Hudspeth: 'The hardest schedule I've ever been a part of'

[Just1More]

No, but he requires a certain amount of click bait to be relevant. It's not just this headline, it's everything he does. These are interviews, answers are setup by questions and "journalist" can pick any thing they want from an entire conversation. This is a pretty ____y schedule all around. It's not fan friendly, it's not coach or team friendly...very farmer'ish...very I don't give a ___ I'm on the way out type schedule.

I don't disagree. Buckley misrepresented Hud and the team interview. I know that this is a rough rough schedule. I just want the giant slayer attitude (towards the OOC away games) and regardless of how much the SBC seems to have jammed us with the conference schedule, I don't want us being afraid of any SBC lineup (in year 7 of Hud).

Hud talks a good game, and so do our players. Buckley and the DA were just figuring a way to grab our attention and stir us up. I don't make any season about what a newspaper or radio guy says. I just want our program to get some juice back, and intelligently use it to quadruple our program.

[CajunT]

we lost to UAB, who was in their first year of FBS(D1-A) at the time. we had no business losing that game, and there was all of about 2500 in that 70,000 seat stadium.

We had 5 defensive starters out for that game that I remember , if not more. The defense had to play a number of special teams players not nearly as talented.

[ULGrad@HOU]

It's certainly tough for Hud, It's the minimum for a fbs schedule. It should be a winnable schedule and we should be licking our chops.... but we aren't.

[ManAboutTown]

It's a tough schedule for Hud... and it shouldn't be... in his 7th year here. If he regards this schedule as tough, then he isn't very confident in himself, in his staff or in his players. Since I believe that to be the case, I hope he takes elevated risk. What I suspect is that he's hoping for and would be happy with 6 regular season wins. He needs 8. He doesn't think so... but I know so. He won't lose his job this year. That's not the point. Our program is sinking. He was in the captain's quarters while it starting taking on water. Instead of sailing to victory, he's trying to call "not sinking" a kind of victory. It's not. When others are sailing... and all you're doing is baling... you've sunk.

Hud needs to tell us he sees 10 wins or better... and finds the heart of all lions in this program to get it done. He's like a card player that thinks he can play basic strategy against card sharks. He needs to feel like he's going to lose something precious soon... and start coaching to slaughter all opponents. Trading punches with "Hud football" will get us 4 wins max.

If you've gotten closer to the program as of late, you might want to whisper in his ear. He needs to throw everything he has, and the kitchen sink, into this season. There's no place for "trading blows". Put down the book "Football Coaching For Dummies" and implement the last measures taken by a desperate coach. We need him to. He needs to. He needs to know he's a desperate coach. I like desperate coaches BTW. I respect them. I disrespect a coach that sticks to his "schooling" and marches young men into failure. Better to leap on the dragon's back and take a shot at stabbing it in the throat, than throw rocks at it while it cooks everything dear to you.

Tell Coach Hud to swing for the fences. He isn't good enough to bat for base hits and win. Not now at least. I'll let him know when he has the program ready for generic play calling... and he can go back to riding easy on the talent of a couple of superstar skill players... and "rope speeches". Again... all out, slit their throats, burn down their fortress, take no prisoners... on every play. Win or die trying. Our program needs to roar across the water to greater places... not just survive in the harbor. That doesn't work here. Never did.

Matt, don't misunderstand my optimism for weakness. My standards as a supporter are as constantly high as they've always been. But again, I truly believe in "when there's blood in the streets, buy buy buy". We still have plenty of talent on this roster. We now have a roster of kids that have been battered and bruised (physically, psychologically, emotionally) for two years. I think we needed a chip on our shoulder as a program, like we had in 2012-2014. I feel like we lost that and haven't played with an edge for 2 years.

This team has it. They have a lot to prove.

My comment about the schedule is more about the travel schedule than it is about the opponent. If you study the dates and the miles, it's pretty ridiculous. I know Hud has gotten his arse handed to him at home, but the home advantage remains for the players. There's no doubt it adds a level of intensity, organically.

I'll be disappointed if we don't go into Ole Miss with a mindset of winning. I've already been told that the Tulsa game is a major focus and the team leaders have marked down a W for that trip. Regardless of what people think of that, to me, it shows these cats believe they can win. I'm encouraged by it.

[angeleast]

Matt, don't misunderstand my optimism for weakness. My standards as a supporter are as constantly high as they've always been. But again, I truly believe in "when there's blood in the streets, buy buy buy". We still have plenty of talent on this roster. We now have a roster of kids that have been battered and bruised (physically, psychologically, emotionally) for two years. I think we needed a chip on our shoulder as a program, like we had in 2012-2014. I feel like we lost that and haven't played with an edge for 2 years.

This team has it. They have a lot to prove.

My comment about the schedule is more about the travel schedule than it is about the opponent. If you study the dates and the miles, it's pretty ridiculous. I know Hud has gotten his arse handed to him at home, but the home advantage remains for the players. There's no doubt it adds a level of intensity, organically.

I'll be disappointed if we don't go into Ole Miss with a mindset of winning. I've already been told that the Tulsa game is a major focus and the team leaders have marked down a W for that trip. Regardless of what people think of that, to me, it shows these cats believe they can win. I'm encouraged by it.

