It isn't always just about being able to run through a hole during the game. Attitude and practice effort aren't something that necessarily showed up until he got on campus. Coaches can interview him and his JUCO coach and other past coaches all day long. He and his coaches are going to say the things they know HCSF and his staff want to hear. But, until the season gets going and their is some adversity, they really don't know what they have.
It is no secret that part flipping the culture has been to reverse a lack of sufficient effort and attention to detail in practice and workouts. Seems to me HCSF made it very clear that Oz got the start that week due to his work in practice. Coaches have to walk the talk. If they are going to preach effort in practice, then they have to reward that, and on the flip side have consequences for unsatisfactory practice effort, or else its all just talk. They did that here by rewarding Oz with the start. Instead of buckling down and committing to practice the way the coaches wanted, Bell bailed. I recall he didn't do crap when he got in against Purdue. Looked like he checked out rather than fighting to get his starting spot back. Rash decision by a "kid", perhaps, but I think also a bit of insight into his commitment and attitude. At a time when we were probably on the cusp of turning the corner in terms of buy-in and attitude, there was simply no room for tolerating any hint of entitlement in the ranks, IMO. It is no coincidence, IMO, that this team really started to turn the corner after that week. Not the only reason, but part of the reason.
