Rice4114: I think you're missing the point. I AVIDLY follow D3, specifically St. Johns of MN. I've been doing so for over a decade now. I can tell you the "product" isn't any worse at D3. In many ways, I'd say D3 is better since it's not corrupted by money -- no constant TV time-outs, no instant replay rulings, no hyping up of players, players aren't doing dances or other "look at me" antics after making plays. It's great football.
Basically, make it just like DIII, which means make it pure and whole again:
1. 16 or 32 team playoff that starts right at end of season
2. no more TV time outs (damned commercials SUCK)
3. no more scholarships, strictly walk on ... or PAY them a very healthy stipend plus full ride
4. go back to the holding rules in the 80s (maybe, mixed feelings about this but probably, yes)
5. enforce true integrity again and hold high moral and academic standards for players, coaches and even administrators: goodbye MSU, Penn State, OSU, Baylor. I'm not referring to the bagman payola issues - that gets resolved by my #3
6. create some serious standards for refs, like make them professional, cannot have ref their hometown teams, and pay them good money like the NFL, do something, in other words
7. get rid of the stupid instant replay. It destroys flow and the refs get it right 90% of the time in the first place and hopefully with #6 above, that 10% is strictly random error, not hometown bias
Amen. Harbaugh hopefully and FINALLY learned that this offense is a knife and more (AKA a gun) is needed to be truly elite. He's got the personnel, now he's just got to quit trying to make a Ferrari into a field plow
I agree, too. I've read a lot where football season wears on the players and coaches. I agree with the poster below who said we were different, less intense for the final few games after the gauntlet portion of the schedule ... I suspect OSU was coasting in the games leading up to The Game on shear talent and using a lot of practice time prepping for us .... they seem to do that every year. In fact, I've noticed them lose quite a few games the week prior to The Game over recent years
"everyone is claiming for clamoring for change, but not noticing how they currently hold 4 APB/slot commitments. 5 if you count quintel kent."
That's fabulous if/when we actually start using slot backs. We have several talented ones on the roster NOW, including a 5th year senior. We sure didn't like throwing to them this year, or last, or the year before that .... stockpiling slot receivers means jack until the proof is seen on the field ...
I just read it again not long ago. It should be required reading for all Mgobloggers. It really puts a lot of this old school mentality in context. I'm all for old school but even the NFL has quickly evolved into a pass-first spread affair.
My point is, regardless of what happens to Kingsbury (i.e., his coming here or not, which is HIGHLY unlikely), there's a lot of offensive potential that can be tapped with our personnel. Reading this book makes you understand just how tilted the rulebook is in the offenses favor. After the beatdown we just endured, will we do it, or is Harbaugh insistent that "what's old can be new again" ?
"During meals and in the training room, players were shown graphic videos featuring loud music, violent imagery and animals killing each other. The videos were intended to motivate the players. “There would be videos of animals eating other animals, pulling them apart,” one player said. “Video segments of, like, zombies just pulling out the intestines of other people.”
I concur with the other person who posted about this, which is way beyond the pale. This is disturbing.
I disagree. I posted this in part (right or wrong) because of Kornacki's article getting reposted here. Granted, as the PR guy I expect him to write fluff but I just want perspective for once here
To rob f and SFBlue: I agree but Stitt and Chip Kelly are merely evolving the spread. Theirs is evolution not revolution. I would throw Guz Malzan in with them.
One cool thing I saw on Youtube was a triple option out of the shotgun spread. If I were a HS or college coach I'd at least do a long analysis of this. Actually I'd also keep the shotgun spread and consider doing Wing T and Single Wing concepts from it. Making a defense account for 2-3 backs with the ball EVERY play is very effective, plus you keep the natural passing game intact
MSU and Notre Dame both had the season of horror (trademark) last year. I guess it's Florida State's turn. After that Orange Bowl, I confess I'm rather enjoying this.
