Team Identity - Heart and Soul

In 2010 Bronco recaptured the heart and soul of the team after firing Jaime Hill. Play action pass and hard physical work was a big part of that identity and the team rallied around it. Apparently teams need an identity and leadership matters.



Earlier this year, right after that comeback win over Ole Miss, where a miracle defensive play pulled us from the abyss, Bronco said, "this team played very physical - and some of them really liked it.".



This team knocked the starting QB out of every game including Wynn for a series or two. They even had Chuckie Keaton limping at one point.



This team has an identity - but was missing one key piece. The keyword to that identity is PHYSICAL. But it was being run by a finesse QB whose finesse wasn't working.



This team respects and responds to physicality. Working man football. That is Bronco's identity. That is why when you saw Riley Nelson lower a shoulder to drive the pile, seemingly the entire offense smashed into Riley and that pile and drove it forward. Smash mouth football. That is the identity of this football team and physicality captured the heart and soul of the team Friday.



This is what Jake needs to watch and ponder as he decides what he needs to do in order to win back his job. He does not have to be Riley Nelson. He does need to be a grittier Jake Heaps.



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I am most concerned with the leadership void on offense. We have senior co-captains in Reynolds, Kariya and JJ, but it is clear that those guys do not want to lead, they want to be led. They have lacked heart all year until Riley played. Riley came in and led and they responded to it. I have heard for a while that the upperclass guys have issues with Jake, and fact is, they will not let him lead until they have no choice. Hence, a huge leadership void on O, and a negative cycle that is apparent to see. Go back and read comments from players, and it is clear to see.



Bronco has built his program on a foundation that is now pitting the younger guys vs the older guys, and it is painfully obvious to see. The older guys think everything has to be earned, while the younger guys think talent should trump all and talent earns the position. What this program needs is a mix of those philosophies, and until that happens, we will have issues for another 1.5 seasons.



I also hate the whole RM vs. non-RM thing that is apparent right now on this team. IT is bogus, prideful and will divide the team.



The coaches have their work cut out for them.

Lawboy wrote:
I am most concerned with the leadership void on offense. We have senior co-captains in Reynolds, Kariya and JJ, but it is clear that those guys do not want to lead, they want to be led. They have lacked heart all year until Riley played. Riley came in and led and they responded to it. I have heard for a while that the upperclass guys have issues with Jake, and fact is, they will not let him lead until they have no choice. Hence, a huge leadership void on O, and a negative cycle that is apparent to see. Go back and read comments from players, and it is clear to see.



Bronco has built his program on a foundation that is now pitting the younger guys vs the older guys, and it is painfully obvious to see. The older guys think everything has to be earned, while the younger guys think talent should trump all and talent earns the position. What this program needs is a mix of those philosophies, and until that happens, we will have issues for another 1.5 seasons.



I also hate the whole RM vs. non-RM thing that is apparent right now on this team. IT is bogus, prideful and will divide the team.



The coaches have their work cut out for them.

This is a fantastic post. On the way to the office today, I was pondering this very possibility. Some of the tweets by McGregor really call into question Nelson's influence in these dynamics, which would essentially results in taking the legs out from Heaps.

TO be clear, I am not implicating any one player in this, and in particular, not putting this at Riley;s feet. Just saying an issue exists.

Absolutely!!!!!!!! And notwithstanding my slightly loud and overstated opinions on this matter, I think Lawboy is spot on!!

I am vancouvercougar and I approved lawboy's message.



I once knew a very young bishop who had 2 older and mature counselors. Those counselors loved the bishop and used their experience to help him be successful. I'm not sure how JJ, Matt R, Brian K have used their leadership to help Jake.