Looking at the schedule before the season, I thought this was probably another 7-4 season with a good number of 50/50 games.
When the Griz started so strong, I think it skewed expectations. People were here talking about second round playoff matchups four or five games into the season. The last two weeks have brought us crashing back down to reality. As the OP states, we have to remember that this is the same young team with weak spots in the roster that we started the season with. With regard to how this season plays out, I've had a couple of thoughts recently.
1. Weren't scholarship reductions for the '14-'16 seasons? And was it four lost scholarships per year through that time? If you think about red-shirts, that probably accounts for a couple RS Seniors and a whole bunch of Juniors and four year-seniors that are missing from the roster. Even if it means 4-6 upper classmen that would otherwise be playing now, that's a pretty gapping hole in experience and leadership on the current roster. I think we are right in the middle of the aftermath of the scholarship reductions. That will start to correct itself, but that is going to continue to be a factor for at least a couple more years.
2. I think Jay Hill has done a really admirable job at Weber State. They nearly went to the semi-finals last year and despite some offensive struggles, are still at the top of the league this year. He is now in year 5 at Weber State. Looking back at his record he went 2-10 and 6-5 in years one and two. Year three they went 7-4 with a playoff birth. Then in year four they broke through with a deep playoff run. He showed steady improvement from year to year, but it took him until years four and five to build that program. As much as we all like to think that success is just a simple flip of switch, the reality is that we haven't really been top tier program for close to 10 years now. It takes time a build it back up and is probably a 3-5 year process.
Lets see how they finish the season, and know that the coaching staff is doing what they need to do to improve next season and beyond.
Go Griz!
