OC press conference

[zappaa]

Not code this time, basically said offense can not and will not function without improved OL and WR play.

New mantra is we have to do a better job.

No sport writer ever asks why our running backs always end up running into the teeth of the 8 man front between the tackles without deviation.

 

[RU#1fan]

Not code this time, basically said offense can not and will not function without improved OL and WR play.

New mantra is we have to do a better job.

No sport writer ever asks why our running backs always end up running into the teeth of the 8 man front between the tackles without deviation.

Ummmm. Doesn't he think our anemic QB play has anything to do with it ?

 

[zappaa]

In all honesty #1fan, no QB unless he's superman could survive what we're doing

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Ash nails it in his presser. Basically says: the "OL needs to block" and the "QB needs to throw" and if they're not doing their jobs this is what happens. Doesn't matter whether you're in a pro-set or a spread.

 

[mdk01]

In all honesty #1fan, no QB unless he's superman could survive what we're doing

Which brings up another question. The only change on the o-line from last year IIRC was the loss of Lumpkin. Should that have made THAT much of a difference?

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Which brings up another question. The only change on the o-line from last year IIRC was the loss of Lumpkin. Should that have made THAT much of a difference?

Yup. Called it last December and got lambasted. He was - by FAR AND AWAY - the best OL in that group. Lost your 3-year starter at LT, with a very weak 1st and 2nd string OL to take over, and bamm!

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Ummmm. Doesn't he think our anemic QB play has anything to do with it ?

Seriously?

 

[cicero grimes]

He should implement the wing T. Anything is better than this.

 

[zappaa]

There's no way in hell our OL should be overwhelmed or over matched by Illinois.

If we can't hold our own against this team, it's because they know what's coming, if CL gets enough time to set his feet we should be able to make a few plays in the passing game, which should allow us to run the ball a little

Seriously, if we don't remotely resemble an offense this week, something is gravely ill with the way the staff wants to do a better job....Illinois is awful

 

[c_husk]

Not code this time, basically said offense can not and will not function without improved OL and WR play.

New mantra is we have to do a better job.

No sport writer ever asks why our running backs always end up running into the teeth of the 8 man front between the tackles without deviation.

He should also have stated the offence can not function with out improved offensive coordinator coaching and play calling. God forbid the man calls a play action pass after he runs tail back into 8 man fronts for zero gain on an uncountable amount of plays.

 

[zappaa]

Please don't tell me it requires patience on our part to see a heart beat of an offense against this team.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

There's no way in hell our OL should be overwhelmed or over matched by Illinois.

If we can't hold our own against this team, it's because they know what's coming, if CL gets enough time to set his feet we should be able to make a few plays in the passing game, which should allow us to run the ball a little

Seriously, if we don't remotely resemble an offense this week, something is gravely ill with the way the staff wants to do a better job....Illinois is awful

I'm sticking with the "we left 21 points on the board against Iowa" mantra, thanks to execution, and hoping that this week we are able to execute and look, well, alive again.

 

[vkj91]

Which brings up another question. The only change on the o-line from last year IIRC was the loss of Lumpkin. Should that have made THAT much of a difference?

We didn't move the ball against top teams with lumpkin either. We lived the ball against the non top 5 d's we played. We will move the ball again this weekend.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

He should also have stated the offence can not function with out improved offensive coordinator coaching and play calling. God forbid the man calls a play action pass after he runs tail back into 8 man fronts for zero gain on an uncountable amount of plays.

Play-action against the last 2 D's would have resulted in a 20-yard loss or a sack.

 

[c_husk]

Please don't tell me it requires patience on our part to see a heart beat of an offense against this team.

I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't think this guy should be an OC. He got the job because he had a cup of coffee with Urban Meyer and therefore Ash hired him. I don't think he's qualified to be making$ 500k a year to run an offense. The man has no experience. He's been out of college since 2011 and the RB coach has no experience either, he finished college in 2013. The OC called no plays to offset the pass rush. No screens, no draws, no play action. He calls for right handed QBs to roll left and throw across their bodies. The OC has to take a hit. He can't just stand up there and blame O Line and Receivers.

You could have literally pulled any one out of the stands and drawn plays up in the dirt that would have resulted in at least one first down prior to 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. What a disgrace.

 

[drewbagel423]

There's no way in hell our OL should be overwhelmed or over matched by Illinois.

