Plan B

Harry · September 27, 2015

Ok so the start of the season has not worked out so great and we are 0-3. Here are my suggestions to get this thing back on track:

Get out of the fetal position and quit feeling sorry for yourself. Quit blaming, coaches, players and fans. Stand up straight and walk tall. You aren't the only college football team in this predicament.

#Hit1 needs to be the new moniker. This program needs to get 1 win period right now. We have a 2-week period against a C-USA team on the road and an FCS team at home. YOU HAVE TO WIN ONE OF THESE TWO GAMES. Southern Miss will be tough because it is on the road. Portland State is homecoming but they are good. Winning both would be great but you have to at least go 1 for 2 or the wheels come off.

Open up the playbook. No more grind em out type of game plans. I want to see us going for it on 4th, and throwing it a lot on 1st down. A close loss is still a loss.

Simplify things. Let's ditch the QB exams this week. Let's set up the schemes to make it easy to react NOT think...

If players aren't producing give new guys a chance. I don't care if they are scholarship or not -- we need more guys that can play with the lights on.

If we get inside the red zone we have to go for 7 unless there are special circumstances. This is a young defense that is trying to find itself. Please stop putting more weight on their shoulder. You need 7 points whenever you have it deep in their territory even if it means going for it on 4th down sometimes.

There needs to be a sense of urgency this next two weeks! It could be the difference between a down year and a disaster year.

KingDL1 · September 27, 2015

Do we have any alumni with any eligibility left?

oldguystudent · September 27, 2015

Isn't Plan B like an abortion in pill form?

Cerebus · September 27, 2015

I think what Harry is saying here is "It's time for the Green Team."

greenit · September 27, 2015

Well, they did win the spring game.

KingDL1 · September 27, 2015

I think what Harry is saying here is "It's time for the Green Team."

Wow I forgot about that. Was that Dickey?

DeepGreen · September 27, 2015

Well, they did win the spring game.

Cerebus may be referring to the Dickey "Green Team" that did very well in a couple of games. Better than the starting 11 on offense.

Cerebus · September 27, 2015

Wow I forgot about that. Was that Dickey?

Yeah it was in 2006.

Side Show Joe · September 27, 2015

This season isn't officially a bust yet. We still have 9 games left to win 6 (but I'm willing to invoke the mercy rule if we lose to Portland State and drop to 0-5). The bigger problem is our leadership has ignored the obvious issues facing this program. And now they are ignoring the frustrations of the fans.

Back in April, when our White team won the Spring Game, the only thing being reported was McNulty's 350 yards passing. No one wanted to report on the fact that even with his large numbers, the Green team lost to the backups. Williams had a very nice game in very limited time, and some how slid to third string, before leaving the program, and Smith not being eligible for Spring ball was a huge red flag. Everyone who was being honest with themselves knew we would probably be in trouble this season. Everyone but those in charge of our program.

Mean_Green09 · September 27, 2015

Ok so the start of the season has not worked out so great and we are 0-3. Here are my suggestions to get this thing back on track:
Get out of the fetal position and quit feeling sorry for yourself. Quit blaming, coaches, players and fans. Stand up straight and walk tall. You aren't the only college football team in this predicament.
#Hit1 needs to be the new moniker. This program needs to get 1 win period right now. We have a 2-week period against a C-USA team on the road and an FCS team at home. YOU HAVE TO WIN ONE OF THESE TWO GAMES. Southern Miss will be tough because it is on the road. Portland State is homecoming but they are good. Winning both would be great but you have to at least go 1 for 2 or the wheels come off.
Open up the playbook. No more grind em out type of game plans. I want to see us going for it on 4th, and throwing it a lot on 1st down. A close loss is still a loss.
Simplify things. Let's ditch the QB exams this week. Let's set up the schemes to make it easy to react NOT think...
If players aren't producing give new guys a chance. I don't care if they are scholarship or not -- we need more guys that can play with the lights on.

