I didn't get to see this weekend's game (I was following some friends on Facebook and Twitter to keep up), but I got to see some earlier games (the series against UMass that wasn't league play) and I have to agree. For me, the biggest difference is the feeling of effort. A lot of the things the team did under Whitehead (like the constant dump and chase and the lack of consistent pressure) spoke to a team that wasn't pushing hard, wasn't conditioned and wasn't putting in the required effort all the time. What we've seen so far - whether they are winning or not - is that the effort from the kids is always there.
I'm sure it will still take some time, but I am hopeful that the right values and the right approach are being instilled in these kids. A huge part of the long term success is going to be Red translating the changes and his approach to new recruits who can continue to help improve the program.