Gamecock Nation bicker over defense's failure

SC's D was a disaster at Kentucky. 

Among most fandoms, when failure occurs, there is the tendency to lay blame. This is not a trivial or meaningless pursuit. The most-productive way to truly correct a problem is to to accurately identify it. But the root of the failure is often the cause for debate. 

Gamecock fans are arguing over if it is coaches or players responsible for the Gamecocks' collapse on defense. Some are even blaming Head Coach Steve Spurrier, who is at least guilty of omission, by letting it get to the level of incompetence it is. But he trusted his coaches, I'm sure.

Like all discussions, you have fans who want the most-efficient, and quickest remedy, so the team can get on track. And you have the soft-peddling, politically correct set, who seem to always be off the mark, and making excuses, in hopes of being seen as open-minded and fair.

Here re some of the posts dealing with the subject on Gamecock Central: the fans site Gamecock Central.

Anti-DC Lorenzo Ward:

Post 1: We pay Whammy (Ward) $750,000/year (not chump change by any standard), and he takes this season off? What was he thinking? More to the point: what in the he#!! has he been doing? I know what he has NOT been doing.
His solution to the current dilemmas on the 'D'? Sitting up in the press box for a better view of the situation. SOS's response?
"If he thinks he can see better (from the press box) that's fine, BUT WE HAVE TO GET GUYS FLYING TO THE BALL AND TACKLING, GETTING GUYS DOWN RIGHT WHEN WE HIT THEM" . . . and THAT Bubbas and Bubettes is a QUOTE!
Me thinks the HBC ain't totally convinced that 'Whammy's Plan' is gonna get the job done. Me thinks Whammy wants to get as far from SOS on game day as his job description will allow!

Post 2: unassailable logic. Ward recruits a bunch of projects, guys that can't get in because of academics and waits until all the veterans graduate before getting new defensive backs but he's not responsible for the current roster? Alright. Who's responsible?

Post 3: I'm not laying off coach ward or anyone else on the staff. there is no excuse whatsoever for what has happened on defense. we are one of the worst defenses in the country. it may be the worst carolina defense i have ever seen. there were a couple under brad scott that may have been worse. but not by much. i am p!$$#d off about it too.

Lorenzo Ward apologists:

Post 1: Spurrier is just as responsible for the defensive problems as Ward. We screwed the pooch on recruiting for a couple of years, and now we have a talent/experience drop off at certain positions.
Ward has been a good coordinator here, and I highly doubt he is "taking the year off."
Not sure how anyone can say that with any honesty.

Post 2: I've seen Ward make adjustments before. It's not like he is not capable or didn't want to. I've watched Ward adjust time and time again. I've also seen his previous two defenses get better as the year progressed.
Up until the Kentucky wildcat formation, our defense was improving every week. Kentucky couldn't get anything done with their QB or their spread formation. Once they got into the wildcat, they ran all over us. Ward says that it should've been an easy fix if the correct information was relayed to him.
So, while I will not give him a pass, I can certainly understand what happened. What I would like to know is why assistants up in the box couldn't tell Ward what was going on.