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| Brennen Beyer returns an interception 7 yards for a touchdown (image via Times Union) |
Games are won in the trenches. I know this is an old adage, but it's true. And it's frustrating to watch Michigan get beaten so badly up front in every single game. I've said it over and over again, but Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield aren't dominating like they should, and the interior linemen can't get any kind of push ever. They say that even the best linemen in the NFL win just over half their battles, and that's what separates them from the other guys; well, Michigan's guards and center aren't close to winning half their battles in the run game. It's an abomination. Michigan's running backs combined for 17 carries and 35 yards in this one, with a long run of 9 yards. The offensive line allowed 11 tackles for loss. That sounds really bad, but that's been the norm - the Wolverines are averaging 10.5 tackles for loss allowed this year. For comparison's sake, Michigan has a pretty good defense and averages 5.7 TFL's a game.
Devin Gardner might retire. Gardner had one of his least effective performances this year, going 13/28 for 98 yards, 2 touchdowns, and giving away the game-clinching fumble; he also ran 10 times for 12 yards, despite only getting sacked once. He's lost a step, he's running tentatively, and he just looks downright scared of taking more of a beating at times. After the game, he was reportedly favoring his right arm. Obviously, Michigan needs him if they have any hope of beating Ohio State next week, but with his diminishing health and the sorry state of the offensive line, I would not be surprised at all if Gardner doesn't finish next week's contest.
Graham Glasgow snapping mistake? Check. I swear I don't think I've ever seen a college center with as many snapping issues as Glasgow. With the exception of the Northwestern game last week, Glasgow has had a snapping error every week. This week's blunder was a snap infraction on a 1st-and-Goal from the 4-yard line in the fourth quarter that pushed the Wolverines back to the 9. After an incomplete pass and a nothing run, Gardner bailed him out with a touchdown pass to Gallon.
Good grief, Jeremy Jackson is terrible. Usually I try to stay objective, so this is an angry rant I'm allowing myself near the completion of a frustrating season. Senior Jeremy Jackson's one late wide-open catch for a first down does not erase the fact that he should not be on the field. Like, at all. Ever. The final straw for this rant came yesterday when I saw him standing around not blocking anyone while Devin Gardner was getting tackled. He can't run, he can't jump, and he can't block. The guy is a preferred walk-on at best, or maybe a Division II athlete. I never understood* why he was offered by Rich Rodriguez in the 2010 class, and his performance over the last four years has only solidified those feelings. Da'Mario Jones, Dennis Norfleet, and Joe Reynolds are all better athletes, and you could probably get a better blocking effort out of walk-ons Bo Dever or Blaise Stearns, just to name a couple. I actually have some respect and empathy for Rodriguez, but one look at that 2010 class makes me want to vomit. The guy took 27 players in that class, and after you list the top three (Jake Ryan, Devin Gardner, Jibreel Black), you start to get in the murky territory of trying to rank Jackson, your holder/fifth receiver (Drew Dileo), your journeyman defensive back (Courtney Avery), your journeyman tight end/defensive end/linebacker (Jordan Paskorz), or your weed-loving suspended punter (Will Hagerup). Where was I going with this? Oh yeah. Erm . . . uh . . . yeah, Jeremy Jackson. He's bad.
Let's end on a high note. (Not that kind of high note, Hagerup.) So how about Blake Countess, Raymon Taylor, and Brennen Beyer picking off those terrible throws from Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock? Let's be honest - those picks were more about Rudock being bad than Michigan having great coverage, but these Michigan cornerbacks are better playmakers than we've had in a while. For a little while - the J.T. Floyd years, basically - Michigan struggled to make any plays at cornerback, and the notable plays from defensive backs had to come from the safeties. Taylor's still afraid to tackle running backs, but overall, I like where Michigan's headed in the defensive backfield. And kudos to Beyer, who has made some steps forward this year and tallied his first interception and first touchdown.
Just kidding. What does this mean for the Ohio State game? Probably doom.
*Of course, I know Jeremy Jackson was mainly offered because his dad is the running backs coach. Also, aliens.
4 turnovers to our 1 and we can't win... that says it all. I refuse to believe this team does/ or did not have, enough talent to win 10 games this year. One of the worst coaching jobs ever from a Michigan coaching staff. I'd keep Mattison and let everyone else walk back to San Diego, or where ever else they crawled out from.
