DT Luke Fickell (HC Wisconsin Badgers)

[BB73]

Agreed. Ever since Tress resigned, that has been my thought. I feel like Fickell is a lame duck HC. Let's all quit beating around the bush and accept the fact that he's not the long-term solution at Ohio State. I'll throw the customary "I like him a lot and he's a true Buckeye" line, but in all reality, he's not ready. He may never be ready. I want a HC who is ready. I also want an OC that has a mind that can take this offense out of the Reagan era. This season has been mediocre, might as well blow it up and build it back again. I'd venture that a majority agree with me at this point.

This is not a case bringing politics into the football forums, since I'm sure that you''re referring to Reagan's movie career.

But we don't need any Bedtime for Bonzo pictures in this thread.

 

[MaxBuck]

But we don't need any Bedtime for Bonzo pictures in this thread.

That's right. That film is highlighted in the "Purdue-tOSU torrent" thread.

 

[BrutusBobcat]

This is not a case bringing politics into the football forums, since I'm sure that you''re referring to Reagan's movie career.

But we don't need any Bedtime for Bonzo pictures in this thread.

Please. By the 1950's, the forward pass had been around for decades. We're heading for the Coolidge era at full speed. Bollman may have to dust off the single wing soon.

 

[Oh8ch]

He has done a terrific job all things considered.

Please define your standards for a "terrific job".

Coming into this season the AP and USA Today both had us as 18th or higher knowing about the suspensions. What were your expectations?

We have lost four games, struggled with Indiana, and beat Toledo by five. Your call that "extraordinarily great", "extremely good" and "wonderful"?

If you mean definition #3 perhaps we can agree.

Ter-rif-ic   [tuh-rif-ik] adjective
1. extraordinarily great or intense: terrific speed.
2. extremely good; wonderful: a terrific vacation.
3. causing terror; terrifying.

 

[Honor&Glory]

Duke basketball coach Mike KJgufytcfytdf7idcski today won his 902nd baskbetball game as head coach. He made specific mention that he had won only 38 games in his first three years (just under 13 games a season), and he thanked the people in charge at the time who kept him there and for believing in him. It's a good thing for him that a lot of the BP members calling for Fickell's head weren't around Duke at the time, huh?

I'm pretty sure if Coach K had been elevated from the bench to the head position at the same school the leash would have been shorter...Either way, he had head coaching experience in addition to his pedigree has Bobby Knight's number 1 student. Not sure the two situations are even remotely related let alone in the same ballpark.

 

[NFBuck]

But yet, it is not to early to write off Fickell. Even though Fickell is hampered with a bad offensive coordinator, young receivers and QB, and numerous suspensions to start the year. Muschamp was able to pick his entire coaching staff. He made the decision to hire that big tub of goo as his offensive coordinator.

Fair point, but Muschamp at least had extensive coordinator experience and was a pretty hot national coaching prospect. A lot of people outside of C-bus had barely heard of Fickell. I wanted Luke to succeed as much as anyone, but this season, IMO, he has looked in over his head. Additionally, Muschamp has an actual contract whereas this was widely seen as an "audition" for Fickell. I just don't see how anybody can objectively say Fickell has passed any kind of audition. This team has had several uninspired efforts this season, most alarmingly the past two weeks. Was the deck stacked against him? I'd say so, but I'm not seeing many indications that Fickell has what it takes to lead this program back to prosperity.

 

[Gatorubet]

It's a little early to totally write him off, but he hasn't been very impressive. That's the risk you take in hiring a first time HC. But, I think they have a lot of issues beyond coaching. Brantley has never shown that he's even an average QB, and Rainey and Demps are midgets that don't really fit cholly's prefered schematical advantage.

The fact that Boom did not have Brantley or Demps for some of those games makes that a bit of a misstatement. We still don't have Brantley back. I appreciate his willingness to play once his boot came off, but he is a statue that cannot do even the most rudimentary moves to avoid a rush due to his injury, and since his injury he is at about 60-70%.

And, playing Bama and LSU along with Georgia this year is a tough turn around year with no starting QB. Y'all are experiencing the same deal. No first string QB makes a tough schedule tougher. I'm inclined to give him a few years.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

Im sure glad you negative Nancy's werent around when Woody was hired:

1951 (FIRST year): 4-3-2 (Loss to Michigan)
1952: 6-3
1953: 6-3 (Loss to Michigan)

On the flip side Earle Bruce had a stellar first season (11-1) which was followed up with a tenure that to his dismissal 8 seasons later.

