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The New Coaches

yesrutgers01

yesrutgers01

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This year, GS brought in Kirk C as OC, Pat Flaherty as OL coach and Dave Brock WR's

4 games in- my way early take on each

KC - OC I am still a little on the fence. At times, feels like a GS offense but every once in a while, it looks like something may be developing. Will keep this one open for a while. B

Pat Flaherty - OL You all know this is an area I like to follow. What I see so far is that he has brought professionalism to the OL. Our 5 guys may not be the best group or even in the upper half of the B1G, but we have not seen penalties or watched them look like 5 separate positions trying not to be the guy that makes a mistake. Improvement is noticeable and through the roof. A

Dave Brock - WR What can you say. I see WR's in space, I see them making incredible sideline passes, I see them fighting for the ball in the air as they own that ball and no one else is going to get it and they have not only blocked but I see them breaking off routes when they see their QB in trouble and try to help him out. And this is without our best guy. A

Would love to hear thoughts from others
 
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Great post. Agree with all assessments but really impressed with the OL and WR coach. I really feel that Brock has maximized the talents of the WRs he has while being thrown a curve ball by the NCAA with Brantley.

As for the OL, cut down significantly on penalties especially the brain fart ones. I also sense a greater confidence with them an no panic during pass blocking as in past years.
 
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Agree,might grade OC higher. Attended a practice about 2-3 weeks before season started. The OC and WR coaches were intense and worked their groups extremely hard. It has paid off. That's not to say the other coaches did not work their players hard, just that OL and WR stood out.
 
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VERY impressed with the pass protection. Wimsatt has also done a very good job at moving in the pocket to help the OL, but we aren't seeing defenders having a free straight run at the QB.

We look much more disciplined on offense. This is critical with us being very conservative if we fall behind the chains.

The offense is just too basic. Every week I think that our DC had to work harder than the opposition's DC to prepare for the opponent. Even Michigan had to scheme to move the ball. I just see so little of that by RU.
 
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Great topic and post. Hopefully Kevin is doing well. Clearly , this is the best staff Greg has ever assembled. Flaherty stands out with a definite A both in zone blocking and pass protection where we had some real sieves there. Gavin has had a pocket to throw most plays.
Now, Brock has done a good job getting different guys involved and developing rapport with Gavin. Thought Jackson was Gavin’s go to but now maybe Dremel , then Washington comes up with 2 big grabs in that third quarter. So each is stepping up and hopeful to see Strong and others make an impact. I will tell you something that is very evident , our wide receivers block and block relentlessly until the whistle. Best blocking I have seen out of that position crew on a long time.

Kirk. What he has done with Gavin as an OC and a QB coach is unbelievable. Gavin has gone from atrocious to poised , presence and feel in the pocket , decisive on run and pass , and until last game no false starts or delay of game penalties ( which unfortunately because Kirk was getting the play call in late all day we had to use 1 timeout and Gavin was hiking with 1-3 seconds which I think impacted false starts against Michigan but in 3 prior weeks Gavin had 15 seconds to survey the field and hike at 5) . So in that department an A.
However , the play call of the screen on 4th and 2 against Michigan , the play of the day , was a horrendously bad play call. Not giving Gavin the run / pass option and a 1 play read was dismal. Also , his failure to get the tight ends down the field on a seam route after 4 games is bad. Konopka has not seen the field but he is big and a good target and worth a look. Kirk also got out of balance in the Michigan game. After a great first 3 drives , he abandoned the pass on the second quarter and did not account for the blitzing safety off the edge that blew up Kyle and our running plays or throw behind him and then allowed the safety to blitz off the edge the entire third and fourth quarter against Gavin again untouched with no adjustment. He called 8 straight pass plays in that third quarter drive totally abandoning the run and losing balance and forgot the pass and Gavin’s early success passing in the second quarter.

So I will hold out on grading him because of what I think is missing from the offense and his play calling but I could not argue how he has totally made Gavin a legitimate D1 QB.
 