Like someone else said, given our circumstances, it could be a lot worse. We were predicted to win 8 or 9 games this year and my unbiased roster eye test in late January said 9. We're on track for that outcome. We really can't complain (although certain specific complaints, e.g., offensive line development and playcalling are warranted IMO)
Looking at them year by year, the obvious take away (mine at least) is that Harbaugh isn't emphasizing discipline adequately. Surprisingly both Hoke and Richrod team's were generally low in penalties (and my impression of their teams was always a lack of discipline, e.g., turnovers and poor tackling).
I agree -- I'd more like Harbaugh to have the mindset of any corporate boss, which is, you're judged by your output and friendship is secondary. I guess that's another way of saying your response.
Hoke and so many coaches get this buddy thing going and it ends up being their own downfall once those assistants reach their Peter Principle. As a boss, you're only as good as those beneath you ...
Harbaugh has some bro thing with some of his assistants (and in a literal sense with our running back coach, who incidentally has ZERO experience AFAIK playing or coaching RBs).
Sigh. I can't add anyting that hasn't already been stated.
Except: the truth almost always lies between the two extremes in an argument (in this case one extreme being coaching and the other being personell).
Or, our struggles are a combination of all of these factors.
in the end, what difference does pondering it really make except to blow off steam? It is what it is right now.
I recall looking at next year's depth chart after the bowl game with a clear, unbiased mindset and predicting to a fellow UM fanatic at work that we'd go 9-4 next year. That was my gut instinct based on personnel.
And, lo, my prediction's on track. How we get there is food / fodder for all this board mayhem.
Call me pessimistic or realistic but I was also laughing at my coworker becaue he truly thought we were gonna hammer Penn State last night.
I'll probably be the 8th person to say this, but running backs who don't know the blocking schemes aren't used until they do. You see this frequently in the NFL.
Past aside ('16 spring game, etc.), it occured to me that O'Korn may have been told after last week's debaucle to ONLY throw to the primary read. We'll probably never know but it cuts down the potential for turnovers. In other words, take it one step at a time with him. Next week maybe first 2 reads, and so on.
One thing's for certain: running a pro style offensive passing game is a whole lot more difficult than a typical spread offense. Witness the situation in the NFL. For that reason I categorically don't like the Peters idea. We may ruin the kid. For all we know, O'Korn may have gotten ruined at some point, ditto Speight. Information overload, too many hits in the pocket, etc.
This is what Penn State is going to do. We are one dimensional. It's like a bad flashback to the Bo era. Only without the road grading factor, honestly. Play action with and without roll outs would help. O'Korn seems decent throwing on the run. His problem is that his play action sucks.
I agree. I'm concerned with what happens when we face the better defenses, though. By better I mean either in talent and/or coaching. What MSU lacked in talent they have in coaching. I have yet to see UM offensive coaches use common sense in game planning this year. You know what the strengths and esp. weaknesses are by now with this offense way more than us armchair QBs. Quit trying to dictate how you THINK it should happen during the game. Be realistic and use what you've been given. Get simple. The turnover problem, I've seen this whenever an offense is poorly coached. Ditto penalties, which I'd say we also have too many of for a Michigan offense. The kids lack confidence and/or are trying to do too much and/or aren't being held to fundamentals. For running backs to fumble the way they are this year is frankly inexcusable. Helmet on the ball, fine, it happens. But these kids lack the teaching and discipline to put two hands on it when they feel contact. Come on, man.
Amen, good post. And we should honestly run more sweeps. We're actually good at it. I don't know why we don't do it more often. Hey, 3 yards off a sweep is the same as 3 yards off tackle. The sweep is basically the staple play of St. Thomas (Division III). They run it until the defense literally gets sick of chasing and having to dodge blockers and tackle backs who are running downhill. That's a big reason why Lombardi loved the power sweep.
