This started as a comment on HotHot's "In Theory: Shawn Watson's Offensive Philosophy" post, but was getting a little long. Now it is a FanPost.

We don't know exactly what's happening with the Offensive Coordinator position right now. Is Sanford going to remain on staff? Is Shawn Waston the new OC or just calling plays for the time being? Will we hire someone new in the offseason? 

My first reaction, which a lot of you share, is this unusual and a little disconcerting. We're four games into the second rebuilding season. We all knew this is when we'd feel the worst of Kragthorpe's recruiting "strategy." Shouldn't Sanford, just like Strong and the rest of the coaches, be given at least a couple years to get talent and experience in place before making coaching changes?

Yes, the offense this year sucks. It wasn't great last year, but expectations were awful low and the offense was much improved compared to the previous year. And let's be honest, as the Marshall game painfully showed, offense wasn't our only problem. Everyone played and coached poorly. Penalties were equally bad on both sides of the ball. Intensity and urgency lacked on both the offense and defense. 

The thought I've been dancing around this morning is "Was Watson brought in for this exact contingency?" Did Strong see something coming last season which prompted him to go out and get an "in-case-shit" OC? Because while performance on the field may have started pushing Sanford towards, it couldn't be the only reason. Whatever precipitated this change was about personality. 

Obviously there was some sort of disagreement among the coaching staff this week. We do not, and may not, know exactly what happened, but I'm guessing it wasn't just about performance. A fair assumption would be either a philosophical difference reached a tipping point or Sanford was Exhibit A in Strong's case that the coaches were lacking passion and urgency. I think it's probably a combination of both, leaning towards the latter.

Thinking that way, perhaps Watson taking the role is less about scheme and more about attitude. Being content vs. pursuing the future. Because either way, new linemen aren't going to appear on the field today and we're still going to have a young team. A new offensive scheme will not be implemented in three days. So the best shot we have is doing more with the players we have. Perhaps Strong sees Watson as someone more capable of lighting that fire and working miracles than Sanford. 

We'll see what happens today. Kick some ass Cards.

Congrats to DaMarcus Smith for finishing up his high school football career with Seneca. Stats aside, he seems to be a remarkable young man and someone I'm thrilled to have represent the university.

Watch the four throws from the 1:20 mark and on from the video above. Sanford must be absolutely drooling. It's tough as a fan to be eager to see new talent on the field. Froman, Burke, Stein, and all of our current players have done a phenomenal job this season. They've made UofL football fun again (no small feat) and I can't wait to root for them down the stretch. At the same time, it's clear the talent level is low and as wonderfully as our guys play, as much as they exceed expectations, there's a ceiling. Watching DaMarcus throw a 50 yard pass or a 30 yarder on the run is a pretty stark contrast to what we saw against Pitt (and even though Burke performed admirably, against Syracuse). There will be growing pains and more frustrations, but you can't teach an arm like that. The ceiling will be higher next season.

The present is surprisingly fun and the future is bright. Next year, Strong's first full recruiting class arrives and we're pretty damn lucky to have a player like Smith heading it up.

Count me among the throng of ecstatic fans who can't quite believe that just happened. I have physical evidence to prove it. Ears still ringing, hoarse throat, and hands clapped raw. There's a better-than-scripted game recorded on my DVR, Kuric's highlights on all the sport media outlets, and a Dr. Dunkenstein-graced ticket stub on the bookshelf. Maybe the stupor is due to saying goodbye to Freedom Hall in perfect fashion, or the wave after wave of nostalgia (Tong, the chants, the championship players), or being shell-shocked from one of the loudest crowds I can remember. But more than anything else, I blame it on the euphoria that comes from a player you've respected, who you know has the talent, go from role-player to cardinal legend in a mere 14 minutes and 23 seconds. We hope for it every game, it rarely happens.

When Kuric signed, I thought we were getting one of the unlikely stars we've faced so many times before against the Butlers and Creightons of the NCAA. The heady players who shoot lights out and play within themselves. The players who look at recruiting stars, smile, and take their 500th shot of the night in the practice gym. Many cardinal fans shared this sentiment and (for the most part) were willing to be patient because we knew he would be a valuable contributor his Junior and Senior season.

Then there was last night. Reading through posts today, I see a lot of comparisons to Sheppard, Chapman, and Jeff Hall. There are good arguments to be made for each, but I can't help to compare Kuric's developmental arc to Larry O'Bannon's. Two young men recruited as dependable four year players. Both played sparingly, but smartly for their first two seasons, and both hindered by a meekness not suitable for prime time basketball.

There's no need to recap here the player O'Bannon became, suffice to say there was a moment when it clicked; a moment when he realized the best basketball is played when you're taking risks, asserting yourself, and dunking that damn ball as hard as you can. Watching Kuric this year, I hoped Pitino would drop down a box of O'Bannon videos and show Kuric what confidence and assertiveness will do for your game.

Well, success breeds confidence (where have I heard that...). So Kyle, did that feel good last night? Did you enjoy the roar of 20,135 fans starving for that Freedom Hall magic? Of course you did. Chase that feeling. You've earned the right to take the shot, to make mistakes, to carry an inconsistent team on your shoulders. Sure there are seniors who we'd all love to take the spotlight in their final year, but this is about winning, not sentimentality.

You just led your team to an upset of the #1 team in the country and a berth in the big dance. Your face is all over ESPN. Toss that meekness into the Ohio and enjoy the next few weeks. Come back and be a leader on this team the next two years. And from a lifelong UofL fan, thank you. We owe you a nickname.