If we can't hold our own against this team, it's because they know what's coming, if CL gets enough time to set his feet we should be able to make a few plays in the passing game, which should allow us to run the ball a little

Seriously, if we don't remotely resemble an offense this week, something is gravely ill with the way the staff wants to do a better job....Illinois is awful

Doesn't Illinois have really good DEs?

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

There's no way in hell our OL should be overwhelmed or over matched by Illinois.

I'm not sure where you get that from. That is probably the largest concern in this game.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't think this guy should be an OC. He got the job because he had a cup of coffee with Urban Meyer and therefore Ash hired him. I don't think he's qualified to be making$ 500k a year to run an offense. The man has no experience. He's been out of college since 2011 and the RB coach has no experience either, he finished college in 2013. The OC called no plays to offset the pass rush. No screens, no draws, no play action. He calls for right handed QBs to roll left and throw across their bodies. The OC has to take a hit. He can't just stand up there and blame O Line and Receivers.

You could have literally pulled any one out of the stands and drawn plays up in the dirt that would have resulted in at least one first down prior to 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. What a disgrace.

Our RB coach has been COACHING since 2006, not 2013, when he went back to school to get his degree. SMH:

The Kuhr File
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
Alma Mater: Florida, 2013


Coaching History
Years Position School
2016- Running Backs Rutgers
2015 Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs James Madison
2014 Running Backs James Madison
2013 Running Backs/Graduate Assistant Old Dominion
2011-12 Running Backs/Special Teams Intern Ohio State
2010-11 Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers Edward Waters
2009 Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers N.B. Forrest HS
2008 Offensive Line/Tight Ends Mandarin HS
2006-07 Wide Receivers Mandarin HS

 

[zappaa]

I'm not sure where you get that from. That is probably the largest concern in this game.

I get it from the fact they stink.
However, we may stink worse

 

[AreYouNUTS]

There's no way in hell our OL should be overwhelmed or over matched by Illinois.

We have the worst OL in the conference. What makes you think this? They've got 2 very good DE's, also, but IIRC 1 is suspended for the 1st half. If Ash is smart, and we win the toss, we'll TAKE THE DAMN BALL in the 1st half, and try to take advantage of this if so.

 

[RU31trap]

Ash nails it in his presser. Basically says: the "OL needs to block" and the "QB needs to throw" and if they're not doing their jobs this is what happens. Doesn't matter whether you're in a pro-set or a spread.

I respectfully disagree. The pro-set buys you a little more time, but more importantly you don't need super athletes to run a pro-set. Yes I agree, someone has to start cracking the proverbial whip to improve the O-Line blocking schemes, but once you get this under control you will start moving the ball. Coach Ash came here thinking he was going to implement a new offense with a roster full of kids who are not physically capable to run the spread. He is being hard headed and defiant. This reminds me of that gimmick offense Schiano tried to implement several years ago that turned out to be a nightmare.

 

[RUinPinehurst]

This young man needs to go through some media training or have some remedial work. RU should have some solid resources for him. Too many "ahh's" and "umm's." Might sound like nit picking, but getting some instruction and practice will benefit him.

 

[zappaa]

We have the worst OL in the conference. What makes you think this? They've got 2 very good DE's, also, but IIRC 1 is suspended for the 1st half. If Ash is smart, and we win the toss, we'll TAKE THE DAMN BALL in the 1st half, and try to take advantage of this if so.

This is the BIG, every team has a few good players...don't we?

 

[SirScarlet]

I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't think this guy should be an OC. He got the job because he had a cup of coffee with Urban Meyer and therefore Ash hired him. I don't think he's qualified to be making$ 500k a year to run an offense. The man has no experience. He's been out of college since 2011 and the RB coach has no experience either, he finished college in 2013. The OC called no plays to offset the pass rush. No screens, no draws, no play action. He calls for right handed QBs to roll left and throw across their bodies. The OC has to take a hit. He can't just stand up there and blame O Line and Receivers.

You could have literally pulled any one out of the stands and drawn plays up in the dirt that would have resulted in at least one first down prior to 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. What a disgrace.

not sure it was you, but somebody else said this.

the above part is silly. not just because anyone knows that is not true, but why on earth would Ash risk his career on hiring an OC if this were true.

look, there's plenty to criticize Drew for...but when you say the things you say you lose all credibility.

cup of coffee...no experience...etc etc etc

your criticisms on the play calling, schenes, etc, are valid...but if you believe what you're writing regarding the lack of experience and qualifications, then you should be holding a full fledged rally to fire Ash. Because what moron would hire an OC with "no experience" (your words not mine).

