Ohio Football Topic
Topic: Merciful End - Positives Coming Out Of Season?
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BobcatPride
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Posted: 11/26/2021 3:20 PM
We’ll this season has come to a merciful end. Let’s all hope we don’t see another season like this anytime soon!

Would like to discuss any positives seen that can be built upon. Thoughts?
cc-cat
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Posted: 11/26/2021 3:26 PM
Only positive - There are only 400 days until December 31, 2022
shabamon
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Posted: 11/26/2021 3:31 PM
If Bryce Houston and Keye Thompson return, they'll be an outstanding linebacker duo. Maybe the MAC's best.

That's all I got.
Bobcatbob
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Posted: 11/26/2021 3:31 PM
OK, but let’s take a moment to show appreciation to OUr graduating seniors and super-seniors who, through no fault of their own, have had a most unusual college football experience end in less than glorious fashion. Even with an extra year of eligibility added this could never be what they signed up for. Thanks, Cats.

And while on that topic, let me throw out the absolute most disappointing thing about MACtion, IMHO; the abandonment of a proper Senior Day.
Rbrat10
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Posted: 11/26/2021 4:38 PM
They have a few good players, but I think the staff is as much of the problem as the players. Hit the transfer portal hard and replace the out going defensive coaches with young, hungry high energy guys.
colobobcat66
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Posted: 11/26/2021 4:53 PM
I’m not all excited about the offense either. I’d like to know where we stand on red zone scoring and third down conversions.
Pataskala
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Posted: 11/26/2021 5:23 PM
One positive, I guess, is that despite giving up a ton of yds the D held six opponents under 28 pts (Syracuse and Duquesne each got two from our offense), including two under 20 (ditto BG) which isn't that bad these days. Solich considered 23 to be the threshold for wins. The problem was that the offense was inept early in the season and in the last two games. A big part of that was shuttling the QBs in, depending on what they planned to do. That was always a big tip-off to the other team's defense. Like scratching your nose when you have a good poker hand. One would think that with the previous OC now HC, offense wouldn't be a problem.
Urban Bobcat
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Posted: 11/26/2021 8:42 PM
Less carbon footprint on the environment from lack of attendance.
Ted Thompson
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Posted: 11/27/2021 10:31 AM
Sieh Bangura
Mike Johnson
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Mike Johnson
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Posted: 11/27/2021 10:36 AM
Ohio can make changes in the coaching staff and player personnel, but as long as Albin remains at the helm I am anticipating more Knorr. To me Albin personifies the Peter Principal.
ou79
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Posted: 11/27/2021 10:41 AM
Well stated Mr. Johnson and I totally agree.
Brian Smith (No, not that one)
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Brian Smith (No, not that one)
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Posted: 11/27/2021 10:48 AM
The bright side view: I think the extreme level of decline does make it easier to pivot completely. Instead of clinging to some vestige of the previous regime, a clean break can now be made in 2023. I think that’s a good thing. A diminished form of Solichball with a lesser coach was a recipe for at best a 7-win team perennially, with a 2007 offense, its safe approaches and its belief that merely being competent and waiting for the opponent to mess up is enough to win. Now we can go outside the orbit of the Solich sphere and find a young, innovative coach.
Last Edited: 11/27/2021 10:51:25 AM by Brian Smith (No, not that one)
Alan Swank
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Posted: 11/27/2021 10:59 AM
We don't have to spend/lose money on a low tier "bowl" game.
Felix
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Posted: 11/27/2021 11:10 AM
I'm assuming sarcasm is permitted here. We don't have to pay any incentives to Albin!
Pataskala
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Posted: 11/27/2021 1:12 PM
Albin is tied for 20th in all-time coaching wins at Ohio (with F.B. Heldt, who was 3-5-1 in 1923, and Bob Kappes, who was 3-8 in 1978 -- their only seasons at the helm). For the longest time it didn't look like he'd get to that level.