Now lets look at Coop's first few years:

1988: 4-6 (Loss to Michigan)
1989: 8-4 (Loss to Michigan)
1990: 8-4 (Loss to Michigan)

How about Tressel's first three?

2001: 7-5
2002: 14-0
2003: 11-2 (Loss to Michigan)


So the bottom line here is that out of the last four coaches at OSU, we have had one single coach -Bruce- that had a great start while the other four barely broke .500 or didnt do so at all - Coop.

Man, I wish I was around to hear all the crying after Tressels first start, or Coops, or Hayes.

Give the man a chance, the team was plagued with injuries and suspensions amid major media controversies and harsh penalties.

 

[jwinslow]

Fickell got screwed from the start. That unfortunate reality doesn't magically earn him a top flight coaching gig.

He didn't earn it last year, he wasn't hired this spring (he was chosen because he was the least disruptive move).

He certainly hasn't earned it this year.


p.s. Woody and this era of football aren't compatible, so comparisons with him don't make a lot of sense. He would've been fired for multiple reasons if he were hired today, and his record would not have been the main one.

 

[1926Buckeyes]

So the bottom line here is that out of the last four coaches at OSU, we have had one single coach -Bruce- that had a great start while the other four barely broke .500 or didnt do so at all - Coop.

Man, I wish I was around to hear all the crying after Tressels first start, or Coops, or Hayes.

Give the man a chance, the team was plagued with injuries and suspensions amid major media controversies and harsh penalties.

You make a good point, there aren't a lot of head coaches that come in and set the world on fire right away. Still, with Fickell being an interim coach and having no other head coaching experience, it's a tough sell right now with the team at 6-4.

I honestly do think that Fickell will be a very good coach sometime in the future. He needs experience though and I'm not sure that OSU fans will be patient enough to give him that. OSU fans are coming off the most recent golden age of OSU football having been to 6 straight BCS bowls, 6 straight B10 titles, and 3 national title games. Obviously you know that, but it should be stated anyway. Everyone will be impatient to get back to success.

I could see Fickell staying, but he MUST get a new offensive coaching staff and make some tweaks on the defensive side of the football. I'm honestly not sure he would do that, and if he won't or isn't given that instant freedom, I'd have to cross him off the list right now.

Still there is another factor of who is the true big name that could come to OSU? Meyer is iffy it seems and other than him is there a true lead candidate to get excited about or possibly a darkhorse like Tressel was? (at least for me)

 

[NFBuck]

Im sure glad you negative Nancy's werent around when Woody was hired:

1951 (FIRST year): 4-3-2 (Loss to Michigan)
1952: 6-3
1953: 6-3 (Loss to Michigan)

On the flip side Earle Bruce had a stellar first season (11-1) which was followed up with a tenure that to his dismissal 8 seasons later.

Now lets look at Coop's first few years:

1988: 4-6 (Loss to Michigan)
1989: 8-4 (Loss to Michigan)
1990: 8-4 (Loss to Michigan)

How about Tressel's first three?

2001: 7-5
2002: 14-0
2003: 11-2 (Loss to Michigan)


So the bottom line here is that out of the last four coaches at OSU, we have had one single coach -Bruce- that had a great start while the other four barely broke .500 or didnt do so at all - Coop.

Man, I wish I was around to hear all the crying after Tressels first start, or Coops, or Hayes.

Give the man a chance, the team was plagued with injuries and suspensions amid major media controversies and harsh penalties.

Comparing Fickell's appointment to Woody's hiring is like comparing apples and oranges. Different eras, different expectation. Luke is a defacto interim coach. He's been given an audition. Put aside the [Mark May]ty hand he was dealt. That's an excuse, not a reason for how poorly this team has played. They have regressed. They have been pushed around by Indiana and Purdue. There's no excuse for that in November. Injuries aren't an excuse for our lines being manhandled by middling and bottom dwelling B1G teams. They're not an excuse for the defensive collapses.

Bringing up Tressel and Coop are a red herring as well. Tressel had an extremely successful track record and experience running an athletics department. Cooper had extensive experience as a head coach (actually, are you sure you really want to mention Coop at all?). Fickell had a few years as an assistant DC. Not even coordinator experience, let alone HC experience.

I hear people say what you are saying, and I say that I'm glad you aren't the decision makers in this right back. Ohio State deserves/requires more than an unproven coach with a shaky audition under his belt. My IMO, anyway.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

Comparing Fickell's appointment to Woody's hiring is like comparing apples and oranges. Different eras, different expectation. Luke is a defacto interim coach. He's been given an audition. Put aside the [Mark May]ty hand he was dealt. That's an excuse, not a reason for how poorly this team has played. They have regressed. They have been pushed around by Indiana and Purdue. There's no excuse for that in November. Injuries aren't an excuse for our lines being manhandled by middling and bottom dwelling B1G teams. They're not an excuse for the defensive collapses.

