3 simple steps to take to have a great season.....this year and beyond....

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

1) promote a couple of the freshmen OL now....and get it over with....you can't build continuity with constant change on the OL. However, a couple of these guys have proven for a lot of years now they are not D1 talent . Build for the future get the talent in place for the reps necessary as fast as you can.

2) Promote some emotion along with the teaching of the young players. The Mr Peabody approach to coaching is fine, but someone on the staff besides coach chaos has to get people ready mentally to play with spirit and confidence from the get go.

3) Rely on the franchise guy in your backfield at money time.

4) McSorley has to protect that football. All youthful errors and injuries aside Saturday, if he protects the ball PSU wins. If he cannot protect the ball....which I think he is smart and capable enough to do......."Tommy can you hear me?"

The rest is just in experience and confidence building.... I think we have a great coaching staff in place for that. Game day adjustments will come faster as the players are ready and seasoned. We have some great skilled people.

Conner back makes Pitt a very different team than Pitt without Conner. Go back and look at the films of Conner tearing up defenses two years back. The experience + Conner being back won the day. But not by much. PSU with a couple tweaks a little sooner wins the game. Pitt will do better than expected as the year goes on. So, will PSU, with a few adjustments. Thing is, if the proper adjustments are made..... we have 2-3 more years of super talent + the experience.

The OL remains the key.

 

[sluggo72]

How different is that game if we eliminate just half of the TO's??

 

[mn78psu83]

1) promote a couple of the freshmen OL now....and get it over with....you can't build continuity with constant change on the OL. However, a couple of these guys have proven for a lot of years now they are not D1 talent . Build for the future get the talent in place for the reps necessary as fast as you can.

Has to happen. Not sure who or how many, but someone has to get a shot.

3) Rely on the franchise guy in your backfield at money time.

Use him in the passing game more when they're successfully keying him on the run. He caught a couple of passes on Saturday - 2 catches for 45 yards and a TD. Make them cover him. There was no way the Pitt LBs could stay with him. Throw screens to him. Get him the ball in space any which way you can.

 

[blion72]

1) promote a couple of the freshmen OL now....and get it over with....you can't build continuity with constant change on the OL. However, a couple of these guys have proven for a lot of years now they are not D1 talent . Build for the future get the talent in place for the reps necessary as fast as you can.

Has to happen. Not sure who or how many, but someone has to get a shot.

3) Rely on the franchise guy in your backfield at money time.

Use him in the passing game more when they're successfully keying him on the run. He caught one ball on Saturday - 2 catches for 45 yards and a TD. Make them cover him. There was no way the Pitt LBs could stay with him. Throw screens to him.

I am assuming that nobody has been promoted because the younger guys must not have turned out to be everything they were cracked up to be. any 4/5* OL should walk into a FCS/D2 school and start as a FR. Many of our current OL are no better than FCS/D2 level.

 

[Sooner Lion]

Disagree. Menet owned Gary in the camps. Gary is getting a ton of press right now at Michigan. No reason in the world Menet should not start. I get the "we have to rebuild properly." Still being coach in a few years trumps the redshirt.

 

[Ranger Dan]

2) Promote some emotion along with the teaching of the young players. The Mr Peabody approach to coaching is fine, but someone on the staff besides coach chaos has to get people ready mentally to play with spirit and confidence from the get go.

I agree with your points, but I don't think the head coach needs to be or even should be a red faced maniac (Brian Kelly, etc.). Even the coordinators should have composure and think and act in an intelligent manner. These coaches make critical decisions throughout the game and you can't make measured decisions when you are screaming at people. The position coaches, on the other hand, need to get their players motivated. This, in a physical sport like football, often requires some screaming and yelling to get their point across.

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

I agree with your points, but I don't think the head coach needs to be or even should be a red faced maniac (Brian Kelly, etc.). Even the coordinators should have composure and think and act in an intelligent manner. These coaches make critical decisions throughout the game and you can't make measured decisions when you are screaming at people. The position coaches, on the other hand, need to get their players motivated. This, in a physical sport like football, often requires some screaming and yelling to get their point across.

Agree absolutely.... many great coaches show passion while not crossing the line that Kelly does.....he is am imbecile and his on the field record over time will bear this fact out. Yes, a head coach can farm out the passion to his subordinate coaches.... but once in a while the guy in charge has step up and say it's time to follow me..... I really give a shit about this game and you do too. When the delegating does not focus the troops.... the general needs to take charge.