Is This ALL Clawson's Fault?

[BGSUFanatic7]

Everyone calling for Clawson's job tonight.

I think the slow starts, at this point, certainly warrant the frustration. But I still think these losses are more on the players. Can you really blame coaches for dropped passes? Burbrink's first half drop on 4th down would have given us a 1st and goal, probably resulting in a TD. Joplin's drop probably also leads to a TD. Can you blame Clawson for Flewellyn's false start on the 1-yard line that negated another possible TD. If we execute one of these plays, we probably win the game.

I still believe this: It is the coaches job to put us in a situation to win, it is the player's job to win games. It's the player's job to make/finish plays when the game is on the line. With that being said, the slow start is certainly a HUGE part for the loss and last week's loss. And if you want to blame Clawson for that, that is probably warranted.

But in the end, Clawson can't do everything. We were in position to win a lot of these big games in the end (Florida, Miss State, Toledo today, ect). And I see how now that this is kind of a trend, people blame the coaches. But in the full picture, I think all you can ask is for a coach to give you a shot to win. I mean really, when do you ever hear, "Coach so and definitely won us that game." Maybe you say he had a great game plan or a great call on a crucial play, but the players still have to execute and make/complete the big plays.

[OSUFALCON]

His record against winning teams and against Toledo says all the AD needs to know. Time to go coach Clawson, your accountable.

[MarkL]

His record against winning teams and against Toledo says all the AD needs to know. Time go coach Clawson, your accountable.

No. Good night.

[jpfalcon09]

I'm tired of him not talking any responsibility for the slow starts. He even said after the game he has no answer to why it's happening. Another thing I don't like is the amount of respect he gives to teams who are either rivals or are of lesser talent level. Many non diehards view the Toledo game as the bellwether game. I really think after this loss he has lost the support of the casual BG fan just for his record alone vs. Toledo.

[BGWriter]

Everyone calling for Clawson's job tonight.

I think the slow starts, at this point, certainly warrant the frustration. But I still think these losses are more on the players. Can you really blame coaches for dropped passes? Burbrink's first half drop on 4th down would have given us a 1st and goal, probably resulting in a TD. Joplin's drop probably also leads to a TD. Can you blame Clawson for Flewellyn's false start on the 1-yard line that negated another possible TD. If we execute one of these plays, we probably win the game.

I still believe this: It is the coaches job to put us in a situation to win, it is the player's job to win games. It's the player's job to make/finish plays when the game is on the line. With that being said, the slow start is certainly a HUGE part for the loss and last week's loss. And if you want to blame Clawson for that, that is probably warranted.

But in the end, Clawson can't do everything. We were in position to win a lot of these big games in the end (Florida, Miss State, Toledo today, ect). And I see how now that this is kind of a trend, people blame the coaches. But in the full picture, I think all you can ask is for a coach to give you a shot to win. I mean really, when do you ever hear, "Coach so and definitely won us that game." Maybe you say he had a great game plan or a great call on a crucial play, but the players still have to execute and make/complete the big plays.

How many of these losses is it going to take before you hold him accountable? At some point, coaches become responsible for how their players perform on the field (consistency). We've long since reached that point. Yet the same thing keeps happening over and over (slow starts, close losses in crucial games).

I've said this before: good coaches somehow find ways to win games they shouldn't, and they usually do it early in their tenures with teams. Clawson has no such wins in his years as coach at BG. I believe that's very telling.

The tank has topped off. Don't be surprised when BG fails to win the MAC East (again) and then goes on to lose its bowl game (again). I say that, hoping like crazy I'm wrong on both predictions.

[Falcon Fanatic]

An interesting observation was made by the parent of a former Falcon Football player who was visiting (with her son) for the first time since he graduated in '04. At half time we were talking and she said that she noticed something that really bothered me. She said that in the first quarter, she noticed that on a time out when the players were gathered around a coach, most of the players were just standing there not paying attention to what was being said by the coach. They were looking around, talking with each other and NOT paying attention to the coach. On the opposite side, the ut players were ALL paying attention to the coach as they were standing around him. THIS concerns me....a LOT.