O'Korn should have been told during the game, esp. during the torrent, to read UNDERNEATH as primary. And the dude's got happy feet anyway. Make it simple and fast for him, get his confidence back. Watching it again, underneath was consistently wide open, expected with the defense MSU plays. 2 of those pics we would have gotten back if someone got in his grill over this early enough.
Honestly, Indiana is a pivotal game for my confidence in the offensive coaching staff. I care jack squat what experience and resumes these coaches may have if they lack the common sense to play to what the offense does well at this point. Win games. Don't try to get fancy with formations since it's obvious asking these kids to shuffle assignments all the time AIN't WORKING. Geez, they look like they're on roller skates half the time whenever there's a blitz and I wish I had a dollar for every missed run block assignment.
Nah, football hasn't moved on that much in 50 years, honestly. Football keeps reinventing itself more than anything. Aside from those advances wrought by technology, passing innovation and nutrition, it's still a game of blocking and tackling and winning the line of scrimmage. The plays Harbaugh is running were run 50 years ago. And blocked the same. Pulling and pinning techniques are primordial in football terms. Again, it's not rocket science. Execution is lacking. Running 50 plays in mediocre fashion is far worse IMO than running 10 plays excellently.
These kids aren't pros. They have limited practice time. Get the basics down! You've got an ass kicker defense to fall back on. Do it. Play Tressle ball.
For further proof of execution go to D3 football and catch St. Johns, MN next game (you can watch it over the internet for free, no commercials, good camera angles).
St. Johns runs the mid 80s Michigan offense for the most part, including the speed option out of the I- or ace formations. It's brilliant watching a team execute simple plays and blow the defense off the line of scrimmage. They remain my gold standard for judging Michigan right now
OK, I'll bite. My opinion is we have too many cooks in the kitchen, particularly since two are new this season (passing coordinator and Frey). Each apparently is bringing his own ingredients to this cheesecake factory deluxe. We have 2 offensive line coaches (!), one of which expounds drive blocking and the other expounds zone blocking). I suspect the OL heads are spinning at this point. These kids ain't professionals.
Harbaugh keeps adding offensive coaches in the hopes that each brings some additional mojo or magic and it appears to me to be doing the exact opposite. There comes a point where adding more stuff creates negatives, not positives. We have too many penalties and turnovers in spite of an elite defense. How about simplify and focus on a simple set of plays and get them right, and then do constraints off of those? Only the greatest coach in NFL history, Vince Lombardi, took that approach. How'd it turn out for him? I guess we've evolved beyond his thinking now. Worst case, punt and let the defense take over. This ain't rocket science, it's football.
This year represents the classic "last gasp" for Hoke. Typically the coordinators get replaced and the head coach is given one more year. I assume because Mattison's done acceptably (and He and Hoke are BFF), only Borges got the axe. Obviously the change hasn't worked, although I agree with everyone that the position coaches and conditioning coach are the main problem.
My observation is that Morris is highly inaccurate and lacks any semblance of touch. Everything is thrown at maximum velocity and he can't seem to hit the side of a barn. Maybe I'll be proven wrong but I don't see much hope for him. He should have touch and accuracy by now as a groomed 4-star prospect.
Going forward I'm hoping Speight is the answer. He's rather Navarre-esque (although thankfully has a much higher release -- never got over how many tipped balls Navarre had being like 6'6").
The complete staff will get overhauled. I'm sorry but Hoke has had adequate time and resources. He and his staff aren't getting it done.
When I said coaching fit, it wasn't meant to be an excuse. I agree -- in the end, it was about wins and loses, with the emphasis primarily on how bad those loses were.
However, I lived in West Virginia during the Nehlen -- Rodriguez transition and got to watch it firsthand. Most people don't realize that it was very similar to what transpired at UM. Nehlen (who coached under Bo) ran a traditional power running offense. Rodriguez had similar problems (seen in his win/loss record) transitioning the program.
