[NU Sports] Oh oh (fwd)

[Jeff Beamsley]

IMHO, there are way too many variables this year to hold any particular
individual (coach or player) accountable.

The nature and timing of the coaching change.

The fact that we were auditioning new QB's in a QB-dependent offense.

The fact that the most experienced QB was injured in the pre-season.

The fact that his backup was also injured before the BT season started.

None of these are excuses for poor play, but another fact is that we haven't
seen this team play a complete game yet either.  It isn't fair to expect the
defense to win the game if the offense can't score and turns the ball
over(unless you're the Bears).  It also isn't fair to expect the offense to
win the game if the defense can't keep the other team out of the end zone.
It also isn't fair to expect the offense and defense to keep the game close
if the special teams regularly give up field position and points.  

With the injuries starting to pile up on both offense and defense, and the
teams that we are playing over the next couple of weeks, I don't know if we
will see a complete game where we can accurately judge whether or not the
defense (for example) is making progress.

The only facts that we do know is that we are likely to have a losing
season, we have found a QB, and our defense and special teams continue to
struggle.  I was predicting a losing season even before RW passed.  The only
BT win I had on my list was Illinois and that was a maybe. So if someone had
said in the days after his passing that we would end the season with Fitz
firmly in HC seat, a solid Baz successor on the field, continued struggle on
defense and special teams, and no BT wins - I would have said "I'll take it"
because it certainly could easily have been much worse.

Some other posters have suggested that this season is going to hurt
recruiting.  It certainly seems logical, but at the same time, that would
mean that losing teams would never have an opportunity to get better, and
yet many (including NU) regularly do.  

So I think we have to wait until the end at least this season after the
recruiting class is announced before we attempt to grade Fitz and his
assistants.  Their mid-term grade is certainly going to be marginal, but I
think that they may still be able to pull out a passing grade by doing good
on the final.

Jeff

 

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
Behalf Of Tom Maycock
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 9:41 AM
To: nwu-sports at romaine.tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Oh oh (fwd)

--- cherron604 at aol.com wrote:
> Calls to replace McGee aren't ridiculous -

Yes, they were. 

> he has zero experience as an OC,

Exactly. Expecting him to be perfect right out of the gate is just silly.
I'm sure he would be the first to tell you that he plans to get better. 

The whole university is based on the premise that it is possible to learn,
to teach, and to get better. So how can it possibly make sense to can a
coach halfway through his first season as OC, particularly when he starts
with a rookie QB, then faces 3 Big Ten games with yet another rookie QB? And
a banged-up offensive line?

> Bacher showed up, or a reasonable person might credit Bacher with the 
> improvement (intead of McGee).

Or might credit Bacher with actually executing well enough to allow McGee to
do his job?

Did you *see* the play calling in the first half/early 3rd quarter? It was
brilliant. Period.

>  
> It looks alot more like McGee has developed an offense that functions 
> fairly well with a good quarterback and skilled running backs,

As opposed to all those vaunted offenses that run well *without* a good QB
and skilled RBs????

> And to say that OUR players stopped executing McGee's 'Masterpiece'
> (sic) is patently insulting to our players.

I'm pretty sure the players will be the first to say they stopped executing.
In fact, they did--see C.J.'s comments after the game. 

And the interception knocked out of Sutton's hand? Happened because another
receiver ran the wrong route. 

I'm sure McGee made mistakes too. Most of us probably made mistakes last
week. 

Tom

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