ReplyDeleteOur defense did a great job despite the offense and injuries. Mattison's been a godsend. We would be something around 2-10 right now with average defense.
DeleteThis was never a 10 win team. They've underacheived, sure, but the OL was a long-standing problem. Their fate was sealed when they decided to only take 4 linemen in '12 when they had to fill 2 or 3 starting positions with RS freshman from that class. That's an unreasonably tall order, even if all of them were ranked like Kyle Kalis.
DeleteI heard the announcers cite the stat that Michigan has had more negative yardage plays this year than any other team in college football. I hadn't heard it before, but it doesn't surprise me in the least, and I'm sure yesterday's performance will keep us solidly in the lead. How do you NOT fire Borges and Funk (if not the whole offensive staff) as a result? If Hoke doesn't have the balls for that, then he needs to be gone too.
ReplyDeleteThis team has been absolutely painful to watch.
I will be so furious if offensive staff doesn't get rehauled. A disgrace.
DeleteSad state of affairs. As much as I have railed against Funk and Big Al Borges all year this one made me take a step back. Don't get me wrong, they both suck and should have pink slips in there offices this time next week. If they don't then next year will likely be Hoke's swan song. I am a fan of Hoke, but this mess that we call the 2013 season or team 134 falls squarely on his shoulders. Ironically the most disheartening performance comes on the day when Dickrod gets his signature win of the last decade. I could just start rooting against the 49ers but that is a pipe dream. All I know is relative to the talent on the roster, Michigan is probably the suffering from the worst coaching performance in the conference. The defense is ok and yes they haven't been helped by the offense but even the defense I expected would be a little better this year. At the end of the day, talent is there but coaching is not. While few players progress over the last 3 yrs most have regressed. And on a side note if anybody watched that Northwestern game and the game yesterday they should realize Mike Schofield has no business in the NFL. He should be on the sideline, blocks are week, never finishes them and misses damn near as much as the freshmen. I hate to sound like those entitled fans of the SEC or Oklahoma but the players and fan base deserve better than this. Based on salary and raw talent available on the roster we have the worst performing team in the conference and it starts with Hoke and his staff. Lastly poor Devin Gardner. This kid has laid himself out there for our program as much if not more than any other player. He has also regressed more than anyone in a single season. He is a shell of the guy he was last fall. He has taken a beating and now big Al needs to beat himself and resign come Dec 1st.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, definitely not impressed with Schofield. This is all on poor OL coaching without question. He'll go like 6~7th round, and I don't think he will have a long career.
DeleteI feel so terrible for Devin Gardner. There's not much he can do with pos O-line, relatively poor receiving corp (except Gallon), and mediocre RBs. He's been hit so many times and was forced to run for his life so many times under pressure that he is losing it.
Funk needs to be canned after the Ohio State game. Al needs to go. He took enough money from Michigan to go to Golden Corral everyday with Charlie Weis rest of his life. I'm sure they can talk football there all they want while pigging out, saying dumb coachspeak like "our team needs to execute better."
Yeah - I expected the defense to be better too. Both units have underachieved.
DeletePretty disgusting. Ohio State will kill us by (at least) 30, and that probably would be one of the most disgusting sights to be witnessed. I am too scared to watch. Only thing I am hoping at this point is that members of out offensive coaching staff will get canned because of how pathetic the team look.
ReplyDeleteYou said nothing about Borges?! NOTHING?! The guy called another shitty game, we want his head before this season's even done with. He makes me want to go out and punch small animals.
ReplyDeleteI really don't disagree with a lot of what Borges did. I didn't like the jet sweep to Jeremy Gallon after Funchess's reverse. That's about it. When your OL can't block, your QB is beaten up, and your 6'5", 235 lb. wide receiver/tight end can't catch a ball because it's cold, I don't know what Borges is supposed to do about that on game day.
DeleteThis is the white elephant in the room, that the guy everyone wants to blame is literally doing everything he can. The talent just isn't there, recruiting rankings be damned! Blame the S&C program if you want, position coached maybe, but the O coordinator is not to blame here
DeleteSo you thought the option play to the FB on 3rd and 5 was a good play call?
DeleteWell, if it were just THIS game day, that would be one thing, but it's not. It's every game day. And it's not just that our offense line can't block, it's that they block worse than any other offensive line in the country, including many that are manned by unrated talent. Our line can't block (on game day) because Borges and his staff have failed, after YEARS of coaching, to teach them how to block, as individuals and as a unit. Which is also why our QB is beat up. You can't tell me that simply waiting for another year of experience for all of our Oline is going to fix things.
