Three weeks ago we had a fanpost go up. "Should KU Go Young?". The question was:
Our team has no choice but to be young in some areas (QB and WR for example) but what about the rest of the team? It seems like we have a mix of veteran guys and then really really young guys, and then really really really young guys.
There is no substitute for in-game experience, and we aren’t going to be good anyways. Put in the young guns?
-KUGrad
At the time most of us were on the play to win bandwagon thinking we still had an outside shot at a 5 maybe 6 win season and of course the opinion that the older guys had earned an opportunity. What about today? Still thinking in that way?
Personally I'm of the opinion that the coach might just want to step in and make the statement that this team belongs to the youth.
If Brad Thorson isn't getting it done...Riley Spencer it's time for some on the job training, buckle up your chin strap. Toben Opurum figures to be a guy we'll rely on at linebacker next year...sorry Drew Dudley it just isn't working out right now. Moving on down the line, Erick McGriff looked decent in limited action last night, maybe it shouldn't be limited?
Now I'm still all for upperclassman that are showing up and competing every week. Justin Springer, Daymond Patterson, Olaitan Oguntodu, play them. But this is showing to be a team devoid of leadership. Plenty of that rests on the shoulders of the coaches, but there also HAS to be leadership among those on the field. Where's the accountability in the program right now?
Last year Kansas had four upperclassman who were excellent leaders. Perhaps what we have is a group of role players that have been with the program through four years where leadership was a given and they just haven't stepped into that role the way the team needed them to.
Is it a bad idea? At the time of Grad's fanpost a month ago we had 75% saying to play the best and just 25% saying play young. What are we thinking today?