Bringing up Tressel and Coop are a red herring as well. Tressel had an extremely successful track record and experience running an athletics department. Cooper had extensive experience as a head coach (actually, are you sure you really want to mention Coop at all?). Fickell had a few years as an assistant DC. Not even coordinator experience, let alone HC experience.

I hear people say what you are saying, and I say that I'm glad you aren't the decision makers in this right back. Ohio State deserves/requires more than an unproven coach with a shaky audition under his belt. My IMO, anyway.

Okay, we try to discuss things with words but the other side wont objectively look at it. Now I bring up stats and you wont objectively look at it...

Apparently you expect Ohio State coaches to be on the same track as Tressel was. Im sorry to burst your bubble but just like Florida, Auburn, USC, and Michigan we are no different in having down years with new coaches and changes in students.

Discounting era's when comparing coaches is a bit of a slight. You have to look at the past to understand the future.

Bottom line is that we have to take down our sunglasses and stop hanging on the production of Tressel. He is gone, there will not likely be years like we had in the 2000's for quit some time. Got to get over it and understand our current role and expectations.

 

[jwinslow]

Apparently you expect Ohio State coaches to be on the same track as Tressel was.

Fickell was not on the Darrell Hazell track yet. When did he earn this caliber of job?

He may have eventually done so. He's a tenacious recruiter, likeable, good position coach, good ohio ties... but he's not there yet.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

Fickell was not on the Darrell Hazell track yet. When did he earn this caliber of job?

He may have eventually done so. He's a tenacious recruiter, likeable, good position coach, good ohio ties... but he's not there yet.

Then what because he didnt "earn it"? Pat on the back, dismiss the offensive coaches, bring in a prolific coach like Meyer and raise the expectations to possibly fall flat on our faces AGAIN?

Seems to me nobody will look at what Fickell has to offer. They want to talk about what he didnt earn, or what he cant do and didnt do so far.

You say he didnt "earn it". I call BS. I dont see the Ohio State Athletic Dept calling up BuckeyePlanet message board for their next head coach. I saw them look into their own pool to see who has what it takes to lead the Buckeyes.

 

[NFBuck]

Fickell was not on the Darrell Hazell track yet. When did he earn this caliber of job?

He may have eventually done so. He's a tenacious recruiter, likeable, good position coach, good ohio ties... but he's not there yet.

Exactly. People act as if Luke deserves this job. Nothing on his resume indicates he deserved even a mid-level BCS job. He was given the gift of an audition, and given how this team is performing, I can't see how he's earned it. This job is not his birthright. He got a chance to earn another look. I don't think he's earned it...especially given the team's performance the past couple of weeks.

Okay, we try to discuss things with words but the other side wont objectively look at it. Now I bring up stats and you wont objectively look at it...

I looked at your "stats". They mean nothing. Again, JT and Cooper were coaches elsewhere. JT won 4 titles and played for more. Fickell was an assistant DC. He doesn't even have coordinator experience. I don't understand what world that earns you one of the top-5 coaching jobs in America.

Apparently you expect Ohio State coaches to be on the same track as Tressel was. Im sorry to burst your bubble but just like Florida, Auburn, USC, and Michigan we are no different in having down years with new coaches and changes in students.

So, we should settle for an unproven coach with a shoddy audition? If this job has been devalued that much, Ohio State is in trouble. scUM is coming off the DickRod debacle. We all say they "settled" for Hoke, but as more comes out, it appears Hoke was pizza man's top choice. USC had MAJOR sanctions looming over them. Auburn was a fringe top-25 job, so not sure how they fit in this discussion. Muschamp has looked pretty bad, but he was considered a very hot coaching prospect and was a very successful DC for a number of years.

Bottom line is that we have to take down our sunglasses and stop hanging on the production of Tressel. He is gone, there will not likely be years like we had in the 2000's for quit some time. Got to get over it and understand our current role and expectations

So, because Tressel is gone, we should settle for a fringe coaching candidate? Luke was/is qualified for MAC jobs. Not a top-5 job in America. If tOSU gets absolutely hammered (and nobody "in the know" seems to think they are), then you refocus your expectations. Even then, I can't fathom settling for a coach that has a team regressing as badly as they are in November. Luke got a shot that, lets be honest, he hadn't earned. He had a chance to earn it this year and I can't see how anybody can say he has.