ESPN article on the MAC

[San Diego Falcon]

...decided to cut these guys loose.

So is the true story that Brandon told Rojas and Ellis to quit? If so, that's messed up. We would have had the same results with Ray Guy and Adam Vinatieri given the schemes and blocking.

[MIBGSUFan]

Lets see.... Here is one of many examples. The first practice after the Mud Bowl game was held in the indoor facility. You remember that the next game was on turf in Toldeo. Well AFTER the indoor practice was over, your new ass(t) head coach took the two freshmen kickers out into the freezing rain and had them kick in the mud. Not to practice field goals. Not to punt. But to do kickoffs DIRECTLY IN A MUD POND. Of course these guys were having a difficult time, falling, slipping and basically not hitting the kickoffs too well. All the while getting yelled at. Not that Sean didn't feel bad enough about slipping on that FG attempt, but now lets basically PUNISH them in the mud. That was GREAT preparation for the Toledo game.

Or how about bringing them into Brandon's office and telling them that their Scholarships are not guaranteed to be renewed. Oh and then lets tell the media that they are bringing in another kicker and that they were having the sports psychologist get with Sean and Alonso? But I spoke with the team psychologist and NO ONE, NOT ONE COACH EVER SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT TALKING TO THESE GUYS!! Those are all some nice confidence building actions.... (Roll Eyes) Way to build these guys up coach.

Thats some good coaching there boy!! These guys were cut loose in every way possible by these jackasses without actually "cutting" them.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

Everybody knows where I stand on this one. I hope Sean's doing well, and I hope Brandon is the one catching the train out of town soon.

I also hope the team is much improved this year. As an alum, I feel downright terrible about the way those 2 kids were treated here.

[Rightupinthere]

Or how about bringing them into Brandon's office and telling them that their Scholarships are not guaranteed to be renewed. Oh and then lets tell the media that they are bringing in another kicker and that they were having the sports psychologist get with Sean and Alonso? But I spoke with the team psychologist and NO ONE, NOT ONE COACH EVER SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT TALKING TO THESE GUYS!! Those are all some nice confidence building actions.... (Roll Eyes) Way to build these guys up coach.

Thats some good coaching there boy!! These guys were cut loose in every way possible by these jackasses without actually "cutting" them.

It sounds like it was psychological warfare..........on 18 year old kids. Losing those two was huge in my eyes. I hope they're doing well.

I also echo prior sentiments that I hope your view on the BG community sour because of certain actions within the football program.

I will be pulling for these kids wherever they end up.

[Flipper]

You hear about stuff like this happening in college sports...hell it happens in the workplace too (I'm not gonna fire you, but I can make you quit). It sucks when it happens to people you know.

During the recruiting reception Coach Brandon mentioned how excited Josh Dodge's family was aboiut his signing with BG..they had some BG gear in the house and all...I couldn't help but think of how excted the Ellis family was at the same point the year before and how depressing it was to see it all turn to s**t.

I hope Sean can bounce back...if he's soured on football, I can understand that but I hope he gets back to school someplace.

[maquisard]

So, Brandon continues to trash Sean.

I read the "sports article" once again. And I still don't see this as being a fact. I can see what some want to read, but I don't see anything more than creative writing. I'm pretty sure this writer did not call Brandon in April and receive a specific quote on last years kickers. Has anyone found this "quote" (not in quotes), in any other source post spring game?

[Peregrinner]

One place where I did see something from Brandon about the kicking game, not post-game, but one of the pre-spring game press conferences:

The kicker also, Sinisa Vrvilo, he has been great so far with field goals and extra points, and that's such a breath of fresh air after what we went through last year. It's been huge to have two guys who can kick and punt.

Not saying it's necessarily the sort of dig that was being asked about, just something I found.

[MIBGSUFan]

Hey Brandon, you had two guys who could kick and punt last year. Problem was YOUR schemes and COACHING stunk to high heaven.

[hammb]

Unless something drastic has changed in the protection schemes this year (or their execution) I think ol' Greggy boy is gonna have some egg on his face this year.

