DT Luke Fickell (HC Wisconsin Badgers)

[Oh8ch]

A couple of points regarding Fickell:

1. The number one thing a person can do that will provide the greatest evidence that they will be successful as a head coach is to be successful as a head coach. Fickell is the first OSU coach in my lifetime who did not have head coaching experience when he got the OSU job - and I am an old man. Being the boss man requires management skills that are not required in any other position. These are skills that extend well beyond game planning for the first three games and they are skills that are honed over time. Fickell was put in a very unfavorable position with the one year contract.

2. That we do not have a head coach under contract for next season creates uncertainty not only for the head coach, bur for his assistants as well. These are the guys who are getting face time with potential recruits. When OSU struggles on the field that only increases the uncertainty over what will happen at the end of the season. The very idea that a new coach would be judged by the results of his first season is unfair. That his HC contract is for only one year certainly implies this is the case. I would love to be recruiting against OSU right now. That OSU would hamper a coaches recruiting ability in this way sends a message about longer term plans.

If it is OSU's intention to replace Fickell after the season certainly they can not say so publicly. But the longer we go without a contract extension the clearer that message becomes.

3. An announcement anytime soon of an extension in light of last night's performance would be laughable. Fickell is not going to ride to a contract extension on the back of Joe Bauserman. However great a risk going with a true Frosh may be, Miller is his only option. In some ways last nights pathetic offensive performance may give Fickell his best chance. If he can change the trajectory of the offense, and somehow be able to claim credit for it, only then can he make the case that he can handle it at the top. Very tall order. Very long odds.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

2. That we do not have a head coach under contract for next season creates uncertainty not only for the head coach, bur for his assistants as well.

This tells me the administration has already made it's decision on who the coach will be, or should I say won't be next year.

 

[RugbyBuck]

I'm concerned not necessarily because we lost or even because we lost to Miami, as nauseating as that is, but because of the way we were outcoached against Miami and Toledo and because we have Michigan Lite and Nebraska on the horizon. We have the talent to have crushed Toledo and beaten Miami, even after spotting them 14, but the guys making the decisions aren't making them. There seems to be intellectual paralysis on the sideline or in the booth or both. It was painful to watch last night not like last year against Wisconsin where we just had our butt kicked, but much worse. We could've taken Miami, but we just didn't make the calls. We aren't good enough to play Tresselball. We have to attack and make our youth and athletic talent work for us. We can't be "men of inaction" and I don't think our kids are. I saw heart and effort last night (even more than at times last year), but the coaches are letting them down.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

For those who think Fickell quit last night, you need to think again. Fickell didn't get to be the badass player he was in college and in the pros be being a quitter. I think he still has a shitload to learn as a head coach, and the situation under which he got the job isn't going to make it easy to learn on-the-job...he looked a bit lost out there at times, and that's to be expected from someone with no prior head coaching experience, coaching a depleted team in a nationally-televised night game on the road. But to say he quit, you could not be more wrong...

 

[NateG]

For those who think Fickell quit last night, you need to think again. Fickell didn't get to be the badass player he was in college and in the pros be being a quitter. I think he still has a shitload to learn as a head coach, and the situation under which he got the job isn't going to make it easy to learn on-the-job...he looked a bit lost out there at times, and that's to be expected from someone with no prior head coaching experience, coaching a depleted team in a nationally-televised night game on the road. But to say he quit, you could not be more wrong...

I won't say he quit either.... but if I was trying to win my dream job (and even if that wasn't in reach, another D-1 job) I'd grow a pair of nuts and fully put a stamp on this team. Nothing left to lose. Time to take chances and go B1G or go home, Luke. I am in the boat that hopes he comes out on Saturday with those balls out and ready to do whatever it takes to win. If that means overriding Bollman, so be it. You make the calls because it's your ass on the line. You have a solid defense, take the chances on offense. The d can handle it.

 

[billmac91]

For those who think Fickell quit last night, you need to think again. Fickell didn't get to be the badass player he was in college and in the pros be being a quitter. I think he still has a [Mark May]load to learn as a head coach, and the situation under which he got the job isn't going to make it easy to learn on-the-job...he looked a bit lost out there at times, and that's to be expected from someone with no prior head coaching experience, coaching a depleted team in a nationally-televised night game on the road. But to say he quit, you could not be more wrong...

At the same time he is auditioning for the job. Thus far in his first 3 weeks the QB situation has been handled about as poorly as possible. The emotion on the sideline has been that of a scared/shellshocked team. And quite frankly, his lack of interaction with the players and decision making overall in-game is a bit surprising.

I'd like nothing more than for Luke to win out and secure the job. I think he has a good football mind and the ability to be a good head coach someday.

But as it stands, he's letting a pretty terrible OC run HIS opportunity into the ground.

Gene Smith didn't name Jim Bollman or Heacock Head Coach. He named Luke Fickell Head Coach. It's really now or never for Luke. He needs to take the authority of a Head Coach, light a fire under some kids asses, and absolutely lay the law with Bollman.

That Miami game was a trainwreck from beginning to end. And Luke was basically an afterthought in-game because he was rarely seen doing anything other than mashing gum.

If Luke is serious about retaining the job, he comes out early next week and names a starting QB, forces Bollman to run 1 cohesive system, does not run the QB carousel, and starts answering questions like a head coach vs. deffering to HIS assistants. Jim Bollman is HIS assistant. He needs to treat Bollman like it.

On another note...I wouldn't be surprised if Vrabel got in some peoples asses last night...he doesn't seem like the type to let such a ridiculously awful performance go unscathed...

