I was away on vacation for the Shenandoah-Maryville game (mercifully), so I'm hoping someone can explain the coaching rationale behind this decision (if it actually took place);

Fourth quarter, and SU trails 21-7. With about 10 minutes to go, SU recovers a fumble deep in Maryville territory. On 4th and 5, from the Maryville 13, trailing 21-7 with about 9 minutes to go, SU kicks a field goal???

Am I wrong or is this a sign of a team (or a coach) that's simply given up?

Quote from: Uncle Jessie on September 17, 2007, 02:43:32 PM
The game was painful to watch being at Shentel Stadium in Winchester Saturday night. The offence was shut out again as the Hornets scored its only points from an interception. Something drastically needs to be done on the offence and I don't mean the players. I honestly belive the team can stack up with most teams but they are just being out coached right now. We all know all the Hornets do is run, run, run, and run up the middle. Opposing coaches are stacking the defense up on the line and stopping everything. Take a look at the game notes and you will see every 1st down starts with a run and 99% of the time it's up the middle. Barnes plays this 1950's style of offence and its killing them. The kids are playing with heart and giving the team everything they have. We have a QB that can throw the ball deep but is never given the opportunity to air it out and go for it. The defense for the most part is doing enough to win the games. They did play at the end like they gave up or most likely ran out of gas but its really come down to coach Barnes and his inability or stubbornness to change his play calling. Something needs to change.

I didn't attend the Albright game last Saturday, but saw the Bridgewater game two weeks ago. The offensive gameplan for Bridgewater was exactly as Uncle Jessie described it -- handoff to Diggs, pitch to Diggs, incomplete pass, punt. No imagination whatsoever. Is play action even in the Hornet playbook? I'm amazed that Diggs was able to get 100 yards vs. Albright with the entire defense keying on him. And Glick at QB looks totally out of it, unsure, confused, off-balance and off-the-mark. If a team can field 100 players like SU it should be able to find a competent passer.

The crowd at the Bridgewater game was mostly polite, but the mood was definitely "here we go again." After one handoff to Diggs up the middle for no gain, a guy next to me shouted "Yeah, we're gonna keep running that play 'til it works."

I'm new to D3 football, so answer me this -- at what point does sportsmanship end, and the fans have the right to voice their feelings about a team that appears to be in freefall?