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“(Pat) Fitzgerald has that thing as good as they can probably ever get."
"Fitz is talking about how frustrated they were after last season, and they still went to a bowl. No one else could do that in that environment."
"They go out and get their guys and teach them their way. That might not work at any other school in the league, but they seem to have it figured out."
"The offense can be tricky to deal with at times. They motion well, and they read pretty well, but they can’t hurt you passing the ball. They haven’t been able to create as many legit pass options as they need."
"We’ve looked at their pre-snap work for a couple years now; they keep changing up their communication and the players seem to pick it up quickly."
"Defensively, they do some great stuff. They put guys out there who can adjust quickly. You see them using their eyes. That’s sort of a smart-kid school thing, but they really do read and react extremely well; they don’t get confused by your stuff before the snap."
"The quarterback (Clayton Thorson) is back and is experienced enough to where they can run a lot of things well. He’s slowly improved year over year, making better decisions.”
By passing attack, meaning downfield. That's where we must improve.Well, there you go : "they cant hurt you with their passing attack." Let's see if this year, NU can prove this wrong. Didn't Fitz say something along the lines of : This year, NU will go as far as the OL will take them...? maybe edit to say OL and receivers....
The comment about the passing game speaks volumes. Amazing that we won 17 games in two years given that assessment. Let's hope this year changes some perception. It all starts up front.
I'll save folks a click...
“(Pat) Fitzgerald has that thing as good as they can probably ever get."
"Fitz is talking about how frustrated they were after last season, and they still went to a bowl. No one else could do that in that environment."
"They go out and get their guys and teach them their way. That might not work at any other school in the league, but they seem to have it figured out."
"The offense can be tricky to deal with at times. They motion well, and they read pretty well, but they can’t hurt you passing the ball. They haven’t been able to create as many legit pass options as they need."
"We’ve looked at their pre-snap work for a couple years now; they keep changing up their communication and the players seem to pick it up quickly."
"Defensively, they do some great stuff. They put guys out there who can adjust quickly. You see them using their eyes. That’s sort of a smart-kid school thing, but they really do read and react extremely well; they don’t get confused by your stuff before the snap."
"The quarterback (Clayton Thorson) is back and is experienced enough to where they can run a lot of things well. He’s slowly improved year over year, making better decisions.”
I'll save folks a click...
“(Pat) Fitzgerald has that thing as good as they can probably ever get."
"Fitz is talking about how frustrated they were after last season, and they still went to a bowl. No one else could do that in that environment."
"They go out and get their guys and teach them their way. That might not work at any other school in the league, but they seem to have it figured out."
"The offense can be tricky to deal with at times. They motion well, and they read pretty well, but they can’t hurt you passing the ball. They haven’t been able to create as many legit pass options as they need."
"We’ve looked at their pre-snap work for a couple years now; they keep changing up their communication and the players seem to pick it up quickly."
"Defensively, they do some great stuff. They put guys out there who can adjust quickly. You see them using their eyes. That’s sort of a smart-kid school thing, but they really do read and react extremely well; they don’t get confused by your stuff before the snap."
"The quarterback (Clayton Thorson) is back and is experienced enough to where they can run a lot of things well. He’s slowly improved year over year, making better decisions.”
Indeed. Those comments reflect highly on the entire coaching staff.All pretty glowing, really.
I hate when so-called experts say that NU has reached its ceiling. Or that Wisconsin is far and away the best at winning with less than elite talent. We do more with less than the Badgers. And the ceiling they speak of is bullshit. Sometimes I wonder how smart some of these coaches are.
GOUNUII
Now how about the flip side... any guesses as to which of the comments about other schools was made by folks on Fitz's staff?
Hey Graf...will you be at the Duke game? Purple Party?
All pretty glowing, really.
Yes game. TBD on night before. Happy to tailgate too.....Duke game? Yes. Sitting in my block? Yes. Purple Party? I don't know. Feel free to exert a bit of social pressure.
All pretty glowing, really.
Really? I thought it was rather patronizing.
Got it as good as he can get. Sounds like GCG.
Whether or not you agree with the coaches' assessment that there's a ceiling at NU, it's complimentary for them to think Fitz has reached maximum potential. And fellow coaches might just have a pretty good appreciation for just how difficult it is to consistently win at NU, no?
Whether or not you agree with the coaches' assessment that there's a ceiling at NU, it's complimentary for them to think Fitz has reached maximum potential. And fellow coaches might just have a pretty good appreciation for just how difficult it is to consistently win at NU, no?
In every meaningful respect the college game is moving in a direction favorable to NU.
As a biased NU fan, I'm right there with you. However, trying to put myself in the shoes of an outsider, I think I can see where they are coming from. If Fitz can really take NU to another level, then do it. Prove it. Win a Big10 title. Win a division for crying out loud. I think we get exactly the respect we deserve at this point - and I also agree with ECat that these comments are tepid praise at best. Go blow the doors down Cats and make people change their tune!I hate when so-called experts say that NU has reached its ceiling. Or that Wisconsin is far and away the best at winning with less than elite talent. We do more with less than the Badgers. And the ceiling they speak of is bullshit. Sometimes I wonder how smart some of these coaches are.