 

[yesrutgers01]

Our OL has been way over matched when playing top 5 teams, somehow look much better in the other games including Iowa where I agree with nuts, we left a lot of points in the board

 

[RUChoppin]

Our OLine has not provided very good protection the last two games against very strong defensive fronts. This has limited the number of opportunities we've had to effectively throw the ball. Specifically in this game, the lack of Cole was noticeable.

Our WRs have also not gotten separation very often, which has been consistent all season apart from Grant, who's no longer on the field, and Harris, the only WR who has caught the ball since Iowa.

When our OLine protected and our WRs got open, our QB was unable to deliver the ball. This has also been fairly consistent this year, as CL has a 47% completion rate (still ahead of Allen's 8.3% completion rate, and Oden's 0-4).

 

[AreYouNUTS]

This is the BIG, every team has a few good players...don't we?

Not nearly enough and I'm quite sure we don't have to get into the "why's" and "how's" yet again.

 

[seels2662]

We have the worst OL in the conference. What makes you think this? They've got 2 very good DE's, also, but IIRC 1 is suspended for the 1st half. If Ash is smart, and we win the toss, we'll TAKE THE DAMN BALL in the 1st half, and try to take advantage of this if so.

Either the OL stinks and the coaching staff takes a hit for having a whole unit regress or they take a hit for putting an ok unit in a position to fail pick one.

 

[c_husk]

not sure it was you, but somebody else said this.

the above part is silly. not just because anyone knows that is not true, but why on earth would Ash risk his career on hiring an OC if this were true.

look, there's plenty to criticize Drew for...but when you say the things you say you lose all credibility.

cup of coffee...no experience...etc etc etc

your criticisms on the play calling, schenes, etc, are valid...but if you believe what you're writing regarding the lack of experience and qualifications, then you should be holding a full fledged rally to fire Ash. Because what moron would hire an OC with "no experience" (your words not mine).

Ok, would it make you happy if I stated he was a paid coach for two years:
2014 James Madison QB Coach and Co Offensive Coordinator
2015 Houston Wide Receiver Coach.
He was a graduate assistance prior to that. He graduated college in 2010 and graduated grad school in 2013.

It is my opinion by viewing the product on the field of which he is responsible for and tracing that back to his years of coaching experience on his resume he is not ready (therefore qualified) to be responsible for the offense. Maybe Ash jumped the gun on this hire and made a mistake.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Either the OL stinks and the coaching staff takes a hit for having a whole unit regress or they take a hit for putting an ok unit in a position to fail pick one.

Why is a regression on the staff? Lose - by far and away your best OL - don't have many good kids in the program behind him to fill in and step up, well, how is that on the new staff? Sorry, can't agree, same goes for any other position IMHO. Might as well blame LB play on the staff too, right?

Again, we're going crazy because of performances against 3 of the best teams in the nation. 3 teams that have, literally, 10x more 4 and 5-star talent than this roster currently has then, throw in the injuries, and this shit unfortunately happened. Just a bad mix of things right off the bat IMHO.

Again, if we EXECUTE against Iowa, we win by 2 TD's.

Again, it's going to take time, period, might as well not stress about it now.

 

[SirScarlet]

Ok, would it make you happy if I stated he was a paid coach for two years:
2014 James Madison QB Coach and Co Offensive Coordinator
2015 Houston Wide Receiver Coach.
He was a graduate assistance prior to that. He graduated college in 2010 and graduated grad school in 2013.

It is my opinion by viewing the product on the field of which he is responsible for and tracing that back to his years of coaching experience on his resume he is not ready (therefore qualified) to be responsible for the offense. Maybe Ash jumped the gun on this hire and made a mistake.

I have concerns with what I am seeing from the offense. we share that.

I do think it's fair to question whether his experience is a factor in that. was just saying that I thought your flippant comments took away from your point. my 2 cents.

 

[zappaa]

Not nearly enough and I'm quite sure we don't have to get into the "why's" and "how's" yet again.

Illinois doesn't have nearly enough either Nuts.
There is no excuse to not be in this game in the 4th quarter.

