Again, emotion before rationale thought took over. We have seen this picture with WVU in the big 12 as they start out hot, then struggle down the stretch. Why? DEPTH. When u play the schedule of Louisville or WVU, you are in a major power 5 conference and week in and week out, you sustain injuries in which the game is no longer your best 22 against the other teams 22, but it becomes your best 44 against the other teams 44.

Boise did not play the schedule week in and week out and they had to get up only 2 or maybe 3 times a year in a weak conference. They did not have a major injury issue going into bowl games because of this. If those great Boise teams would have played in a power 5 conference, they lose 3-4 games per year because their depth chart would have been exposed. This is exactly what happened to Louisville this year and what has happened to WVU in the past in the Big 12. No question, Boise States 22 starters could play with anyone in the nation. Ask VT, or Bama, or Oklahoma, but again, they played in a conference that would allow them not to sustain injuries and be healthy all year. Louisville's 22 starters this year were wicked good and yes, they could have beat nearly anyone in America, but after 6 or 7 games in a power five conference, it's no longer Louisville's top 22 as injuries ALWAYS take hold.

This goes back to recruiting. You generally have to be an elite top ten like recruiting team for at least 3 straight years to have a shot at a title. Only very few exceptions exist in college football history.

P.S. We have seen the same thing with Texas Tech in the Mike Leach years. They had many seasons in which they started out 6-0, 7-1ish only to struggle down the stretch. The PAC 12 is the least physical power 5 conference. That helped Washington remain relatively healthy this year compared to most other power 5 teams going in to bowl season.

 

[1bburgfan]

and elite bagmen

 

[hokiemtc]

In my eyes, Louisville's offensive playcalling completely fell apart the last month of the season. Their output the last few games was roughly half of what they were putting up earlier in the season, and I thought the eye test told the tale as to why. No purpose, focus, rhyme or rhythm to what they were calling...just random plays pulled out of a bag.

 

[bschroed]

I mentioned this immediately after the FSU blow out win for Louisville. I stated on this board Louisville will lose at least 3 games after the entire season is done. At the time, the emotion of fans with their QB and dynamic offense had people predicting a final four appearance. The lesson to be learned with Louisville is DEPTH or lack of it.

Boise St back in the day was all the talk and they beat Bama in a bowl game and Oklahoma and people stated, this team should play for the title. Again, emotion before rationale thought took over. We have seen this picture with WVU in the big 12 as they start out hot, then struggle down the stretch. Why? DEPTH. When u play the schedule of Louisville or WVU, you are in a major power 5 conference and week in and week out, you sustain injuries in which the game is no longer your best 22 against the other teams 22, but it becomes your best 44 against the other teams 44.

Boise did not play the schedule week in and week out and they had to get up only 2 or maybe 3 times a year in a weak conference. They did not have a major injury issue going into bowl games because of this. If those great Boise teams would have played in a power 5 conference, they lose 3-4 games per year because their depth chart would have been exposed. This is exactly what happened to Louisville this year and what has happened to WVU in the past in the Big 12. No question, Boise States 22 starters could play with anyone in the nation. Ask VT, or Bama, or Oklahoma, but again, they played in a conference that would allow them not to sustain injuries and be healthy all year. Louisville's 22 starters this year were wicked good and yes, they could have beat nearly anyone in America, but after 6 or 7 games in a power five conference, it's no longer Louisville's top 22 as injuries ALWAYS take hold.

This goes back to recruiting. You generally have to be an elite top ten like recruiting team for at least 3 straight years to have a shot at a title. Only very few exceptions exist in college football history.

P.S. We have seen the same thing with Texas Tech in the Mike Leach years. They had many seasons in which they started out 6-0, 7-1ish only to struggle down the stretch. The PAC 12 is the least physical power 5 conference. That helped Washington remain relatively healthy this year compared to most other power 5 teams going in to bowl season.

You could pretty much include VT from 1999 to 2010 or so in this conversation

 

[lucustookis]

In my eyes, Louisville's offensive playcalling completely fell apart the last month of the season. Their output the last few games was roughly half of what they were putting up earlier in the season, and I thought the eye test told the tale as to why. No purpose, focus, rhyme or rhythm to what they were calling...just random plays pulled out of a bag.

Offensive playcalling looks a lot worse when you lose your starting left tackle, one wide receiver, and your starting center. Those 3 players get replaced with three 2 star players. All of sudden, the QB can't explode around the end untouched for seven yards anymore because that tackle and center have been beat on the line of scrimmage, and the defensive line is now in the backfield as the play starts.

I agree with the one poster on VT from 1999 to 2010. He is right. We were an example. Especially in the early 2000s as we started out many times with like 6 out of 7 wins or even winning 8 out of 9 only to lose 1 or 2 at the end. Why? Depth. This is the reason a team like Clemson can lose to a team like Pittsburgh, but keep on trucking down the finish line and not lose another game. They have depth. Same with Bama. They can 24-7 and 28 to 14 other teams all year long and people say, "But Bama did not blow them out." The fact is......Bama didn't need to. They can cut in to their depth chart and their second string guys are as different as an FBS team playing an FCS team. The difference is magnified. Example.....Take Bama and Washington. Final score 24 to 7. If they played a game which started and finished as all second string players or to sum it up, Bama's best 23 through 44 players against Washington's 23 through 44 players. The margin of victory wold be FAR WORSE than 24-7. This is why a championship potential team like Bama is just that, a championship potential team. DEPTH. Depth means recruiting and coaching.

 

[1bburgfan]

and a large recruiting budget ,and some fat wallet boosters