DeleteNot only has our offense been abysmal, but it has gotten WORSE, not better, as the season has gone on. This despite having lots of very highly touted talent to work with. That is entirely on the coaching staff, and people need to lose their jobs over it. Borges is in charge of the offense, and everything that happens with it is ultimately his responsibility. Period.
@ Anonymous 11:22 a.m.
DeleteI think we've been encouraging Borges to think outside the box, and the option to Kerridge was an example of that. Nobody was expecting an option to the FB. It gained 3 yards, so it wasn't the worst play ever. Do you have significant confidence in dropping Gardner back to pass there after he went 13/28 in this game? Do you have confidence in running a draw after our running backs averaged 2.1 yards/carry and Gardner 1.2? Hell, that play to Kerridge might have been the best chance to get the first down when you consider the poor blocking up front and the <50% passing of Gardner.
Thunder, I think you've lowered the bar substantially. Taken in the context of the season, Borges didn't call a terrible game, for him, by his standards. Given what he has, his play calls on this DAY were fine, but... in the big picture, the offense has no identity and no consistency and has not developed a coherent game plan. I don't think Borges is free of blame for how inept the OL looks. After 3 years, as the head coach of the offense, he is in charge of what he is putting on the field. There's no excuse for our OL producing below levels of teams like Minnesota. It's reasonable to say we're not Stanford or Alabama with the guys we have, but to be this bad...that's on the coach.
Delete@Paul
DeleteMichigan's got more offensive talent than almost every team they've played. Talent's not the problem.
I would guess the following people are NFL players: Gardner, Toussaint, Gallon, Lewan, Schofield...maybe Kalis, maybe Funchess if anyone teaches him how to block. That's half your starters. Around them you have a solid blocking FB, and a serviceable WR or two (Chesson/Dileo). You're forced to start a freshman at TE, but Butt's a decent player. The interior OL is raw meat, but that doesn't excuse how wretched this offense is.
Not world-beaters, but unquestionably better talent than Minnesota, UConn, Akron, Indiana, etc.
I agree that he's not free of blame, but what can be said that hasn't been said already? Every OC has a couple bad calls a game. Calling a Gallon jet sweep after a Funchess reverse isn't why we lost this game. I'm not going to make an entire bullet point about one bad pass by Gardner, one bad run by Toussaint, one bad block by Magnuson, etc. in a season full of each of those things. The offense is what it is at this point. Hoke needs to figure out what to do with it, and what to do with Borges. Since this is a column about the Iowa game and I don't see many problems with Borges's Iowa play calling, then I just don't see it as a big issue here.
Delete"what can be said that hasn't been said already" Indeed.
Delete90% of fans want Borges gone. I suspect Hoke doesn't, but Brandon will force him to make a change, unless there is a miracle next Saturday in AA.
"I suspect Hoke doesn't, but Brandon will force him to make a change"
DeleteAgree ... Hoke's blind spot is excessive loyalty to those loyal to him. But this is a business, and Borges's role in that business is a hinderance. That's where Brandon comes into the picture. Even if Borges isn't the sole problem, he's the image of the problem, and sometimes changes have to be made for appearance purposes first. A change is needed. Carrying Borges into next year is a huge gamble for Hoke in particular, and Brandon secondarily, that things WILL get better. If they don't, then Hoke's tenure is over, and Brandon is damaged. Neither wants that, I'm sure. So a change is coming.
Loyalty is one thing, but you can't make coaching decisions based on sentiment if you want to win at the level that's expected at Michigan. You have to make them based on merit and performance. Our offensive coaching staff has not gotten the job done on the field, period. If Hoke refuses to deal with that problem, then he becomes part of it, and will have to be dealt with too. Borges and Funk are going to be gone, one way or another. The only question is whether Hoke will choose to go down with them.
DeleteYou really think that, DonAZ? Well God bless you, because I think Hoke and Brandon will be too stubborn to get rid of Borges. I have sent countless emails to Brandon, as have many people. One guy on MGoBlog is calling Brandon, and telling him he can shove his season tickets up Borges's ass. There has been a steady decline in offensive production, and it happens everywhere Borges goes, Brandon and Hoke need to realize that. If Hoke doesn't fire Borges, he's gone after next year, because the offense will just get a little bit worse. This makes me sick.
