I'd be embarrassed to admit how many times I've watched last season's OSU and Alabama games. When everyone's asleep and the news is, the news, very often one of those games comes on. They have slowly become two of my favorites of the Rod Moore era (can I get a trademark please).
Some impressions:
- So much of coaching is well beyond Xs and Os, its the canvas after you've applied your paint. What does that team personality look like? Are you winners from top to bottom? There's so much nuance, millions of details and moments, all run together and produce a picture. What is it? To go through what that program went through in Calendar Year 2024 and play as badly as they did in the wake of a national title and rebound to have such remarkable wins....Well, I'm having a hard time staying rational in my assessment of our future under Sherrone. There's a chance I'm wrong and those two games were an extended version of Michigan's comeback vs. Wisconsin in 2008 (definitively the last breath of something passed rather than the first of something to come), BUT I don't think I am. I, like Jim, think Sherrone is special and we've got our on field proof.
- Holding that OSU offense AT HOME in a game that big when our season was done from trophy standpoint and to shut them out in the second half and completely eliminate them in the fourth quarter? Its one of the most UNDER appreciated accomplishments in my lifetime in sports. And it IS appreciated.
- Barham and Hausman....watched them more closely after hearing Wink hint at becoming more linebacker centric than Dline centric based on his makeup. After being wholly unimpressive early (borderline non factors if not worse, especially Hausman, against Texas) they were as good as any duo I've seen here in those two games. If they stay healthy we're in for a treat.
- Young and much maligned linemen got a lot of great experience and a couple huge wins away from home. Having that in your mental arsenal is massive. Link isn't going anywhere in fact I think he's going to have a great career.
- That secondary was lost early in the year, the blown coverages were shocking. I hoped it was Wink taking time to gel with Morgan but feared Morgan was a dud. So relieved it showed to be the former.
- Firing our OC after that OSU win, wow what conviction. I still have arguments with friends saying that Campbell was a qb away from being just fine. I totally disagreed. There was regression instead of progression, even in Columbus and the bowl, qbs looking like they are still giving games away was negligent lack of progression. Not having either up to competent coming in was an awful sign, stewardship in 2024 was worse. Moore acted quietly and mercifully but decisively. And he went out and got a pro. Great sign.
- Thought Underwood looked good in spring considering he was running an offense way behind the D. Wide receivers disappointment me but....SOUP. We'll be fine. This will be a good team at minimum.
Concerns:
- Moore and Lindsey can get to know each other all they want in the off season and it won't be substitute for what they'll find out about each other when the bullets are flying and some hit. When we lose our first game we had a lead in that can be tied to not controlling the line late or stopping the clock late with incompletions, how do they gel to find their identity and how does it infuse itself in the kids...wrong direction or right direction? We'll see - many possible outcomes.
- We've got six loseable games, four on the road. Need to go 4-2 with a freshman qb in order to get into that playoff. That may be asking too much.
Off season stand out thoughts -
The comments from the families are off the charts. Moore is taking great culture and adding bricks. I love it.
So feeling good, gonna say a momentum building 9-3 season on the verge of or just short of playoff.
Where you all at?
Some impressions:
- So much of coaching is well beyond Xs and Os, its the canvas after you've applied your paint. What does that team personality look like? Are you winners from top to bottom? There's so much nuance, millions of details and moments, all run together and produce a picture. What is it? To go through what that program went through in Calendar Year 2024 and play as badly as they did in the wake of a national title and rebound to have such remarkable wins....Well, I'm having a hard time staying rational in my assessment of our future under Sherrone. There's a chance I'm wrong and those two games were an extended version of Michigan's comeback vs. Wisconsin in 2008 (definitively the last breath of something passed rather than the first of something to come), BUT I don't think I am. I, like Jim, think Sherrone is special and we've got our on field proof.
- Holding that OSU offense AT HOME in a game that big when our season was done from trophy standpoint and to shut them out in the second half and completely eliminate them in the fourth quarter? Its one of the most UNDER appreciated accomplishments in my lifetime in sports. And it IS appreciated.
- Barham and Hausman....watched them more closely after hearing Wink hint at becoming more linebacker centric than Dline centric based on his makeup. After being wholly unimpressive early (borderline non factors if not worse, especially Hausman, against Texas) they were as good as any duo I've seen here in those two games. If they stay healthy we're in for a treat.
- Young and much maligned linemen got a lot of great experience and a couple huge wins away from home. Having that in your mental arsenal is massive. Link isn't going anywhere in fact I think he's going to have a great career.
- That secondary was lost early in the year, the blown coverages were shocking. I hoped it was Wink taking time to gel with Morgan but feared Morgan was a dud. So relieved it showed to be the former.
- Firing our OC after that OSU win, wow what conviction. I still have arguments with friends saying that Campbell was a qb away from being just fine. I totally disagreed. There was regression instead of progression, even in Columbus and the bowl, qbs looking like they are still giving games away was negligent lack of progression. Not having either up to competent coming in was an awful sign, stewardship in 2024 was worse. Moore acted quietly and mercifully but decisively. And he went out and got a pro. Great sign.
- Thought Underwood looked good in spring considering he was running an offense way behind the D. Wide receivers disappointment me but....SOUP. We'll be fine. This will be a good team at minimum.
Concerns:
- Moore and Lindsey can get to know each other all they want in the off season and it won't be substitute for what they'll find out about each other when the bullets are flying and some hit. When we lose our first game we had a lead in that can be tied to not controlling the line late or stopping the clock late with incompletions, how do they gel to find their identity and how does it infuse itself in the kids...wrong direction or right direction? We'll see - many possible outcomes.
- We've got six loseable games, four on the road. Need to go 4-2 with a freshman qb in order to get into that playoff. That may be asking too much.
Off season stand out thoughts -
The comments from the families are off the charts. Moore is taking great culture and adding bricks. I love it.
So feeling good, gonna say a momentum building 9-3 season on the verge of or just short of playoff.
Where you all at?
