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Ohio Football Topic
Topic: Been watching this site for 14 years, today is the day to comment
Page: 4 of 4
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OhioStunter
2/13/2016 12:59 AM
I predict www.ExCat21Attack.com will be coming soon.
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ExCat21
2/13/2016 2:11 AM
I'll leave it at that. But we are in some good times right now. And I'm enjoying it!! Go Cats!
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Bcat2
2/13/2016 10:46 AM
ExCat21 wrote:expand_more
I'll leave it at that. But we are in some good times right now. And I'm enjoying it!! Go Cats!
+1

Good times, right now. Enjoying.
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Monroe Slavin
2/15/2016 1:09 PM
ExCat21 wrote:expand_more
My senior year we were in the top 5 in kickoffs. That year I believe we held opponents to start their field position around the 13-14 yard line. In football percentages, an opponent has less than 20% chance to score when starting field position is 81 yards or more. The only team that didn't bring the ball out of the end zone when Matt Lasher kicked it was Central Michigan in the MACC. Brian Kelly from CMU really did his homework on our special teams that game.
21--The above fits my theory that coaching, reacting to circumstances matters. And matters a lot.

You probably know that I'm peeved about no MACC and the number of huge losses in the last 3 years.

That said, let me ask you to comment as specifically as you feel comfortable about two things:

First, Tyler Tettleton played wonderfully for us up through about the Miami game before which we were featured in SI. For most of the next year and a half he didn't seem nearly as dynamic. Any idea why?

Second, what's the effect on the players of repeated, huge losses such as we've seen in the last 3 years?
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perimeterpost
2/16/2016 1:21 AM
I stopped visiting the Football section a s few weeks ago because it was nothing but the same bickering and whining, and then this thread comes along and WOW. What a breath of fresh air. Great stuff 21, welcome to the board!
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ExCat21
2/16/2016 12:59 PM
Monroe-

I have seen your comments about being frustrated and you have every right to be as a fan. As far as your coaching comments, every coach is different and what made Brian Kelly special to me, is that he looks for really, really specific details to use in his gameplan. In the Mac championship game in 06 we only had two things I could think of that he exposed. First was the special teams thing. He told his returners not to bring the ball out because we never let anyone past the 20 yard line. We had 5 guys on the kickoff that ran 4.4 speed or below. Second thing I notice and remember was his trips packages vs our defense still playing a 4-3 line up. He had the second guy in trips run corner and out routes in which either the SS or OLB had to cover after a certain amount of yards. I believe this was our Cover 4 Michigan State coverage we ran in which it turns to man after 10 or so yards. that opened up down field throws towards the sidelines. Now-a-days we go with dime coverage giving us more speed to cover those routes or blitz the nickel packages.

I can not speak for Tyler Tettleon. I will say he is a tremendous athlete who set the standard for future QBS. If I were to guess at what may have happened at the end of that season, it was probably injury-related. His run-pass throw threat became more pass-oriented rather than running. I would need to take a look at the offensive lineman to see who was hurt as well. That may have changed the game-plan in a sense too.

I hope to meet all you fellas one game next year on the sideline. This team seriously is one or two seasons away from a MACC. The trenches are starting to get deeper in depth and bigger in size. That's where we will get our championship. THE LINEMAN!
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ExCat21
2/16/2016 1:05 PM
In the past (2005, 2004, 2003, etc) losses would have stockpiled and our demeanor would have stayed the same. With Solich, he really means what he says on wins and losses. We win one, we enjoy it Saturday and move on to the next opponent on Sunday. Same with a loss. Solich is a guy that doesn't get too high or too low. He is even-keel. And he likes his players to be the same, that way confidence stays above worrying about failure. In the Knorr regime, a player would have been scared to make a mistake on the field because you might not see the field again for a for weeks. In the Solich regime, you better be flying around 110% when making a mistake. But he won't sit you out a few games because of it. Solich values depth and also he values getting underclassman playing time to be prepared for the future. He did it a lot with the defensive backfield this past season to get them ready for a graduation loss in the secondary.
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ExCat21
2/16/2016 1:13 PM
I would like to pose a question for you guys to think about when it comes to MAC programs and getting star players. In the past 5 years, what was the rank of the 2 teams in the MAC championship as far as how many starred athletes they signed at the beginning of the season? I could be wrong but I will say Northern Illinois, Ohio, and BG rank at the middle of the pack and below. Toledo, WMU, CMU, always top the class. Once again, I could be wrong but the point I want to make is that it is about coaching, a healthy team in the latter part of the season and some experience. Those help in the final weeks of MAC play.
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L.C.
2/16/2016 1:40 PM
ExCat21 wrote:expand_more
... If I were to guess at what may have happened at the end of that season, it was probably injury-related. His run-pass throw threat became more pass-oriented rather than running. I would need to take a look at the offensive lineman to see who was hurt as well. That may have changed the game-plan in a sense too.... [/QUOTE]
This is exactly what I believe. I think injuries were a part of it, but the offensive line was a bigger part. The offensive line of 2013 was nowhere near the quality of the line of 2011, and the first half of 2012. We just didn't have the offensive line depth in those days, and when the injuries came, it made a huge difference, and that difference was reflected in the things that the running backs and QB could do.

