[whackem'n'stackem']

Obviously you meant that they should have been doing that all year. Hoge, Hayes, etc. didn't practice any D all season long so they just couldn't throw them out there on D for the first time during the state game.

But no doubt you have pointed out a problem to the true two platoon system. The hope is that some of the below average players will have become average or better than average by year end as a result of getting so many practice reps (by only practicing on one side of the ball). If that doesn't happen, some players that would be better but only practiced on the other side of the ball all year, aren't available to help out at those weaker positions against strong opponents. I too would have liked to have seen Hoge, Feggins and others on D. But, as was the case most of the season, what really hurt was poor execution and discipline. And that's all I have to say about that.

To a degree, but I would still take my chances on a true athlete making plays over a "player" when it counted most. Hopefully next year they identify the best athletes and work them into the system on both sides of the ball when necessary. The coaching staff having a more "flexible" view of platooning will be the key moving forward for the Birds, IMO. They will greatly increase their odds of this never happening again if they adopt this new paradigm of coaching.