Blade Column on Coach Brandon...

[hammb]

Fair enough evaluation I guess for not really watching that much. I am just really into watching and grading coaches because I hope to be one someday. I think you seem to have a keen eye for coaches as well, but 3 of the coaches I know and respect the most Urban Meyer, Lou Holtz, and Gregg Brandon you dont seem to care for. I just thought of asking you about Novak because he seems to be more your style from the way you talk, and I thought maybe was someone you looked at as a pretty good coach. Now I'm guessing you dont have a very high opinion of him if you are calling him equal to Brandon. So my next question is who is it that you think is a GREAT coach and why? Perferrably someone who is a current head coach because I know more about them than previous!

I think Urban Meyer is the best head coach in football. The way he changed the culture at BG & Utah and instantly made them winners is very admirable. I think they're a sleeper team that's a little underrated this year down in Florida as well.

I think Holtz was a damn fine coach as well. He seemed to have issues with "allegations" everywhere he ever went, and that would concern me, but as far as coaching he was VERY good.

Brandon does some things that are at the top level, no doubt. The guy is a brilliant X's & O's coach, IMO. I just don't think he gets as much out of his players as those other guys.

My feelings on Novak are, like I said, I really haven't watched much of NIU, and one of the times I did (BG '03) I thought he was totally outcoached and refused to adjust. That was 3 years ago, I'll try to keep an eye on them this year and watch a game or two.

Other current coaches that I think are very good? Kirk Ferentz at Iowa is one of the best in the business. Especially on the OL, he is constantly turning project OL guys into first round talents. I like Bob Stoops a lot at Oklahoma. I think he does a very good job in the fundamental aspects, and getting the most out of his talent as well. Tressel is a BRILLIANT fundamental coach at OSU. His teams win because they have a ton of talent and play the game the right way; he is not a real great X's & O's guy, IMO. In the MAC, I think Amstutz is the best coach in the conference right now.

[1987alum]

I'm certainly not calling for his head on a platter, but I don't see anything warranting an extension either. If I don't see improvements in the areas I've mentioned, I might change my tune a little, but we shall see. This season is not about W's & L's to me, it's about improving the little things that create a good football team.

hammb:

Bullseye!

[JoeFalcon]

Can I take back anything that could have been construed as a compliment towards Musselhead?

Today he came out with an illiterate hit piece against Omar with praise of Gradkowski thrown in for good measure. His evidence? A couple quarters of pre-season action.

Yes, let's chide the Steelers for drafting Omar over Brucie based on a couple series of mop-up work in the first two pre-season games of their respective careers! Very, very wise.

Ugh.

[Flipper]

I like Gregg Brandon...I think he has a great mind for offensive football and enough sense to hire guys who can construct a reasonable defense (I think Lovett will prove himself this year, last year was an impossible situation). I think he's a bit underrated by many as a recruiter and I think the knock on him that he won with Meyer's guys is unfair. IMHO, the biggest problem last year's team had was maybe Brandon put too much faith in his seniors. When Omar went down some of the seniors needed to step up and I don't think they did. That swing pass to PJ on 4th and 3 against Akron is an example of that. It was a great call because they blitzed from that side. PJ got around behind the LB and Turner got him the ball in stride. He had blockers in front of him (a pair of seniors IIRC) Nobody sealed the backside pursuit though and the guys in front of PJ didn't pick them up so we didn't make three stinking yards on a play that should have gone for a TD. I agree that it's up to the coaches to drill and motivate, but at some point you have to look at the players and how they execute....this isn't Tecmo Bowl. The coaches don't control them form the sidelines.

I don't think he's Gary Blackney....Blackney seemed to lose interest once it became obvious that the OSU job wasn't coming his way and the conference passed him. I don't get the sense tha Brandon will follow that Blackney (and Gary Darnell at WMU) path. I don't think he'll get the chance to anyway. Too much money and emphasis is going into football to allow the program to languish in mediocrity.

So ar as TU Tom goes, I thionk you have to give him his props. He walked into a cake situation and was crafty enough not to f**k it up. It took nads the size of grapefruits to ditch the ball control offense Pinkel favored for the spread, but it paid off. That was a dangerous team as we found out in 2004. I'm not so sure about this year's team....

I think Brookheart at Akron is a guy that bears mention. His overall record isn't all that great, but they won some very tough games last year by simply hanging around and taking advantage of their opportunities. That's the mark of a well coached team. He's a great salesman too and the University is really putting the $$ into capital improvements in athletics and elsewhere. If he logs a 10-2/9-3 type year with a high profile OOC win, he could get some very interesting offers.

[BGSUFootballFan]

I agree with most of that hammb. I think Urban Meyer is the best coach in football right now. I perfer Stoops to Ferentz, but you have to appreciate the way Iowa never loses a home game!

I know he has only been coaching one season, but I would really have to say that Charlie Weis is the 2nd best football coach out there. The way he turned around ND in one season with the same players was remarkable. From a team that got blown out by USC by 5 TD's plus, to a team that a GREAT chance to beat them had it not been for a couple of spectacular plays by Leinart.

I always thought that Tressel was very good at being conservative at the right times. He always seems to win the time of possession and knows how to control the game with clock management to win all of those close games. That being said I'm not impressed with how many teams are able to stay in the game with them well into the 4thQ.

I think GB is an excellent offensive mind, and I really wish he would bring that same scrutiny to the D and ST's. Although I do think Lovett can really get something out of our D this year. As for Amstutz, I am not sure what to think of him yet. Certainly he is one of the better coaches in the league but I dont know if he has that GREAT quality. He certainly wasnt a match for Miami when TH was there, and I dont exactly see UT winning championships now that Miami is on the downswing since TH's departure. I guess what I am saying is I would have picked Terry Hep. as the best coach but since he has left it seems like a big tie at the top for who the best coach in the MAC is. I'll throw a shocker at you and say Brady Hoke. He might have some of the worst players talent wise, and certainly had to overcome a lot of off the field issuse (which arent his fault and he rightfully punished them) and yet he still managed to have a pretty good season last year! Certainly no one can take away their wins over NIU, Akron or WMU. They also had BG, UT, and CMU on the ropes late in the game. I think that is pretty impressive coaching to get your kids to buy in that much especially after getting drilled in the OOC games.

[Touchdown Rockets]

"Brandon doesn’t want to see a repeat performance from his defense, not with a spattering of cheeseheads in the crowd."

This is possibly the dumbest sentence I've read since Touchdown Rockets quit posting over here. The Blade should have let the engravers come to work this morning and locked out Musselman...

Sorry that I haven't been around here lately, Flipper. I've done a lot of moving around and I understand that you miss me. I got a PM from someone that linked this thread and said I should come over and say "hi."

If not much on this board, I'll be around some time to post "falling rocks" signs around the Doyt and Sebo. Maybe we can catch up a little then.

In the meantime, enjoy your football season this year...I know I will.

BTW, see if you can start working on that little attendance issue. I'd to see the Rockets stop scheduling you in the future just because of a little 1-A/1-AA separation.