Fitz confident Cats will be back: Five takeaways from today's presser

[wildcatpn]

Sure, if we have an awesome OL that was the strength of our team, we can just dominate the LOS and establish the run, do some play-action, etc. I could be a good offensive coordinator with that talent. Obviously not every team has that. There are many teams out there with way less offensive talent than us, that are creative enough, and make the proper adjustments to win games with their offense and not be the 130th team in FBS scoring. I want an offensive coordinator that can construct an effective game plan given the talent they have. Sure we all want more playmakers, but I see teams on TV every Saturday without much athleticism on offense, that are running mis-direction, or enough variety to keep the D off-balance, and actually moving the ball and scoring TDs.

I know its your opinion, and I wish I held your optimism. But frankly, I respect Cam Quiero's and these other players opinion more, who have strapped it on.

In my opinion this is absolutely correct. There are many teams out there with less talent than us on offense that at least show a sign of life and figure out ways to move the ball. They might not have played some of the quality defenses we've played but there is no doubt they would've scored more than 10 on Nebraska and 3 on Indiana. If you watch the film of the last couple games you see the oline is capable enough to make the blocks to move the ball. There is absolutely no excuse for this offense to be the worst in the country and the previous 4 or 5 years show a deficiency that has continued to get worse. The lack of scheming to help the 11 out there have success is evident.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

I guess that's the crux of the question. What you just expressed is an opinion that I happen to disagree with. In my opinion our offense has never performed at its optimal potential because of a significant deficiency on the OL. This year that issue has been compounded by a glaring hole in our QB depth chart that was the result of recruiting failures by Fitz and McCall. I think the OL issue has been addressed with the hiring of Anderson and in time that will become a strength of the team. We'll see if HJ can be the answer at QB with more time in the system. If not, we may have a true freshmen starting at QB next year. Regardless, my belief is that the problems with the offense are circumstantial, not systemic, and getting rid of McCall at this point would be the equivalent of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. We'll see very soon what Fitz's opinion on the issue is because ultimately his is the only opinion that counts.

The scheme has been stale for years now.

 

[corbi296]

The scheme has been stale for years now.

You can keep saying that as often as you want, it doesn’t make it fact. That is your opinion.

 

[Gladeskat]

Sure, if we have an awesome OL that was the strength of our team, we can just dominate the LOS and establish the run, do some play-action, etc. I could be a good offensive coordinator with that talent. Obviously not every team has that. There are many teams out there with way less offensive talent than us, that are creative enough, and make the proper adjustments to win games with their offense and not be the 130th team in FBS scoring. I want an offensive coordinator that can construct an effective game plan given the talent they have. Sure we all want more playmakers, but I see teams on TV every Saturday without much athleticism on offense, that are running mis-direction, or enough variety to keep the D off-balance, and actually moving the ball and scoring TDs.

I know its your opinion, and I wish I held your optimism. But frankly, I respect Cam Quiero's and these other players opinion more, who have strapped it on.

Cam Quiero played defense. What about the other guys DKE referred to who strapped it on but admit even they cannot separate the talent issue from offensive schemes and playcalling?

 

[hdhntr1]

This year is the result of not having a QB ready to take over for Thorson and a continued deficiency on the OL. That’s it. We have other weaknesses but the difference between this year and last year is the combination of those two things.

And not TE security blanket or being on what should be 3rd and 4th string WR, RB etc. This year is a perfect storm of bad for the O. Also not getting the normal help from D again because of injuries. That is not saying there is no reason to be disappointed. Just balance that disappointment with reasonable expectations considering the current constraints Based on the perfect storm of what has happened, I have a hard time imagining anyone being very successful this year. If we were without Skronek (sp) Green (Cam) and Bowzer last year, we would have been lucky to win 4 games. Throw in having to replace 3 OL and the QB and we would have been lucky to win 2. We are a developmental program which tends to mean ups and downs. This was likely to be a down year but with all the injuries and other issues, it is a way down year.

 

[hdhntr1]

Corbi: "even when the program is running on all cylinders." When has the program run on all cylinders, since 1995? I will agree we have done really well running on 4 or 5 (assuming 6) since then, but isn't is reasonable to want a smoothly operating 6, especially given our program is overall a Mercedes compared to OSU's Buick? They just happen to have a LaCrosse and we have an A-class sedan

By your definition, how many programs run on all cylinders? One per year?

