I think your post is unfair. I usually appreciate your insight as a former player but the fans have the full right to react how they are after witnessing what we did yesterday. And it doesn't matter that Fitz is more knowledgeable than me, you and fans, his wit isn't matched up against us but it's matched up against the opposing coaches. I think you know he did a shitty job yesterday but I'll just agree with Fitz over you and use his words that he got outcoached.
You, as a former player, know this though. I'm not that knowledgeable but I did observe that Duke struggled with one offensive setup we used, i.e., the empty backfield.
I also have observed from last year to now that Throson excels in the empty backfield. When he knows he has to get rid of the ball he actually kicks ass.
Yesterday, we employ the empty backfield at the end of the first half. Right down the field. TD. You may say that Duke was in a 2 minute defense though. But, as I pointed out to the fans in the stands at the game, my hope was that McCall would go right back to the empty backfield until Duke can stop it. To my amazement, he did and we opened up the second half with the empty backfield. And another productive play,I think 8 or 9 yard gain. But then that was it until late 3rd quarter after a poor Moten KOR to the 24. And again, it worked, a 9 yard quick pass for 9 yards (we took the offsides penalty instead). Then it was shelved.
Now, as a fan, I'd like for your comment. Why do we not employ the empty backfield more often if it is productive? I don't have that answer but here are my thoughts.
1. We are married to Jackson in the backfield and running a power running game.
2. See #1
Now, I'm not necessarily against that since we can use last year's model and see that if we give our OL some Saturday experience that it will end up naturally doing better when we hit Big ten season. I get that. And you are absolutely right about most of what you wrote in your post. The sky isn't falling and I think our OL will get better but it won't get better if we abandon the thing that Fitz has been trying to build, i.e., a power running game.
Maybe the one thing that I will disagree with you on is that all of our coaches aren't really good as you said. Most are and I think Fitz has truly put together a good staff, but I think his loyalty isn't necessarily a virtue regarding the totality of his coaching. Oftentimes, in fact almost all of the time, any business or anything whatsoever doesn't progress or get better unless you prune it. I suggest that if Fitz truly wants a National Championship like he says, that he better prune the branch to make it stronger. Not all of our coaches are championship level. Recruits know this as you know so you can't really blame fans for pointing to the scoreboard about some glaring problems that have simply not been addressed in the name of loyalty. or it may be in the name of stubbornness. Just sayin.