[NU Sports] may be a long time to break this streak

Sat Dec 31 17:46:36 CST 2011

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/24/vanderlinden-denies-any-interest-in-returning-to-terps/

Vanderlinden reportedly denied any interest to head back to MD, though with
things still unsettled at PSU I'm sure the assistants are waiting to make
future plans (in case the next guy does keep some assistants around).

But, like I said in another message, I think the biggest problem is with
the DB position coaching and not the D as a whole.  And, give Hankwitz a
few playmakers at key positions and he has and will make good things happen.

Jonathan

--
Jonathan Hodges
Contributor, HailToPurple
Web: http://www.hailtopurple.com/jhodges/
Twitter: @hailtopurple
Email: j-hodges at alumni.northwestern.edu

On Sat, Dec 31, 2011 at 6:17 PM, Scott Zeller, M.D. <scottzel at gmail.com>wrote:

> Word is that Vandy is returning to Maryland as their defensive coordinator.
>
> On Sat, Dec 31, 2011 at 2:16 PM, <neonrye at aol.com> wrote:
>
> > Anybody think that Hank's time may be up--either by retirement or
> > involuntarily?  If so, could Fitz lure his mentor, Vanderlinden, back to
> > Evanston as Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator?
> >
> > Vandy should be available, assuming PSU cleans house.
> >
> > Any thoughts, Coach Roy, as you have offered many insights about Coach RV
> > over the years?
> >
> >
> > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: "SjT \(Stephen J. Truog\)" <sjtruog at yahoo.com>
> > Sender: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
> > Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:50:16
> > To: Scott Zeller, M.D.<scottzel at gmail.com>; NUSPORTS<nwu-sports at tssi.com
> >
> > Reply-To: "SjT \(Stephen J. Truog\)" <sjtruog at yahoo.com>
> > Subject: Re: [NU Sports] may be a long time to break this streak
> >
> > I know - it's a tough call. I certainly don't fault our AD for bragging
> up
> > NU and moving us up in the bowl process -- he's doing an amazing job of
> > promoting Northwestern football.
> >
> > But ... it was tough to watch our game and then swing over to sunny San
> > Francisco, actual green turf and all the picturesque vistas and beatable
> > UCLA team and not wonder "what if ..."
> >
> > I'm sure we will hear from those who attended the game today, but on TV
> at
> > least, the Houston Meh Bowl had to rank low on NU's bowl experiences.
> > Dallas at least had the historic Cotton Bowl setting, Detroit has a
> better
> > stadium, San Fran would have had the sights, Phoenix has perfect weather
> > this weekend, Tampa sounded like a first-rate experience, San Antonio
> was a
> > nice setting with everything nearby, etc. etc. etc.
> >
> > As for next year, I'm pretty optimistic (and looking at our 2013 and 2014
> > schedules - OUCH! - next year BETTER be our year!). We lose some big-time
> > seniors, but I think we'll be fine on offense. And the defense has to get
> > better? Right??? Plus, we had some special teams bright spots this year
> > that were lacking in the past. And Fitz is the embodiment of all the
> class
> > and enthusiasm I want from a head coach on the sideline.
> >
> > The problem comes in the rest of the staff -- I'm not so harsh on Hank
> > because he's dealing with a tougher deck, but he needs to get better on
> > playing aggressive and playing smart. We can't just sit back and wait for
> > teams to make 3rd down after 3rd down on us. If we get beat, we get beat,
> > but we gotta go out fighting and take our chances in smart ways. My beefs
> > are more on the offense, where it really appeared today that we
> "out-thunk"
> > ourselves -- our tempo push hurt us more than ATM with sloppy penalties
> and
> > missed blocking assignments ... and the rotating QB gimmick was a bust.
> Put
> > Colter in for a series or so, but alternating by play ruined any rhythm
> we
> > had and made it predictable when Kain came in what the call would be --
> at
> > the end when we stuck with Persa consistently, he then developed a
> rhythm.
> > We need to get our offensive game plan back to the Walker days where the
> > spread was used to SPREAD the field -- swing the D side to side, test
> them
> >  deep and dink them short ...  then get smart about finding the holes and
> > mixing it up. Now it seems like we want to be more Oregon-lite with
> > gimmicks and flash instead of smarts and substance.
> >
> > But I like our team for next year and our schedule is as good as it will
> > be for a couple of years -- our staff needs to kick it in gear and get
> back
> > to making smart game plans for NU football in 2012 - use or strengths to
> > help us overcome the weaknesses NU will always have.
> >
> > Happy NU year!
> > GO CATS!!!
> > -SjT
> >
> >
> > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> > STEPHEN J. TRUOG
> > sjtruog at yahoo.com
> > GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
> > Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
> > ________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> >  From: "Scott Zeller, M.D." <scottzel at gmail.com>
> > To: NUSPORTS <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
> > Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2011 2:05 PM
> > Subject: [NU Sports] may be a long time to break this streak
> >
> > Next year is a major rebuilding project as we lose a lot of seniors, then
> > our schedule gets really tough for the foreseeable future. Not scheduling
> > many cupcakes anymore. Add that to our admissions office preventing at
> > least two four-star recruits from committing to the team recently. We
> might
> > not be back to a bowl for a long time, much less win one.
> >
> > Watched in San Francisco in a bar owned by an NU alum, with more than 100
> > purple in attendance. I'm sure our fans would have packed AT&T Park today
> > on a beautiful sunny day on the Bay, for a very winnable game against
> UCLA.
> > Thanks a lot Mr Phillips, for doing all you did to "move us up" away from
> > SF to a very difficult opponent in a much less attractive setting, when
> we
> > could have been spanking the Bruins instead and ending this streak. As it
> > is, there is no evidence of any Illinois presence in town, and none of
> > their fans care (most of my family are Illini and none have any interest
> in
> > the game).
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> >
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