His next win ties him with Frank Remsburg (4-2-1 in 1896), Fred Sullivan (4-6 in 1899 and 1903 combined), and Arthur Hinaman (4-10-3 in 1911-12). Bulletin board material for the FAU game.
Valley Cat
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Posted: 11/27/2021 1:23 PM
Add Blauser as another positive. The LB’s are decent I’m hopeful that another scheme could highlight them. Incredibly confused by some of the Collins’ logic with coverage etc.
My biggest concern is no explosive players on the perimeter on the offense next season. With essentially the same offensive look since 2010 you have to evolve. I have no clue what this team will look like in the WR and DB rooms. Safety is a concern with basically nobody back.
I would really have to make decisions at QB coach and these defensive coaching hires need to be changes in philosophy.
This staff seems to be incredibly behind on recruiting. I’m very curious to see what the next few weeks look like from that perspective.
Bobcat1998
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Posted: 11/27/2021 5:55 PM
Valley Cat wrote:expand_more
Add Blauser as another positive. The LB’s are decent I’m hopeful that another scheme could highlight them. Incredibly confused by some of the Collins’ logic with coverage etc.
My biggest concern is no explosive players on the perimeter on the offense next season. With essentially the same offensive look since 2010 you have to evolve. I have no clue what this team will look like in the WR and DB rooms. Safety is a concern with basically nobody back.
I would really have to make decisions at QB coach and these defensive coaching hires need to be changes in philosophy.
This staff seems to be incredibly behind on recruiting. I’m very curious to see what the next few weeks look like from that perspective.
I know Tuggle and Allison earned the right to be featured backs and Tuggle came back for a Super year but I think that next year Allison will be back and stable and I truly believe Bangura is going to take the league by storm. Great job of redshirting him instead of divvying up all those carries. Now that Tuggs is gone (after giving his all to OU) I see Bangura being our next star. Last game aside, I saw Rourke grow and we return Isaiah Cox with Walton, Cross and Bostic if he wants to return. We also have Foster and Burton with experience at TE. Our line was young. I like our offense. We also played a whole year with No Wood or Thompson at LB. I like them returning. This year sucked but if we get a new coach or at least keep the above guys, we can get back in the standings.
Jeff McKinney
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Posted: 12/2/2021 4:43 PM
Rbrat10 wrote:expand_more
They have a few good players, but I think the staff is as much of the problem as the players. Hit the transfer portal hard and replace the out going defensive coaches with young, hungry high energy guys.
I'm all for hiring good coaches when openings arise, but why is "young" always better?
Bobcat1998
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Posted: 12/3/2021 11:57 AM
Jeff McKinney wrote:expand_more
They have a few good players, but I think the staff is as much of the problem as the players. Hit the transfer portal hard and replace the out going defensive coaches with young, hungry high energy guys.
I'm all for hiring good coaches when openings arise, but why is "young" always better?
I just meant we shouldn't hire any 60 year old coaches as assistants. It's time to get some up-and-comers.
Valley Cat
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Posted: 12/4/2021 8:51 AM
I just want a DC that doesn’t have his safeties playing eight yards deep in the end zone. Age is just a number.
Maddog13
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Posted: 12/4/2021 10:58 AM
In the wake of the insane salaries being thrown around by elite colleges to get elite coaches, I think that this season solidifies just how far out of the loop Ohio Football is financially and will always be in the grand scope of things, unless Southeastern Ohio suddenly becomes a destination for high tech companies with big pockets and loose change. The failures on the field this year I think will lead to a much needed reexamination of just what was accomplished exactly during the Solich Tenure and what can be realistically accomplished with what Ohio University and Southeastern Ohio, itself, truly has to offer moving forward. It's good to dream, but those dreams become potentially frustrating when based on unrealistic expectations. Instead of improved rankings and national exposure, how does Ohio Football go about winning the MAC?
Deciduous Forest Cat
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Posted: 12/4/2021 1:20 PM
Some of you need to quit being such pansies. Lsu (or usc) paying a coach 100 million isn't our problem. It's theirs. It's called the law of diminishing returns. They just won a national title two years ago and are throwing bad money after bad money. We aren't trying to compete with them monetarily. Maybe we'll never beat them on the field. But the fact is we can get a lot better than we are without spending lsu money, or even MORE money. We can be smart, we can make good hires and we can out recruit our peers. They just hired a coach away who, at the helm of the most storied, deep-pocketed university in history, was a desperation last minute drive from losing to a .500 Toledo team this year. Brian Kelly might be a great coach but he's a total dick and eventually something shinier and more interesting will come along for him. Lsu will be right back where they started in a few years and feeling like they have to spend even more.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 12/4/2021 10:59 PM
Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:expand_more
Some of you need to quit being such pansies. Lsu (or usc) paying a coach 100 million isn't our problem. It's theirs. It's called the law of diminishing returns. They just won a national title two years ago and are throwing bad money after bad money. We aren't trying to compete with them monetarily. Maybe we'll never beat them on the field. But the fact is we can get a lot better than we are without spending lsu money, or even MORE money. We can be smart, we can make good hires and we can out recruit our peers. They just hired a coach away who, at the helm of the most storied, deep-pocketed university in history, was a desperation last minute drive from losing to a .500 Toledo team this year. Brian Kelly might be a great coach but he's a total dick and eventually something shinier and more interesting will come along for him. Lsu will be right back where they started in a few years and feeling like they have to spend even more.
+1 Lots of good points here, including that Kelly is an arrogant mercenary whose word is not exactly golden.
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 12/5/2021 3:30 PM
Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:expand_more
Some of you need to quit being such pansies. Lsu (or usc) paying a coach 100 million isn't our problem. It's theirs. It's called the law of diminishing returns. They just won a national title two years ago and are throwing bad money after bad money. We aren't trying to compete with them monetarily.
I agree with this, mostly. I think the problem is that we're forced to compete for talent in the same labor market as the LSUs. That Kelly gets 10 million is only relevant in the way that trickles down if it becomes more standard. It means P5 salaries likely increase, at the assistant level, as well. Also at issue is how quickly these numbers are increasing, and the fact that they're now largely privately funded. Steve Spurrier made 1 million in 1997, and he was the highest paid coach in NCAA football. The market has now 10xd in 20 years. Not a lot of industries where that's the case.


Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:expand_more
Maybe we'll never beat them on the field. But the fact is we can get a lot better than we are without spending lsu money, or even MORE money. We can be smart, we can make good hires and we can out recruit our peers.
This I agree with fully. We should not spend more than we do now. We should be aiming to spend less, but spend smarter, and looking at non-traditional pools of candidates.
bobcatsquared
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Posted: 12/5/2021 5:24 PM
What happened this season that leaves me somewhat optimistic for next fall? NIU going from winless in 2020 to MAC champs in 2021 with the second youngest roster in FCS. Maybe, just maybe, the road back to challenging for MAC hardware (or just getting back to 8 to 10 wins each year) isn't as daunting as it seems.
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