It's not about excuses, or becoming fed up with Bronco. It's about moving forward and figuring out who is best to do that. That kind of decision can't be made in a vacuum. You need to know who the possible replacements are, and what chances they have of being more successful than Bronco.

As for myself personally, with respect to Bronco, I'm on the fence. Give me a look at Tom's list of potential replacements (he keeps a constantly-updated list of potential head coaching candidates at all time for both football and basketball, 'cause you never know when you're going to need a new coach and you can't afford to be caught flat-footed when recruits are on the line), and I'd be able to give you a better idea.

While I wouldn't mind some fresh ideas if Tom thinks he has a great candidate ready to bring in, I don't think Bronco has necessarily maxed-out as head coach. I don't accept that it's all downhill from here from Bronco. I think he'll keep learning. I think he's learned his lesson regarding the QB position, for example. We have a great group of returning/incoming QBs that ought to help us keep a high quality, and maybe even elite, QB on the field for the next bunch of years. Anae has proven that he is a quality O.C. We'll score points. And, I believe that Bronco will get the defense back on track. He's too good of a defensive coach to let the defense stay down long. So, I'm confident that Bronco is on his way to getting the program back to where it was before Hall graduated.

What I'm mainly thinking is that it is unlikely that you're going to find a replacement that will outperform Bronco. These past few years have been frustrating, but I don't accept that that's all Bronco is ever going to give us. If Bronco's heart is in this (something Tom will have to figure out), he'll do what needs to be done to set things right. The idea that he's to stubborn or prideful to make the necessary changes is ludicrous, and even if he was too stubborn, Holmoe is not. It was just less than two years ago when the entire offensive staff was let go, and that was after two winning seasons and bowl appearances with that staff. More changes will be made to get the defense sorted out, I'm sure.

So, there you have it. I'm not particularly invested in Bronco, but I think he's probably the right guy to take us forward. Notice that my reasons have nothing to do with injuries, honor code, difficulties in recruiting, or any of the other excuses that you accuse Bronco supporters of using.

Now, if Bronco proves me wrong, and we tank with the more difficult schedule and don't show signs of putting it together, I'll feel more strongly about bringing in someone new. However, I'll always hedge quite a bit because we have very little idea who the possible replacements would be. I'm going to trust Tom all the way with these types of decisions. Unlike many around here, I believe that the administration wants to win just as much as we do. I think Holmoe deserves the benefit of the doubt, so if he sticks with Bronco, so will I.