If we get inside the red zone we have to go for 7 unless there are special circumstances. This is a young defense that is trying to find itself. Please stop putting more weight on their shoulder. You need 7 points whenever you have it deep in their territory even if it means going for it on 4th down sometimes.
There needs to be a sense of urgency this next two weeks! It could be the difference between a down year and a disaster year.

Throwing it 40 times a game with McNulty is not a good game plan.

The offense isn't complicated I don't know why people think it is. A lot of McNulty's throws are predetermined. He isn't sitting back there reading the D.

The offense has to be reworked to protect the QB we don't have.

The HC is an old crotchety man who is stubborn and set in his ways. He brought all these problems, issues, and questions. Your asking him to do things that he isn't comfortable doing.

The only people feeling sorry for themselves is really just the players. The coaches believe they are doin the right thing. The fans well they are just pissed and ready to burn this thing to the ground.

The best thing to do is to start preparing future. Play as many young guys as possible. Get them experience.

Edited September 27, 2015 by Mean_Green09

foutsrouts · September 27, 2015

Throwing it 40 times a game with McNulty is not a good game plan.
The offense isn't complicated I don't know why people think it is. A lot of McNulty's throws are predetermined. He isn't sitting back there reading the D.
The offense has to be reworked to protect the QB we don't have.
The HC is an old crotchety man who is stubborn and set in his ways. He brought all these problems, issues, and questions. Your asking him to do things that he isn't comfortable doing.
The only people feeling sorry for themselves is really just the players. The coaches believe they are doin the right thing. The fans well they are just pissed and ready to burn this thing to the ground.
The best thing to do is to start preparing future. Play as many young guys as possible. Get them experience.

I agree with that in principle, especially on the defensive line, but I also think we should be putting the best upperclassmen on the field in the defensive back 7 which I think we often are not. Wallace got his chance at MLB yesterday and he looked the part, and why isn't Sed Ellis out there more? I haven't seen the participation report yet, but we need our best tacklers out there. I think we are missing Buyers more than many expected. Whitfield has skills, but he tends to get burned way to often, so I'm not sure what the solution is with our corners.

GMG24 · September 27, 2015

I agree with that in principle, especially on the defensive line, but I also think we should be putting the best upperclassmen on the field in the defensive back 7 which I think we often are not. Wallace got his chance at MLB yesterday and he looked the part, and why isn't Sed Ellis out there more? I haven't seen the participation report yet, but we need our best tacklers out there. I think we are missing Buyers more than many expected. Whitfield has skills, but he tends to get burned way to often, so I'm not sure what the solution is with our corners.

solution for corners is get them coached up... Don't get beat deep, quit lining up 13 yards off the WR and giving them 6-8 yards on a throw that doesn't even cross the LOS. It's elementary football things that are getting us beat. Wallace, while he made some amazing plays just can't get it done, slide Fred back to MLB, slide finney to Sam, and let Ellis or whomever else we need to fill in. Our best playmakers on D stand on the sideline half the freaking game and it drives me nuts. I know when Bean comes back we will be back to same old, but every time Brandon Garner (sp) steps on the field he is either making a tackle or forcing it for an assist, or he is around the ball in some capacity. This is a kid who needs to see more PT

Rudy · September 28, 2015

If Plan B doesn't work, there is always Plan C...

Mike Jackson · September 28, 2015

Any game plan that has McNulty not holding a clip board on the sidelines is a losing game plan. But if the staff is stubborn enough to play him again they need to run the spread option like the QB running is a real option. I want the QB to carry the ball at least 5 times and maybe as many as 15 if they gain 5 yards or more each time. Also we need to take at least 7 good deep shots down the field 25 yards plus in the air. On defense they need to body up the receivers at least 1/3 of the time. You can't give away 5 yard completions and hope to get teams in 3rd down and long. More blitzing from the secondary too, zone blitzing no cover 0.

Censored by Laurie · September 28, 2015

Isn't Plan B like an abortion in pill form?