The difference was that Rodriguez had the "Hoke effect" there. He was a local guy. I think he was on staff at one time under Nehlen, too.
Coaching fit is not an excuse, but a good fit induces patience in the fanbase, boosters and college administration during a transition. Also, the Big East is IMO a lesser conference than the Big 10. I honestly don't think Rodriguez's lineman recruits and development would have worked in the Big 10. What should have been our strength this year (O-line and D-line) were inadequate versus good competition. Even Mississipi State pushed us around.
My opinion is that it's both simple and complicated depending on your perspective.
If I look at it simply, a good football coach is one who has a vision of what his program is. To that end he develops and inspires players towards that vision, with a particular emphasis on fundamentals (blocking, tackling, execution, maintaining assignments, avoiding turnovers and penalties, etc.)
If I look at complicated, it involves all of the above but also adds being a good "fit" for a given college/university (don't underestimate this -- ask Rodriguez), being good with politics, the media and schoozing the boosters and such. And then he also has to be a good recruiter and know the NCAA laws, bylaws, etc.
It's not easy being a good coach these days, especially with the "win NOW" mentality.
Let me preface this by saying I'm still on the fence with Hoke. If he wins, great. If not, I won't be surprised given his lack of resume and, well, sophistication.
Yes, I did get the sense that Rodriguez did not emphasize attitude, toughness and playing smart. Our 2010 O-line, the so-called strength of last year's team, got manhandled against every good team. We got totally manhandled in the bowl game as well -- no push, no holes, no protection. With the exception of Demens, Kovacs and Vinopal, tacking was a luxury, not the norm. Tackling is about technique and grit. You either have the desire to take that pain and go low with a good angle or you don't. These guys should have been tested and culled from the beginning on that. I got no indication that the majority of our defense wanted to tackle. That has nothing to do with class status (freshman to senior). I've seen teams, even Carr teams, full of seniors that couldn't tackle.
Playing sophomores and freshman was not an acceptable excuse for total defensive ineptitude. Yes, Carr was responsible for some of that but Rodriguez lost way too many players to "attrition" than is normal and acceptable. I suspect his ego (i.e., "my way or the highway") was above the interests of the program. While it is too early to know, contrast Hoke's initial actions thus far to those of Rodriguez. Hoke (although certainly driven in part by Branon) seems to be doing everything possible to mend fences with the fans, media and, especially, the players. I believe he realizes he needs every player.
Here is my opinion from someone who grew up playing football under a father who likewise played football. I'm 37 now and began watching UM in the mid 1980's (my family bleeds maze and blue).
It seems most at this website support Rodriguez. I did as well initially. However, the overwhelming evidence pointed to a lack of emphasis on good fundamentals (blocking, tackling, toughness, attitude, playing smart, not fumbling, etc.).
Most fans get consumed by the schemes. Regardless of whether it's a single wing, wing-T, spread, pro-set or option, football remains, to paraphrase Lombardi, blocking and tackling. Without that, you're screwed.
We have the raw talent. In my opinion, Rodriguez didn't stress the fundamentals enough. He seemed to concentrate too much on the schematic aspects, as they would in the NFL. These are not NFL players.
I think Hoke is a good hire, all things considered. He harkens back to the days (Bo, Moeller, early Carr) when these fundamentals were highly emphasized. Given time, they will lead to bigger things than conference championships. The offense they ran at SDSU is hardly "three yards and a cloud of dust then get out-coached in a bowl." Remember Weiss and his top 10 recruiting classes and "schematic advantage"? How far did that get him when his teams could not block and tackle?
Recent Comments
Rice4114: I think you're missing the point. I AVIDLY follow D3, specifically St. Johns of MN. I've been doing so for over a decade now. I can tell you the "product" isn't any worse at D3. In many ways, I'd say D3 is better since it's not corrupted by money -- no constant TV time-outs, no instant replay rulings, no hyping up of players, players aren't doing dances or other "look at me" antics after making plays. It's great football.
