would be enough to raise my hopes for next season, but that would be for next season only.


I write the 2008 D up to a lack of talent. Between the Crowton debacles in recruiting and Bronco's new focus on guys who could live the HC (which resulted in a higher percentage being mission bound), the cupboard was pretty bare in '08. But since then:

2010: Bronco had to fire his first coordinator hire before even 2 full seasons on the job. This was also the beginning of several seasons of failing to realize we lacked talent at the QB position. I don't fault the QB recruiting up to 2010. 5* Heaps, 4* Munns, 3.5* Lark, and 3* Nelson certainly had the promise that at least one of them should have turned out at least decent. But once on campus and it was apparent that none of them could properly shoulder the load, we should have aggressively pursued either Juco's or other transfers. Instead, he stubbornly stuck it out with these guys for 3 full seasons.

2011: I was guilty of jacking up my own hype for this season, but I was spurred along by an HC that declared it his most prepared team ever, so much so that he ended fall camp early. Yeah, right.

2012: He knew RN was average at best when fully healthy. He also knew that Riley had rarely been fully healthy, and that Riley contributed to his own poor health by making stupid decisions on the field. Then he had Riley mouthing off to the media on how he'd have to agree to disagree with his OC. And finally, he fired his second ever coordinator hire after only 2 seasons on the job.

2013: It was Virginia. C'mon, man! Then he lost to Utah for a 4th straight time. 2 more notches in the belt of almost always beginning a season unprepared.

2014: Promoting Howell was a risk. His resume was thin. If you're going to take that risk, it better pan out. It didn't.


I know Bronco can coach, and I know he could put a pretty good D product on the field next season that should be matched with a solid O product. Combined, that should make for a pretty good season. But I also know that Bronco has not made good HC decisions for the past 5 seasons, and I'd have little faith that would change going forward.