Don't agree with some of what you wrote.
Trotter was light years ahead of Clunt last night. He turned some bad plays into positives. He played with confidence (something missing since the second half at Clemson for some reason). He didn't play like he was apologizing for being on the field.
How many times did Trotter evade pressure? That to me is a key difference. Pressure Clint and he folds up faster than a boy scout tent at a Sandusky family reunion. Look in his direction and he wilts to the ground.
My dollar store analysis is pretty simple. Trotter struggled a little bit and started playing fearfully. Afraid that his next mistake was going to be the one that got him yanked. You do that and you're in a world of shit. Clint was never better and he played like a stumbling turd in most games. But with Moseley looking over his shoulder on every snap it got in Trotter's head and he blew up.
Don't think there's any question we needed one more threat. Maybe we misused Lutz and he could have been that. Trotter needed one more weapon and no Clint slouching around.
We played with confidence. When's the last time we exhibited any of that? For fuck's sake we dinked around with SAM-fucking-FORD. Played with no faith that day. Why? Don't think a soul trusted Clint to be the leader. He's NOT a leader.
Clint Moseley is NEVER going to be the guy who wins a game for you. He plays all 60 last night and we get fucking BEAT. Yep, I said that and I mean it. You can babble about not playing that much better and outmanning the Hoos, but if CM doesn't get injured we lose. L.O.S.E.
I don't think Trotter invented sliced bread and I'm not sure he's ever even eaten any. But he was a ton better and AU played a ton better last night.
^ This^
I told Jumbo, last night, that if we didn't have such a horrible OL, Moseley wouldn't have gotten hurt.
I think Emory and Trovon going down early in the season, having horrible OL play and looking over his shoulder, caused Trotter to press (try to make things happen) while running away from pressure...on top of his knee injury from the year before (notice Trotter did sport his knee brace last night).