Thoughts after Vandy. I know some are TGOTO....

[thekimmer]

1) Our current offensive struggle has nothing to do with the notion that the air raid just won't work in the SEC. Exhibit A of this is we just laid a 205 yard turd against the NCAA's #96 defense. Vandy's defense is terrible by any league's standard. Based on that logic it is apparent we would be seeing the same result no matter where we played. Perhaps the air raid won't work in the SEC but this year's effort does not prove that.

2) Perhaps its just his way, but Mike Leach is acting more like a failing 3 or 4 year coach and not a first year guy. He's already throwing players and fans alike under the bus. In normal circumstances a year 1 guy is preaching patience and trying to reassure the masses. I know he is a bit different but talking about his entire team as being wide eyed with blank stares is not going to win the locker room. Suggesting to fans that perhaps they should find another team to support is insane.

3) Based on his track record, I am not ready to give up on Mike Leach, but even if we wanted to we cannot fire him for at least 3 years. Then again, I am not convinced he is going to stick around. To me he just doesn't act like a guy who is in this for the long haul. Maybe that is part of the problem.

4) Leach's and Cohen's fate are irreversibly linked. If Leach does not turn this around a new AD will be making the next hire and rightfully so. Cohen started the ball rolling in this direction by whiffing with Moorhead. Then he doubled down by hiring a guy who's scheme required burning to the ground the house that mullins built. JC might not survive this regardless but if Leach is fired or just leaves out of frustration, Cohen will either beat him or follow him out the door.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Mike Leach, 11_03_2012, Year 1, Same guy



"...part of it is effort and some of it borders on cowardice..."

"...if our 5 guys went into an alley and got into a fight with 2 of theirs, our 5 would've gotten massacred..."

"...when you have 30 seconds or less to throw the ball, it's hard to gauge what they are doing..."

 

[RiverCityDawg]

1) Our current offensive struggle has nothing to do with the notion that the air raid just won't work in the SEC. Exhibit A of this is we just laid a 205 yard turd against the NCAA's #96 defense. Vandy's defense is terrible by any league's standard. Based on that logic it is apparent we would be seeing the same result no matter where we played. Perhaps the air raid won't work in the SEC but this year's effort does not prove that.

2) Perhaps its just his way, but Mike Leach is acting more like a failing 3 or 4 year coach and not a first year guy. He's already throwing players and fans alike under the bus. In normal circumstances a year 1 guy is preaching patience and trying to reassure the masses. I know he is a bit different but talking about his entire team as being wide eyed with blank stares is not going to win the locker room. Suggesting to fans that perhaps they should find another team to support is insane.

3) Based on his track record, I am not ready to give up on Mike Leach, but even if we wanted to we cannot fire him for at least 3 years. Then again, I am not convinced he is going to stick around. To me he just doesn't act like a guy who is in this for the long haul. Maybe that is part of the problem.

4) Leach's and Cohen's fate are irreversibly linked. If Leach does not turn this around a new AD will be making the next hire and rightfully so. Cohen started the ball rolling in this direction by whiffing with Moorhead. Then he doubled down by hiring a guy who's scheme required burning to the ground the house that mullins built. JC might not survive this regardless but if Leach is fired or just leaves out of frustration, Cohen will either beat him or follow him out the door.

Good post. Point 1 is being missed by a lot of folks. Maybe it will work maybe it won't, but we're l not even to the ground level to get a fair determination yet.

Point 3 is spot on.

I disagree about Leach's demeanor. I think if he were a "normal" kind of coach I would agree, but he's just a different kind of guy. I think that's just the way he is. He was asked specific questions on those things by the media and gave his honest blunt answer.

 

[Shmuley]

"Oh, we're gonna lose some of 'em [current players]."

 

[Russ Wheeler]

Here's a nugget for you - Leach never played football. For a guy who preaches toughness, it's ironic that he never actually went through the work necessary to be a great football player.

I also want to be clear - I like Leach, always have. I didn't want him at MSU, but still. His brand works in some places, but MSU just isn't one of them. His brand relies on being mentally tough, rather than physically tough. The Air Raid in and of itself is not a 'tough' system. It's the definition of finesse.

Being mentally tough is a good thing for MSU, don't get me wrong. It's good for anybody. But Mike Leach preaching being 'tough' to Mississippi boys is kinda laughable.

Mike Leach should be at Arkansas, Kentucky or Tennessee, honestly, if he wants the SEC. Maybe even Texas A&M. MSU just isn't the right place, but whatever, Cohen gonna Cohen. And I was Cohen's biggest supporter back in the day. Proved me dead wrong.

 

[Imadick]

I disagree on point 1 somewhat. What I see is that any SEC defense dropping 8 can shut his air attach down. The teams out West didn't have the emphasis on defense like SEC teams.

On point 2 he is just a wack job. Entertaining is you don't care about winning. I read his books and looked forward to this year. Now not so much. I'll always pull for MSU but I don't have expectations of decent seasons in the foreseeable future.

 

[Imadick]

30 seconds? Who the hell has 30 seconds to pass?

 

[thekimmer]

Are you suggesting THIS OFFENSE could move the ball on teams out west?