...That's where we will get our championship. THE LINEMAN!

As I have pointed out, counting the tight end as 1/2 offensive line, fully 5.5/22, or 1/4 of the team is made up of the offensive line. Another 4/22 is the defensive line. Since Ohio hired Coach Williams the recruiting on the defensive line has improved dramatically, and now, a few years later, that is being reflected on the field with a dramatically better defensive line, and much, much more depth at those positions.

Since hiring Coach Johnson, recruiting on the Offensive line has improved dramatically as well. This will be his third year as the coach, and we should start seeing that improvement reflected on the offensive line this fall, but the impact will continue to increase in 2017 and beyond. There is much, much more depth now at offensive line than there has been at any time under Solich, and also, injuries seem to be declining. My theory is that Johnson has been recruiting bigger/taller guys, (6'5" to 6'8" instead of 6'4") and the bigger/taller guys carry the 300 lbs better, and are thus less prone to injury.

[QUOTE=ExCat21] I would like to pose a question for you guys to think about when it comes to MAC programs and getting star players. In the past 5 years, what was the rank of the 2 teams in the MAC championship as far as how many starred athletes they signed at the beginning of the season? I could be wrong but I will say Northern Illinois, Ohio, and BG rank at the middle of the pack and below. Toledo, WMU, CMU, always top the class. Once again, I could be wrong but the point I want to make is that it is about coaching, a healthy team in the latter part of the season and some experience. Those help in the final weeks of MAC play.

NIU has pretty consistently been ranked in the bottom third of the MAC in recruiting, but BG has usually been in the top third, up there with Toledo and WMU.
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ExCat21
2/16/2016 2:56 PM
I have to take a look at the lineman quality from those years to see what happened. I would say injuries piled up again and we were alternating lineman to start based on their strengths.
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ExCat21
2/16/2016 2:58 PM
Yes our boys are getting bigger and stronger as they come in. Taller too. Bodies have so much potential to tone and add bulk too, which will make them bullies in November when we need it the most. Williams has used his expertise in the West Coast to get a unique blend of lineman. More of our west coast lineman have been 6'1 around the 300 pound range. Can plug holes and stop the run. I have a good feeling it will be hard to run on Ohio this next season but we may be a little suspect in pass coverage due to experience. But our secondary is more athletic which will compliment the young experience.
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Bobcatzblitz
2/16/2016 7:48 PM
Scean Mustin is my sleeper pick to be a monster in the MAC in a few years. Not often you find a big man that can Plug and move like that in MAC recruiting. Reminds me of BIG CELL R.I.P but Scean maybe a little quicker feet wise. If he has even a little bit of the heart and dedication that Mr Williamson had OH BABY.
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OhioCatFan
2/16/2016 10:48 PM
I've been reading all of your posts on this thread, and I want to personally thank you for setting a new tone on this board by bringing us actual information from the inside. You've given us all a front row seat, so to speak. Also, your sage analysis of OHIO football from the perspective of a former player who has inside knowledge of both the Knorr and Solich eras has helped many of us to better understand OHIO football and to place current developments into proper context.

