Hudspeth: Jennings did what was asked vs. Mountaineers

[Just1More]

Turnovers are important to the end result of just about any game. You ask any coach or player and they will repeat that sentiment without hesitation. We all know your stance on them but you need to acknowledge the importance of possession of the football, particularly, for a team that thrives on possession and balance with little big play punch such as ours. Sure, a team with a stud defense or a team that can score from anywhere on the field at any time can overcome the occasional mishap but your chances of victory are ALWAYS much higher when you take care of the ball.

I do realize the importance of possession of the football. But giving up possession of the football by turning over on downs or punting... is also a turnover. You coach players, for instance, RBs on how to hold onto the football with both hands in traffic, carry the ball on the opposing side from the defenders, not to carry it away from your body, how your hand, side and forearm correctly snug the ball, not to extend the ball away from your body. You do not keep yelling at them as they ramp up to take massive impacts and cuts and turns and plowing for extra yardage about "don't make turnovers". Any smart coach knows that. If you were ever around boxing or MMA fighting... you'd know that you never cloud a fighter's head with the "don't get knocked out" BS. EVER. You teach how to defend. But you do not sacrifice the attack "to defend". And you do not make a fighter become obsessed with "not getting knocked out". Hud IS obsessed with not getting knocked out... so much so... that we have no killer instinct.

Now... I completely understand Hud talking with Jennings... in private... in film room... about not throwing across his body... not trying to make something when there's nothing. But to cut him off from making plays with his playmakers... is paramount to deciding losing without turnovers is acceptable. It's BS. Turnovers are about as critical to "coach" as other technique. You teach and coach technique. You work on plays and the critical points in a play where the opportunity sweet spot opens up.

If Hud were such a smart guy about Jennings... do you think he wouldn't already be putting Jennings in more play action? You harp on that all day long on here. And you're correct. But do you see our offense drifting into the actual skills of the players we have this year? No... you do not. We didn't recruit to Hud's obsessions. And he is incapable of shifting an offense towards the gifts or lack of gifts of his athletes. But he sure knows how to talk to fans and media about the shiny object called "turnovers". He can do it every single game. And I'm going to blast his ___ for it. "Look over here... the shiny object... turnovers... but please pay no attention to the rest of the failure on the field."

Do you know how costly wrecking a race car is? It's very costly. Every driver, every crew chief knows it. But how many times do you think they say to each other "don't wreck the car"? Do you want to know? Never. They work on all the little details that make a car go as fast as it can... with all of the other cars racing within inches... with them racing inches from the wall... with them going absolutely as fast as they can without spinning out of control... but they NEVER tell each other... "don't crash the car". They KNOW it is costly. But they never say it. Because they know... no race is ever won by talking stupid talk. They know. And every good coach teaches his players how to avoid giving up the ball... and how to get the ball away from the opponent.

Injuries are also devastating to a team. And no coach worth a flying ____ tells his players, "don't get injured". He tries to teach them everything he can to play hard and avoid injury. But he doesn't plant that demand in their head before and after every game. Is it costly? Damn right it is. But it is not a focal point of the attack. And for a reason.

[ImperialCajun]

I believe Hud knew we didn't stand a chance against App State, and Jennings turning the ball over would have just made it worse. If Hud would have had Jennings play like this all season we would be 4-2 not 2-4. The only reason we lost to Tulane and NMST was bad turnovers. We are better or just as good as the rest of the teams on our schedule except Georgia. Hud knows that. If we can play turn over free or close to it, we can win out in conference play. App State was all and all a way better team.

Then the real problem is that he has not grown our program via the success he had from the start and his coaching choices have been bad and cost us a lot of the wins that he did have. To the point that we look so under coached.

[Turbine]

I do realize the importance of possession of the football. But giving up possession of the football by turning over on downs or punting... is also a turnover.

And hurts recruiting more than a turnover ever will or could.

[CajunNation]

Last season, we were 4-4 on the road at South Al.

All week, Hud goes on and on about how we HAVE TO create turnovers. During game, all you see are Cajun defenders relentlessly trying to strip the football while the South Al guys get boatloads of yards after contact because of this. It LITERALLY cost us that game and any chance at a Bowl.

This is a sickness with this man.

So, this year, instead of foolishly trying to create turnovers for the sake of turnovers, we will go into a shell playing keep away.

Coutts better warm up real good Saturday.

[Just1More]

Last season, we were 4-4 on the road at South Al.

All week, Hud goes on and on about how we HAVE TO create turnovers. During game, all you see are Cajun defenders relentlessly trying to strip the football while the South Al guys get boatloads of yards after contact because of this. It LITERALLY cost us that game and any chance at a Bowl.

This is a sickness with this man.

So, this year, instead of foolishly trying to create turnovers for the sake of turnovers, we will go into a shell playing keep away.

Coutts better warm up real good Saturday.

There are technical skills in coaching football... kind of like Ricky Bustle had with blocking kicks. You can coach certain exceptional skills to a player or group of players. You cannot teach a player or group of players how to win the "turnover battle". And winning the turnover battle at the expense of losing the scoring war... is teaching how to politely lose.

Hud has lost the mojo of "Don't let go of the rope.". He has replaced it with "Don't bring the rope to the game or they'll take it away from us".

[CajunPride]

You want to focus on the positive(get the ball across the goal line) AND
Not the negative( don't turn the ball over)
Usually you get what you focus on. This is basic psychology.
We are creating a team of headcases. IMO

[Boomer]

You want to focus on the positive(get the ball across the goal line) AND
Not the negative( don't turn the ball over)
Usually you get what you focus on. This is basic psychology.
We are creating a team of headcases. IMO

---Worst TO is probably the one where you are going to score and they use it to score on that pic or fumble recovery (14 point turnaround)----TO that they use to score from inside our red zone (7 points)------TO inside their red zone where we don't score (possible 7 points)----Hawk could probably chip in with some stats on this, but the field position aspect is certainly involved in game momentum and scoring----also as I think was mentioned, is the time of possession aspect----no doubt many more angles to the discussion!!!

[Just1More]

The worst injury is the one that happens to your best player. You should therefore avoid playing him? Nonsense. (An analogy to avoiding risk to avoid turnovers)

No one on this planet disputes the damage potential of a turnover. Unless you completely own an opponent, talent wise... I know of no means to avoid the times where risk must be deployed... and thus a risk of turnover. I wish our QB could just pick up the ball... to avoid the snap from center (a risk) and not handoff or throw (a risk) and walk not run (a risk) and go all the way to the end zone without contact. If you don't totally dominate your opponent, you must take risks. And as you teach wisely, you mitigate some risk, even in high risk aspects of the game. But you cannot win, unless you're overwhelming more talented, without taking numerous risk laden chances.

[CajunNation]

Hudspeth coaches football like Savoie runs an athletic department.

Peas and carrots.

[Boomer]

Hud has to know there's a correlation between Jennings being limited in play options, less turnover potential, AND no points scored. Hud has an unhealthy obsession with turnovers. Does Hud realize that the " turnover battle" gets awarded nothing at the end of a contest?

---Hitting some different sites and the Tech deal had Holtz's article about not being afraid to bench starters for turn overs---said Stats are good for individuals and T Os are bad for the team!!! the Guy must be a pretty good coach!!! He could win the Championship of the worst conference in the country!!!