Okay, honest thoughts on Holland. When we signed him, I thought the guy would set records at AU. From the film I saw and the write ups on him, he looked like the kind of player who was always around the ball, in on everything. Here's kid who we can beef up to about 235 and he'll be a mainstay in the middle for several years. But then...I'm obviously not exactly the best judge of talent or performance on the field.
The last couple of years, even my untrained eye could see a guy totally out of position on play after play. Someone who couldn't make the tackle even when he was in the right place. A guy who would seemingly stand there and let the play come to him, getting shielded and owned by centers and guards. Then, you see them insert McKinzy in his place and here's a guy flying to the ball arriving with bad intent. He was all over the field.
I have no idea what the problem has been. I have no clue if Holland is just out of his league at this level...or if the coaching the last few years has been that bad that the guy's head isn't on straight. We heard numerous reports and I saw with my own eyes that practices under Chizik were not physical. No real hitting or intensity. Was that the problem? All indications were that he was playing over McKinzy/Frost etc. because they couldn't learn the calls. But what good does it do to know the calls if you're going to stand 7 yards behind the LOS and wait on a center to come knock you on your ass?
I really have no idea what his problem has been. Like many have said, nothing against the guy personally. But you play like that and you're going to be on the ass end of a lot of jokes...especially on the X. I'm in the same boat as others here. I hope like hell this new staff gets him and quite a few others back on track. Would love to be saying, now that's more like it.