Countdown to YSU Season Opener!

[The YO Show]

Well, I agree with you, and I think thats been the most painful part. Knowing  the team had the ability to make it every year and it wouldnt due to some sort of collapse really hurt the fanbase. Obviously their was alot of unlucky bounces, but people can rightfully place blame on the coach (wolford) to some extent. Part of what makes having pelini back so exciting is that wolf did leave the team with alot of talent (he was an excellent recruiter). But its not just the wolford drought to the fanbase. It goes back to the 90s. Also while I think wolford could have made the playoffs, I still think we are better off with our current coaching situation.
But you're right, alot of people are desparate for YSU to be "good again" when in reality ysu was good, and what we really seek is greatness

[paladin]

I see the hype machine is in full bloom in July. 

Soon....................... soon, you will see. But hold that thought and continue with the hype. I love it for what it sets up for....................................

[ysufan0505]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee's baaaaaaaaaaack!

[go guins]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee's baaaaaaaaaaack!

Good ol' Paladin. The word LOSER comes immediately to mind, doesn't it?
Remember, he who laughs last laughs best! 
Back to YO Shows thoughts above.  I don’t agree in your assessment of bad bounces and bad luck.  You make your own breaks and luck.  Remember the line frequently (albeit incorrectly) credited to golfer Gary Player, "the harder I practice the luckier I get."  I think Wolford did a good job on the O line, WR and QB, but the D was pretty much ignored and cost us a lot of games.  I also think they weren't in good enough shape to compete at the MVC level. 
Hopefully Pelini and his staff have them “coached up” and “trained up” for the season.  Remember, some polls have 5 MVC teams in the top 10 so a winning season may never be harder than 2015.  We could go 9-3 and make the playoffs, but it is also possible to go 3-9.   I see us as underdogs at Pitt, Ill St. SDSU, NDSU and probably Ind.  St. coming off NDSU.

[The YO Show]

I didn't mean changing the uniform actually will change their play, but I was saying the ingredients for greatness are there, and the changing of the uniform (facemasks), means that they will be changing the mindset and perception of the team.

"I didn't mean changing the uniform actually will change their play”  Of course, I know that, but apparently we are more desperate following the Wolford malaise than I thought.  One touchdown in the right place each of the last 2 seasons and we would have made the playoffs the last 2 years, so it wasn't anything like a disaster.   We just “suffer” with the memories of all those great Tressel teams! 

When you said that, I assumed you were saying they got unlucky and it wasnt his fault since you said it wasnt anything like a disaster. But while I do personally put blame on our end of season collapses on the coaching, I agree not everything was so bad under wolford. On a sidenote, I hope Pelini does better against ranked teams in the fcs than he did at Nebraska considering so many MVC teams are ranked! I think he will though.

Also, Paladin, I hope you wouldnt mind clarifying this for me, you do want to see YSU do well right? Youre just cynical that they will?

[The YO Show]

58 Days

[go guins]

YO Show
The problem with late game collapses comes from either 1. players just not good enough, 2. poor conditioning, 3. players choking, 4. coaches choking, or some combination of the 4.  Can’t speak to Nebraska against ranked teams, but I suspect it was the players just weren’t good enough.  YSU had good enough players against almost everybody through 3 quarters, so by my theory; it’s one or a combination of the last 3.  My experience over the years says it was a combination of “running out of gas” (conditioning) and coaching “tightening up”.  Hopefully the attacking style of D talked about and show a little bit in the spring game with have us more aggressive in the 4th quarter.  They certainly seem committed to conditioning, and the roster is probably a little deeper this year.  Unfortunately I don’t see any future stars on either side of the ball in the recruiting class.  I hope the Nebraska experience of OK players, but just not quite “there” doesn’t become an issue at YSU.
Your thoughts?

[paladin]

Yo

yes, I'd like to see them do well. Wolf recruited very well over his tenure here. I chuckle at many of the Wolf haters and the  Pelini choirboys. I fully agree, The D did in Wolf as he never had a good DC here to get them over the hump and they were playoff worthy or near it for many years. The love affair with Pelini, just a local good old boy, is one to watch. Its been mentioned that Pelini FAILED at Nebraska against ranked teams almost all the time. This at a major university with everything going for it.  For what its worth, he has Wolf's players and it a Cadillac.  They are loaded for bear.