#planBUNT

multiple avenues of interpretation

KingDL1 · September 28, 2015

Any game plan that has McNulty not holding a clip board on the sidelines is a losing game plan. But if the staff is stubborn enough to play him again they need to run the spread option like the QB running is a real option. I want the QB to carry the ball at least 5 times and maybe as many as 15 if they gain 5 yards or more each time. Also we need to take at least 7 good deep shots down the field 25 yards plus in the air. On defense they need to body up the receivers at least 1/3 of the time. You can't give away 5 yard completions and hope to get teams in 3rd down and long. More blitzing from the secondary too, zone blitzing no cover 0.

Greer does not appear to be as good as McNulty, So we would need DaMarcus Smith to step up but I have no idea what he can do.

Mike Jackson · September 28, 2015

Greer does not appear to be as good as McNulty, So we would need DaMarcus Smith to step up but I have no idea what he can do.

Yes, Greer is the worst QB I have ever seen on the FBS level. Unfortunately, I doubt we see Smith get quality playing time before November. Our coaching staff is just doesn't teach well enough or is just too stubborn to play him. Greer should never see the field again unless there are multiple QB injuries. I would rather see Carolos Harris as an option QB with the Jimmy Show and Wilson behind him than Greer at QB. I'm just wondering what the hell happened to Conner Means. The most depressing thing about it is that if Mac stays how in the hell are going to recruit QB talent with this track record with the position. If we are going to lose let lose with a QB throwing for 400 yards and 3 touchdowns and have the ball in the 4th quarter with a chance to tie the game or take the lead.

Edited September 28, 2015 by Mike Jackson

GrandGreen · September 28, 2015

I wonder how anyone that watched the last game, thinks that NT has a better option at Qb.

It is way too early, to give up and play for next year. This team has some talent particularly among the younger players. The offense actually looked respectable for 2 1/2 quarters. There are obviously major problems on the defensive side. Linebacker play is lacking and the defensive backfield is in shambles.

It can be turned around enough to at least be competitive in about half the games left. Three or four wins this year is a modest but still attainable goal with a remote chance that the team could get substantially better.

casual fan · September 28, 2015

There is an old saying: If it ain't broke don't fix it.

That ain't the case here.

If we lose the next 2, we better pull the plug and try to salvage something good from this season by playing the players who will be around next year.

Find out who can play and who can't. Let them gain experience this year rather than trying to figure it out next year.

ChristopherRyanWilkes · September 28, 2015

Yeah it was in 2006.

Never knew about that, I like it. Did the 1st team offense start the next week?

MeanGreenHoops · September 28, 2015

There is an old saying: If it ain't broke don't fix it.
That ain't the case here.
If we lose the next 2, we better pull the plug and try to salvage something good from this season by playing the players who will be around next year.
Find out who can play and who can't. Let them gain experience this year rather than trying to figure it out next year.

I've seen this narrative of play the young guys because it's not working posted quite a bit too. But, from what I've seen we are already playing a lot of young guys. I'm not sure how many young guys are left that aren't playing.

Off the top of my head, on the O-line we've had two freshman see major playing time. RB has Wilson (SO) an Ivery (SO) getting some time. At WR, Goree and Smiley are FR/SO plus Rutherford has been on the field.

ON defense, Roderick Young FR started against Iowa. Tuaallo (sp?) FR got lots of playing time. There are more there. Garner FR is starting at LB.

Preston (FR) is in some at Corner and Both safeties are starting for the 1st Time, SO and Juco.

So the play the young guys thing is kind of already happening. I'm choosing to use this as the explanation for our struggles and that it we'll be better in the next few years because the alternative is it that there is no hope

Edited September 28, 2015 by MeanGreenHoops

Cerebus · September 28, 2015

I'm choosing to use this as the explanation for our struggles and that it we'll be better in the next few years because the alternative is it that there is no hope

There is always a Plan B...