RE: It's funny how people here....
I never said I want PJ back. the guy was an a$$ how he left. But to suggest he wasn't a tremendous coach who was able to EXPECT and ACHIEVE bigger things from this program than anyone ever wished to even say out loud for fear of being laughed at, is ridiculous. He set high goals, and reached them. Make whatever claims you wish, but you are burying your head in the sand if you think Fleck "got lucky", and Lester has been "unlucky" with injuries or the QB problem he inherited.
One of the reasons Fleck didnt play backups as much as some of us "Monday morning QB's" (who are assessing things a year later) would have done is because we were in the middle of a season so incredible that we had an outside chance to get the sole G5 bid to a New Years bowl game, but needed to be highest ranked G5 team to do it. We were battling other schools with a better pedigree for that spot, and as you all know, style points count. Furthermore, Fleck wasnt going to leave the chance that a team we were up by a couple touchdowns against could potentially come back. So keep ZT in, and maximize our chance at winning. We dont really know what Lester would do because we have not had a lot of games where we were up enough. The games we were supposed to be able to play backups (Akron, Buffalo, Idaho, EMU, CMU) were either too close or we lost.
And, honestly, sometimes I wonder what is the point of getting QB's "experience"? It isnt like they come in and throw passes when the team is up by four touchdowns. They hand the ball off. Not like they are going through their checks to find open receivers. The real purpose is taking the starter out so he doesnt get hurt. If Wassink would have played in some of those situations last year, does anyone really think we would have been any better this year because of that.
Fleck is an easy scapegoat for the Lesterlites; particularly for those folks who never liked Fleck from the beginning, and repeatedly professed how he would never win at WMU, and his ideas and sayings were preposterous. But Lesters team and its results were all on Lester; 100%. Not the fault of Fleck, bad luck, bad weather, or anything other than the decisions he has made since becoming our HC. He inherited a loaded team with talent and experience. He had Talented QB's, including one who did have playing experience (even meaningful playing experience) in Flacko, and Wassink certainly was capable, if not spectacular. I am not certain why Flacko left, but I do know that either Lester wasnt successful at convincing him to stay, or he didnt care if he left. Either way, that situation didnt earn Lester a star, and it left the team with one less QB, and our most experiences QB at that.
There is nothing about this seasons disappointments which should be blamed on Fleck. If you want to call him a characterless douche, fine. No argument. But the guy knew what it takes to win big here, and made it happen. If he and his staff were still here I would bet my house we would have no more that two losses.
(This post was last modified: 11-16-2017 03:28 PM by brovol.)
|