O.K. There may have been some discussion of this on the board and if so I apologize. I really feel CW needs to take a look at letting Latina go AFTER this season. It is more than obvious to even a casual observer that the problems for ND start and finish with the O-Line. Even more though, the Irish O-Line hasn't been what it should have been the previous 2 seasons either. We haven't had a consistant run game for some time and for the past three years even with B. Quinn, they haven't protected the QB as well as they should. Say what you will about the players, there is enough talent there that they should be playing better than they are. They flat out stink! This team is not going to get any better until the O-Line get better...bottom line. I just don't see Latina getting the job done.
It is certainly a hot topic all over the ND internet boards. Latina and Pollian are the whipping boys this year. Ianello is also getting some heat from the fans. Latina was pretty highly thought of when Charlie hired him, he'd been with Cutliffe at Ole Miss and Steve Spurrier already had him on his staff at USC when Charlie called and offered him the ND job. So you have to figure that the ole ball coach thought he was a pretty good college OL coach. It will be interesting to see if staff changes are made in the off season. Certainly most coaches don't fire anybody till after national signing day, esp an important position coach like Latina. Personally I don't expect Latina to be fired. I wouldn't be surprised to see Pollian go though.
Re: Polian. I'm sure politics plays a part in coaching decisions. I just don't know to what extent. Polian is the son of Colts' GM Bill Polian, a guy I'm sure CW would want to maintain good relations with. The big questions are, what has the higher priority and how does CW objectively rate Polian's coaching performance? I can see where the special teams' youth and lack of depth could have a negative impact on an otherwise good coaching scheme.
Sid <t>you bring up a good point. I try to find both entry and exit strategies to most situations... define the parameters, then find the potential highs and lows. When Polian was hired, the first thing that struck me was.... 'how the hell do you fire that guy?'</t>
There is also discussion of the role of Haywood. Some think Charlie needs to hire a real OCoord to challenge him. The problem with that I think is that a guy who is a "real" OCoord is going to want control of the offense. I don't see Charlie giving that up. But there is talk that Heywood wants to be a HC, no suprise there, and is actively seeking opportunities. So we could have a change there, I was told he interviewed for the Minn job last year that went to Brewster. But I'm sure he's hurt to some degree by the perception that he's really a RB coach for ND and not the OCoord and also I'm sure he's hurt by the poor season. Terry
EL.. <t>I was probably the bitch master of the O-Line from the final whistle of the GT game so while I'm sure several are sick of my references to the problem it doesn't compare with how sick this performance makes me each week. No improvement after eight games is not acceptable and I don't think CW for a minute will accept this and not make a change after the season ot the National signing date.<br/> I'll ask this question again how do you get excited about what returns there next August in light of the week to week futility we see? I am floored at watching Sam Young matadore blocks and this guy was as highly recruited as any HS kid in the country out of Florida. Sullivan has been awful and he is a senior. I won't even go into Duncan as he is the A. Wooden of the offense but never leaves the field.<br/> <br/> "This team is not going to get any better until the O-Line get better...bottom line." Right on comment by you so I pray CW gets it corrected of we have no chance no matter who lines up at running back.<br/> <br/> I would love to know how a Corwin Brown explains to a kid like Gray whom I am excited about explain the woes of this O-Line. As sharp as Gray appears to be in his comments this has to of come up. <br/> <br/> The Houston Texans have allowed a #1 draft pick David Carr to get killed his entire time in Houston and now Schaub is beat to a pulp as well with a terrible line. Lets hope CW is astute enough not to let his program be like them.</t>
There's been some criticism of Charlie relating to the lack of contact in practice by the O line. Not sure if this is true and if it is, it could be related to Charlie trying to adopt the pro style or it could be related to our lack of depth and a fear of injuries. In any event, it's my impression that the O line has been hitting in practice for a number of weeks now. The amount of progress to date has not been encouraging. Tom Pagna had some criticisms of the coaching. He said that it did not appear that the O line was using many different types of blocks. According to Pagna, a D lineman welcomes an OL coming at him the same way every time. O linemen need to know trap, cut, hook, and other types of blocking. When you attack a D line in a number of ways it makes the D's job than much more difficult. If Pagna is right and they aren't learing various blocking techniques, then this has to be corrected. It probably only can be done with full contact so that may explain why the O line was not effective to start the season. But still, we've got to develop a running game and we need the O line to step up.
This is probably one of the worst O-lines ever assembled. To be fair, who could have predicted that Sullivan would tank this year the way he has. And Sam Young has been getting schooled a lot too. I do think I have detected a little improvement in the pass blocking but none in the drive blocking. Latina should be out of there immediately after the season ends.
:?: If the Oline has no contact at practice, how do you know who the best blockers are? In the pros, you decide that stuff at contract time. In college and high school ball, that has to be determined in full contact drills. Somebody gets knocked down, so you start the other one who's still standing...
Weis has been hinting at press conferences the last couple of weeks that he was caught by surprise at the different demands of the college coaching game, specifically the high demand for teaching and the amount of emotionalism necessary. The pros rarely require the former and never the latter. Add to that the fact that this is his first HC job and that he came in with a huge swagger and a lot of promises that he could not keep ie. we'll be a nasty team and, all things being equal, my game planning will be the difference. That all adds up to where we are.
George As you recall Charle came in after two lackluster seasons with poor recruiting classes. He stopped the losing to teams we were better than and in the process got to two straight BCS bowls. He took the job with a lot of strikes against him. 1. The cupboard was really thin especially in the 04 and 05 seasons. 2. He didn't come in as a head coach who could bring a staff with him. He had to assemble one from a short list of those available and who for the most part were recommended by others. As we know the college game is so different from the pro game in so many ways. Expecting someone to transition from an OC on the pro level to a HC on the college level seamlessly is asking way too much. 3. He lost Cutliff right off the bat. As a former HC he would have been another source of info for Charlie to draw on. 4. Minter didn't pan out. His defenses were not effective for whatever reason and for the most part his recruiting effort was inferior. This is what I've seen so far. 1. With weapons, Charlie can score plenty of points. 2. He's a top noch recruiter 3. He's willing to change staff to improve. This is one positive about not bringing old friends with you. a la Ty and Dietrich. 4. He's committed to ND. He accepts the restraints he has in admissions, no JUCOs etc. He so far can bring in talent despite it. 5. He seems to be able to stand the heat that always goes with this job. The media are unrelenting and the "what have you done for me today" crowd are impossible to satisfy.
Wow, Gip. I've always known that you are one of the best minds on this board, but your comments above are the equivalent of a Knute Rockne pregame pep talk. Thanks for the lift.
We haven't talked much about it yet. He's up to his eyeballs in work and family (5 kids 5 and under). I'll see him this weekend. I'll ask him.
This is what happened to Tyrone's last full class. The 2005 class was part his and part Charlies. I got this off of NDNation. It was ranked #34 by the guru's. Right noow this is the difference between Charlie and TW. Charlie is getting it done on the recruiting trail and there is hope despite this awfull season. With TW the program was going to be Stanford.