I don't care if you had Chris Gardocki & Adam Vinatieri kicking for this team last year, it woulda been fugly.

[MarkL]

There's something everybody seems to be missing in all of this. I know several people who lived on Alonso's floor last fall and every one of them said from the day he stepped onto campus he had serious attitude problems. He couldn't get along with anyone on the floor, even the other football players living there. According to a few of the guys I know, he was superstar talent but not a good student of the game. It seems like he carried the South Florida attitude north with him. I don't know a thing about Ellis, and every time I met him he seemed like a real nice guy, but he may have had the same attitude problems as Alonso. (I doubt it though). The thing with Ellis is that he would always take so long to get the field goals kicks off that it was very easy for them to be blocked. As for Alonso, he also took so many steps to get the punt off, even though the staff had been pushing from the beginning to get the punt off in three steps. Anyway, point is that they were both amazing talents, but Alonso and also possibly Sean were not adapting to what they were being taught in practice.

[Falconboy]

There's something everybody seems to be missing in all of this. I know several people who lived on Alonso's floor last fall and every one of them said from the day he stepped onto campus he had serious attitude problems. He couldn't get along with anyone on the floor, even the other football players living there. According to a few of the guys I know, he was superstar talent but not a good student of the game. It seems like he carried the South Florida attitude north with him. I don't know a thing about Ellis, and every time I met him he seemed like a real nice guy, but he may have had the same attitude problems as Alonso. (I doubt it though). The thing with Ellis is that he would always take so long to get the field goals kicks off that it was very easy for them to be blocked. As for Alonso, he also took so many steps to get the punt off, even though the staff had been pushing from the beginning to get the punt off in three steps. Anyway, point is that they were both amazing talents, but Alonso and also possibly Sean were not adapting to what they were being taught in practice.

MarkL is right about the slow punt/kick deliveries. We would've needed all-star blocking schemes to help this kid out, but we didn't. As far as the gay punt formation goes, I could ONLY stand to see this formation implemented at or around the 50 yd line and no less. If your fairly deep into our own territory , there is no need to using the stupid spread punt. Protecting the punter is highest priority when your deep in your own territory. You use the best protection schemes to give your punter the best time to lay into the punt with all he's got to get a punt thats' as high and as long as possible. That is what will help with punt coverage. If this Ivonelli is a much quicker 2 step punter that may only disguise the inadequecies of our gay punt scheme a little but that won't be enough when opposing teams send 10 guys to rush the punter when we're at our frickin' 15 or 10 yrd line.

[MarkL]

So has anyone heard where Alonso and Sean plan on going next? I know Florida's going to be in need of a good kicker soon and I wonder if Meyer would take Sean in and be close to his home.

[zeket10]

Lets see.... Here is one of many examples. The first practice after the Mud Bowl game was held in the indoor facility. You remember that the next game was on turf in Toldeo. Well AFTER the indoor practice was over, your new ass(t) head coach took the two freshmen kickers out into the freezing rain and had them kick in the mud. Not to practice field goals. Not to punt. But to do kickoffs DIRECTLY IN A MUD POND. Of course these guys were having a difficult time, falling, slipping and basically not hitting the kickoffs too well. All the while getting yelled at. Not that Sean didn't feel bad enough about slipping on that FG attempt, but now lets basically PUNISH them in the mud. That was GREAT preparation for the Toledo game.

Or how about bringing them into Brandon's office and telling them that their Scholarships are not guaranteed to be renewed. Oh and then lets tell the media that they are bringing in another kicker and that they were having the sports psychologist get with Sean and Alonso? But I spoke with the team psychologist and NO ONE, NOT ONE COACH EVER SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT TALKING TO THESE GUYS!! Those are all some nice confidence building actions.... (Roll Eyes) Way to build these guys up coach.

Thats some good coaching there boy!! These guys were cut loose in every way possible by these jackasses without actually "cutting" them.

I don't agree with those mind games that the coaching staff plays, personally if you don't want someone just tell them. Because you are wasting you time and the players time too.

[h2oville rocket]

What exactly IS the "South Florida" attitude?

[Bleeding Orange]

What exactly IS the "South Florida" attitude?