 

[mildone]

I respectfully disagree. The pro-set buys you a little more time, but more importantly you don't need super athletes to run a pro-set. Yes I agree, someone has to start cracking the proverbial whip to improve the O-Line blocking schemes, but once you get this under control you will start moving the ball. Coach Ash came here thinking he was going to implement a new offense with a roster full of kids who are not physically capable to run the spread. He is being hard headed and defiant. This reminds me of that gimmick offense Schiano tried to implement several years ago that turned out to be a nightmare.

Ash was asked about pro-set vs. spread in the press conference. Did you watch it? To paraphrase him, blocking is blocking, catching is catching, throwing is throwing. And we're not doing any of those things well enough. Changing offensive strategies doesn't change the requirement that blockers block, receivers get open and catch the ball, and that the QB make good throws.

 

[mildone]

Ash nails it in his presser. Basically says: the "OL needs to block" and the "QB needs to throw" and if they're not doing their jobs this is what happens. Doesn't matter whether you're in a pro-set or a spread.

Yep. Exactly.

 

[RU84]

Maybe trying something besides a first down run up the gut so we don't always have 2nd/3rd and longs might help keep defenses guessing. Try passing on running downs and running on passing downs. Quick passes to backs in the flats, etc ... certainly can't hurt. What's the definition of insanity again?

 

[zappaa]

Ash was asked about pro-set vs. spread in the press conference. Did you watch it? To paraphrase him, blocking is blocking, catching is catching, throwing is throwing. And we're not doing any of those things well enough. Changing offensive strategies doesn't change the requirement that blockers block, receivers get open and catch the ball, and that the QB make good throws.

Mildy-
Ash's comments come after two weeks of hell against two of the best defenses in the country.
Can I assume you expect a lot better against this opponent?
Can I assume if you don't see a significant improvement against this opponent, you would be disapointed?:D

 

[jtung230]

We are not good but they also suck. No execuses. Let's kick their ass Saturday.

 

[mildone]

Mildy-
Ash's comments come after two weeks of hell against two of the best defenses in the country.
Can I assume you expect a lot better against this opponent?
Can I assume if you don't see a significant improvement against this opponent, you would be disapointed?:D

To be honest, I don't really have assumptions for this upcoming game. I only have hopes.

I hope that the team comes out looking to make a statement, or to pay back the beating they got the past couple weeks, or something along those lines. As opposed to being hung over from the past couple games. The staff can do everything right in that regard but in the end, it depends on the character of the players. Especially if we fall a bit behind at the start.

I hope the OL gives the QB (most likely Laviano, at least to start) lots of time to locate receivers and completes more passes. I hope our WRs figure out how to get open against press coverage.

I hope our special teams can regularly put us in good field position and can score some points.

I'm not assuming any of these things will happen. Just hoping. And yeah, because we're playing a team much closer to our current level, if that stuff doesn't happen, I'll be disappointed.

 

[seels2662]

Why is a regression on the staff? Lose - by far and away your best OL - don't have many good kids in the program behind him to fill in and step up, well, how is that on the new staff? Sorry, can't agree, same goes for any other position IMHO. Might as well blame LB play on the staff too, right?

Again, we're going crazy because of performances against 3 of the best teams in the nation. 3 teams that have, literally, 10x more 4 and 5-star talent than this roster currently has then, throw in the injuries, and this shit unfortunately happened. Just a bad mix of things right off the bat IMHO.

Again, if we EXECUTE against Iowa, we win by 2 TD's.

Again, it's going to take time, period, might as well not stress about it now.

We moved the football much more effectively (which was not good but not as bad as this) with 80% of the same line as this year. This is about perspective. If we lose 55-10 two days ago I would agree with you. But we played like would have lost to a D2 team.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

We moved the football much more effectively (which was not good but not as bad as this) with 80% of the same line as this year. This is about perspective. If we lose 55-10 two days ago I would agree with you. But we played like would have lost to a D2 team.

Listen, I'm not happy about the other night, but I just mentioned this in another thread: OSU and Michigan have 3rd string DEFENSES (not just a few kids...), this year, who could (not "would"...) ALL play 1st string at Rutgers. So what happens is that the O is simply getting crushed the entire game, to the very last play, because those guys on Michigan's D simply were NOT going to let up. Also, by then, our OL - which I said months and months ago was NOT going to be good after losing Lumpkin and due to the ridiculous lack of quality depth - was simply decimated. It is what it is - sucky nonetheless - but I DO expect better this Saturday.