I disagree on point 1 somewhat. What I see is that any SEC defense dropping 8 can shut his air attach down. The teams out West didn't have the emphasis on defense like SEC teams.

On point 2 he is just a wack job. Entertaining is you don't care about winning. I read his books and looked forward to this year. Now not so much. I'll always pull for MSU but I don't have expectations of decent seasons in the foreseeable future.

nm

 

[horshack.sixpack]

30 seconds? Who the hell has 30 seconds to pass?

he was referring to his defense sucking too. be glad we don't have that to contend with as well.

 

[PineGroveBully]

People forget that Cohen has the jet fueled to go get Joe Judge, who seems to be cooking in NY, to use today’s vernacular.

 

[boatsandhoes]

@ the thread in general. Just my thoughts....non-drunk ones.


1. He doesn’t give a rip what fans think, and I’m ok with that.
2. Having played the game has nothing to do with it. plenty of great coaches never played the game.
3. I thinks he wants to be here, and I don’t think he’s coasting
4. If he could do it at Kentucky he can do it here. the sec isn’t different than it was then. I think it was tougher then. Rules are tighter now so it’s probably easier to score. Athletes now aren’t nearly as tough.
5 if he could win at WSU, TTU, then he can win here.
6. I have no doubt he’s seen rush 3 drop 8 a billion times. I have no idea why we suck so bad. I don’t think it’s because he doesn’t know what to do. Hell, we can’t block the 3, the oline must really be terrible.
7. This thing must have really been a colossal mess. Kylin Hill has always been a turd. it has nothing to do with the flag, it needed to be changed.
8. I’m hoping he needs a full offseason, and a qb he has time to train....whoever that qb is. None of his qbs at tech or WSU were world beaters, but they sure knew exactly what to do with the ball.

 

[RocketDawg]

Neither did Hugh Freeze and a handful of other college coaches.

 

[RockKickinSandPoundinSOB]

Here's a nugget for you - Leach never played football. For a guy who preaches toughness, it's ironic that he never actually went through the work necessary to be a great football player.

I also want to be clear - I like Leach, always have. I didn't want him at MSU, but still. His brand works in some places, but MSU just isn't one of them. His brand relies on being mentally tough, rather than physically tough. The Air Raid in and of itself is not a 'tough' system. It's the definition of finesse.

Being mentally tough is a good thing for MSU, don't get me wrong. It's good for anybody. But Mike Leach preaching being 'tough' to Mississippi boys is kinda laughable.

Mike Leach should be at Arkansas, Kentucky or Tennessee, honestly, if he wants the SEC. Maybe even Texas A&M. MSU just isn't the right place, but whatever, Cohen gonna Cohen. And I was Cohen's biggest supporter back in the day. Proved me dead wrong.

lol Um what does playing the game have to do with anything? Far more coaches who played have sucked *** as coaches than have not. There’s an extensive list you can figure out. Croom and Moorhead for starters.

 

[operch]

I disagree on point 1 somewhat. What I see is that any SEC defense dropping 8 can shut his air attach down. The teams out West didn't have the emphasis on defense like SEC teams.

On point 2 he is just a wack job. Entertaining is you don't care about winning. I read his books and looked forward to this year. Now not so much. I'll always pull for MSU but I don't have expectations of decent seasons in the foreseeable future.

You need to get rid of that Avatar. Somebody will think you believe in Leach.

 

[BigDawg0074]

1. You are right they this season’s failings are not due to a bad system. They are just playing poorly. This OL would be getting whipped no matter what play was being called.
2. and 3. Leach is just being himself. He gives honest answers and he is willing to say the quiet part out loud. Leach is willing to say the kinds of things we see anonymous message board posters say every day. I do not believe he is a quitter and there is no reason to believe that he isn’t going to try his hardest to produce a competitive football team.
4. You are right about Cohen but I would go further and say he should be replaced regardless of wether Leach succeeds. There is plenty of other evidence of Cohen’s mismanagement of athletics in general. However, if Leach can win 3-4 conference games a year Cohen’s job will be safe barring a complete collapse of all other programs.

 

[Imadick]

You need to get rid of that Avatar. Somebody will think you believe in Leach.

Had that long before Leach. My sailboat’s name is Piratesden.

 

[kired]

@1 - everyone seems to overlook that we just started 3 true freshmen, with one of those being our QB. Plus a freshman OL that's well down the depth chart getting his first career start. I know we got tired of hearing the "young" excuse from Mullen when he'd have a team full of redshirt sophomores and juniors starting. But that may have legitimately been one of the youngest offenses we've started in a long time. Also consider our best WR is a juco transfer, and our starting center is a transfer with no playing time before this year. And due to lack of depth we're having to line up TEs at WR now.

Our offense is just a mess all around - but it's certainly not all due to "can't run the air raid in the SEC" (although I do have major concerns with that just due to the talent of d-linemen in the SEC).

 

[missouridawg]

Am I the only one who's never seen TGOTO?

 

[CochiseCowbell]

I'm on day two of wondering what it means.

 

[stateu1]

Am I the only one who's never seen TGOTO?

Nope

 

[thekimmer]

Tremendous Grasp Of The Obvious