But, I won't be there . We gave up our Penguin Club seats. Go Bucks  ! lol. Get rid of another local good old boy failure ( AD) and I'll be back. Will catch some replays at night, maybe.  I expect a coaching  hiccup at YSU. Watch what the MVFC predicts in the pre-season vote. lol

As I said before, many times.............. this will not be a "drama" here at YSU.  It will be a "comedy".

[guinpen]

How many posts does it take to reach emperor penguin status? I feel as though it would be a lofty goal by kickoff! I kinda wish I had actually participated in the forums beyond just reading them prior to this year.

500

[The YO Show]

My thoughts regarding the current season are I'm excited and optimistic. I have high hopes for pelini even given the circumstances, but I'm not going to have unrealistic expectations for the season either. Im not expecting a national championship run, but I'm willing to say that the past, i completely agree about conditioning and defense probably doing wolford in. Id say alot more than conditioning I think. Also overlooked, im wondering if team leadership was lacking too. Just look at all the off field issues the past couple years. Idk maybe I'm wrong on that? It just seems like it was alot.

But I do have high hopes for the season because I do think pelini will get the defense to play better, and considering that was a glaring concern, I believe you will see them perform well this year

[The YO Show]

57 Days

[ScarletRook]

I think Wolford did a good job on the O line, WR and QB, but the D was pretty much ignored and cost us a lot of games.  I also think they weren't in good enough shape to compete at the MVC level. 

I heard a member of the media address Coach Smith after a game on why they didn't substitute until the game was out of hand either way; was it due to a drop off in talent or what reason?  His answer was "the starters were full scholarship and he felt that substitution took the starters out of their groove."  I think fresh legs would have won the Illlini game and been a difference in several others.

[go guins]

ScarletRook
I know a lot of coaches believe in the "momentum" or "continuity" with playing the starters and I understand that, but you also have to work in the "fresh legs" for 2 reasons.  The change of pace can swing momentum your way and the "fresh legs" are your starters next season!  I think the Wolford philosophy hurt us both ways.  But IMO the biggest "sin" of the Wolford era was the passive defense.  I have great hopes for Pelini's coaching.  I have some reservations about his recruiting.  I think it was an issue at Nebraska and we pretty much took a "pass" this season.  Let’s hope the YSU President can lend some direction!

[ScarletRook]

go guins:

Television announcers stated often that what allowed Ohio State to beat Alabama and Oregon was their ability to substitute on D to offset the fast paced offense.  (All around coaching helped too)  I also feel much of the Wolford era defensive problems came from his D-coordinators and their passive and read and react defense, but he was the man in charge.  Team chemistry, from the stands anyhow, seemed to be lacking.

Well - I am not here to berate Wolford and wish him the best with the 49ers. I really hoped he could turn the corner while at YSU.  I wish the best to the team and this staff. 

If the YSU President has any imput, it is done elsewhere as my understanding is he isn't around the football program much.

GO GUINS!

[paladin]

Since it has been mentioned several times ( not by me, lol ), let me bring up the major concerns. Expectations  are that the D will be improved ( by coaching ?). And then its is specifically said that Pelini will "be a better coach". Ask Nebraska fans how he fared with a superior program but failure in playing ranked opponents.  Finally, some have concerns about  Pelini's recruiting ( and well they should).  Wolf remains ( and may well be proven over time) a superior recruiter over Pelini when comparing each's first class.. I don't see ANY improvement over Wolf here except Pelini MAY have a better DC ( himself)  rather than the sham DC listed. But be careful. Todays offense of choice is the Spread O with some  using it balanced between run and pass and others favoring a more solid approach   ( run dominant or pass dominant). Balanced is very hard to defend unless you have better personnel to defend it with, not scheme per se. YSU had great  O talent for years but little on the D side of the ball (Wolf's years were all of this).  Recruiting -- the life blood of a program,  is discussed by many  as though having "football Players" rather than athletic players is the answer. Buy into that and you can kiss the program down the tubes for another decade. Pelini avoided Florida recruits and opted for Ohio. That is a losing formula.  Some D-I transfers may help temporarily  , but  leave out Florida players and YSU gets average ( OR WORSE) REAL QUICK.  I'll be back to update on both those ideas.............................................