Press Conference

[Sportsfan]

Weekly Narrative:  We follow a process that is leading to terrible results, so we have to fix the problems.

Translation = Our coaches are not very good in determining/calling what defense we should be in, or what plays to call.

I do agree with him in that he has enough quality players with experience to win.  Coach Wright is obvisouly in way over his head as DC.

Can he really fix the coaching staff issues this year?  Fixing this problem seen like a offseason action, not something you can do mid-season.

He definitely seems like a good person, and takes accountability.  Seems the breakdown came when he hired Coach Wright to be Special teams coordinator, Coach Bailey bails on him (after 1 year), and he promotes Coach Wright to DC (who btw, spent most of his short career coaching special teams)

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Sportsfan

[zigo230]

It's a bad situation.  As noted in the other thread UB ranked is dead last, 133 in a publication that follows NCAA college football pretty closely.  That's pretty much a guarantee that several decent players, especially on offense, will be in the portal faster than we can blink.  I can see Nik McMillan taking his talents elsewhere.  No one really wants to hang around the bottom team.  Hopefully these players and coaches have enough pride and work ethic to get this somewhat pointed in the right direction when the MAC schedule starts.

[promotherobot]

Mo is the team CEO and he's entering his third season. I gave him a mulligan year one because of the short offseason. He pulled it together late last year. To take such a huge step back in year three in unacceptable. But UB isn't a program that can eat contracts so he's here to stay for a while.

Edited September 20, 2023 by promotherobot

[UB92]

On 9/20/2023 at 7:44 AM, Sportsfan said:

Weekly Narrative:  We follow a process that is leading to terrible results, so we have to fix the problems.

Translation = Our coaches are not very good in determining/calling what defense we should be in, or what plays to call.

I do agree with him in that he has enough quality players with experience to win.  Coach Wright is obvisouly in way over his head as DC.

Can he really fix the coaching staff issues this year?  Fixing this problem seen like a offseason action, not something you can do mid-season.

Can you speak to this point I have bolded a bit more?

What do you see (beyond the obvious points, yards, etc.) that point to him being over his head?   

[Sportsfan]

1 hour ago, UB92 said:

Can you speak to this point I have bolded a bit more?

What do you see (beyond the obvious points, yards, etc.) that point to him being over his head?   

Not a reflection on his potential, but this is not a resume of experiences of a Defensive Coordinator for team aspiring to be MAC Champions and was recently in the Top 25.

 

[clodney]

5 minutes ago, Sportsfan said:

Not a reflection on his potential, but this is not a resume of experiences of a Defensive Coordinator for team aspiring to be MAC Champions and was recently in the Top 25.

 

There are phenomenal analysts who can assess problems and find solutions, and then there are phenomenal coaches who can motivate and game manage. The fact that our Defensive Coordinator has no experience beyond senior level analyst might explain why our defense is giving up 120+ypg more than a year ago and now sits at 3rd from last in all of FBS. He may not have the coaching qualities necessary to lead - even though he's a great analytical mind.

[UB92]

58 minutes ago, Sportsfan said:

Not a reflection on his potential, but this is not a resume of experiences of a Defensive Coordinator for team aspiring to be MAC Champions and was recently in the Top 25.

 

I know...I read his bio before.   But I strongly expect that you can find a similar bio for other G5 coaches in their first season as a DC with a defense that was predicted to be okay not be, basically, last in D1.   

Do you have any specifics?  Do others have specifics on why we have performed so bad that can be laid specifically on this DC?

Note that I am not a DC apologist (obviously), but am trying to figure out why we are so porous on defensive when there was much optimism on this side of the ball prior to the start of the year.

[Sportsfan]

On 9/22/2023 at 11:54 AM, UB92 said:

I know...I read his bio before.   But I strongly expect that you can find a similar bio for other G5 coaches in their first season as a DC with a defense that was predicted to be okay not be, basically, last in D1.   

Do you have any specifics?  Do others have specifics on why we have performed so bad that can be laid specifically on this DC?

Note that I am not a DC apologist (obviously), but am trying to figure out why we are so porous on defensive when there was much optimism on this side of the ball prior to the start of the year.

Your choices 

1. Players 

2. Coaches 

3. Scheme 

4. All of the Above

 

Note:  Defense has 3 new coaches out of 5, and one being the DC who never was a position coach in FBS. 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Sportsfan

[UBinMD]

10 hours ago, Sportsfan said:

Your choices 

1. Players 

2. Coaches 

3. Scheme 

4. All of the Above

 

Note:  Defense has 3 new coaches out of 5, and one being the DC who never was a position coach in FBS. 

I honestly think it is a combination of 2 & 3.  I think the coaches are learning on the fly and similar to players, the game speed in D-1 is a different level and the adjustments haven't been made. The player are asked to follow the "process" and the "schemes" so they get that drilled in and they execute the plan, however, if the plan is flawed there are going to be problems. A couple of examples:

1. I can count at least 10 different occasions in the first 4 games alone, where there have been gaping holes in the middle of the DL and no LB or S anywhere to be seen. That is a scheme issue. If both DT get taken out, there has to be a Plan B. That is a scheme problem and more importantly, the defensive coaches have obviously not figured out what their Plan B is.

2. Our bubble screens and throws in the flat are not working. I think it is mainly because it is not done fast enough. We are almost in slow motion making sure everyone is where they are supposed to be and trying to be precise, however, the defenses are too fast for that and the plays need to be fast and instinctual. The pick 6 this weekend was a direct result of that. We ran that same play with a group of 3 receivers multiple times and 1 man for Louisiana reacted faster to the pass than the 3 WRs that knew it was coming and they waited for the ball so the other 2 could block. This can also be said of our "delayed handoff" style of run game. It's not working. They need to make the handoff and go. I understand RPO football, but out handoff style is way too dramatic and the defensive lineman are too fast for that to be how we run every play.

I am hopeful they figure this out against Akron and start putting up some W's otherwise I'm afraid UB football is going to get decimated in the Portal. It's great to recruit new players, but if you are rebuilding with new (even if they are talented or "3-start") it's going to take time. I really want them to do well. I think we have some great players and great humans on our team. It would be nice for that to be rewarded. I heard several players after the game mention this will be a springboard to better things to come so they are still into it and are taking these losses to heart. We now need to coaches to step up and put these guys in better positions to win.