I will admit it; I was skeptical about the idea of reading too much into the story that Tate Forcier's helmet didn't have wings. While speculation suggested it did have something to do with his apparent lack of effort, I wasn't completely buying it, mainly because his helmet did have wings in a video from practice earlier in the week.
↵As it turns out, though, Forcier's helmet and other players' helmets don't have wings because they haven't been earned. It's unclear what could have transpired for Forcier to lose his wings from one practice to the next, but he is just one of the players who hasn't done enough to earn the wings on his helmet yet, according to Rich Rodriguez, who didn't specifically single anybody out.
↵↵↵"It's a team thing," said Rodriguez, who appeared to imply it's a disciplinary move. [...]
↵"There's usually more involved than, 'Is a guy out of shape?'" he said. "It's more, 'Has he earned the wings?' "
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So what can we take from this when you consider that Forcier did have wings on his helmet at some point last week? Well, apparently his current attitude isn't living up to Rodriguez's expectation for who is deserving of wearing a winged helmet. It's a motivational ploy for sure, but it does say something about Forcier considering what Troy Woolfolk previously had to say about his work ethic in the offseason.