Basically, make it just like DIII, which means make it pure and whole again:
1. 16 or 32 team playoff that starts right at end of season
2. no more TV time outs (damned commercials SUCK)
3. no more scholarships, strictly walk on ... or PAY them a very healthy stipend plus full ride
4. go back to the holding rules in the 80s (maybe, mixed feelings about this but probably, yes)
5. enforce true integrity again and hold high moral and academic standards for players, coaches and even administrators: goodbye MSU, Penn State, OSU, Baylor. I'm not referring to the bagman payola issues - that gets resolved by my #3
6. create some serious standards for refs, like make them professional, cannot have ref their hometown teams, and pay them good money like the NFL, do something, in other words
7. get rid of the stupid instant replay. It destroys flow and the refs get it right 90% of the time in the first place and hopefully with #6 above, that 10% is strictly random error, not hometown bias
Amen. Harbaugh hopefully and FINALLY learned that this offense is a knife and more (AKA a gun) is needed to be truly elite. He's got the personnel, now he's just got to quit trying to make a Ferrari into a field plow
I agree, too. I've read a lot where football season wears on the players and coaches. I agree with the poster below who said we were different, less intense for the final few games after the gauntlet portion of the schedule ... I suspect OSU was coasting in the games leading up to The Game on shear talent and using a lot of practice time prepping for us .... they seem to do that every year. In fact, I've noticed them lose quite a few games the week prior to The Game over recent years
"everyone is claiming for clamoring for change, but not noticing how they currently hold 4 APB/slot commitments. 5 if you count quintel kent."
That's fabulous if/when we actually start using slot backs. We have several talented ones on the roster NOW, including a 5th year senior. We sure didn't like throwing to them this year, or last, or the year before that .... stockpiling slot receivers means jack until the proof is seen on the field ...
I just read it again not long ago. It should be required reading for all Mgobloggers. It really puts a lot of this old school mentality in context. I'm all for old school but even the NFL has quickly evolved into a pass-first spread affair.
My point is, regardless of what happens to Kingsbury (i.e., his coming here or not, which is HIGHLY unlikely), there's a lot of offensive potential that can be tapped with our personnel. Reading this book makes you understand just how tilted the rulebook is in the offenses favor. After the beatdown we just endured, will we do it, or is Harbaugh insistent that "what's old can be new again" ?
What do you call a group of Spartan fans on your lawn?
Fertilizer
(I bet you haven't heard that once before, Don)
"During meals and in the training room, players were shown graphic videos featuring loud music, violent imagery and animals killing each other. The videos were intended to motivate the players. “There would be videos of animals eating other animals, pulling them apart,” one player said. “Video segments of, like, zombies just pulling out the intestines of other people.”
I concur with the other person who posted about this, which is way beyond the pale. This is disturbing.
Yes, it was in large part because this got posted here:
https://mgoblue.com/index.aspx?path=football
I disagree. I posted this in part (right or wrong) because of Kornacki's article getting reposted here. Granted, as the PR guy I expect him to write fluff but I just want perspective for once here
To rob f and SFBlue: I agree but Stitt and Chip Kelly are merely evolving the spread. Theirs is evolution not revolution. I would throw Guz Malzan in with them.
One cool thing I saw on Youtube was a triple option out of the shotgun spread. If I were a HS or college coach I'd at least do a long analysis of this. Actually I'd also keep the shotgun spread and consider doing Wing T and Single Wing concepts from it. Making a defense account for 2-3 backs with the ball EVERY play is very effective, plus you keep the natural passing game intact
This is about on par with that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI5IA8assfk
Behold the commerical music equivalent of cheap mainstream beer advertisements.
OK, I just google'd it. So now we're saying shit spewed forth by beer marketers? Great.
WTF does dilly mean?
Lolz, honestly that my take away as well. It's not a hard conclusion to draw. We watch every game and then review these statistics.