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Extra Point said:
I was surprised Wimsatt got as much time in the pocket that he got against Michigan. The OL men are doing a fine job.
Click to expand...
Likely because the D was geared to clogging the LOS and stopping the run, plus we didn’t throw downfield. Only quick throws.

Not sure you can say the OL pass protected well since the game plan was to scheme to minimize its weakness.
 
Great topic op. I think they are starting to play complimentary football.
The offense is making great strides.
They get better every game.
Captain Kirk has a handle on the offense.
Wimsatt is getting a chance to show his talent and keeping mistakes to a minimum.
With few turnovers.
The line? what can you say? Flaherty was a hall of famer before he got here. They are solid and only getting better.
Brock took probably the weakest position group and is making them household names.
I’d give them all an A but it is just an early midterm. I’ll reserve final grades til the seasons end with the conclusion of the Maryland game.
A Bowl game is xtra credit!
 
Shelby has a good point. We are super run oriented and we rarely take deep shots. We complete just 50% of the passes so clogging the run lanes makes more sense.
 
Knight Shift said:
Agree,might grade OC higher. Attended a practice about 2-3 weeks before season started. The OC and WR coaches were intense and worked their groups extremely hard. It has paid off. That's not to say the other coaches did not work their players hard, just that OL and WR stood out.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree- just want to see his personality for a full game where I just don't feel like Greg took over the offense for a Quarter or two. lol
 
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goru7 said:
Great topic and post. Hopefully Kevin is doing well. Clearly , this is the best staff Greg has ever assembled. Flaherty stands out with a definite A both in zone blocking and pass protection where we had some real sieves there. Gavin has had a pocket to throw most plays.
Now, Brock has done a good job getting different guys involved and developing rapport with Gavin. Thought Jackson was Gavin’s go to but now maybe Dremel , then Washington comes up with 2 big grabs in that third quarter. So each is stepping up and hopeful to see Strong and others make an impact. I will tell you something that is very evident , our wide receivers block and block relentlessly until the whistle. Best blocking I have seen out of that position crew on a long time.

Kirk. What he has done with Gavin as an OC and a QB coach is unbelievable. Gavin has gone from atrocious to poised , presence and feel in the pocket , decisive on run and pass , and until last game no false starts or delay of game penalties ( which unfortunately because Kirk was getting the play call in late all day we had to use 1 timeout and Gavin was hiking with 1-3 seconds which I think impacted false starts against Michigan but in 3 prior weeks Gavin had 15 seconds to survey the field and hike at 5) . So in that department an A.
However , the play call of the screen on 4th and 2 against Michigan , the play of the day , was a horrendously bad play call. Not giving Gavin the run / pass option and a 1 play read was dismal. Also , his failure to get the tight ends down the field on a seam route after 4 games is bad. Konopka has not seen the field but he is big and a good target and worth a look. Kirk also got out of balance in the Michigan game. After a great first 3 drives , he abandoned the pass on the second quarter and did not account for the blitzing safety off the edge that blew up Kyle and our running plays or throw behind him and then allowed the safety to blitz off the edge the entire third and fourth quarter against Gavin again untouched with no adjustment. He called 8 straight pass plays in that third quarter drive totally abandoning the run and losing balance and forgot the pass and Gavin’s early success passing in the second quarter.

So I will hold out on grading him because of what I think is missing from the offense and his play calling but I could not argue how he has totally made Gavin a legitimate D1 QB.
Click to expand...
Pretty much why my incomplete on KC so far but I feel that he will be one of our best OCs before this is over. And yes, thank you, Kevin is doing very well.
Shelby65 said:
Likely because the D was geared to clogging the LOS and stopping the run, plus we didn’t throw downfield. Only quick throws.

