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[QUOTE="javadoc, post: 123484, member: 338"]
Great post, and it can be illustrated by one opponent, and one player.

Last year, as injuries mounted and the team wore down, we had a last gasp to become bowl eligible against Rutgers. With Rutgers driving into FG range late, Derrell Smith crawled and sacked the Rutgers QB by the guy's ankle, knocking them back - and as it would have it out of FG range - as Te muffed the subsequent attempt.

This year, we could not overcome adversity, and Rutgers got the better of us in another close grudge match. Again, the game was our key to beocming bowl-eligible.

The difference is that this year we did not have a Derrell Smith on the team. It sounds like there are a lot of young guys who needed to have the riot act read to them, and no one was willing - or able - to do it. Recall that Smith was also in favor of the "purge" that occurred, precisely because it got rid (in some cases) of divisive or harmful elements of the team.

You can be a disciplinarian and all as a coach, but if you don't have those leaders, you're out of luck. I'm not sure whether you can create those leaders, or if they have to "have it" inside themselves from the get-go. I will say that if you are going to recruit any number of guys who have a "South Beach" mindset, you had better get some Derrell Smiths to keep them in line.

I guess we should be looking at the roster and trying to figure out who those leaders will be next year.  Likely there are some among this year's true frosh, and who will exert more control as they get into the rotation.
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