Enjoy the moment...

[raycyrx]

After a big win (or a big point difference win against a team you're expected to beat) the phrase is commonly uttered: "We're going to enjoy the moment, and then get back to work."

Well, I say screw that.
I say, do exactly what you did after the NIU game that led to this win.

Holtz was famous for elevating the opposition.
Win big against a top 10 team, and the post game interview sound like, "We play Navy next week and I'm scared of them... they could beat us."
He didn't enjoy the moment.
He went right back to work when the clock hit 00:00.

Freeman is only three years into his head coaching experience.
He is GOING to have oops games.
One of the keys to consistency is... well... be consistent.
Approach the end of every game the same.
Win big... we have way more work to do because we have an opponent (big or small favorite) next week.
Remember how it felt to perform badly against NIU or Marshall and take that feeling of personal responsibility and motivation through this next week.
We can rest after our last game this season.

 

[christophero]

I think consistency is the key. Football is different from other sports ( I ran track in college). But it seems like you can either come out flat, or do the opposite and get too amped up and then you wear down and can't sustain it. Controlled focus. Not to get too high or low. Not to dwell on anything throughout a game; good or bad. Do the work during the week, and hopefully if you prepare enough it will become instinctive. If you are well prepared and well conditioned the rest should take care of itself if you are mentally strong. But being mentally strong and physically strong went hand in hand; at least in my sport.

 

[raycyrx]

I don't think (in football) that being mentally strong and physically strong are linked.

While track is a competitive against opponents and team sport... You're not physically opposing you're opponent (at least you're not supposed to. Football is a contact sport with lots of trash talk and mental games being played on more than 100 plays per game. If you're not mentally focused (to the point of instinct) to react several different ways to the opposition reacts to the snap of the ball, you're behind.