coach brandon

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:49 am

Yeah....still not sold.

Like I said before, Brandon has a great shot this year to get back in a lot of people's good graces, including mine. We need to be in the hunt for the MAC Championship, and for God's sake we need to beat Toledo. Those two things happen this year, and I'll stop looking forward to '09 so anxiously.

We look much better this year, but it'll take more than two wins over two bad teams to sway me.

Dayons_Den · Post by **Dayons_Den** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:06 am

I feel for Bullock. That Blade article had quotes to the effect that he expected to be #1 and that he now has to adapt his game to catch out of the backfield. He was my favorite player from last year and I enjoyed watching him run. I hope he can get some touches and contribute. It would be a shame to have a proven offensive weapon sitting because he doesn't fit in with the game plan.

Also, I just watched most of the Minnesota game, thanks very much to a board member for dropping it by on Saturday. One thing that jumped out to me which we all noted at the time was how much we will miss Eric Ransom. To my untrained eye, it was a player like him that was missing on Saturday that would really make that offense complete. What great explosion on run plays and a great ability to make the catch on the run and pick up YAC.

bobio · Post by **bobio** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:18 pm

Insane? You've got to be kidding. This team has been in a freefall since GB took over. We have two wins over teams that might not win again (or at all) this year. Yes, we have looked better this year to date. However, there was only one way to go from rock bottom. An even conference slate should buy GB another year. Anything short of that should be it. I seriously doubt any other program has GB on its radar at this point.

tiznow · Post by **tiznow** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:54 pm

bobio wrote:Insane? You've got to be kidding. This team has been in a freefall since GB took over. We have two wins over teams that might not win again (or at all) this year. Yes, we have looked better this year to date. However, there was only one way to go from rock bottom. An even conference slate should buy GB another year. Anything short of that should be it. I seriously doubt any other program has GB on its radar at this point.

Freefall since he took over? The Falcons went to and won two bowl games in his first two years. The first two bowls since the early 90's. That is not a freefall. Lifetime record of 32-20 is not bad at all. I am not saying that Brandon doesn't have his faults, but be realistic. Temple is improved and "beat" UConn. Minnesota lost to Purdue by 14, but also gave up two returns for scores.

Bleeding Orange · Post by **Bleeding Orange** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:13 am

bobio wrote:Insane? You've got to be kidding. This team has been in a freefall since GB took over. We have two wins over teams that might not win again (or at all) this year. Yes, we have looked better this year to date. However, there was only one way to go from rock bottom. An even conference slate should buy GB another year. Anything short of that should be it. I seriously doubt any other program has GB on its radar at this point.

Yeah. That's pretty much the ramblings of an insane person with an agenda.

An even conference slate makes or breaks this coach? Are you freakin' kidding me?

bgsufalcon24 · Post by **bgsufalcon24** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:06 am

Who doesn't think we will go at least 4-4 in Mid-American Conference play? Anybody, a show of hands?

...

That's what I thought.

Worst case scenario, we lose at Kent, at home against Akron and Ohio, and then we have a bad day and trip up at one of the truly bad MAC teams we play, either at Miami, at Buffalo, at Eastern Michigan, or at home vs Toledo. Honestly, when you think about it, our conference schedule is tailor made for success this year. We don't play anybody good in conference on the road except for Kent, and the other East contenders Ohio and Akron have to come to the Doyt. In my estimation, 4-4 would be a dissapointment based on what we've seen so far.

jpfalcon09 · Post by **jpfalcon09** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:11 am

bgsufalcon24 wrote:Who doesn't think we will go at least 4-4 in Mid-American Conference play? Anybody, a show of hands?

...

That's what I thought.

Worst case scenario, we lose at Kent, at home against Akron and Ohio, and then we have a bad day and trip up at one of the truly bad MAC teams we play, either at Miami, at Buffalo, at Eastern Michigan, or at home vs Toledo. Honestly, when you think about it, our conference schedule is tailor made for success this year. We don't play anybody good in conference on the road except for Kent, and the other East contenders Ohio and Akron have to come to the Doyt. In my estimation, 4-4 would be a dissapointment based on what we've seen so far.

Kent's loss to open up the season at Akron really hurt them, it almost puts them in a situation where they have to win this week at Ohio for any legit shot to win the East. We have one of the easiest roads to take, considering the back-to-back games with Ohio and Akron, the Ohio game if won would serve as huge momentum into Akron, but ultimately I feel that the Ohio game will determine who comes out of the East. I gotta think Solich will bring a very determined squad here that day to finally notch him a win against us and put his program in a position for a 2nd straight MACC Game.

windycityfalcon · Post by **windycityfalcon** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:36 am

Ok.. I'm all for criticizing the coach if it's deserved, but for god's sake can we at least get through 3/4 of the season before we continue this conversation about Brandon?
The man has won two bowl games has a decent overall record and has a very young team in a position to compete for a conference title and go to another bowl game.
This is not the time to hammer him for his shortcomings. Sure if we go .500 in the conference then go for it, but we have a young team and we're getting better each week.
Let them play and let him coach and save the criticism for later.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:48 am

Yes bobio...saying the program has been in a free fall under Brandon when he achieved something his predecessors did not demonstrates that your grip on reality is, at best, tenuous.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:37 am

Flipper, just because a program at one time achieved great things does not mean that it cannot be now in a free-fall. So pointing out that Brandon won two bowl games four years ago does not mean the program cannot be in a free-fall since that point. Not saying it is in a free-fall (hopefully it's not), but I think your argument needs refined.