MSU and Notre Dame both had the season of horror (trademark) last year. I guess it's Florida State's turn. After that Orange Bowl, I confess I'm rather enjoying this.
Like someone else said, given our circumstances, it could be a lot worse. We were predicted to win 8 or 9 games this year and my unbiased roster eye test in late January said 9. We're on track for that outcome. We really can't complain (although certain specific complaints, e.g., offensive line development and playcalling are warranted IMO)
Looking at them year by year, the obvious take away (mine at least) is that Harbaugh isn't emphasizing discipline adequately. Surprisingly both Hoke and Richrod team's were generally low in penalties (and my impression of their teams was always a lack of discipline, e.g., turnovers and poor tackling).
I agree -- I'd more like Harbaugh to have the mindset of any corporate boss, which is, you're judged by your output and friendship is secondary. I guess that's another way of saying your response.
Hoke and so many coaches get this buddy thing going and it ends up being their own downfall once those assistants reach their Peter Principle. As a boss, you're only as good as those beneath you ...
Harbaugh has some bro thing with some of his assistants (and in a literal sense with our running back coach, who incidentally has ZERO experience AFAIK playing or coaching RBs).
Sigh. I can't add anyting that hasn't already been stated.
Except: the truth almost always lies between the two extremes in an argument (in this case one extreme being coaching and the other being personell).
Or, our struggles are a combination of all of these factors.
in the end, what difference does pondering it really make except to blow off steam? It is what it is right now.
I recall looking at next year's depth chart after the bowl game with a clear, unbiased mindset and predicting to a fellow UM fanatic at work that we'd go 9-4 next year. That was my gut instinct based on personnel.
And, lo, my prediction's on track. How we get there is food / fodder for all this board mayhem.
Call me pessimistic or realistic but I was also laughing at my coworker becaue he truly thought we were gonna hammer Penn State last night.
I'll probably be the 8th person to say this, but running backs who don't know the blocking schemes aren't used until they do. You see this frequently in the NFL.
lolz touche, good point there
Past aside ('16 spring game, etc.), it occured to me that O'Korn may have been told after last week's debaucle to ONLY throw to the primary read. We'll probably never know but it cuts down the potential for turnovers. In other words, take it one step at a time with him. Next week maybe first 2 reads, and so on.
One thing's for certain: running a pro style offensive passing game is a whole lot more difficult than a typical spread offense. Witness the situation in the NFL. For that reason I categorically don't like the Peters idea. We may ruin the kid. For all we know, O'Korn may have gotten ruined at some point, ditto Speight. Information overload, too many hits in the pocket, etc.
This is what Penn State is going to do. We are one dimensional. It's like a bad flashback to the Bo era. Only without the road grading factor, honestly. Play action with and without roll outs would help. O'Korn seems decent throwing on the run. His problem is that his play action sucks.
I agree. I'm concerned with what happens when we face the better defenses, though. By better I mean either in talent and/or coaching. What MSU lacked in talent they have in coaching. I have yet to see UM offensive coaches use common sense in game planning this year. You know what the strengths and esp. weaknesses are by now with this offense way more than us armchair QBs. Quit trying to dictate how you THINK it should happen during the game. Be realistic and use what you've been given. Get simple. The turnover problem, I've seen this whenever an offense is poorly coached. Ditto penalties, which I'd say we also have too many of for a Michigan offense. The kids lack confidence and/or are trying to do too much and/or aren't being held to fundamentals. For running backs to fumble the way they are this year is frankly inexcusable. Helmet on the ball, fine, it happens. But these kids lack the teaching and discipline to put two hands on it when they feel contact. Come on, man.
Amen, good post. And we should honestly run more sweeps. We're actually good at it. I don't know why we don't do it more often. Hey, 3 yards off a sweep is the same as 3 yards off tackle. The sweep is basically the staple play of St. Thomas (Division III). They run it until the defense literally gets sick of chasing and having to dodge blockers and tackle backs who are running downhill. That's a big reason why Lombardi loved the power sweep.
