Column: Put us in our place, please

The coaches got it wrong.

Not our coaches, that is (that’s a matter for another day — I mean, who throws a bubble screen on third and one when your quarterback weighs 216 pounds?), but the coaches who vote on weekly rankings.

Somehow, after surviving San Diego State, thanks to Tim “Jesus” Scott and Jeff Schoettmer’s hair, UNC is still ranked in the top 25 by the coaches, although the team justly fell from the Associated Press’s poll.

That’s top 25 in the nation, by the way, not the state, which I’m sure many of you who watched Saturday’s game assumed.

The Tar Heels came out flat, despite the raucous crowd and electric atmosphere. The offense in particular looked especially lost and was outscored by their own defense in the first half. It wasn’t just bad — it was disappointing. It’s hard to get Chapel Hillians excited about football, but this year, there were legitimate expectations for the squad. Talks of a 10-win season and an ACC Championship were considered possibilities instead of daydreams, and, leading up to the first game, Larry Fedora’s six-pack was on SportsCenter instead of Julius Peppers’ transcript.

Now, I’m just hoping we can make it out of Clemson alive when the team goes to Death Valley in three weeks.

So, coaches, what were y’all thinking when this week’s rankings were put out?

Maybe, because the game was later in the day, you guys helped yourself to a couple of non-Gatorade drinks before watching the Tar Heels put on a display of mediocrity? Maybe y’all thought it would be funny to keep out Louisville, who thrashed Miami and Murray State in back-to-back weeks, and keep in a team that was out-gained by 115 yards against a team paid nearly a million dollars to show up (and lose)? Maybe I’m in one of those weird dreams where UNC football is ranked, Coach K has grey hair and I go to all my classes?

Or maybe it is our fault for drinking this team’s Kool-Aid too early.

For all the hype the team had coming into the year, there are still glaring question marks. The secondary is without longtime starters Tre Boston and Jabari Price , the kicking game continues to frustrate and the quarterback situation was just recently resolved. The coaches and their rankings should have reflected it, but, just like the fans, they were blinded by our returning talent and Ryan Switzer’s highlight reel.

The coaches should be ranking according to what the team has done, not what we want it to do.

The moral of the story is when you a pay a team to come and lose, you don’t expect to need a goal line stop to come out on top.

Especially when you’re one of the best 25 teams in the country.