Cosgrove Heresay

U

Utah_Husker

Five-Star Recruit
So I have a friend who works with a guy who has a son on the Nebraksa defense (i know, this is like third hand, so you can totally ignore it if you want). This kid isn't a starter, but he says that a few weeks ago a bunch of the secondary guys went in to have a meeting with Cosgrove. They explained that last year they played a lot of zone blitz and it worked really well. They said they didn't feel like they were fast enough as a unit to keep playing so much man like he tells them to and asked if they could throw some zone into the mix to see how it worked. Basically Cosgrove told them to go screw themselves, not in those words. I think it was something like 'it's my way or no way.' So what do you guys think of that? Is it a coach doing his job or a stubborn moron dooming us to more 35+ point letdowns by the defense?

 
I don't know. I wouldn't doubt that some players meet with coaches and show concern about certain things, but as far removed as the story is I wouldn't doubt that it got twisted a bit. It happens.

Haven't we played zone at times this year?

 
Assuming it happened - and as pointed out, it is quite removed from a source - it seems to me that you have a coach that's trying to implement a system.

Yeah, at the moment, it's trying to fit square pegs into round holes, but that's to be expected. I take from this that Cosgrove wants a system with fast cover corners who can exist on an island. The secondary is somewhat lacking in that at the moment.

What everyone has to remember, though, is that if you are going to implement a particular system, you have to commit to it as proof to the kind of recruits you want to run it. Take the West Coast offense - if NU simply pounded the run, how likely is it a West Coast quarterback would believe that he'd be stepping into a West Coast offense? How likely is it he might skip NU thinking that he wouldn't get to showcase his talents?

Same applies for receivers - how many tall, fast receivers would come to NU if, week after week, they saw NU runnning predominately?

In order to gain the trust of the recruits they need to run the system they want, they need to implement that system so that potential recruits know that this will be the system that will be there when they arrive.

 
Assuming it happened - and as pointed out, it is quite removed from a source - it seems to me that you have a coach that's trying to implement a system.
Yeah, at the moment, it's trying to fit square pegs into round holes, but that's to be expected. I take from this that Cosgrove wants a system with fast cover corners who can exist on an island. The secondary is somewhat lacking in that at the moment.

What everyone has to remember, though, is that if you are going to implement a particular system, you have to commit to it as proof to the kind of recruits you want to run it. Take the West Coast offense - if NU simply pounded the run, how likely is it a West Coast quarterback would believe that he'd be stepping into a West Coast offense? How likely is it he might skip NU thinking that he wouldn't get to showcase his talents?

Same applies for receivers - how many tall, fast receivers would come to NU if, week after week, they saw NU runnning predominately?

In order to gain the trust of the recruits they need to run the system they want, they need to implement that system so that potential recruits know that this will be the system that will be there when they arrive.
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Well put ARHusker. if Cosgrove didn't run the system that he wants to for years to come, then recruits wouldn't know what to expect and shy away from Nebraska. I understand that Nebraska's corners would rather play zone because they aren't very fast, but great technique is an equalizer for speed. Not the ultimate equalizer that speed can overcome, but it makes it more difficult.

 
It's pretty obvious that cosgrove isn't a great coach by what wisconsin is doing but hopefully he does a decent job down the road or it's going to be a long 4 years for us.

 
Weren't most of these guys recruited to play man to man? Didn't we play man up until last year?
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They might have been recruited to play man coverage - but that doesn't equate to whether they can play man coverage. That is, I would guess, one of the main reasons we didn't run it last year.

 
It's pretty obvious that cosgrove isn't a great coach by what wisconsin is doing.
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I still don't buy that as the sole reason why Wisconsin is doing well this year.

 
I remember before the Tech game Fabian and Lornell were talking about how they couldn't wait to play man up.
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That's what I would expect, though. Playing man coverage is, to a lot of folks, more "macho" than zone coverage. Also, they want to highlight their ability to play man to impress the scouts.

Unfortunately, the ones that have speed lack height, the ones that have a little height lack speed, in general.

 
From the look of it, most of our secondary look like they want to play two hand touch football (like the Kennedys) instead of Blackshirt wack 'em and smack 'em tackle.

Cos is committed to his program and most of these guys will be gone within two years. They need to buy in to the system and produce some results or some freshman or sophomore recruited by Cos will replace them next season. Then we will see some coverage and skill in play.

Zones cover weaknesses, and man shows weakness. This year we have observed that weakness in action every weak( :blink: , week) haven't we.

Hopefully Cos let them down gently, but if they continue to defy and attempt to shove or touch people down, get some freshman to burn his shirt and hit somebody good-that will create respect from opposing WRs and TEs.

The truth hurts sometimes, like we need to be told that on this board! Reality is, produce or the boss will fire you in the board room.

Go Trump!

 
From the look of it, most of our secondary look like they want to play two hand touch football (like the Kennedys) instead of Blackshirt wack 'em and smack 'em tackle.
Cos is committed to his program and most of these guys will be gone within two years. They need to buy in to the system and produce some results or some freshman or sophomore recruited by Cos will replace them next season. Then we will see some coverage and skill in play.

Zones cover weaknesses, and man shows weakness. This year we have observed that weakness in action every weak( :blink: , week) haven't we.

Hopefully Cos let them down gently, but if they continue to defy and attempt to shove or touch people down, get some freshman to burn his shirt and hit somebody good-that will create respect from opposing WRs and TEs.

The truth hurts sometimes, like we need to be told that on this board! Reality is, produce or the boss will fire you in the board room.

Go Trump!
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So how come Cosgrove was never fired for his mediocre defenses he has produced over the course of his career? Listen, I understand the concept of installing his system and he wants to get his recruits and make it work, exc. But it would be more believeable if he were actually a successful coach. Either he was never able to get the recruits he needed to run his defense at Wisconsin, or he is just a plain horrible coach. Either way, it's not good.

 
From the look of it, most of our secondary look like they want to play two hand touch football (like the Kennedys) instead of Blackshirt wack 'em and smack 'em tackle. 
Cos is committed to his program and most of these guys will be gone within two years.  They need to buy in to the system and produce some results or some freshman or sophomore recruited by Cos will replace them next season.  Then we will see some coverage and skill in play. 

Zones cover weaknesses, and man shows weakness.  This year we have observed that weakness in action every weak( :blink: , week) haven't we.

Hopefully Cos let them down gently, but if they continue to defy and attempt to shove or touch people down, get some freshman to burn his shirt and hit somebody good-that will create respect from opposing WRs and TEs.

The truth hurts sometimes, like we need to be told that on this board!  Reality is, produce or the boss will fire you in the board room.

Go Trump!
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So how come Cosgrove was never fired for his mediocre defenses he has produced over the course of his career? Listen, I understand the concept of installing his system and he wants to get his recruits and make it work, exc. But it would be more believeable if he were actually a successful coach. Either he was never able to get the recruits he needed to run his defense at Wisconsin, or he is just a plain horrible coach. Either way, it's not good.
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Part of the process - we'll have to wait and see whether he's a "bad" coach or one that couldn't get the recruits he needed to run his system. At this point, speaking of overall recruiting, it looks like he'll have the players - but folks, don't expect an immediate turn-around. No matter how great, freshman defensive backs go through growing pains - they get burned and learn from the experience, and then have the confidence to go man again.

No, while I expect to see progress next year - both over all and in the secondary - we can't expect to really judge them until that first recruiting class are juniors, and have had time to learn the system and mature.

 
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