DeleteAs the years have gone with Borges, this is how Michigan's offense is looking for total offense:
2011 (Year one) 41st best offense
2012 (Year two) 72nd best offense
2013 (Year three) 84th best offense
That's horrible, the decline. Borges is just flat out horrible, and can't do anything right. In that pace, Borges have about the 98th best offense. Pitiful, just pitiful. Things aren't getting better, and I STRONGLY recommend that whomever reads this calls Dave Brandon at 734-764-9416 and email Dave Brandon at DaveBrandonAD@umich.edu ; and tell Brandon about your disgust for Borges. Even if Michigan beats Ohio State next weekend, I still want (NEED) Borges gone. This is Michigan, and will be Michigan. You preached it, Hoke, now make the appropriate moves in order to put Michigan back on the map. It all starts with firing Al Borges and Darrell Funk.
My top Offensive Coordinator candidates are as follows: Cam Cameron, Mike Bloomgren, Danny Langsdorf, and Rhett Lashlee
My top Offensive Line Coach candidates are as follows: Bob Bostad, T.J. Woods, Mario Cristobal, and Bill Bedenbaugh
Borges' job isn't just to draw X's and O's on a chalkboard and then leave the room. If that were the case, then maybe the criticism wouldn't be as rage-y. But that's NOT the extent of his job.
Delete@ Thunder 11:42 AM
DeleteCome on, Thunder…that's not even a response. You didn't address any of the points I raised. But let's be clear here…this is not about some piddly little option to the fullback. It is not about whether any particular play call or even any particular game's worth of play calls has been well- or ill-advised. This is about the overall direction and progress of Michigan's offense and where it is now, after 3 years under Borges. Not just three years of games, but three years of conditioning, three years of spring practices, three years of fall practices and two bowl practices.
Can you honestly look at our offense, and then say with a straight face that you think Borges has done a satisfactory job, and that you want to see more of what he can do? What has he done to merit keeping his job?
Anonymous @ November 24, 2013 at 1:33 PM
DeleteYes, I have a very strong sense that something is going to happen.
I full expect Ohio State to beat Michigan by a score of something like 49-10 ... I fully expect Michigan's offensive output to be as bad as we've seen it the last few games ... and I have a strong sense that will trigger a change.
If I'm wrong -- if they act as if they can carry this into next year -- then good luck to them. Anything approximating this year will be met with howling mobs and pitchforks.
@ Anonymous 1:50 p.m.
DeleteYou're right it's not a response, because you didn't ask a question. Where have I claimed that he has done a satisfactory job? This is a GAME column about the Iowa GAME. I'm not grading the coaches for the year, grading the players for the year, etc. Therefore, I'm not going to rail against Al Borges when making points about a specific game when in that specific game I think he did a solid job. It's not under the purview of this column.
To Thunder's reply at 11:42, I believe that option to FB was an audible called by DG. As we can see the only audible that DG could change to is the option, and that just happened when Kerridge was the RB, which mean originally it was a pass play, DG saw it and made the audible. If really want to blame something, it would be why only DG has one play for making audible, not sure it's DG's QB intelligence problem or the coaches'.
DeleteI'm impressed with your level-headedness (other than the long-standing Jackson-hate). My rants are not as well composed. Speaking of not being composed...I made the mistake of reading the Mgoblog message board after the game and...wow...
ReplyDeleteI'm more upset with this team than I ever was with Rodriguez, only because I felt the overall direction was positive and the vision was evident. On defense, we're not too far off our ceiling. On offense, nobody has any clue how good/bad we'll be, but reasons for optimism are hard to find. '15 recruiting, I suppose...
I'm taking some solace in assuming that a bad offense is easier to fix than a bad defense. I still think the defense is going to be really good next year. Otherwise, I have nothing nice to say. After the OSU butt-whooping I expect that heads will roll. Borges should know that he's coaching for his job.
There seems to be a lot of fear regarding the QB play for the upcoming OSU game. The idea that Michigan can only win with Gardner and yet, Gardner is not who some people yet think he is. The man is a shell and a shadow, hurt and shell shocked... I said it several weeks ago but the team needs to start getting some of the younger guys ready now.
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe that Gardner won't be the QB next year. I think Shane should be the starter this week. How bad can it get at this point?
