I enjoy reading this writer/coach's post-game analyses, particularly his statistical breakdowns. But his analysis of the mediocre offenses we've seen since Bollman arrived are a little too obvious. I was hoping he had found some magic bullet cure-all.
But that's exactly the problem, isn't it? The cause of the mediocrity is painfully obvious, yet nothing is ever done about it. Year in, year out, the talent comes and goes, the defense and special teams nearly always excel, yet the offense consistently underperforms. We win games despite the offense, not because of it. It's as if when they say, "Exceptional defense, great special teams and an offense that doesn't make mistakes" what they really mean is, "A great, high-scoring offense would be really scary. Let's stick with mediocrity."
Although he's the head coach and supposedly calls the offensive plays, I don't blame JT for the poor coaching. He's obviously a terrific football coach and, I think, an even better person. But what I do blame him for is poor organizational decision-making. He is simply too loyal to his demonstrably weak offensive brain trust -- Bollman and Daniels. Loyalty is a very admirable trait. But so is the ability to make hard decisions.
In a corporation, the CEO has to make tough decisions that occasionally hurt people's feelings. But he makes them for the good of the organization and to keep his bosses (the Board and the shareholders) happy. If he can't or won't, he doesn't hold his job very long. Excessive loyalty to weak subordinates can ironically prove to be disloyal to your own best interests. I hate to think that might ever be the case where JT is concerned.
IMHO, now that JT has put tOSU squarely back among the elite five or six national programs, he has outgrown the need to rely on relatively weak assistants. He should move 'onward and upward' by recruiting a top-tier offensive staff that can take the team to an even hgiher level. Assistants who can gameplan creatively and who will inspire confidence and passion among the offensive players, instead of confusion and self-doubt.
Have you noticed how often tOSU defensive coordinators get courted and hired away by other programs? Now try to imagine Bollman or Daniel's name coming up in a big time coaching search. Not easy is it? Unfortunately they are here to stay, unless and until JT decides otherwise. For his own good and the good of the program, I hope he makes that tough decision. In the long run it will be best for everybody -- even for Jim and Joe.
