Who puts pressure on a team when the expectations are high?
Sure, the fans do. But that is just outside noise. How does the team handle it? I believe in the notion that a sales force takes on the face and attitude of the manager...I feel the same way about a football team.
If Kiffin is feeling the pressure it is only natural that it will rub off on the team...welcome to life.
Herbstreit made some comments that I do not agree with yesterday on Mike & Mike.
You can listen here.
I take exception about all the Barkley/Heisman talk. Barks didn't talk about it, Kiffin was low key as he could be know that the big media outlets would make a big deal out of it. The Media also made a big deal about USC going all the way to the tile game, but many of us thought that was premature.
USC moves the needle so any story good or bad that the media can put forth will put butts in the seats.
I was a little surprised by Herbstreit's comments about Nick Saban as well.
But back to USC.
With this team coming out of the bowl ban with all that talent, even though they are thin in some spots, the media over played their hand....again!
Just like in 2005.
I wouldn't be surprised if Kiffin is a little tight right now, it happens. This is new to him too.
The Stanford loss had nothing to do with pressure...it had everything to do with experience and preparation. Some of that is on Kiffin, some of it not.
For all of his maturity, Barkley is still a 22-year old kid. He has had to grow up in a very public way in being the face of this great program in the face of the NCAA's draconian sanctions. I have no problem if he got a little tight with the pressure...it's easy for Herbstreit to say, it's not like he had to deal with the same issues a player, let alone all the national media attention.
ESPN got the team they wanted to move the needle. When they didn't perform they ran like rats off a sinking ship.
Color me surprised......NOT!