re: Realistic coaching candidates

quote:

---

He said it wasn't a big deal. Well Sam it is a big deal because those same players still remember the PTSD of the Chad years and know when it doesn't go your way, just quit.

---

Not just Chad. The following were times we blew a three score lead after halftime:

In 2012, we were up 28–7 against ULM when they scored with 5:41 left in the third quarter.

In 2013, we were up 24–7 against Rutgers when they scored with 2:14 left in the third quarter.

In 2016, we were up 24–7 against Missouri when they scored with 11:53 left in the third quarter.

In 2016, we were up 24–0 on Virginia Tech when they scored with 13:27 left in the third quarter.

The only time we've ever done anything remotely similar in that timeframe was when Ole Miss was up 31–7 and we started a slow comeback with a TD with 2:44 left before halftime, but the next year we were up by 17 with two minutes left before the half, and we ended up losing that game.

Last year we were up 42–6 on Ole Miss before they scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and time lapsed before they could complete the obvious comeback. We were up 38–13 on Kansas in the middle of the third quarter before needing triple OT to win.

We've lost to eight (8) G5 teams in that timespan, and it's taken halftime comebacks to beat multiple FCS teams. That's damn near one G5 loss per year over a decade. And that's not considering all the times when we had a game like yesterday, or aTm last year, when we went up a quick 14–0 or so and looked untouchable, only to inexplicably remember we're not allowed to do that.

Out of curiosity, I compared all the other SEC teams' losses to G5 opponents from 2012–2022:

Arkansas - 8
Vanderbilt - 4
Missouri - 3 (one loss was in a bowl game)
Mississippi State - 3
Kentucky - 2
Ole Miss - 2
Tennessee - 2
Auburn - 2 (one loss was in a bowl game)
South Carolina - 2 (one loss was in a bowl game)
Florida - 1 (their one loss was in a bowl game)
LSU - 1
Texas A&M - 1
Alabama - 0
Georgia - 0

It's worth noting that Florida, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt all lost to one FCS team, so that's something.

We're double the next worst team, which is of course Vanderbilt.

I do wonder how this persists through multiple coaches and entire rosters.