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DT Luke Fickell (HC Wisconsin Badgers)

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ysubuck said:
I killed a guy with a trident.
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No you didn't....a guy tried to kill me with a trident.
 
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UpNorth_Buckeye said:
I totally agree with "trusting the coaches" but if people don't see the defense as a major problem then I'm not sure if you can really be helped or not. And having said that, it's also silly to think that urban doesn't know that. But I'm pretty sure he's a smart guy. Based off his experience he knows if it's A) the players, B) the coaches, or most likely C) a combination of the two. After weighing what he thinks the problem is, if it IS the coaches, then people SHOULD be let go/ demoted (in fickell's case since he's the only one in a position to be demoted). If he thinks it's the players then withers leaving may be all that he thinks needs to be done.
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I don't think there's a single person here saying the D isn't a problem. You'd have to be scUM-level obtuse to not see it. I think there's differing opinions on what the primary cause is...i.e. talent vs coaching/scheme or a combination of both. I vote the latter.
 
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We're all very disappointed and we all see that there are problems on defense. I think every problem discussed today has been discussed before. We all get it: the Buckeyes have been very successful but they have a lot of thinking and doing ahead, if they want to win a national championship.

There are two ways to discuss an issue. You can be negative, finding fault and criticizing. Alternatively, you can see challenges and opportunities.

Without disparaging anyone here, a lot of posters here are "in the business", having played for the Buckeyes or another college program, coached at secondary or tertiary level or served as sports administrators.

So, there is no need for resume comparisons or establishing one's expertise. A distinguishing characteristic of this board is the level of civility in our posting. We will not tolerate personal attacks.

The last decade has been a golden era of Buckeye football and basketball, the like of which we did not see for more tha a quarter century. It will not last forever, so be sure to see the good in what you have now. Be very careful what you wish for.
 
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I'm over it already. Used to take me weeks, sometimes months to get over a loss. The defense was so bad this year that the expectations, although high in optimism, were tempered quite a bit.

I would like to see Luke Fickell kept on board but only coach the LBs. Give him 4 or 5 years under the same DC to learn a style that he can adapt as his own. I think the changes haven't really helped Fick out and being thrust into action after Tressel, wasn't the best situation either. He excels at recruiting and although our LB's were quite thin this year, they didnt perform all that bad - at least I can't say it was them underperforming or the scheme being just flat terrible. Let's see what he can do with the ridiculous talent coming onboard and in the mix already.

Urbs certainly needs to hire a new DC and make him the sole DC going into next year.
 
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BUCKYLE said:
Your resume stacks up nicely against people on a message board. Especially when you don't have to prove [Mark May]. Congrats. I'm an astronaut race car driver.

The only resume you need compare yours to is Urban Meyer's. I'm guessing here, but I'll bet six lbs of moon rocks that it doesn't really compare.
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And as an astronaut race car driver, you can cash that check if you lose!

BTW, do you run a Ferrari or Honda engine? And how does dehydrated pizza taste?
 
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UpNorth_Buckeye said:
I totally agree with "trusting the coaches" but if people don't see the defense as a major problem then I'm not sure if you can really be helped or not. And having said that, it's also silly to think that urban doesn't know that. But I'm pretty sure he's a smart guy. Based off his experience he knows if it's A) the players, B) the coaches, or most likely C) a combination of the two. After weighing what he thinks the problem is, if it IS the coaches, then people SHOULD be let go/ demoted (in fickell's case since he's the only one in a position to be demoted). If he thinks it's the players then withers leaving may be all that he thinks needs to be done.
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It could also be that Urban believes Withers was the problem, thus no further replacements will be needed in the staff. On the other hand, if he doesn't have faith in Fickell the time to cut him loose is now.
That's what I'm waiting to find out.
 
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So we keep seeing some guys insist the LB play was subpar and we lacked talent, yet Shazier is going to the NFL early and is projected as a 1st rounder? Do the NFL scouts not see we have subpar athletes at LB that are coached so well?
 
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Hstead said:
I don't understand the thought that "coach didn't have confidence in his players to play more aggressive man coverage". If you are giving a receiver 222 yards on the evening and the QB goes for nearly 500 yards, I do not see how you can not make an adjustment and at least gamble that you might make a play versus just giving up then? To me that means you can't coach. So you are saying, well our guys aren't that good, let's just sit back and watch #2 go for a record 222 yards on us?
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If I paid my mortgage coaching defenses for a living I wouldn't be taking additional risks with this group to see to see if something sticks. I'd be trying to paper over the cracks the best I could. I think that's what the current staff has done, but I don't think it's enough to make this current group of players produce acceptably.

Believe it or not this team has tried to press, tried to blitz, and tried to play man-to-man on occasion. They stink at it even worse than they stink at that soft zone that everybody complains about. The reason they played it was because it's it the thing that this unit was the least worst at. The reason they played this way is because the odds of the Buckeyes making a play on defense by being aggressive were worse than the odds of the other team having a brain fart through the law of averages just by making them take a few more plays to move the ball. Getting screened to death sucks, but did anybody really want to watch them go over the top to Watkins for a bunch of 1, 2, and 3-play scoring drives instead?
 
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jlb1705 said:
If I paid my mortgage coaching defenses for a living I wouldn't be taking additional risks with this group to see to see if something sticks. I'd be trying to paper over the cracks the best I could. I think that's what the current staff has done, but I don't think it's enough to make this current group of players produce acceptably.

Believe it or not this team has tried to press, tried to blitz, and tried to play man-to-man on occasion. They stink at it even worse than they stink at that soft zone that everybody complains about. The reason they played it was because it's it the thing that this unit was the least worst at. The reason they played this way is because the odds of the Buckeyes making a play on defense by being aggressive were worse than the odds of the other team having a brain fart through the law of averages just by making them take a few more plays to move the ball. Getting screened to death sucks, but did anybody really want to watch them go over the top to Watkins for a bunch of 1, 2, and 3-play scoring drives instead?
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I have watched every play of every game this year and have watched all of our coverages. Our defensive game plans have sucked. We have appeared unprepared several times. It is not a talent thing, I am convinced. We do not have lesser talent than UConn who was able to stop ichigan, or K St who did the same, or every team played SD St, or California, North Western, and Illinios. Lesser talented teams held those teams to fewer points. There is no way I am going to concede that our talent is not as good as the teams that held our opponents to fewer yards and points. Our defensive coaching was atrocious.

Roby and Shazier will be NFL starters. They are part of the "untalented" defense? Not to mention our D-line talent.
 
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Talent is not the issue. MSU did not have better defensive personnel. However, they had 11 WAO screaming banshees who played every down with reckless abandon because of their thorough knowledge and belief in the scheme. Players play fast when they do not have to think...tOSU's athletes usually looked like robots. That tells me the scheme is not being transferred. How many blown coverages, poor screen fits, awful 2nd and 3rd level techniques, or successful blitzes did we see all season long. Some issues were never fixed. How is talent like Marcus and Bell on the sideline while we watch other players come up short time and again? Now I wonder about Trey Johnson, Cam Burrows, etc...

I've always said trust the coaches, but I'm wavering here...with the personnel decisions, lack of adjustments, and sometimes absolute ridiculous calls, I'm out of trust. Luke has been a loyal Buckeye but he is not getting it done.
 
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