A Reasonable View From A UM Fan

[Roy CO HSKR]

This is from Victor Valiants' site:

 

Frankly, there is not much difference between 8-4 and 7-5 -- underachievement, either way. As such, the only reason I wanted to win the game was that, since we were such a huge favorite, a loss would diminish our program stature and resurrect Nebraska's program (oh, well).

 

What I really wanted to see from the Alamo Bowl game was some progress by each of our 3 team units:

 

- Defense: More aggression -- perhaps even an identity change from a primarily zone D to a primarily man D

 

- Special Teams: improvement in the PR unit and specifically, the ability to block gunners effectively

 

- Offense: Improved red zone and 3rd down efficiency -- again, perhaps an identity change from a ball-control offense to a scoring offense

 

How I think we fared in those improvements on a ten point scale:

 

- Defense: 6/10 -- still many blown assignments (leads to more zone calls in the red zone, if you're afraid young guys are going to blow assignments) and generally poor tackling angles, especially by the back 7 guys not named Hall or Harris; I liked the aggression displayed by the D-Line. Still not confident in Herrmann's 2nd half adjustments, along with his late game play-calling when the game is on the line. Our wide LBs still can't defend the edges well against mediocre running attacks -- depressing.

 

- Special Teams: 0/10 -- we can't block a gunner to save Breaston's life. We might as well rush the punter all-out. Or, perish the thought, go to a tandem returner like Ohio State has employed (haven't seen a lot of fakes against their PR unit, which is the only logical reason I can see for not using the tandem). Debord appears to have no clue. A big raspberry to Rivas and the FG unit for missing a key chip shot, as well.

 

- Offense: 3/10 -- we showed some improvement in the red zone, but our insistence on running the ball up the gut on first down in the red zone would have spelled doom against a better defense. Still poor in 3rd down efficiency, which could be attributed to our insistence on running Hart up the middle when our O-Line was getting no push. I realize they are really banged up, but we could have gameplanned better to attack the edges early, and set us up for better down and distance situations on 2nd and 3rd downs.

 

It is my opinion that our staff has very limited range on game day coaching and in-game adjustments, and does not have a good feel for how to set the tempo of the game either offensively (especially when our O-Line is not performing well) or defensively (when we have the opposition in favorable down-and-distance, especially deep in their own territory). I had hoped that the extra prep time for the bowl would show some improvement in these areas, but my ratings above express my disappointment.

 

Again, I go into the off-season hoping for some coaching staff shake-up to get people in charge who can improve these areas, but I'm not confident that Coach Carr has the energy/will/desire to change anything in the twilight of his regime.

 

Prove me wrong, Coach Carr: if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten -- and that would translate to another 8-3 type campaign next season. Which, considering that we have Indiana and 2 MAC teams on our schedule next year, says we'll be 5-3 in games that matter heading into our bowl game. Not good enough. Either shake up the staff coordinator assignments or retire and turn over the reigns to someone who will (hopefully, someone of Martin's choosing, not Lloyd's desired successor).

 

GO BLUE!

jiM

 

P.S. If we *must* have someone on the current staff succeed Lloyd, I've decided that the lesser of all evils would be Herrmann -- we'd get a new DC and new LB coach in the process, and the guy that seems to have the toughness gene in his coaching DNA would be my choice for the head guy. With Malone and/or Debord, I'm afraid of the pansy factor for our program.

[Eric the Red]

0/10 on specials a little harsh maybe a two. Punt coverage was very good.

[Red Snow Sword: Husker Sentinel]

: simply for not mentioning the refs!