This will be my weekly reaction column. I will format them differently each week with a different theme. This week’s theme is The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The Good:

The W. They all count the same right? Tech avoided disaster by the hair on Champs chin after Grambling recovered an onside kick late in the 4th quarter. In the alternate reality where they drove down the field and won the game, the season is over. You don’t come back from losing to an FCS school on your home turf. Not in the standings and more importantly, not in the minds of the fans. So let us take a moment to remember the W. It is a very good thing.

J’Mar Smith. The enigmatic QB had a respectable day going 17-25 for 220 yards and 1 touchdown. That one touchdown was a 40 yard beauty to Griffin Hebert. Do not take for granted the raw talent Smith possesses. Does he make questionable decisions? Yes. Does he miss open receivers? Yes. But guess what? So does Tom Brady. #8 may not be the hero we deserve, but he is the hero we need right now. He has been quietly sturdy in both games so far, commanding the offense with more hubris than seasons past. As he goes, so will the 'Dogs and it is passes like the one to Hebert that should inspire some hope.

The Bad:

All things defense. There is nothing inspiring about what Bob Diaco’s defense has brought to the table so far this season. Sure, they ran down Hickbottom for five sacks and forced a crucial fumble in the 4th quarter, but after last week’s abysmal performance against Texas, it is hard to draw any real conclusions. Likely, they are not as bad as they looked against Sam Elhinger, but not as effective at forcing turnovers as they were against Grambling. They will fall somewhere in the middle. At their best, I expect a lot of bend and no break. At their worst..well i don’t really want to think about that.

Play calling. Grambling was never out of the game, yet somehow it seemed beneficial to throw the ball only six times in the second half. There is no such thing as running the clock out when your opponent is down two scores in the 3rd quarter. Go put the game away and don’t rely on the clock to do it for you. With all due respect to the coaches and a heavy dose of salt, I feel that a fear of losing is creeping its way into the decision-making. I am all for calculating risk, what I am not for is trying in vain to eliminate it.

The Ugly:

The injury. Grambling senior Danquarian Fields suffered a brutal knee injury on an innocent looking tackle along the west sideline. He had to be carted off the field. Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and his teammates.

Attendance. With 23,174 as the announced crowd, it’s not enough. Make excuses about 100 degree heat and 2:30 start time, but excuses is all those are. Be safe and smart, but get out and support this team. They need it.

Entertainment. This is the other side of the attendance coin. Sure, fans need to show the team support, but that does not absolve the team from delivering the level of entertainment fans expect. It simply has not been good enough so far. There is plenty of football to watch elsewhere this time of year and the opportunity cost of coming to a game is high. Winning cures all, but a little dynamism and flare goes a long way as well.

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