My Concerns with Fuente

I've had some time to process what I watched yesterday. It was a game that I think most of us thought we would lose, similar to last week against Georgia Tech, but it still sucks nonetheless because of how those games happened.

First of all, I'm fine with us losing a game because a team is more talented than us at this point in Fuente's tenure. There's still some roster turnover going on from the end of the Beamer era, and his young guys seem to be doing well. Notre Dame is a top five team, we didn't match up well with Georgia Tech's offense given the youth and inexperience on defense that we have, and Boston College has the second best running back in the ACC in my opinion. Once our young guys have time to develop, we will be more talented than Georgia Tech and Boston College and somewhere close to Notre Dame hopefully.

What I am not fine with is losing games because the coaches put players in position where they are less likely to succeed, can't field a competent offense in the second half, and blame the shortcomings on a "lack of execution."

In the Georgia Tech game, we knew the defense was going to struggle. Once the defense finally forced a punt, the coaches should have been focused on just getting the ball back. The offense was moving down the field with ease, and we could have taken it to the end of the half with a two possession lead. Instead, they put Savoy back to return the punt, someone who I don't recall ever returning punts in the past (correct me if I'm wrong) and has the most inconsistent hands out of all the receiver. He should have never been put in that situation to return that punt, and I believe everyone knew it. Before he even punted the ball, I said that I didn't like the decision to have Savoy back there, so this isn't a case of "hindsight is 20/20.

Yesterday, we watched Fuente decline a holding call that would have put a team with an average (at best) passing game at 2nd and 21 and gave them 3rd and 8 instead. In order for Boston College to get back the 3rd down distance that they would have had, they would have had to have gained 13 yards. I'm not sure what Fuente's algorithm was for making that decision, but we are lucky it didn't cost us. I almost wish it had so he would have to answer as to why he chose to do that. Additionally, the decision to go for it on 4th down with like 11 minutes left when we easily could have pinned them back, forced a punt, and gotten the ball back close to where we punted from. The defense had some time to rest up and was playing well.

Lastly, what in the name of God goes in the locker room at halftime for the offense to come out and do what they've done in the last three losses? Fuente is supposed to be an offensive genius, and he trusts Cornelsen. He can blame it on "lack of execution" all he wants, and I guess that's fair to an extent because any play can be successful if there is good execution. How about putting players in a position where it is easier to execute, though? Sure, running Deshawn McClease up the middle might work if most defenders are blocked and he can make anyone who isn't miss in close quarters. Or, you can run him to the outside in space where he is better, or simply put in Peoples or Holston, running backs who are more effective in running up the middle.

Simply put, Fuente is showing signs of being a below average to average game manager. I don't believe he makes the correct calls as often as he should when it comes to going for it on 4th down or even 2 point conversations (e.g. 2017 Georgia Tech game). I don't believe he or Cornelsen are good at adjusting mid-game unless it's something simple like changing the quarterback's first read on a throw (e.g. Belk Bowl). Whether that's through overthinking his decisions or not thinking at all, I'm not sure. I believe it's the former given how he openly admitted last season that he overthought the Georgia Tech game. Nonetheless, it concerns me.

I don't believe Fuente should be fired this season or even the next as long as we make a bowl game next season. Like I said, the team is still young and developing, and some of these offensive performances would be good enough for a win in the past given how good Bud's defense typically is. When the world begins to cave in on a coach, though, people look into the past for signs that it was going to happen. I hope what we're seeing right now isn't going to be those early signs a couple years from now.

This wasn't a drunken rant in the heat of the moment that I just wanted to get off my chest. I've thought about this all day today, and this is truly how I feel. Feel free to agree, disagree, add onto, or whatever in the comments, but I don't want this to devolve into a ranting/venting thread without any substance or value to what people are saying.

Also, I apologize for any typos. I typed this on my phone.