The student side always starts loud. Then we start to see why everyone hates Fran.
It's easy to be loud when your team is doing well, or it is a close game. We saw it at OU/NU/tech last year and FSU this year. I think in those situations, we are louder than anyone in college football. I know I left all those games with ringing ears.
When things go downhill, it's tough. You can stay loud, and a lot of people do. Unfortunately, you can tell "new army" what a disgrace and disappointment they are, but that doesn't make the sense of complete futility go away. That doesn't make the feeling that the coaches have given up go away. I would wager that even back in some of the bad years, you knew your coach was trying to win the game. We aren't even sure of that simple, basic fact, and neither are most of you old ags.
On a more superficial level, our defense kills our crowd momentum as some mentioned earlier. We yell even as we watch our defense give up 20 yards a pop on little screens, draws, and crossing routes to 1-AA schools all... game... long... and we are right back to that futility. We know our players are bigger, stronger, and faster, but it doesn't matter. It feels like nothing matters.
Does that make it right that people stop yelling as loud or as long? No. Does it make it easier to understand for all the perfect ags sitting in silent judgment across the field? I hope so.