I would caution those who just pull the entitlement card to bat down those who think there need to be changes. That sort of culture is what led to Mack Brown's decline at Texas. Nobody wanted to call out the fact that his decisions in staff after Davis at OC and Muschamp at DC were poor and "we won in the past a whole bunch" isn't fixing not winning today.
Clearly, we are nowhere near that point but I don't want to sit around here looking at all my championship gear to reassure myself that nothing needs to change. Even JessN, a typically conservative and analytical voice on these things, has pointed out that there are things trending down that is beyond simple talent and experience. Some of it is recruiting poor athletic fits for an SEC that 75% spread principled with elements of tempo (and a national scene rapidly going nearly exclusively that direction). Some of it is mentality of the team fattened by their own success. Some of it has been middling replacements to assistants who have moved on and done big things elsewhere. Some of it is defensive scheme that puts too much on our DBs in a philosophical environment that requires being really good at executing basic things instead of trying to be in the perfect coverage every play.
This isn't entitlement. Entitlement is believing we have a birthright to win every game. Entitlement isn't pointing out that we tend to get beat the same way in the rare losses. These rare losses could become more common as teams in this conference identify these things as the way to breakthrough against the Tide. I consider it being forward thinking.
Clearly, we are nowhere near that point but I don't want to sit around here looking at all my championship gear to reassure myself that nothing needs to change. Even JessN, a typically conservative and analytical voice on these things, has pointed out that there are things trending down that is beyond simple talent and experience. Some of it is recruiting poor athletic fits for an SEC that 75% spread principled with elements of tempo (and a national scene rapidly going nearly exclusively that direction). Some of it is mentality of the team fattened by their own success. Some of it has been middling replacements to assistants who have moved on and done big things elsewhere. Some of it is defensive scheme that puts too much on our DBs in a philosophical environment that requires being really good at executing basic things instead of trying to be in the perfect coverage every play.
This isn't entitlement. Entitlement is believing we have a birthright to win every game. Entitlement isn't pointing out that we tend to get beat the same way in the rare losses. These rare losses could become more common as teams in this conference identify these things as the way to breakthrough against the Tide. I consider it being forward thinking.