McGee is doing okay under tough circumstances. And the offensive line has been improving week to week, which is encouraging.
But even considering the talent deficiencies in the back seven, our defensive staff has been getting totally depantsed. It was an embarrassment today. Gap integrity was horrible, eye discipline was horrible, Purdue was getting any matchup they wanted all over the field, the tackling was bad, pursuit angles were a disaster, the penalties were killer, etc, etc etc.
And that's to say nothing of our special teams which are just too bad for having a dedicated non-recruiter of a coach taking up one of our 9 spots.
The postgame thread of a disappointing loss is never really the place for these discussions, but we have a standing $4 million commitment which did not immediately create a $4 million staff. That should come as no surprise whatsoever given that it had to be assembled in a rush in March. But there needs to be a commitment to making that funding commitment count, and that's going to involve some uncomfortable decisions. The time to make these decisions is NOW. This offseason. We need a couple of outstanding recruiters with high-level experience. Where are those spots going to come from? Remains to be seen.
Hardy Nickerson had a very light resume for this job, and his defense is a travesty, even with full consideration of the talent level. Those are just the facts right now.