During the week leading up to the start of the 2009 NFL season, critics slammed Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini for withholding and delaying his choice about who to start at quarterback between Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn.
The uncertainty led to frustration in Cleveland. It has led to an obviously lack of cohesion and confidence for that football team and we all know where the Browns stand right now.
And, for the record, Mangini is doing it again this week.
Now, tell me how this week has been any different as we wait to hear about whether Danny Sullivan or Brock Osweiler will start this Saturday night at Oregon?
I’ve been trying to stand up for Erickson’s decisions throughout this 4-5 season so far, but this one…I can’t rationalize it.
The fact of the matter is that this team needs direction and they need it now.
At least as DE continued to inexplicably start the struggling Sullivan week in and week out so far this season, there was certainty at the position. It wasn’t the certainty many of us wanted, but at least it was a starting point for this offense to work with.
It is to the detriment of everyone on offense for Arizona State that their head coach has not announced a starter for this weekend yet and, reportedly, might not until even Thursday.
We all watched the USC game. We all saw the difference between the 1st and 2nd half.
I’m not writing this column to advocate for either quarterback to get the start. I already did that earlier this week when I said that Osweiler should go under center at Autzen this Saturday.
At this point, I don’t even care who starts. It could be Thomas Ohmart for all I care.
While that may sound flippant, I think it’s a sentiment most of us share. All I want at this point is a decision because that will be of the most benefit to this team regardless of it being Sullivan or Osweiler (or Samson Szakacsy, for that matter).
Uncertainty during a game week breeds uncertainty on game day. And, with faint bowl hopes still mathematically hanging by a thread, stability can’t just be a luxury over the last three weeks of this season. It needs to be a necessity.
Make the choice, Coach. Let us know who it is so we can move on to focusing on Oregon rather than who’s going to play.
Bolden done for season, Carr suspended
Meanwhile, Terell Carr has become the 2nd player in three days to be given the old “violation of team rules” suspension.
On Sunday, RB Ryan Bass met the same fate. Both are banned indefinitely. There’s no word on whether the suspensions are in any way related.
To exacerbate the razor-thin depth at cornerback, Erickson announced tonight that Omar Bolden has finally been declared out for the season due to his nagging knee injury.
That means the starting tandem at corner for the immediate future will be the same one that trotted onto the field against USC last Saturday: Pierre Singfield and Deveron Carr.