[Falconfreak90]

That is a big concern, FF. I don't have the answers but some of the threads on the forum have made me wonder if we've gotten all the mileage out of this staff. I really like Coach Clawson...but these slow starts and what you mentioned are very disturbing. There is no way in hell we should have fallen behind 21-0 in the most important game of the yr...and last year at their place we fell behind 17-0. 1-4 against the team up north does NOT cut it.

[Flipper]

An interesting observation was made by the parent of a former Falcon Football player who was visiting (with her son) for the first time since he graduated in '04. At half time we were talking and she said that she noticed something that really bothered me. She said that in the first quarter, she noticed that on a time out when the players were gathered around a coach, most of the players were just standing there not paying attention to what was being said by the coach. They were looking around, talking with each other and NOT paying attention to the coach. On the opposite side, the ut players were ALL paying attention to the coach as they were standing around him. THIS concerns me....a LOT.

Could you imagine Studwara tolerating that?

[kdog27]

Yes players need to execute, but at the end of the day these our his players that he has chosen to recruit, coach and play. It would be different if the drops were isolated to this game but these receivers straight up can't catch.

[sportydude1818]

Fact is that clawson has built up wins against terrible teams. The Mac east may be the worst division in fbs football. The powers that be saved his job by switching BG back to the east.. Whoever wins the east will still be the 5th best team in the mac ..

[robdupont]

If you were at the wallin that team did not look ready why there in work out suits, they looked like they were going to the gym, not to play a game against your big rival.

[Flipper]

Clawson has done a great job stabilizing the program and he's done a great job elevating the level of talent. Look at the receiver spot..we lose Gallon, Cohen gets dinged up, but we have Heath Jackson ready to go. That's quality depth we didn't have before.

The problem is with the game prep in coaching. We play in the MAC... the bottom 6-7 teams in the conference are amongst the twenty or so worst teams in the FBS. It's not very hard to get to 7-8 wins... especially if you schedule an FCS team at home.

If we win out and win the east, great. If not I think it's time to push the reset.

[hammb]

Clawson has done a great job stabilizing the program and he's done a great job elevating the level of talent. Look at the receiver spot..we lose Gallon, Cohen gets dinged up, but we have Heath Jackson ready to go. That's quality depth we didn't have before.

The problem is with the game prep in coaching. We play in the MAC... the bottom 6-7 teams in the conference are amongst the twenty or so worst teams in the FBS. It's not very hard to get to 7-8 wins... especially if you schedule an FCS team at home.

If we win out and win the east, great. If not I think it's time to push the reset.

Agreed. He's righted a sinking ship but I'm not sure he's the guy to sail it to the new world.

He must win the east this year at a minimum. He's already failed at most of the things I wanted to see this year (beat Toledo, win a game against a CBS opponent).

His game plans and overall scheme are just not good...

[FortWayneFalcon]

There's only a few things I know for sure:
* Coaching at this level is a tough job that I wouldn't want.
* Finding recruits at this level has got to be tough.
* There is, at all levels of sports, an element of luck.
* It's not over. All the games have not been played.

Bad day yesterday. But, the bad days make the good days that much better. I am and will be patient for that good day,.... for now.

[BGSU33]

I am nowhere near ready to pull the plug on Clawson, not even close. Further, we just upped his contract, it's not gonna happen. However, I am ready to win the East and get to the MACC. I am ready to start finding out ways to win and not lose these close games that we continue to drop year after after year. I and ready to see this team come out ready to play from the start. I am ready to see top MAC teams come to the Doyt and leave with a loss instead of celebrating wins on our home field. I am ready to see the team that returned nearly every key starter on both sides of the ball from last year start looking and playing like the team we all believed it could be and was supposed to be.

What's more, I am ready to be MAC Champions! Something we haven't been in 20....count them....20 years. Hell, I'm ready to just show our faces in Detroit. Every team in the East but BG (and newcomer UMass) has made it there. Ohio, Buffalo, Miami, Kent State and Akron have all been there since 2004. Further, Ohio has been there three times since 2006 and teams like Buffalo, Akron and Miami even won it. Where has BG been? Sitting at home. At the rate we're going, the only way we're ever going to play in Detroit at Ford Field is to get EMU to move one of its home games there against us. This needs to change. Now.