GOUNUII
No, that's not how I read it. Seems like either highly patronizing or backhanded compliments that suggest NU can't be considered a serious program with serious aspirations that other programs have. That we should be happy with what Fitz has done so far and can't possibly expect more.
I don't buy in to the "difficult to consistently win" schtick... Not after what Stanford has accomplished. What Barnett showed was possible here. You know, that was the same crutch that everyone used about how we could never expect to go to the Rose Bowl, never expect to win the B1G, and in hoops, never expect to go to the NCAAs. It's all bull, and I'm sorry if I don't see the "compliments" as glowing. I'm actually slightly offended by them, if you want to know the truth. But, I can see how those who think we are doing as well as we can right now or think that this is as good as we should reasonably expect would think of them as glowing.
As a biased NU fan, I'm right there with you. However, trying to put myself in the shoes of an outsider, I think I can see where they are coming from. If Fitz can really take NU to another level, then do it. Prove it. Win a Big10 title. Win a division for crying out loud. I think we get exactly the respect we deserve at this point - and I also agree with ECat that these comments are tepid praise at best. Go blow the doors down Cats and make people change their tune!
In one meaningful respect the college game is moving in a direction unfavorable to NU: with increasing concern about CTE and the long term consequences of even one concussion, parents of high-achieving kids are steering boys away from football, and so a smaller pool of players for elite schools like NU. This is what I'm hearing from friends with sons, anyway.No. In every meaningful respect the college game is moving in a direction favorable to NU. Add the increased name recognition CCC brings to the school, and a few years of recruiting with 2 QBs in the NFLand the new facilties, and in about 2020 we should be able to assess our ceiling under Fitz. Till then, any assessment is premature.
GOUNUII
Just because it's hard doesn't mean it isn't the expectation or aspiration. Fitz, the coaches, the Ryans, Phillips, Morty, and others don't want to simply be "competitive" with all the support thrown behind the program lately. You may think it's just "coachspeak" when Fitz talks about competing for titles, but it's legitimate.
(REAL FANZ WANTZ IT MOAR!!!)
Again, a strawman, right on cue. Didn't say that Fitz and others are satisfied with where we are. If they were, I'd want Fitz fired, and I wouldn't be happy with Morty or Phillips (and I'm actually quite thrilled with them).
My issue is that you think the compliments are glowing. I see them as, how did theC put it, tepid at best. Backhanded and patronizing more precisely. If Fitz sees them as glowing and isn't as bothered by them as I am, then there's a problem.
Yeah, yeah, the real fanz want it moar (sic) as much as ex-staff need to be snarky and contemptuous of all us un-football-edumacated simpletons.
My wild guesses:
“(Pat) Fitzgerald has that thing as good as they can probably ever get."
---Jim Harbaugh
"Fitz is talking about how frustrated they were after last season, and they still went to a bowl. No one else could do that in that environment."
---P.J. Fleck
"They go out and get their guys and teach them their way. That might not work at any other school in the league, but they seem to have it figured out."
--Kirk Ferentz
"The offense can be tricky to deal with at times. They motion well, and they read pretty well, but they can’t hurt you passing the ball. They haven’t been able to create as many legit pass options as they need."
---James Franklin
"We’ve looked at their pre-snap work for a couple years now; they keep changing up their communication and the players seem to pick it up quickly."
--Paul Chryst
"Defensively, they do some great stuff. They put guys out there who can adjust quickly. You see them using their eyes. That’s sort of a smart-kid school thing, but they really do read and react extremely well; they don’t get confused by your stuff before the snap."
---Lovie Smith
"The quarterback (Clayton Thorson) is back and is experienced enough to where they can run a lot of things well. He’s slowly improved year over year, making better decisions.”
---Urban Myer
Not even PJ?I doubt that any Head Coach took part in this.
Not even PJ?
One coach commented that our passing offense did not threaten many teams
The following is just an observation but it seems that our opponents can isolate a WR on our DBs, creating one on one match ups on deep routes but NU's deep routes always seem to be thrown into coverage with over the top help
That is going to be the strategy until the line can protect better. We saw this with TS as well. The guy was always banged up and frequently rattled by the pressure. TS and CT have been sacked a lot. You can say they were slow in making decisions but you need time.That seemed to be the game plan against us. Cover our receivers one-on-one and blitz like hell. Thorson and Carr made them pay last year, as Carr always found a way to get open and Thorson delivered the goods. This year, we have Nagel and Dickerson who will get open, and Lees can blow the top off the coverage if the safeties cheat or blitz.
One coach commented that our passing offense did not threaten many teams
The following is just an observation but it seems that our opponents can isolate a WR on our DBs, creating one on one match ups on deep routes but NU's deep routes always seem to be thrown into coverage with over the top help