M-Borg vs. THE Flavortown U Thread, Orig. by Buckeye Paul, absconded w/by talent.

[WingsFan]

Nussmeier is very high on Morris as well he should be. Garner will get the nod as the starter, but he might have a short leash next year. Lets face it he is not suitable for what Hoke wants, but I think Nussmeier will be smarter than Borges and adjust his philosophy according to his QB.

[WM Wolverine]

My hope is Nussmeier has influence on his position coaches as I [sadly] trust him more than Hoke...

I've said all along Hoke will only be as good as his coordinators and coaching staff; that said I really like Hoke's staff he has in place. Brady's a very good recruiter & face of the program though I do worry his ceiling is a 10-2 type coach that won't get M their share of Rose Bowl, 'major' Bowls and playoff 'bowls'.

[hack]

We're definitely going to find out if the showhorse/figurehead/recruiter approach to coaching is going to work. My sense is that this will definitely help, but there's still going to be a game or two a season pissed away thanks to bad ST (unless that's redone as well), clock management issues, general disorganisation, etc.

[Rob F]

We're definitely going to find out if the showhorse/figurehead/recruiter approach to coaching is going to work. My sense is that this will definitely help, but there's still going to be a game or two a season pissed away thanks to bad ST (unless that's redone as well), clock management issues, general disorganisation, etc.

...in other words, more losses along the lines of this past season's Penn state game.

[hack]

Maybe. Put a competent playcaller in place though and that game might look different. Surely Nussmeier wouldn't just sit there slamming into an eight-man front time after time? I'd like to think so. This isn't Hoke bringing along his buddy. This is a guy hired for his pedigree. It would seem to me that Hoke would be less likely to dictate to him.

[WM Wolverine]

PSU I put as much or more on Hoke than Borges, during that 4th quarter & OT Hoke actually had the headset on and likely dictated strategy, play-calling...

If not for PSU's miracle comeback drive (& M's penalty to take them out of FG range), it would've seemed like the correct strategy. Still, I think you have to be more aggressive in those situations and try to score and put the game out of reach as opposed to hoping the opposition makes a mistake.

[Jeff Buchanan]

...... Still, I think you have to be more aggressive in those situations and try to score and put the game out of reach as opposed to hoping the opposition makes a mistake.

I think I read a long time ago that game theory dictates this approach. The probability in football of an opponent playing from behind making a mistake is higher than the probability of him achieving success.

It's an approach you'll see in both pro and CFB. While it is true there are a lot of independent variables in the calculus, you're trying to get your opponent to call high risk plays on both offense and defense.

It seems to me though that in applying this strategy, the coordinators have to work to get that one RPS edge that is going to force a turnover on defense or break a big play on offense ....... I haven't seen Hoke (Borges or Mattison for that matter) demonstrate a willingness to do that. It can be frustrating.

[iam416]

Agreed that the OL disaster can't be laid at the feet of a single cause. Nothing that epically bad can be. WRT Funk, the job of a position coach is to teach technique and fundamentals that ultimately develop talent. WRT the assertion that Funk and Borges may not have been a good match or whatever, they weren't thrown together haphazardly at M -- they coached together for 2 seasons at SDS prior to coming to M with Hoke. If they weren't a good match, that is squarely on Hoke b/c all parties had plenty of time to suss that out. They were then together for 3 more seasons. Borges bears ultimate responsibility for the disaster that was the M offense, but if you can't place significant blame on the OL Coach for shocking OL failures, then what exactly have you hired him to do?

I also think the quality of the overall coaching staff makes a huge difference. I think Nussmeier is a good hire on the offensive side and Mattison is fine on the defensive side, though I have to think most now see him as merely good instead of some sort of genius. I don't know the position coaches, really, other than Funk. But if he's still around M's OL will continue to have issues and continue to underachieve. I'm bouyed by that fact he appears set for another go at coaching OL. That makes me smile.

Finally, you still need a good HC that knows WTF is going on with the team and is value added on both sides of the ball. I still don't get how it's acceptable for a HC of M to be a figurehead. If that's what Hoke amounts to, enjoy your run of Florida bowls.

[hack]

That's what he amounts to.

[Jeff Buchanan]

That's what he amounts to.

That would be my position too.

The M football program is in trouble for all the reasons that have been thrown about here.

The biggest problem however is probably going to end up being Brady Hoke. Dave can continue to sell cardboard that tastes marginally like Pizza but that isn't going to affect the play on the field over the short term.

What shitty football will do is complicate the recruiting process. Who wants to go to a cold climate and play for a team that is more likely to go 7-5 than it is to go 12-0 and be in the mix and in the national conversation?

This is a huge problem. It is compounded by the fact the turmoil has been ongoing since 2007. This is why I can no longer enjoy that preseason feeling of hope. Once you go there and get your ass kicked back to reality 7 times (well, 6. There was 2011), it just seems silly to me to even go there.

[iam416]

What shitty football will do is complicate the recruiting process. Who wants to go to a cold climate and play for a team that is more likely to go 7-5 than it is to go 12-0 and be in the mix and in the national conversation?

Yeah, and I would guess it already did (Hand). And, oh by the way, MSU is slowly getting in on better players b/c their staff has shown they can produce.

If I were Brandon I would definitely be working back channels to gauge interest of potential big name coaches -- coaches that aren't figure heads. If he could secure one, then he could move on Hoke. I think that's the way it has to go -- Hoke is fine as far as he goes, so there's no need to force yourself into a situation, but if you can lock up a better replacement, then do it.

[iam416]

In other coaching-related stuff, Coach Ash, OSU's new DC and Secondary coach, is wowed by the athleticism and speed OSU has on defense. So much so that he's asking everyone why the hell didn't you play more press man?

The answer mirrors M's OL issue. First, that wasn't the philosophy they had (to the extent they had any identity). Second, because that wasn't what they wanted to do, they likely didn't practice it enough to be any good at it. Of course, they also sucked at what they did practice, so that's on the position coach.

Anyway, OSU is definitely moving to Cover-4 quarters with a mix of press and bail. They days of gifting 10 yards for a WR screen are hopefully over and the days of getting beat for 80 yard bombs are upon us!

[Mike]

If that's what Hoke amounts to, enjoy your run of Florida bowls.

You think we can make a run of Florida bowls!?!? Sweet!

[The Oracle]

Has Lenzelle Smith gotten worse? Haven't looked at stats at all, but from afar, whenever I see OSU play he's garbage.

[iam416]

He's unspeakably bad. The whole team is unwatchable. It was hyperbole 5 days ago, but it isn't anymore -- NIT. I mean, they've regressed so fast so far it's stunning. UNL is dog feces.