Stat of the Evening

No need to appologize.  I'm just bitter.

How do you know that? What is the offense doing when they line up then glance back over at the sideline?

OH SNARK!

At some point though, player's execution falls on the coaches. Rich Rod wasn't out there missing tackles, but if I've learned one thiing from Mattison it's that coaching does, in fact, make the team better at tackling. Al Borges is our OC and QB coach. Under him, Denard has seemed less accurate and worse at decision making. So you have two options: Either Borges' coaching style is just making him seem that much worse, or he's actually forcing the player to regress. Neither of those are good options, and both fall soley on Al (unless you somehow think Denard hit his physical and mental peak as a sophomore).

You have to be kidding if you want to pass that off as any consolation for just how inept the O has been in key games this year.  Not to mention Borges can take some of the blame for some of those interceptions when so many bubble screens and plays circa MSU (over the top/flanks) went unused/implemented.

Borges = in the hot seat.

You also might want to mention that the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred that very same season.

The plays suck. Did you see how long Denard was able to stand on the pocket?! Our Offensive line was terrific. Denard threw some gret balls today, running lanes were open.... The problem, for the most part, is the awful play calls. Why is it that we run zone read every single time we run? Teams shut it down by bringing more than we can block. When Borges "switches" it up and we go I formation it's a weak side Iso. Belamey (sp?) first play was zone read and he read it right by keeping it (the kid is just slow, they brought 2 line backers who keyed the RB, and he got bck to the LOS).

I thought Borges was 'adapting' to personal. That's why we were running nothing but read zone/3 iso's a game. All of a sudden Denard is hurt and we put in the backup who is the player Borges wants at the position yet we're still running the same offense! Borges must go! Last year against Michigan State, it's 4 & 2 and we line up in 'I', I know it's Iso or play action since that's all we ever do from I. Borges, who has gone shotgun all damn day, decides to play action and nobody bites (why would they) and they drill the fuck out of denard. Game was over then and there with bad cal.

Bad calls/plays on offense alone plagued last years MSU game. They ran a simple 'bullet x blitz' linebackers both in A gaps but one goes first and the other crosses making an x) all day destroying our zone read. Same thing happened through much of last year and ESP this year. If we had a decent/good offense we make Alabama a game, beat ND's ass, and Nebraska. Our defense has been terrific and made outstanding stops when we've fucked our defense. Our defense will keep improving but Mattison can't do it all. Replaces Borges immediately.

Last year, Denard Robinson accounted for 1,176 of our 2,884 rushing yards, which is 40.8% of total net yardage, but this year, he is responsible for 946 of the 1,653 net rushing yards, or 57.2%. It seems the running game has become less diverse in its calls, and as your post notes, far  more reliant on Denard. 

There has been a definite shift in the playcalling concerning RBs this year. Just with Fitz alone, for example, it has gone from a lot of zone stretch, counters, off-tackle and the odd pitch sweep (among other plays, of course, most notably, for a few games, that inverted veer that we averaged almost 13 yards on) to a much less diverse set of calls, or it appears to me. 

      ...think about it when Denard is in, defenses don't pass rush, they contain -so the OLine looks -on paper-like they are not allowing sacks.  When he is out they can't stop the rush and we already know they don't run block well.   The OLine IS THE CONCERN right now.     They aren't that good ---- I think Borges has been calling plays to cover up that deficiency too.  He can only do so much and his gameplan utilizing Denard is actually pretty good given this year's line. He his really limited when Denard is not in. The only thing I don't understand is why Devin isn't in at QB

Rushing teams in the nation, to one of the worst in just two seasons. I'm sorry, but RR was criticized for not paying attention to the D. When is Hoke going to pay attention to the O? 2 recruiting classes and we have no WR or QB depth. How the eff does that happen? Borgess is to Hoke as Schafer was to Rich. He deserves the same demise. If you can't score a TD in 3 different games with the most dynamic QB in the country, you deserve a pink slip... PERIOD.