I think we could agree that Gary Blackney had unprecedented success when he took over the program also. But did his tenure not end with the program free-falling?

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:49 am

warthog...bobio said the program was in a "free fall" SINCE BRANDON TOOK OVER. I know you don't like Brandon, but let's not rewrite history to suit our irrational and insane opinions....

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:38 am

GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!

Be prepared to see Coach Brandon hoisting the MAC Title Trophy on 12/1, I know I'll be there to see it!

Seriously, thru the first few weeks of the season, who has looked better than BG in the MAC? Anyone?

This team will keep improving and has "the attitude". I say BG doesn't go worse than 8-4 overall, 6-2 MAC. No doubt there are areas that need improvement. But I like where we're going! It's a loooooooooong season and a lot of games yet to play. Let's take them one at a time...

ANYONE can win the MAC East this year...including Buffalo and Temple. Temple is definitely improved and the game that scares me most in the MAC is Buffalo...mid November at their place. We've struggle both times we've played there. Keep an eye on the Bulls.

Anyone who says we hit "rock bottom" obviously doesn't have a clue. "Rock bottom" is not a tie for 3rd in the east with a 3-5 MAC record, 4-8 overall. "Rock bottom" is 0-8 MAC, 1-11 overall.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:57 am

I have not been a fan of Brandon's tenure here for a myriad of reasons.

A) Questionable playcalling quite often over the past 4 years. Not running enough in key situations to milk the clock & protect leads. Then last year not passing at all (although that was likely necessity due to talent on the roster).

B) A total decline in fundamentals on defense. We were an awful tackling team for all of 04-06.

C) Failure to develop talent...Despite the accolades of his early recruiting classes we haven't seen them develop into the stars we expected...way too much moving players around to plug holes and never letting them develop into one position.

D) Failure to get up for the big games, including losing 3 in a row to UT (a streak that MUST end).

E) Idiotic comments in postgame...from refusing to acknowledge weaknesses when we would win a game ("we musta done something right, we won"), to throwing various players under the bus when it was seemingly completely undeserved (Omar, Partridge, Big Bird, etc).

F) Completely ignoring special teams...no coach for the unit & just watching them tumble into the abyss before even doing anything about it.

G) The entire product on the field took a step back in '04 from '03, again in '05 from '04, then again in '06 from '05. That is not acceptable to me.

I DO like what I have seen for the most part this season. I think last year might've finally woke him up a little that he wasn't doing things right. I also think it was a good thing to have so many assistants leave. I'm not sure if some of them weren't politely told, "Look for another job...please." Either way, I think we needed some new blood in the system, some new voices in the players' ears.

The STs unit is much improved, no doubt in large part to the fact that we actually have a coach for them now.

The playcalling has been better than last year, but the refusal to run is baffling, and could cost this team at some point. Still we've moved the ball well.

Tackling has been much better and this defensive unit as a whole is the best we've seen in Brandon's tenure.

We are finally starting to see some of Brandon's own recruits develop into playmakers. Partridge, Sheehan, Barnes, Dozier, Briggs are starting to become top flight MAC players.

I still am not completely sold just because this team really hasn't been tested yet. We beat a crappy Big 10 team, and lost a close one to a better Big 10 team. Neither of those were conference matchups, and neither were we even expected to be close...it's easy to motivate a team for a "little guy" type matchup. We also soundly beat Temple, but that is fully expected, and some stupid 3rd down playcalls kept TU in the game longer than they should've. I want to see how this team responds in a key matchup against Ohio, Akron, or UT. Especially the Akron game as our track record isn't that great on the weekday ESPN matchups.

Looking around at the MAC there is no team that looks any better than us. I definitely expect this team to be in it till the end in the MAC race, and they better beat Toledo. If he loses again to UT I'm not sure a national championship would save him in my eyes. You cannot lose 4 straight to UT, end of story. It's high time he realized what the rivalry means and get his kids ready to beat them.

I like what I've seen so far this year, it's certainly been an improvement on year's past, but the season is young.

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:03 pm

tiznow wrote:
bobio wrote:Insane? You've got to be kidding. This team has been in a freefall since GB took over. We have two wins over teams that might not win again (or at all) this year. Yes, we have looked better this year to date. However, there was only one way to go from rock bottom. An even conference slate should buy GB another year. Anything short of that should be it. I seriously doubt any other program has GB on its radar at this point.
Freefall since he took over? The Falcons went to and won two bowl games in his first two years. The first two bowls since the early 90's. That is not a freefall. Lifetime record of 32-20 is not bad at all. I am not saying that Brandon doesn't have his faults, but be realistic. Temple is improved and "beat" UConn. Minnesota lost to Purdue by 14, but also gave up two returns for scores.

And let's look at a number of those losses...

2 to Ohio State
2 to Wisconsin
1 to Oklahoma
1 to Michigan State
1 to Boise State
2 to the best MAC team I've ever seen, Miami U, in 03.
2 to NIU
3 to the school up north...which MUST change this year.

That's 14 losses to some (usually) pretty good teams. The 2006 loss to Temple was horrible. 14 out of 20. TWO of those losses were on our turf. The other 12 were away games.

Any thoughts?

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:12 pm

hammb wrote:I definitely expect this team to be in it till the end in the MAC race, and they better beat Toledo. If he loses again to UT I'm not sure a national championship would save him in my eyes. You cannot lose 4 straight to UT, end of story. It's high time he realized what the rivalry means and get his kids ready to beat them.

Hammb,

I agree here. BG MUST beat UT this year...and start winning this game consistently like UT has done to us the last 10 years.

The streak for BG starts this year.