Lessons from OU and other MAC teams

[Globetrotter]

What are they doing that we are not doing? I don't follow football too much outside of BG and hoping OSU loses. Why are we treading water or moving backward while the others are building or moving forward? Is there something inherently bad about BG that these other comparable schools have?

[jpfalcon09]

What are they doing that we are not doing? I don't follow football too much outside of BG and hoping OSU loses. Why are we treading water or moving backward while the others are building or moving forward? Is there something inherently bad about BG that these other comparable schools have?

Everything?

[BGSU33]

What are they doing that we are not doing? I don't follow football too much outside of BG and hoping OSU loses. Why are we treading water or moving backward while the others are building or moving forward? Is there something inherently bad about BG that these other comparable schools have?

Everything?

Pretty much

[Rightupinthere]

The defense has performed very well and is good enough to win the MAC. We faced some pretty good offenses and the D is still ranked in the top of the conference.
So, saying BG is doing everything wronfpg is an emotion knee jerk so common with AZZ.com - and has been for years.

The offense is at the bottom of the conference which is a unique position for BG. I suppose that is why everyone is ducking from a falling sky. We're so fixed on offense that we forget that in the MAC - as with other conferences - its the defense which decides it. And BG has never had the two squads performing well enough together to win a championship in the past 10 years.

The offense (including place kicking) is the worst we have had since MOE - and I saw those games. Years of good talent and lousy coaching. I'm seeing that again now. I think it's time to find another Blackney who flipped the switch and BG experienced a pretty good run.

I don't hate Clawson. Looking at his history he was able to compensate for poor coaching with talent. That doesn't cut it at this level. He righted a sinking ship, got the program cleaned up, and put solid talent into place. BG is now ready for a good coach and teacher to move the program forward.

[kdog27]

I don't hate Clawson. Looking at his history he was able to compensate for poor coaching with talent. That doesn't cut it at this level. He righted a sinking ship, got the program cleaned up, and put solid talent into place. BG is now ready for a good coach and teacher to move the program forward.

This sums up just about exactly where I am. I think the players are there, this coaching staff seems clueless on how to put them into positions to succeed, heck just listen to Clawson's audio yesterday. They are lost.

[jpfalcon09]

I don't hate Clawson. Looking at his history he was able to compensate for poor coaching with talent. That doesn't cut it at this level. He righted a sinking ship, got the program cleaned up, and put solid talent into place. BG is now ready for a good coach and teacher to move the program forward.

I thought about this yesterday as well. Perhaps Dave was the right man to bring in to fix the APR issues and off the field problems, but he's on the coach the program needs going forward that can coach good talent and make them successful. I agree with you about the defense, but out D will only be as successful as the offense is. We can't expect our defensive players to be able to play 35-40 minutes of the ball game if our offense struggles.

I'm still holding out hope that in the next two weeks some things get worked on and corrected. No game in the MAC this year is going to be easy, as shown by what Akron, UMass and EMU were able to do yesterday. I'm hopeful that by the Akron game, the offense in particular can show us exactly what they're capable of, instead of having the coaching staff pull back on the reins.

[Rightupinthere]

I don't hate Clawson. Looking at his history he was able to compensate for poor coaching with talent. That doesn't cut it at this level. He righted a sinking ship, got the program cleaned up, and put solid talent into place. BG is now ready for a good coach and teacher to move the program forward.

And I would be he happiest guy in he world being wrong in my personal view.

[MarkL]

World's not falling apart. Sky's not falling. OK, we looked bad, and we played against a super pissed off top 10 caliber team. Also ... sure it was the first shutout since 1998 but let's look at recent history.

2006. Avoided a shutout at home against Kent State via a made field goal. Made field goals were a rarity that year.
2007. Avoided a shutout and a 63 point loss in a bowl game via a kick return for a touchdown. Special teams save the day again.
2008. Avoided a shutout at Boise State via a trick play on fourth and goal.
2009. Shut out in first half by Boise State and only scored when they put the backups in. Offense included Tyler Sheehan and Freddie Barnes.
2010. Avoided a shutout by Kent State by a fluky kick return for a touchdown when the tackler was sat upon by BooBoo Gates. That play was awesome. Special teams saves the day yet again, or at least until we missed the extra point.

That's five shutouts we nearly posted, and at most two of them were by teams half as talented as Virginia Tech. Were we in full panic mode after each of these like many folks are right now? Yep. Did things improve? Yep. In fact two of those came in winning seasons and one came in a 6-6 season.

Sky's not falling last I checked.

[Campbell4president]

I think clawson could still be the right man for the job. We need to give him another 5 year extension and see how he does.

[Falcon137]

2006- Went 4-8
2007- Happened in a bowl game
2008- Top 20 Boise team on the road on the blue turf
2009- Number 8 team in the country. (Va Tech had plenty of backups in towards the end)
2010- Won 2 games

There's no silver lining there. Not to mention the fact they have nothing to do with this teams problems.

I'm not ready to start putting for sale signs in Clawson's yard, but, things HAVE to get better fast. I want to see someone step up and make some plays. I don't particularly understand the way we have gotten completely away from the screen game. Stokes seems like the perfect player to run the quick screens Clawson's offense has always utilized. He also seems to be the only receiver with the ability to run by people right now.

Gallon is gonna be a good receiver, really good. But right now when you line up Burbrink, Joplin, and Gallon you have 3 possession receivers who are going to struggle against a good defense because you can line up and play man and not worry about getting ran by. It's why teams continually load the box.

BG has to get more speed on the field. We're not at practice, so we don't know. But, I would love seeing Samuel, Givens, Stokes, and Gallon on the field. A big possession receiver a great tailback, and a couple burners.

[jpfalcon09]

2006- Went 4-8
2007- Happened in a bowl game
2008- Top 20 Boise team on the road on the blue turf
2009- Number 8 team in the country. (Va Tech had plenty of backups in towards the end)
2010- Won 2 games

There's no silver lining there. Not to mention the fact they have nothing to do with this teams problems.

I'm not ready to start putting for sale signs in Clawson's yard, but, things HAVE to get better fast. I want to see someone step up and make some plays. I don't particularly understand the way we have gotten completely away from the screen game. Stokes seems like the perfect player to run the quick screens Clawson's offense has always utilized. He also seems to be the only receiver with the ability to run by people right now.

Gallon is gonna be a good receiver, really good. But right now when you line up Burbrink, Joplin, and Gallon you have 3 possession receivers who are going to struggle against a good defense because you can line up and play man and not worry about getting ran by. It's why teams continually load the box.

BG has to get more speed on the field. We're not at practice, so we don't know. But, I would love seeing Samuel, Givens, Stokes, and Gallon on the field. A big possession receiver a great tailback, and a couple burners.

I remember the year Eric Ransom played, before he got hurt, he lined up at WR on some plays and had that great TD catch and run against Minnesota in 2008. I'd like to see Givens/Samuel in that type of role. I agree 100% with you, the best talent needs to see the field.

[kdog27]

Agreed. We currently have zero big play ability and others team know it. If we're not last in 20+ yard plays in the country, I bet we're not far from it.

Judging by that pdf that was released before the Florida game with 40 times and my own observations I would also wager that we are one of the slowest teams top to bottom in the country too...

[Flipper]

Solich was sub .500 after four years at OU..not as far sub .500 as DC is now, but still.....