Not sure you can say the OL pass protected well since the game plan was to scheme to minimize its weakness.
Click to expand...
Now, this is a Shelby I can appreciate. It is a good point about the scheme to help the OL and that is exactly why Flaherty is brilliant. Good OL "performance" really comes down more to great coaching than talent. And if you have both- you get OL's like we had from 05-09
 
winfield102 said:
Shelby has a good point. We are super run oriented and we rarely take deep shots. We complete just 50% of the passes so clogging the run lanes makes more sense.
Click to expand...
We can’t take deep shots because the pass protection won’t hold up.
 
rutgersal said:
We can’t take deep shots because the pass protection won’t hold up.
Click to expand...
That is the whole point- the run game is what helps us pass protect when needed too. I have seen more deep shots this year that any of the past 10 years.
And this is just 4 games in with these coaches and these position groups with these coaches.
 
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yesrutgers01 said:
This year, GS brought in Kirk C as OC, Pat Flaherty as OL coach and Dave Brock WR's

4 games in- my way early take on each

KC - OC I am still a little on the fence. At times, feels like a GS offense but every once in a while, it looks like something may be developing. Will keep this one open for a while. B

Pat Flaherty - OL You all know this is an area I like to follow. What I see so far is that he has brought professionalism to the OL. Our 5 guys may not be the best group or even in the upper half of the B1G, but we have not seen penalties or watched them look like 5 separate positions trying not to be the guy that makes a mistake. Improvement is noticeable and through the roof. A

Dave Brock - WR What can you say. I see WR's in space, I see them making incredible sideline passes, I see them fighting for the ball in the air as they own that ball and no one else is going to get it and they have not only blocked but I see them breaking off routes when they see their QB in trouble and try to help him out. And this is without our best guy. A

Would love to hear thoughts from others
Click to expand...
Great post. I agree with everything said, but I do think Greg ought to also get some credit for prioritizing the OL since he came back. Flaherty has been great and that’s not to take anything away from him, but the starting point for this group was a true rock bottom. We’ve steadily improved the OL since Ash left. I think our fans lose sight of how bad the line was. That’s not a position you can snap your fingers and revamp.
 
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Most deep shots in 10yrs? I was thinking we've had the least in 10 years.

Michigan - 0 (I don't recall any)
VTech - 1? (Jackson, incomplete)
Northwestern - 2?
Temple - 2?

3 longest throws resulting in receptions - 61 yards(Jackson/temple), 23yds(Dremel/VT), 19 yards(long/nw).
That's 1 deep shot reception in 4 games against 3 of our 4 weakest opponents.

We didn't score in the final 59 minutes of the Michigan game. That offense is going to do nothing against OSU and PSU. I'll be surprised if it does much against Iowa, Wisconsin or Indiana. Even MSU has a good defense.
 
Finally we have a good B10 capable staff, unfortunately it took 3+ years, GS's first staff was heavy on younger Jersey oriented coaches, it simply didn't work not only did we not get the recruiting uptick from Hoffman and Nunzio, we got sub standard coaching. Fran Brown was a world class recruiter but best case he was a very avg DB's coach well below Big standards. Gleason was not a capable Big OC.
The current staff is a huge competency upgrade, and it appears it is also getting better and continuing to develop and improve our current roster. We should be very encouraged, we finally look like a Big 10 football team on Saturday afternoons.
 
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jakeknight said:
Finally we have a good B10 capable staff, unfortunately it took 3+ years, GS's first staff was heavy on younger Jersey oriented coaches, it simply didn't work not only did we not get the recruiting uptick from Hoffman and Nunzio, we got sub standard coaching. Fran Brown was a world class recruiter but best case he was a very avg DB's coach well below Big standards. Gleason was not a capable Big OC.
The current staff is a huge competency upgrade, and it appears it is also getting better and continuing to develop and improve our current roster. We should be very encouraged, we finally look like a Big 10 football team on Saturday afternoons.
Click to expand...
Agree. The experience/veteran factor seems to be the best fit for us. And don't discount the NFL/player development experience on staff - that can help with recruits as well (in combination with NIL 😃).
 
winfield102 said:
Most deep shots in 10yrs? I was thinking we've had the least in 10 years.

