I agree 100%. Unless there was some very good reason to hold him out for the first half, this was a HUGE mistake on the part of the coaches. I am convinced after re-watching some of the game that Max might have hit some of those passes that Downing was unable to make. Max's passes look much better this year - accurate and crisp. He's not throwing bullets, and his long passes were spot on. I was impressed with what I saw - especially for only 2 quarters.
I think we would have won the game with Max starting. It's one of the strangest decisions I have seen them make. With all those offensive geniuses on staff, how did any of them think this was the right call? Downing, although he was not completely terrible, definitely does not have the 'it" factor going on. Max does. It was easy to see that after the 1st quarter.
Another winnable game flushed down the toilet by bad decision making by the coaching staff. Well that, and a terrible OL effort. That was another coaching disaster.
They better get it figured out by Saturday or the Horns will have a field day.