 

[DaveyBoy]

I wholeheartedly agree. This team is simply not good enough (yet) to be able to win ugly Tresselball style. Nobody underutilized offensive talent like Tressel's Buckeyes. But they came away with wins at an amazing rate. Perhaps it was that the BigTen was just that bad at that time.....I'm starting to believe that JT benefitted greatly from a really bad B1G during his tenure.

Back to topic.....I think we finally saw how 18 to 20 year old kids react to pressure when their coach is clearly a bit shellshocked. Implosion. Tressel never flinched because he was a seasoned head coach that had pretty much seen it all. The players knew this.

I'm concerned not necessarily because we lost or even because we lost to Miami, as nauseating as that is, but because of the way we were outcoached against Miami and Toledo and because we have Michigan Lite and Nebraska on the horizon. We have the talent to have crushed Toledo and beaten Miami, even after spotting them 14, but the guys making the decisions aren't making them. There seems to be intellectual paralysis on the sideline or in the booth or both. It was painful to watch last night not like last year against Wisconsin where we just had our butt kicked, but much worse. We could've taken Miami, but we just didn't make the calls. We aren't good enough to play Tresselball. We have to attack and make our youth and athletic talent work for us. We can't be "men of inaction" and I don't think our kids are. I saw heart and effort last night (even more than at times last year), but the coaches are letting them down.

 

[southcampus]

For those who think Fickell quit last night, you need to think again. Fickell didn't get to be the badass player he was in college and in the pros be being a quitter. I think he still has a [Mark May]load to learn as a head coach, and the situation under which he got the job isn't going to make it easy to learn on-the-job...he looked a bit lost out there at times, and that's to be expected from someone with no prior head coaching experience, coaching a depleted team in a nationally-televised night game on the road. But to say he quit, you could not be more wrong...

When it came down to Miami's final drive and we weren't using our time outs to stop the clock in an effort to get the ball back and make one last stand, it was obvious to me that we had given up and quit. So in that regard, I disagree. He did quit.

 

[Oh8ch]

...he looked a bit lost out there at times, and that's to be expected from someone with no prior head coaching experience

And this is my conundrum. I agree it can be expected from someone with no prior head coaching experience. But I would never expect the coach of The Ohio State University to be a bit lost on the sidelines.

 

[exhawg]

Odd thought here. Fickell doesn't get the job....does Hazel have a legit shot even though he'll have been a HC for only a year.... Hazel comes in, Fickell replaced Heacock as Co-DC & DL coach....

One year coaching at currently 0-3 Kent State isn't going to prepare Hazell to coach the Buckeyes. Hazell and Fickell are both probably 5 years of HC experience away from being ready to coach OSU. If Fickell doesn't turn it around this season and prove that he is ready for the big chair OSU will not settle for someone without a good amount of HC experience. They are both still young enough that they might be in line for the job the next time it opens up as long as the build up their resumes over the next 5-10 years.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

One year coaching at currently 0-3 Kent State isn't going to prepare Hazell to coach the Buckeyes. Hazell and Fickell are both probably 5 years of HC experience away from being ready to coach OSU. If Fickell doesn't turn it around this season and prove that he is ready for the big chair OSU will not settle for someone without a good amount of HC experience. They are both still young enough that they might be in line for the job the next time it opens up as long as the build up their resumes over the next 5-10 years.

Yeah I figured as much... What are the chances that Fickell at the end of the year comes up to Gene (or new AD) and says "I'm not ready OSU needs someone with more experience". It would take balls to turn down your dream job but Fickell loves OSU, and he like Tressel may do what they feel is best for OSU not for themselves.

 

[exhawg]

Yeah I figured as much... What are the chances that Fickell at the end of the year comes up to Gene (or new AD) and says "I'm not ready OSU needs someone with more experience". It would take balls to turn down your dream job but Fickell loves OSU, and he like Tressel may do what they feel is best for OSU not for themselves.

I don't see him doing that. I think he'll make a case for himself to get the full time gig. If that doesn't work I hope he makes it his personal challenge to work his way up the HC ladder and get a second shot in the future. If things don't work out for him now he should have his pick of MAC or lower end BCS team HC jobs.

 

[y0yoyoin]

What are the chances that Fickell at the end of the year comes up to Gene (or new AD) and says "I'm not ready OSU needs someone with more experience"

Zero, Point, Zero

 

[BuckNut65]

I would agree that the environment in place for Coach Fickell to succeed this year is not a good one considering his lack of head coaching experience and the lack of experience on the team. I think the level of play has suffered on both sides of the ball because as head coach he is no longer able to spend the time he did on the defensive side of the ball and for the most part it appears he has left the offensive side up to Bollman and friends. Add in the fact that Vrabel has never coached and Stan Drayton has never coached receivers it is no wonder we are seeing these types of results.

The administration was fully aware of the amount of inexperience with both the coaching and the players prior to offering Fickell the one year contract. Looking back at it now, it does seem somewhat pre-determined that the intent is not to bring him back next year. Anyone that says that he quit on Saturday should just look at his decision to accept this job under these circumstances. The obstacles here are tremendous, however he took the job knowing the odds and the reality that if he does not succeed this year he may be blowing his opportunity of a lifetime. That is not the mark of a quitter.

Some changes are going to need to be made by this week or things could get really ugly and the writing may be on the wall by the time the Nebraska game is over. If this were to happen I think this would be very unfortunate....as I do believe that he has the potential to be a good coach, but due to all of the circumstances over the past year his opportunity to succeed here may be fading fast and he may never have the opportunity to coach here again.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

Yeah, I figured... Just wanted to throw it out there as food for thought...