I firmly believe that Gardner will be the QB next year, and there's no need to bench Gardner unless he's too injured to play. Gardner has been the one thing to save Michigan's butt in most of their wins. That TD yesterday to AJ Williams doesn't happen with Shane Morris in at QB. I don't care about next year. It's 2013. Concentrate on beating Ohio State, the bowl opponent, etc. The rest can be sorted out in the spring and next summer. Throwing Morris in there against OSU won't significantly change the 2014 season, regardless of who the quarterback is.
DeleteThis is just...have you watched Shane Morris? Did you notice him motioning to kill clock on 4th down as Gibbons ran on the field to kick the tying field goal? Did you notice he had a terrible senior year and hasn't looked good in his bits of playing time? Do you not see Gardner dodging around blitz after blitz, buying this sadsack OL more time?
DeleteI actually want him to play against OSU, and think he will get a chance in the second half, but mostly just because it will quiet down the expectations for the kid.
Recruiting rankings be damned indeed.
The above is based on observation, but my random baseless conjecture is that Speight will start over Morris in 2015, if not 2014.
Raymon Taylor's interception may have been a bad throw, but I think it was more a great play on the ball. I have been up and down with Taylor, but today I was impressed with his tackling. He tackled (8 solos) with good form today which is an improvement from what I've seen this season.
ReplyDeleteThis game had to be the nail in the coffin for Borges and Funk. I know I have been a little verbal with hiring a quarterback coach as well. It's crazy to me to look at Gardner last year after practicing receiver all year - and then this year after a full off-season with Borges as his quarterback coach. He has regressed significantly. I know we can put it on the OL - but even when Gardner does have the time to throw he isn't the same quarterback as last year. Borges is one of the highest paid OCs in the country - and this is what is happening on offense: 158 yards, 57 plays, 2.8 yards/play. Ridiculous. Watching the game this week,
I'm really hoping we can have a competent OC come and and have control over the offense. Hire his own assistants if he needs them - and run his own scheme with minimal direction from Hoke - because it's clear Hoke has very little idea what's going on with that side of the ball. If Hoke wants to run manball: grab an OC that is willing to do that, and then let him do his job. What we have going on right now is unacceptable.
-JC
Absolutely. Get an OC and let him do his own thing. Hoke is mostly a position coach who just took on PR duties for the team.
DeleteWell, that was one of the most frustrating games in a while. Well, actually most of our games this season have been about that bad. I didn't really have that much to say about Borges. If we can't complete a bubble screen either because of QB inaccuracy or the receiver's hands, you have to look first at execution. Once again, there were a number of times where Gardner ran backwards and lost 5 more yards instead of stepping up and maybe avoiding the pass rush. He also needs to learn how to get down at the end of his runs to 1. gain an extra yard, 2. Hold on to the football, and 3. preserve his own health.
ReplyDeleteThe OL problems are well documented. So what, if anything can our OL do in the off-season to make a big leap? Obviously there is talent, and obviously there is plenty of opportunity on next year's roster. Is it mostly lifting, eating, and conditioning that these guys can do in the offseason to get better? Or can they do drills on their own without the coaching staff? I know if I were one of the Fresh/ Soph linemen, I would be putting in more work than ever, especially given the public excoriation the group has received this season.
I think the offensive linemen need to get bigger and stronger. Eating and lifting. It seems to me that Hoke wants his offensive linemen to be slightly bigger than Rich Rodriguez wanted them, but with a completely different offensive philosophy. There's no need to have them in great shape if they're not going to run a no-huddle offense. If I'm Hoke and I'm intent on running over people next year, I'm trying to get Kyle Kalis, Graham Glasgow, etc. significantly up over 300 lbs. If we're going to be intent on running power, those guys all should be 310-320 lbs., with the possible except of center, where quickness is at a premium (I'm assuming that someone else will take the center spot next year, whether it's Kugler, Bosch, Dawson, Miller, Burzynski, etc.).
DeleteI don't get people flipping on Hoke. I mean - you saw what transition costs are. You saw what impatience on defense did to Rodriguez (who, clearly, is a good football coach in some, if not most, environments). You want to start that over again? You want to toss aside the recruiting classes that are the only thing Michigan has going for it as a program right now?
ReplyDeleteHoke lets Borges do his thing. He's a manager who trusted the wrong guy. That's not worth firing him for. It's time to pick a new OC, and if that guy screws up over multiple years you can talk about firing Hoke.
BTW, Mattison isn't sticking around here if Hoke is fired.
I agree with this assessment ... firing Hoke is not the thing to do right now.