Michigan - 0 (I don't recall any)
VTech - 1? (Jackson, incomplete)
Northwestern - 2?
Temple - 2?

3 longest throws resulting in receptions - 61 yards(Jackson/temple), 23yds(Dremel/VT), 19 yards(long/nw).
That's 1 deep shot reception in 4 games against 3 of our 4 weakest opponents.

We didn't score in the final 59 minutes of the Michigan game. That offense is going to do nothing against OSU and PSU. I'll be surprised if it does much against Iowa, Wisconsin or Indiana. Even MSU has a good defense.
Click to expand...
Think you a tad pessimistic about our offense. We could have scored 9 more points if Greg wanted FG and Patel hits the 51 yarder which missed by a foot left . We moved the ball most of the day against Michigan and had no turnovers to capitalize on but still wish they reviewed that third quarter fumble. Gavin looked the best and most comfortable he has looked dropping back with decent protection from the offensive line even though for the first time all year Kirk was getting the plays in late and Gavin was hiking at 1-3 seconds and had to use 1 timeout compared to the first 3 games where Gavin was prepared for the snap at 15 seconds , surveyed the field , and hiked it at 5 seconds. Our receivers all laid out and made some catches , Jackson sideline , Dremel the play before the pick 6, and Washington 2x on that same drive. Kirk never used the backs on swing routes especially when Michigan was sending their safety off the edge to blow up run plays on our third and fourth drives and against the pass in the third and fourth quarters. Kirk did a great job in the Temple game throwing behind the blitzer for the Benjamin TD and almost Sam Brown Td and suprised he didn’t use it here. To just say we didn’t score in final 59 minutes without looking at the game as a whole where we put up 250 yards of offense with almost abandoning the run in the second half and then conclude we will not score against other tough Big 10 defenses is disingenuous. It wasn’t the prior years where we had 100 total yards and negative yards rushing and 50 yards passing.

I expect us to score well against almost all of the remaining teams with a well balanced running and passing game using Gavin’s arm and his legs.
 
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winfield102 said:
Most deep shots in 10yrs? I was thinking we've had the least in 10 years.

Michigan - 0 (I don't recall any)
VTech - 1? (Jackson, incomplete)
Northwestern - 2?
Temple - 2?

3 longest throws resulting in receptions - 61 yards(Jackson/temple), 23yds(Dremel/VT), 19 yards(long/nw).
That's 1 deep shot reception in 4 games against 3 of our 4 weakest opponents.

We didn't score in the final 59 minutes of the Michigan game. That offense is going to do nothing against OSU and PSU. I'll be surprised if it does much against Iowa, Wisconsin or Indiana. Even MSU has a good defense.
Click to expand...
And that is still the most deep shots. It's funny though, it has been so bad over the years, my mind puts a 20 yard pass into the category of a deep shot. And one thing for sure- First time in a very long time that a ball comes out of our QB hand and we don't fear an Int vs it being caught.
 
That offensive plan today will do nothing against any of our future opponents. Not MSU, not Indiana, not Maryland.
 
Both Indiana and MSU play defense. I think we can sqeak out a win against Indiana. If MSU doesn't turn the ball over, we aren't winning that game.
 
winfield102 said:
Both Indiana and MSU play defense. I think we can sqeak out a win against Indiana. If MSU doesn't turn the ball over, we aren't winning that game.
Click to expand...
Lol.

We lost to a team that was a 2 touchdown favorite at their place. MSU and Indiana are nowhere near as good as Wisconsin.
 
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winfield102 said:
Both Indiana and MSU play defense. I think we can sqeak out a win against Indiana. If MSU doesn't turn the ball over, we aren't winning that game.
Click to expand...
We’ll see. We didn’t have trouble picking up yards against Michigan State last year.
 
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