So who are we

[guinpen]

Are we the 4-0 team that started out looking like gang busters or the 0-4 team that cannot seem to do anything right.

Same players, same coaches.

The players have lost their confidence, their swagger, they are trying to hard and making mistakes they normally would not make. Talent is there on offense, maybe the talent on defense is not quite there but enough to get us further then we are.

maybe the same is true for the coaches, maybe they are trying to hard, but they are being paid and the onus is on them to restore order. Playoffs are history but a strong finish will go a long way in helping the program and future recruiting.

Wolf is the man at the top and therefore he needs to be the one to take charge and take responsibility. Stop beating down the players, he needs to restore their confidence. Coaches are getting out-coached most games, they need to get the job done or get a new job. He and Strollo need to do lunch and have a serious talk

Sorry if I am stating the obvious. 

[Pizza]

“Life is hard, it’s harder if your stupid” - John Wayne...... is an appropriate quote; for the pompous...

[Pita]

I only know from all those (way more knowledgeable about football
than I.  We put a great team on the field this year.  What???
went wrong?  Something is not kosher as the saying goes.  In my
observation . . . I am wondering. . .what changed the desire of our team?

I shall leave that question for you to dwell on.
In my opinion....something stinks.

[IAA Fan]

Sorry for such a long post, but here are a few observations on the team and coach Wolf:

1.   Recruiting:  No matter what everyone is saying, W is not a good recruiter …at least at this level. It requires a special talent that is able to see what is good in what is left over. We are not going to get very many of the SEC-level players here. Also I suspect that far too much is promised these kids. They need to know that all that we promise is the “opportunity” to play. If you draw a solid recruit …he expects to play, and we better play him. This is why we lost so many in the first-place.

2.   Defense: If any of you remember when coach W lost his entire defense in his first year …then we had to hear some bull-crap about getting rid of some “dead-wood”? Now you see what we lost. Not “dead-wood”, but a tradition of top defensive players that stems back to Mark Dantonio in 1986 …and was improved upon by coach H beginning in 1990. Imagine Kent State in first-place in the MAC, defeating a top-20 club, and the #1 defense in the conference both years since coach H arrived. So do you honestly think that those players that we lost were simply “dead wood”? We have never recovered from that disastrous start, and unless Strollo plans on keeping W for 10-years …we probably never will …no matter who is the defensive coordinator.
a.   Our defense is not as good as this summer led us to believe. All that happened is that they figured out coach Shane’s offense. However, this does not mean that they are a good defense. It simply means that they are a good defense against YSU’s offense. The answer is, in part, a dedication to scout team play.

3.   Scout teams: In case no one has noticed …coach M’s offenses are quite complex and quite unique.
a.   Can we recruit the level of talent needed to execute this? Especially at QB.
b.   Can we ever have a good defense, practicing against this offense? The answer is “no”. Why? Because it is unique and we are never going to see it during the season. Yet, this offense has the potential to devastate any defense we face. So how do we keep this offense & still have a Penguin defense?  SCOUT TEAMS.
c.   Scout teams have to step up and give the defense a completely different offense. One that they are going to see in the MVFC. Tressel and Heacock had great scout players, and plenty of them.

4.   Offense: I am still firmly in the camp of Coach Shane & Kurt Hess …although my confidence is certainly shaken.
a.   I would like to see the addition of a power set. Two backs in an “I” and remove the x-back for a second TE.
b.   More depth to the front line

5.   Special teams: Simply learn to cover. How could we allow our walls to collapse to often? Simply because they are playing speed. Slow down and get the man with the ball. I still cannot believe how impressive ILS’ kick coverage is.
a.   Learn to tackle
b.   In kicking, this is another area that tell me that Wolf cannot recruit. Why do we have only a single kicker right now? Just so we can go out and get another JUCO? We have a senior kicker, and Junio punter, with no back-up! What is wrong with this picture? Yes I know that both Brown and List can punt, and both kick …but that is no excuse. Furthermore, Brown’s leg is fine & more directional on kick-offs than List's. The few times that he had done it …he looks good. Maybe it is height? No I think he was prematurely "yanked" from his job.

It's not whether you win or lose: Everyone knows the old adage right? Wolf is an Ursuline guy. He knows how football is played around here. So why does he not do it? Why does he not realize we would rather win a game by the score of 3-0 ...than 45-42? Coach Tressel came in a played the Narduzzi pro-set. He did not win. He switched to the option & people complained heavily in 1989 ...but they were praising the man by 1991. Heacock came in and changed nothing. So even though the success was not where we wanted it ...the team was worth every dime spent to watch them. Wolf, you come in here and play a completely different style of football. We are willing to see if it works. Well, three years and it has not worked. Worse, there has been no improvement in defense and special teams. Your teams are not worth watching because of this.

[Pizza]

Best teams in the NFL...San Fran...et al.....run pro downhill. In the NCAA, Alabama....run pro....down hill. HS teams Ignatius, Ursuline, Mooney (not this year).....use a fullback and run downhill. USC in the past, downhill with an occassional rollout, boot.

Big bodies beating people up, and "play action" pass of of that. Been "tried" and "true" for 60 years at every level.

Oregon and Coldwater are the exceptions.

They are just two

[GuinsAndNoles]

Pizza, all those teams have great defenses too. I think that running downhill is more of a conservative, consistent approach that good defenses allow you to have. Sort of a "don't lose the game on offense and let the defense win" kind of approach. I fear if we start running it we will simply lose 31-14 instead of 38-35. The offense has not been perfect, but it's the only good side of this team.