O'Korn should have been told during the game, esp. during the torrent, to read UNDERNEATH as primary. And the dude's got happy feet anyway. Make it simple and fast for him, get his confidence back. Watching it again, underneath was consistently wide open, expected with the defense MSU plays. 2 of those pics we would have gotten back if someone got in his grill over this early enough.
Honestly, Indiana is a pivotal game for my confidence in the offensive coaching staff. I care jack squat what experience and resumes these coaches may have if they lack the common sense to play to what the offense does well at this point. Win games. Don't try to get fancy with formations since it's obvious asking these kids to shuffle assignments all the time AIN't WORKING. Geez, they look like they're on roller skates half the time whenever there's a blitz and I wish I had a dollar for every missed run block assignment.
Nah, football hasn't moved on that much in 50 years, honestly. Football keeps reinventing itself more than anything. Aside from those advances wrought by technology, passing innovation and nutrition, it's still a game of blocking and tackling and winning the line of scrimmage. The plays Harbaugh is running were run 50 years ago. And blocked the same. Pulling and pinning techniques are primordial in football terms. Again, it's not rocket science. Execution is lacking. Running 50 plays in mediocre fashion is far worse IMO than running 10 plays excellently.
These kids aren't pros. They have limited practice time. Get the basics down! You've got an ass kicker defense to fall back on. Do it. Play Tressle ball.
For further proof of execution go to D3 football and catch St. Johns, MN next game (you can watch it over the internet for free, no commercials, good camera angles).
St. Johns runs the mid 80s Michigan offense for the most part, including the speed option out of the I- or ace formations. It's brilliant watching a team execute simple plays and blow the defense off the line of scrimmage. They remain my gold standard for judging Michigan right now
OK, I'll bite. My opinion is we have too many cooks in the kitchen, particularly since two are new this season (passing coordinator and Frey). Each apparently is bringing his own ingredients to this cheesecake factory deluxe. We have 2 offensive line coaches (!), one of which expounds drive blocking and the other expounds zone blocking). I suspect the OL heads are spinning at this point. These kids ain't professionals.
Harbaugh keeps adding offensive coaches in the hopes that each brings some additional mojo or magic and it appears to me to be doing the exact opposite. There comes a point where adding more stuff creates negatives, not positives. We have too many penalties and turnovers in spite of an elite defense. How about simplify and focus on a simple set of plays and get them right, and then do constraints off of those? Only the greatest coach in NFL history, Vince Lombardi, took that approach. How'd it turn out for him? I guess we've evolved beyond his thinking now. Worst case, punt and let the defense take over. This ain't rocket science, it's football.
Please don't ever use the term muggles again. Thanks.
This year represents the classic "last gasp" for Hoke. Typically the coordinators get replaced and the head coach is given one more year. I assume because Mattison's done acceptably (and He and Hoke are BFF), only Borges got the axe. Obviously the change hasn't worked, although I agree with everyone that the position coaches and conditioning coach are the main problem.
My observation is that Morris is highly inaccurate and lacks any semblance of touch. Everything is thrown at maximum velocity and he can't seem to hit the side of a barn. Maybe I'll be proven wrong but I don't see much hope for him. He should have touch and accuracy by now as a groomed 4-star prospect.
Going forward I'm hoping Speight is the answer. He's rather Navarre-esque (although thankfully has a much higher release -- never got over how many tipped balls Navarre had being like 6'6").
The complete staff will get overhauled. I'm sorry but Hoke has had adequate time and resources. He and his staff aren't getting it done.
My IQ just dropped 10 points watching that. Thanks.
Amen, although that stuffed animal thing was totally bizarre. I would love to know the inside story on that someday
When I said coaching fit, it wasn't meant to be an excuse. I agree -- in the end, it was about wins and loses, with the emphasis primarily on how bad those loses were.
