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I just fired Cushing. Maybe more pink slips to come tomorrow.What would you like him to say?
DiNardo has Fitz pegged. Not a fan of his coaching. Can't win on the scoreboard if you can't win in the trenches.Seems like an annual rite of passage - the press conference where Fitz says we are a bad football team right now. I am starting to believe in Jerry DiNardo's insights more and more. You can tell he wasn't reading that this team was very strong after the tour and that he was offering compliments more to placate all the pro-NU announcers surrounding him. NU generally gets better as the year goes along - not always - so we have that going for us.
Seems like an annual rite of passage - the press conference where Fitz says we are a bad football team right now. I am starting to believe in Jerry DiNardo's insights more and more. You can tell he wasn't reading that this team was very strong after the tour and that he was offering compliments more to placate all the pro-NU announcers surrounding him. NU generally gets better as the year goes along - not always - so we have that going for us.
DiNardo has Fitz pegged. Not a fan of his coaching. Can't win on the scoreboard if you can't win in the trenches.
In fact, it is NOT "all on him”. The statement he made is contradictory on its face. It wasn’t “him” but the players on the field who were “... out-executed, outplayed”.Honestly...I'm sick of the "it's on me" quote. Because what he's really saying is:
"it's on me, but I know I'm covered, and therefore I can cover for my assistants. I'm saying what I think I should say because it makes me sound responsible and accountable, but no, I will not do anything to change. We'll watch some film, make the most minuscule of changes, and then see how it goes. But none of my coaches will ever be fired, and if you press me to fire them, I will only push back even more. We will do things my way around here, and you can't convince me to change."
My fear is we have been and will continue to miss out on top tier OL recruits unless a change is made. This is one of the rare cases where I believe we would immediately increase interest in the program when recruits see the HC is willing to upgrade his staff to make them better.
This point has been made and made and made for years. At this point, what "smart kid" is going to come here to play OL for Adam Cushing? His resume has to be the least impressive football resume of any offensive line coach anywhere in the country! These kids can get on the internet and they can read.
Ironically, our last o-lineman to get a sniff in the NFL (Netter) is now a graduate assistant at Michigan. It would be great to get him back to NU, to help right the ship.Of course we're getting negatively recruited on the OL. I can just see Harbaugh saying it:
"Their OL coach played low-level Division III football and coached at the University of Laverne, whatever that is.. That's it. He has never coached anywhere other than Laverne and Shirley and NU. Never even sniffed the big time. That's your guy if you go to NU.
If you play here at UM, our OL coach was OL coach at USC before this. Before that, he was OL coach for the San Francisco 49ers and for Stanford.
So take your pick, son. Laverne & Shirley ... or USC, Stanford and the NFL?"
We need him to stay there a few seasons to learn something new. I love our guys and the idea of hiring the wonderful players I used to cheer for is really romantic but if we are unwilling to stir the pot of coaches, we really need some fresh blood from somewhere. I keep hoping that they are debriefing with the grad transfers about differences they see in the programs.Ironically, our last o-lineman to get a sniff in the NFL (Netter) is now a graduate assistant at Michigan. It would be great to get him back to NU, to help right the ship.
We need him to stay there a few seasons to learn something new. I love our guys and the idea of hiring the wonderful players I used to cheer for is really romantic but if we are unwilling to stir the pot of coaches, we really need some fresh blood from somewhere. I keep hoping that they are debriefing with the grad transfers about differences they see in the programs.
Of course we're getting negatively recruited on the OL. I can just see Harbaugh saying it:
"Their OL coach played low-level Division III football and coached at the University of Laverne, whatever that is.. That's it. He has never coached anywhere other than Laverne and Shirley and NU. Never even sniffed the big time. That's your guy if you go to NU.
If you play here at UM, our OL coach was OL coach at USC before this. Before that, he was OL coach for the San Francisco 49ers and for Stanford.
So take your pick, son. Laverne & Shirley ... or USC, Stanford and the NFL?"
His actual quote:
"We got outcoached, out-executed, outplayed," Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald said, "and that starts and ends with me."
So what are you going to do about it, coach? Yell louder at practice? Have longer discussion sessions with the Leadership Council to try to determine what the problem is?
The players have already told him that the O-line is the weak link on this team. That unit looked bad again today. What's the solution, coach?
Know what's going to strengthen your argument? Making it over and over and over and over...
Your post is dead on. DiNardo repeated at every opportunity that our O line was the "deciding factor" (read: O line sucks horribly - cross your fingers)
Know what's going to strengthen your argument? Making it over and over and over and over...
First of all, it wasn't my argument. PPD raised it. So I suppose he doesn't know what he's talking about?
Second, it's not even an argument at this point. It's a fact. There are no two positions to argue with facts. We are, in fact, being negative recruited against because he has, objectively and in fact, produced absolutely nothing to speak of during his entire tenure here - and everybody we recruit against knows it.
I'm not interested in debating anything with you. In part because there's really no debate to be had here. I wish you only the best in continuing to believe whatever it is that you believe. It must be sort of lonely being the only guy here who continues to believe despite all evidence to the contrary that our answer for the OL is Adam Cushing. So I sort of empathize with your plight. Be well my friend. Be well.
There are so many positives with this team and this program, it's sad that we have this constant sore spot and we don't do anything about it.
FIRE THE EFFING OL COACH!
Someone's got to scream it in his face until he gets it.
It's not as bad as it seems. Yes,a poor game, but we should expect a win against BGSU and then a strong game against Wisconsin. 3 weeks will make a big difference.Flush it?
As head coach I'm accountable...
Blah blah blah
Again, not interested in getting into a squabble or a debate with you. If what you say is true, my apologies. I just want to see this abysmal situation rectified as soon as humanly possible. Like tomorrow. I really don't care who is for or against it or how it happens or who gets credit or who called for it first or any of that petty stuff. What matters is that an insane talent like JJTBC not waste his senior session getting tackled for one yard losses because we can't block anybody. That's all I care about. I don't care if Bozo the Clown is our OL coach as long as he gets our guys getting leverage, creating holes and holding blocks.
Again, not interested in getting into a squabble or a debate with you. If what you say is true, my apologies. I just want to see this abysmal situation rectified as soon as humanly possible. Like tomorrow. I really don't care who is for or against it or how it happens or who gets credit or who called for it first or any of that petty stuff. What matters is that an insane talent like JJTBC not waste his senior session getting tackled for one yard losses because we can't block anybody. That's all I care about. I don't care if Bozo the Clown is our OL coach as long as he gets our guys getting leverage, creating holes and holding blocks.