Look at our HC and his OC for starters. They hire a D2 guy that has no idea what he’s doing (125th and 132nd defensively). Then we try running the same crap over and over again when the season is halfway over with (like nobody has seen it before ). Let’s not mention how most of the time in the first half we literally had almost no offensive rhythm. Not to mention we had an average QB at best (below average imo) that had the speed of a tortoise. Who got exposed when Ollie wasn’t a threat.
We had lazy coaching and payroll bandits on the staff during the 2024 season. You don’t just return 19 starters and go 0-9 in the conference because you don’t have “talent”. Especially when you got 10 wins out of that same roster the previous year. That roster at the very minimum should’ve been bowl eligible.
In a way I’m glad it happened. Because it helped us finally get rid of the biggest problem this program was having, and why we couldn’t win another conference title.
I guess Cassity took over after Rob Ryan went to New England. I don’t recall Cassity continuing the 46 so the defense probably reverted to a regular four front and then Bob was let go in 2000 (?). Was Cassity on staff Rob’s last year in 1999?
If the new coach is running something similar to this past year then terminology will be the big change - at least 6 games before it “clicks” for the players unless they’re like pros and have to continually digest the calls and playbook throught the year.
I bet HCEM could be innovative and make players come in one day a week and show them schemes and make them identify the call. Yes, a quiz a week for mental reps! Or give them a call and make them diagram it on a whiteboard - showing not only their actions but how the rest of the players react.
People are prone to probe for possible problems when poor performance seems perpetual. That said, RG’s record has been impeccable for 3 plus decades at oSu, Florida, then again at oSu. IMHO there is zero solid (no conjecture) evidence that getting beat, pushed out of position, or injured was the fault of RG, but people do look for causality.
Advantage: outperforming opposition on the field physically and mentally. However, that would not be manifest if coaching and schemes failed the athletes. Look to the defense at the end of this year once competent coaches were able to work with the defense. The defense looked much better and were led with some steady play on the line itself (where the foundation of opposition is built) - it is no surprise that it came from players immersed in Body by Glass, to wit, Iman Oates and Aden Kelley. At the end, with the attrition of players to the Portal, the D was manned mostly by players in the system for years under RG’s system, yet despite being shorthanded they were better (they fought through adversity and did NOT hang their heads - that is textbook mental toughness!). IMHO, major props to RG!
Bill, even if you wish to confine it to 2 years it cannot detract from RG’s system because RG not only built physical toughness but mental toughness and that is MONUMENTAL in sports (and difficult to quantify how much came from RG). No matter how strong you are if you are taking bad angles, have poor technique, etc., a player will not have success. What is the saying: success is in the DETAILS.
oSu the past 2 years (some say 5 on defense) is a cautionary tale of what happens when coaches fail to focus on the details of their craft. The Peter Principle, eh?
Just a humble opinion, but please let it also be added, hopefully RG will MENTOR the new guy with that championship mentality and it infuses the team!!!
Let’s hire a staff now. Why are they wasting time. None of those coaches from North Texas are staying there so announce the hirings and let’s recruit for Okstate.
I understand exactly what you’re saying. My point is how do you think retaining a strength and conditioning coach for a possible roster turnover every year is worth it when he doesn’t have years with a player (as you mentioned above)? I sure as hell don’t see any mental toughness by our OL .
Ahhhhh, okay - it seems from interviews and reading online that the glitter has worn off of the Portal and some (many?) coaches are not wanting to trade second string for second string (paraphrasing there). Even HCEM (or was it his GM) alluded to relying on high schoolers. If that is the case, after the dust has settled, there is a need and value for a solid person like RG to guide stalwart young men - O Captain My Captainesque…
Not strictly on high school players. Eric Morris said himself a mixture (transfer portal and high school). My guess is he’ll hit the transfer portal for what positions he deems critical while using high school players for other positions.
). Let’s not mention how most of the time in the first half we literally had almost no offensive rhythm. Not to mention we had an average QB at best (below average imo) that had the speed of a tortoise. Who got exposed when Ollie wasn’t a threat.
That said, RG’s record has been impeccable for 3 plus decades at oSu, Florida, then again at oSu. IMHO there is zero solid (no conjecture) evidence that getting beat, pushed out of position, or injured was the fault of RG, but people do look for causality.