However, I lived in West Virginia during the Nehlen -- Rodriguez transition and got to watch it firsthand. Most people don't realize that it was very similar to what transpired at UM. Nehlen (who coached under Bo) ran a traditional power running offense. Rodriguez had similar problems (seen in his win/loss record) transitioning the program.
The difference was that Rodriguez had the "Hoke effect" there. He was a local guy. I think he was on staff at one time under Nehlen, too.
Coaching fit is not an excuse, but a good fit induces patience in the fanbase, boosters and college administration during a transition. Also, the Big East is IMO a lesser conference than the Big 10. I honestly don't think Rodriguez's lineman recruits and development would have worked in the Big 10. What should have been our strength this year (O-line and D-line) were inadequate versus good competition. Even Mississipi State pushed us around.
My opinion is that it's both simple and complicated depending on your perspective.
If I look at it simply, a good football coach is one who has a vision of what his program is. To that end he develops and inspires players towards that vision, with a particular emphasis on fundamentals (blocking, tackling, execution, maintaining assignments, avoiding turnovers and penalties, etc.)
If I look at complicated, it involves all of the above but also adds being a good "fit" for a given college/university (don't underestimate this -- ask Rodriguez), being good with politics, the media and schoozing the boosters and such. And then he also has to be a good recruiter and know the NCAA laws, bylaws, etc.
It's not easy being a good coach these days, especially with the "win NOW" mentality.
Let me preface this by saying I'm still on the fence with Hoke. If he wins, great. If not, I won't be surprised given his lack of resume and, well, sophistication.
Yes, I did get the sense that Rodriguez did not emphasize attitude, toughness and playing smart. Our 2010 O-line, the so-called strength of last year's team, got manhandled against every good team. We got totally manhandled in the bowl game as well -- no push, no holes, no protection. With the exception of Demens, Kovacs and Vinopal, tacking was a luxury, not the norm. Tackling is about technique and grit. You either have the desire to take that pain and go low with a good angle or you don't. These guys should have been tested and culled from the beginning on that. I got no indication that the majority of our defense wanted to tackle. That has nothing to do with class status (freshman to senior). I've seen teams, even Carr teams, full of seniors that couldn't tackle.
Playing sophomores and freshman was not an acceptable excuse for total defensive ineptitude. Yes, Carr was responsible for some of that but Rodriguez lost way too many players to "attrition" than is normal and acceptable. I suspect his ego (i.e., "my way or the highway") was above the interests of the program. While it is too early to know, contrast Hoke's initial actions thus far to those of Rodriguez. Hoke (although certainly driven in part by Branon) seems to be doing everything possible to mend fences with the fans, media and, especially, the players. I believe he realizes he needs every player.
Here is my opinion from someone who grew up playing football under a father who likewise played football. I'm 37 now and began watching UM in the mid 1980's (my family bleeds maze and blue).
It seems most at this website support Rodriguez. I did as well initially. However, the overwhelming evidence pointed to a lack of emphasis on good fundamentals (blocking, tackling, toughness, attitude, playing smart, not fumbling, etc.).
Most fans get consumed by the schemes. Regardless of whether it's a single wing, wing-T, spread, pro-set or option, football remains, to paraphrase Lombardi, blocking and tackling. Without that, you're screwed.
We have the raw talent. In my opinion, Rodriguez didn't stress the fundamentals enough. He seemed to concentrate too much on the schematic aspects, as they would in the NFL. These are not NFL players.
I think Hoke is a good hire, all things considered. He harkens back to the days (Bo, Moeller, early Carr) when these fundamentals were highly emphasized. Given time, they will lead to bigger things than conference championships. The offense they ran at SDSU is hardly "three yards and a cloud of dust then get out-coached in a bowl." Remember Weiss and his top 10 recruiting classes and "schematic advantage"? How far did that get him when his teams could not block and tackle?