Time to get real...

[TerraCat]

It is time to get real about the reason for our performance the past two years. it is not on the coordinators.

One of the commentators on the Big Ten Network was speaking about Brett Bielema as a great program builder. He specifically mentioned that he has hired two coordinators who are excellent and that Bielema deserves credit for the turnaround. Coaches build programs through who they hire as their coordinators. When the coordinators don't perform they get fired or the coach gets fired.

How many empty stadiums or stadiums filled with the opposing team's fans, and how many decommits do we have to experience before we are willing to put the full responsibility of what is happening on Patrick Fitzgerald??

If Fitz is unwilling to fire these guys, we will have to wait out the administrators. Right now the program is unwatchable except for the die-hards (myself included). But even NU has to see the problem.

Northwestern cannot allow this go on forever. Either they put the pressure on Fitz or they move on. With Fitz's contract, not sure they can move on. But let's stop blaming our coordinators! It stops and starts with the Head Coach!! And he has built a slow-developing disaster...those are icebergs ahead!

 

[TejasCat]

Wisconsin is a mess versus a bad MSU team. Just shows how bad we are. And people thought Bucky for real with new coach. LOL. They played us!

 

[Medill '03]

It is time to get real about the reason for our performance the past two years. it is not on the coordinators.

One of the commentators on the Big Ten Network was speaking about Brett Bielema as a great program builder. He specifically mentioned that he has hired two coordinators who are excellent and that Bielema deserves credit for the turnaround. Coaches build programs through who they hire as their coordinators. When the coordinators don't perform they get fired or the coach gets fired.

How many empty stadiums or stadiums filled with the opposing team's fans, and how many decommits do we have to experience before we are willing to put the full responsibility of what is happening on Patrick Fitzgerald??

If Fitz is unwilling to fire these guys, we will have to wait out the administrators. Right now the program is unwatchable except for the die-hards (myself included). But even NU has to see the problem.

Northwestern cannot allow this go on forever. Either they put the pressure on Fitz or they move on. With Fitz's contract, not sure they can move on. But let's stop blaming our coordinators! It stops and starts with the Head Coach!! And he has built a slow-developing disaster...those are icebergs ahead!

If college football were easy, we'd be coaching! Seriously, I've never seen an NU game as poorly coached as what Alabama just did, in every phase. No clock management, no defensive adjustments, no situational awareness on offense. It's not easy, even for the best of all time in Saban. He changes coordinators just about every year. It's his team. It's still his defense with first-round talent getting no pass rush and giving up 52 from wide-open passes at will.

Blame the coordinators all you want, but I'm with you: ultimately the head coach bears the responsibility. Surely Fitz could have learned a thing or two from Hank over all those years. It doesn't make any sense that Hank would leave and suddenly NU can't execute basic defense. You'd like to think it's the fault of the coordinators, but one way or another, it all comes back to the head coach: he hires and fires the coordinators, he recruits the players. I think NU could bring in Lane Kiffin to coach the offense but Fitz would still be playing "complementary football" by punting to win.

These guys get paid big bucks because it's even when it's obvious to us watching at Ryan Field or on TV, it must still be hard to fix when you're competing against players and coaches who want it just as much as you do. For all the good Fitz has done, if he doesn't personally make the necessary changes, he won't get the chance to coach his boys. Not even NU can put up with this forever. Firing coordinators only buys a short amount of time.

 

[Titanium999]

It is time to get real about the reason for our performance the past two years. it is not on the coordinators.

One of the commentators on the Big Ten Network was speaking about Brett Bielema as a great program builder. He specifically mentioned that he has hired two coordinators who are excellent and that Bielema deserves credit for the turnaround. Coaches build programs through who they hire as their coordinators. When the coordinators don't perform they get fired or the coach gets fired.

How many empty stadiums or stadiums filled with the opposing team's fans, and how many decommits do we have to experience before we are willing to put the full responsibility of what is happening on Patrick Fitzgerald??

If Fitz is unwilling to fire these guys, we will have to wait out the administrators. Right now the program is unwatchable except for the die-hards (myself included). But even NU has to see the problem.

Northwestern cannot allow this go on forever. Either they put the pressure on Fitz or they move on. With Fitz's contract, not sure they can move on. But let's stop blaming our coordinators! It stops and starts with the Head Coach!! And he has built a slow-developing disaster...those are icebergs ahead!

Fitz is more of the problem than his subordinates!