Well MAtt, belief in victory is the first step to translating team preparations to victory on the field. I hope your right. I really think that if we have running back average 4 to 5 yards a rush that will take pressure off of JD and we can utilize a short passing scheme along with JD's legs to move the ball. Once defences are forced to stop a run game, the passing game down field becomes more open. But the first step is believing especially for JD and our younger guys.

[ManAboutTown]

Well MAtt, belief in victory is the first step to translating team preparations to victory on the field. I hope your right. I really think that if we have running back average 4 to 5 yards a rush that will take pressure off of JD and we can utilize a short passing scheme along with JD's legs to move the ball. Once defences are forced to stop a run game, the passing game down field becomes more open. But the first step is believing especially for JD and our younger guys.

I'll guarantee you, if we have a back averaging 4-5 yards a carry, we'll win a lot of football games..

[Just1More]

Matt, don't misunderstand my optimism for weakness. My standards as a supporter are as constantly high as they've always been. But again, I truly believe in "when there's blood in the streets, buy buy buy". We still have plenty of talent on this roster. We now have a roster of kids that have been battered and bruised (physically, psychologically, emotionally) for two years. I think we needed a chip on our shoulder as a program, like we had in 2012-2014. I feel like we lost that and haven't played with an edge for 2 years.

This team has it. They have a lot to prove.

My comment about the schedule is more about the travel schedule than it is about the opponent. If you study the dates and the miles, it's pretty ridiculous. I know Hud has gotten his arse handed to him at home, but the home advantage remains for the players. There's no doubt it adds a level of intensity, organically.

I'll be disappointed if we don't go into Ole Miss with a mindset of winning. I've already been told that the Tulsa game is a major focus and the team leaders have marked down a W for that trip. Regardless of what people think of that, to me, it shows these cats believe they can win. I'm encouraged by it.

I'm not questioning you and your optimism. I think you probably stood close to the army campfires and it's encouraged you. I want the general to have the right attitude... not just his soldiers. A lot of soldiers have had invincible attitude prior to conflict. And they were slaughtered by a bad strategy. I still do not trust "Hud football". I'm not saying that all about it is flawed. But when it combines with our legacy issues, it comes up short.

I don't want to see Hud trying to find his keys from years 1-4 for a ride down memory lane. Years 1-4 were training camp. He accomplished "training camp". We need better than that to even return to respectable.

I understand the schedule issue. But does an army spend time worrying that the war is 1000 miles away versus 2000 miles away? Does annihilation strategy even care? Hud seems to coach textbook football... to the level of his reading comprehension... and then just thinks a fully rallied troop can defeat its enemies. We need to light the enemy on fire. We cannot just trade blows.

The season hasn't started and I do not know what Hud has in store. I'll wait and see.

[Just1More]

I'll guarantee you, if we have a back averaging 4-5 yards a carry, we'll win a lot of football games..

Please don't let Hud read this. He already has that fantasy. We need great coaching. Football box scores don't keep many stats to tally up good versus bad coaching. They usually just use the one at the end of a game called "the score".

[Just1More]

Let's start off the season making "lions" look like house cats. If the build up to the season needs some pomp... let's make the opening game a romp.

[ManAboutTown]

I'm not questioning you and your optimism. I think you probably stood close to the army campfires and it's encouraged you. I want the general to have the right attitude... not just his soldiers. A lot of soldiers have had invincible attitude prior to conflict. And they were slaughtered by a bad strategy. I still do not trust "Hud football". I'm not saying that all about it is flawed. But when it combines with our legacy issues, it comes up short.

I don't want to see Hud trying to find his keys from years 1-4 for a ride down memory lane. Years 1-4 were training camp. He accomplished "training camp". We need better than that to even return to respectable.

I understand the schedule issue. But does an army spend time worrying that the war is 1000 miles away versus 2000 miles away? Does annihilation strategy even care? Hud seems to coach textbook football... to the level of his reading comprehension... and then just thinks a fully rallied troop can defeat its enemies. We need to light the enemy on fire. We cannot just trade blows.

The season hasn't started and I do not know what Hud has in store. I'll wait and see.

I agree with everything here. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with Will Hall's offense. I'll say this; it's certainly not boring or bland.

I don't know what we'll see againat SLU, but I'm confident we'll see the kitchen sink against Tulsa.

[Ragin4U]

I agree with everything here. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with Will Hall's offense. I'll say this; it's certainly not boring or bland.

I don't know what we'll see againat SLU, but I'm confident we'll see the kitchen sink against Tulsa.

I hope you're right about the kitchen sink. But it doesnt even have to be trick plays, etc. Just a bit more imagination than jump balls and 23 Blast.
Good points about the "chip". When Hud came in, he was the "savior". After some success, maybe we relaxed a bit and thought that we didnt need the same level of effort. I hope you are right about that fire coming back.
J1M-I'm worried about Hud ball too. It seems like we try to out-talent teams in areas we cant and out-strength in areas we cant. If he lets Hall figure out where we can use finesse and where we can use power, we will be ok. I'm just not sold on the idea he can let go of that much control.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Hud's complained every year about recruiting from the SBC, yet App State completely blows that excuse out the water. They compete in a state with I believe four P5, one AAC, and another G5 school.

Hud's hit the jackpot with Joe Dillon. ZiYon Hill seems to be the answer in the middle, can't tell you how often the QB feels zero pressure up the middle. Hope the surgical repair is completely sound.