DeleteI wonder if Hoke has a coaching mentor he goes to for strategic issues such as he's facing ... an elder statesman, if you will, that he trusts to help him see the forest for the trees? After yesterday's MSU game Dantonio mentioned getting such advice from George Perles. I wonder if Hoke has such a mentor as well. He needs one right now.
I'm through with Borges ... whether his play-calling this game was acceptable or not. There's no excuse for this roster of talent to perform this badly, and as OC it's his responsibility to make sure the pieces of the puzzle fit to provide as much production as can be had given the talent. He's failed in that role. He strikes me as an OC in over his head in today's game -- he's flailing and unsure of what to do. Time for him to step aside.
I'm not for firing Hoke, unless he insists on keeping the coaching staff intact and denying that there's any problem. If that happens, then he clearly is not going to get the job done here, and Brandon needs to suck it up and cut our losses. Back to square 1 (again) sucks, but if that's what has to be, best to get started now, rather than dicking around for another year or two.
DeleteEven if Hoke insists on keeping Borges, I don't think Hoke should be fired. I have no doubt that Michigan SHOULD be better than 7-4 (likely 7-5 in a week's time), but everyone has a bad year once in awhile. Considering the decimation of this program that took place from 2008-2010, the recruiting failures of Rich Rodriguez on the offensive line, etc., we all knew that this was going to be a rebuilding project. The problem is that there was enough talent in that crew to manage an 11-2 season based on some offensive playmakers (Denard Robinson, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Junior Hemingway), some solid but unspectacular defense, and a favorable schedule (no Wisconsin, a weak Ohio State, etc.). Hoke gave us an almost unbelievable 11-2 year that probably should have been 9-3-ish if we're making generalizations (you know, a gradual improvement from Rodriguez). That set the expectations sky high, and it might have helped us with recruiting in the meantime, but right now we have a team that's still in rebuilding mode without a lot of seniors and with a generally weak fourth-year class.
DeleteI've said for the last couple years that I think 2014 is the year where we'll really see Hoke's vision for the program come into its own, and 2015 should be even a little better in that respect. Regardless of the record, it will show us where Hoke is steering this thing. I did not like Rich Rodriguez's personality, and some of his personnel decisions (recruiting, players, coaches, etc.) were extremely frustrating, but asking him to remold this program in just three years was kind of ridiculous. He went from 3 to 5 to 7 wins. Hoke is treading water right now because his "rebuilding" started from a higher level, but it's still a rebuilding process. This 7-win season is almost equal to Rodriguez's 7-win season, but it was preceded by 11- and 8-win seasons. Let's see what happens with Hoke as he gets into his fourth and fifth years. I really don't think we've seen the best of him yet.
Definitely agreed. I'd never want to see Hoke being fired -- 2014 seems to be the year that he should start to deliver the goods.
DeleteAgree with you Thunder that Hoke shouldn't be fired, even if he holds firm on keeping Borges.
DeleteWhat I disagree with is pointing to 2014 as "the year where we'll really see Hoke's vision". I think Hoke's vision is dependent on winning the trenches, and you can't do that while breaking in so many new young linemen, not to mention not having much proven talent at the skill positions.
One can point to 2015 but...that 2-year exercise is something that almost always looks promising, for every program. Duke and Minnesota are probably pointing to 2015 and talking conference titles.
I think it's fair to say "each coach won 7 games in year 3". The on-field results are quite similar. Hoke's advantage is PR/personality, and the goodwill he earned in year 1. Rodriguez's advantage was track-record and the fact that he started with less talent. Each coach deserved to get 5 years, IMO. Can't really complete a transition without going through a full recruiting cycle, though somehow Ohio State seemed to handle it just fine.
As for what's to come, it's a guess for all of us. I'm skeptical that the manball vision can be realized, but optimistic that the defense and talent can paper over the schematic disadvantage the offense seems willing to concede. It all hinges on the OL, IMO. It has to go back to being an NFL-factory. I'd like to see more recruits feeding the OL-machine, until some of these kids show they can actually play.
That doesn't mean I am not for rehauling of the staff (particularly on offense). Funk did a garbage job with the linemen. RB coach, WR coach, and Borges all should be put under microscope imo.
Deletehttp://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/espn-rumor-potential-coaching-moves Do you believe it, Thunder?! LET'S GO BLUE, FIRE BORGES!!!
ReplyDelete