Please continue to post and become a regular on BA.
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bshot44
2/17/2016 2:06 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
... If I were to guess at what may have happened at the end of that season, it was probably injury-related. His run-pass throw threat became more pass-oriented rather than running. I would need to take a look at the offensive lineman to see who was hurt as well. That may have changed the game-plan in a sense too....

This is exactly what I believe. I think injuries were a part of it, but the offensive line was a bigger part. The offensive line of 2013 was nowhere near the quality of the line of 2011, and the first half of 2012. We just didn't have the offensive line depth in those days, and when the injuries came, it made a huge difference, and that difference was reflected in the things that the running backs and QB could do.
I understand that injuries to the line make a huge difference in production....but that wasn't the case with Tettleton in 2013. He only attempted to run 43 times compared to 120 and 164 the previous two years. Blankenship still ran for 900+ yards behind that injured line in 2013 with 100 less carries than 2012 when he ran for 1600+

There was something else going on with Tettleton in 2013. Maybe he was injured? But he just didn't seem as engaged in games as much as he was the previous two years. I swear you'll see it if you go back and watch those games and compare them to the 2011-12 seasons.

P.S. ExCat21....those were some hella-good Tilghman teams you played for with Cantwell and Casey. I'm sure you still have Boyle Co. nightmares!
Last Edited: 2/17/2016 2:10:16 PM by bshot44
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ExCat21
2/17/2016 2:51 PM
Yea, I'll take a look and see if I notice anything different about that season. Beau's productive dropped from the previous year as well. If his runs declined, more than likely it was injury-related.

Unfortunately I graduated one year before we lost to the Tamme boys (Payton Mannings tight end on the Broncos) and Boyle County at State Finals. My senior class only had 8 guys and the rest were freshman and sophomore. Old buddies of mine posted the video of that 2003 game yesterday on facebook. There is like 4 NFL players in that game between both teams. Cantwell got drafted by the Carolina Panthers and Jacob Tamme got drafted by the Colts.
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ExCat21
2/17/2016 2:53 PM
He does resemble Big Cell! Hopefully he can were his number and represent!
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shabamon
3/15/2016 11:01 AM
Ex-Cat

1) How would you describe Frank's personality? 10+ years in and I still can't really get a grasp on him. He seems like the anti-Les Miles or anti-Saul Phillips. When he's mad, is he a big cusser, pulling a player in by the facemask?

2) I'm sure it's noticeable when players come out of the locker room for the second half and the stands have emptied a bit. How difficult/easy is it to ignore and is it something that players talk about?
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L.C.
3/15/2016 11:14 AM
From afar, my guess is that when Frank is angry, he doesn't need to use bad language - you can see it in his eyes. He strikes me as a very, very intense, competitive guy, with very intense, expressive eyes. You can see the same thing in press conferences, for example.
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GoCats105
3/15/2016 12:01 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
From afar, my guess is that when Frank is angry, he doesn't need to use bad language - you can see it in his eyes. He strikes me as a very, very intense, competitive guy, with very intense, expressive eyes. You can see the same thing in press conferences, for example.
I've seen him drop an F bomb on TV through lip reading when yelling at a ref. I think all football coaches are guilty of that.
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shabamon
3/16/2016 12:33 PM
Ex-Cat, I ask this as someone who loses interest in college football over the course of a season.

What do you think mid-major players would rather have in terms of a postseason set-up? The current bowl set-up where if you do well, you go to a bowl game against a comparable program where you have a good shot at winning, or a set-up where conference champions are placed in a national championship tournament which would probably mean the MAC champion is playing the Big 10 or SEC champion in the first round?
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ExCat21
3/17/2016 1:58 PM
Of course we would like P5 treatment but its business at the end of the day to the NCAA. Nothing will change it unless the universities expand to meet NCAA standards. Which typically is a minimum of a 50,000 seat stadium that is packed. OU has the potential to do so with Solich but we do have to win some championships as Monroe has stated. I like that we are investing in an academic center and already have an established offseason facility to train in. That will attract more quality recruits in the future. I am optimistic that our 1st championship is coming within 2 years as our teams are getting quality guys and we are building depth with young players.
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