Moments Of Epic Brain Lock I Can't Begin To Explain.

Quoner · November 23, 2009

These are all things you guys have said during TD's tenure and before. If we have a new coach, we are very likely to be in the same boat or worse, three years behind where we are now.

How do you get three years behind where we are now? -1 and 13?

houstonmeangreen · November 23, 2009

Worst in-game coaching I have seen at the collegiate level in my entire life. Period.
Lance Dunbar being essentially ignored - he averaged 10 yds per carry on 13 attempts.
on 3rd and 1, with a chance to essentially ice the game, all the momentum, and Dunbar literally unstoppable -- you run a meek little sweep for Riley, who goes down easily in the backfield and almost fumbles the thing yet again. Dunbar was a decoy.
Immediately after this, you take a TO to debate your next move - makes sense, because you've been unable to recruit even a below adequate kicker in three years - and apparently decide to go for it. You send the offense back out, your QB - and son - begin SCREAMING at you, arms flailing, because they have no clue what to do. YOU CALL ANOTHER TIME OUT. Army players are looking at each other like they can't believe what's happening.
Then, you send out the worst kicker in football, who does exactly what's expected and gets the kick blocked (after just missing yet another PAT).
Earlier in the game, mind you, you got a delay of game penalty COMING OUT OF A TIME OUT. This was the most inept use of three time outs in the history of organized sport.
Then, to compound things, Army is forced to punt w/ 12 seconds to go. Time to rush it, or at least run one more play from decent field position. YOU DON'T BOTHER CATCHING THE PUNT. Army players again look at each other and begin laughing incredulously as the sit around and watch the ball wobble to a stop while the game clock expires.
I've often thought we overrated the talent on this team, but today, I saw things differently. We were better than Army at almost every position, and literally seemed to TRY to give the thing away. Our coach IS Vic Trilli. Period. We talk about wanting to turn things around, learning curves, etc. - but what Pop Warner coach makes the mistakes that Football Trilli made today?
Who can defend the fact that HE CAN'T COACH?!? Have you EVER felt we outcoached somebody? Do you really think there's ANY chance of that happening? Do you not sense the impending doom of seemingly GIVING games away?

totally agree and well said....so many thnigs I just can't believe....painful...turnovers, RD errors, special teams. lack of adjustments, not agreesive enough on defense, lack of urgency when things start going badly, etc, etc.

time for a change.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · November 23, 2009

These are all things you guys have said during TD's tenure and before. If we have a new coach, we are very likely to be in the same boat or worse, three years behind where we are now.

Baloney. We're in the Sun Belt. College coaches have made one year turnarounds in much tougher conferences. A college coach could easily come in here and have this thing competitive next year. The examples are legion.

Our problem is that our athletic director sells the program short by not going out and pursuing every possible coach out there. Most of the coordinators in FBS are making less money than Todd Dodge makes. Yes, that's right. Even what we pay Todd Dodge makes be a raise for many excellent college assistants. For a pay raise many would jump at the chance to prove their mettle as a head coach. The problem is, Rick Villarreal has to get on the phone and ask.

It would be a riase for Major Applewhite, assistant head coach and running backs coach at Texas

It would be a raise for Clint Bowen, Kansas' defensive coordinator.

It would be a raise for Eric Russell, Texas Tech's special teams coach.

It would be a raise for John L. Smith, former head coach at Idaho, Utah State, Louisville, and Michigan State, now making $70k less than Dodge as an assistant at Arkansas.

It would be a raise for Walt Harris, former head coach at Pacfic, Pitt, and Stanford, now an assistant at Akron making $205k less than Dodge.

It would be a raise for Tim Kish, assistant head coach and LB coach at Arizona

It would be a raise for both Bryan Harsin and Justin Wilcox, the offensive and defensive coordinators at Boise State.

The list goes on and on and on. There are hundreds of coaches out there. Good, solid college assistants who are making less money than Todd Dodge, at both BCS and non-BCS schools.

Unlike some of you, I don't discount our school. There are coaches who would gladly take a pay raise to get come to this school and get their shot. There are even former coaches standing on other sidelines now who would like another shot.

I guarantee you that any of the assistants I've listed above would have this thing running neck and neck with Troy and Middle Tennessee for the Sun Belt title next year. Every single one of them has more experience than Todd Dodge. Additionally, John L. Smith has put programs back on the right track. Walt Harris brought Pitt out of its doledrums and recruited the likes of Larry Fitzgerald.

Rick now has a new stadium to sell a new coach on. He needs to strike while the iron is hot.

jimmyjames_99 · November 23, 2009

I called both the blocked FG and the last pick before they happened. With a normal team you would be going out on a limb making calls like that in public. With us, you are just playing the percentages, because those are the expected results, not the exception. I would say it was an unbelievable way to lose, but it wasn't. Sadly, it was very believable and not unexpected.

That's what concerns me the most... they are the expected results not the exceptions...And we find a way to live up to them!

I really believe Dodge will be here through his contracted 5yrs no matter the record. I think next year will be better, somehow. I have always thought Dodge was on a steep learning curve and was doing the stuff necessary to build this team to be better, and given the time this team would get the wins.

However, the 2 TO's in a row is purely a coaching failure and was the straw that broke the camels back on whether I believe if Dodge can get us out of the basement.