The 1995 miracle season was amazing but since then the bottom teams in the Big ten have gotten a lot better. Everybody has BTN money. Lots more parity below Ohio State who we did not play in '95 or '96. We have just completed the BEST FOUR YEAR cycle in school history, even matching the 15-1 BIG record of the 1995-96 teams. To say Fitz hasn't had major success here is ludicrous. I'm hopeful he'll be looking at changes after this disastrous offensive performance, but seriously, some fans think he should have fired McCall after his run with Thorson, who came here very raw, and won 36 games in his four years here, really? McCall is supposedly a big reason Atkinson is coming here, so be careful what you wish for because he looks like a big time get.

We also did not play them in 2000

 

[hdhntr1]

In my opinion this is absolutely correct. There are many teams out there with less talent than us on offense that at least show a sign of life and figure out ways to move the ball. They might not have played some of the quality defenses we've played but there is no doubt they would've scored more than 10 on Nebraska and 3 on Indiana. If you watch the film of the last couple games you see the oline is capable enough to make the blocks to move the ball. There is absolutely no excuse for this offense to be the worst in the country and the previous 4 or 5 years show a deficiency that has continued to get worse. The lack of scheming to help the 11 out there have success is evident.

Sorry . We may have started out with more talent but we do not have it now with the injuries and other issues. We are missing two starting WR, down to what would have been our 3rd or 4th string RB, no viable TE and 3rd or 4th string QB behind an OL that is still trying to find its way with new guys under new tutaledge. That is an awful lot to try to overcome

 

[gocatsgo2003]

You can keep saying that as often as you want, it doesn’t make it fact. That is your opinion.

No it is not.

Perhaps I should rephrase: it is not just “my opinion,” but that of many. Including people whose opinions I value outside this board community.

 

[corbi296]

No it is not.

Perhaps I should rephrase: it is not just “my opinion,” but that of many. Including people whose opinions I value outside this board community.

No it’s not? OK. It’s still not fact. It’s an opinion.

 

[wildcatpn]

Sorry . We may have started out with more talent but we do not have it now with the injuries and other issues. We are missing two starting WR, down to what would have been our 3rd or 4th string RB, no viable TE and 3rd or 4th string QB behind an OL that is still trying to find its way with new guys under new tutaledge. That is an awful lot to try to overcome

Not 1 touchdown in a month. Every team has injuries. The worst offense in college football that has scored 48 points in 7 games excluding UNLV. Purdue lost their 2 best offensive players on the same play yet they have not been nearly as bad offensively as we have been. I might agree with you if our offense was just below average or even just bad but this is historically bad.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

No it’s not? OK. It’s still not fact. It’s an opinion.

Ok. Would you prefer if I used the word “consensus” instead of “fact?”

The offense has been pretty bad and very predictable for a long time. Lots of people think so, including folks whose opinions are extremely valid.

 

[pnt16]

No it’s not? OK. It’s still not fact. It’s an opinion.

Northwestern's rank in ppg over the last 7 years...

2019: 130

2018: 92

2017: 51

2016: 68

2015: 116

2014: 99

2013: 84

Almost broke the top 50 once! It is a fact that Northwestern's offense is not good and has not been good recently.

 

[IGNORE]

You can keep saying that as often as you want, it doesn’t make it fact. That is your opinion.

Fact: O has statistically gotten worse for years and now has hit the bottom. Next year, you can undoubtedly tout the O ranking will be up.

 

[corbi296]

Northwestern's rank in ppg over the last 7 years...

2019: 130

2018: 92

2017: 51

2016: 68

2015: 116

2014: 99

2013: 84

Almost broke the top 50 once! It is a fact that Northwestern's offense is not good and has not been good recently.

Somehow the discussion on this topic always gets twisted. All you have to do is scroll up a couple of posts to see that I fully acknowledge the offense has not been good. The real question is why and as usual stats don't tell the whole story when it comes to that. My belief is the reasons for that are circumstantial, not systemic. Those calling for McCall's head believe the issue is systemic or in many cases are just calling for someone to be fired because they are pissed. I don't believe the issue is systemic and therefore don't feel that firing McCall will address the problem,

 

[EvanstonCat]

No it is not.

Perhaps I should rephrase: it is not just “my opinion,” but that of many. Including people whose opinions I value outside this board community.

Fact: Our offense is #130 in the nation. Dead effing last.

Fact: We haven't scored a TD in 13 quarters.

Fact: It's pretty clear our offensive scheme is stale, but stale or not, there is no denying that our offense plain SUCKS. So does our OC.