Big Ten Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes

Gopher07

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https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...s-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2019

The relevant bit:

Minnesota


"The culture looks like it's working. They were a very different team on the field from '17 to '18. In '17 you could see them, player by player, figuring out if they were all the way bought in on the systems and the attitudes."


"You get the sense coaching against him that P.J. Fleck is more of the new CEO type of college head coach than a pure X's and O's, but if he's recruiting and motivating that talent there's a place for that. You saw that toward the end of last season — all of sudden those players saw success on the field and started really playing their ass off, playing above their ability."


"They're fairly simple offensively. They're very big up front. They're a big zone team, they want to cover you up and let the backs find their creases. But that O-line makes holes. They're stout dudes."


"I think defensively they're doing a good job, but they don't have the personnel."


"They need to settle on a starting QB right away and get consistency there. Is it going to be Tanner Morgan? He was better than we expected down the stretch last year."


"The change in defensive coordinators showed a lot. Once they switched, they played a lot harder, a lot more simple stuff after the change."


"They're recruiting better than that program ever has. They need to find a way to put that on the field with their defense, especially with the cold-weather atmosphere."


"They return a lot of guys on both sides, the real question there is the new assistants. It’s a little strange when you have a big “culture” guy like PJ to rotate that many assistants early on at P5 job. That shows a sense of urgency to get it right."
 

Cue people ripping whoever said the gophers are recruiting better than they ever have
 

I'm generally skeptical of these stories abut these seem like pretty much the responses you would expect.

Amusingly enough you could probabbly scan any B1G preview article and get the same tidbits ;)

Not sure anyone is saying anything big here.
 

One comment says they don't have the personnel.
The other comment says they are recruiting better than ever before.

Perhaps both are true, but that's a narrow window.
 

One comment says they don't have the personnel.
The other comment says they are recruiting better than ever before.

Perhaps both are true, but that's a narrow window.

I don’t really think those statements conflict with each other. Most of the time you don’t win with underclassmen in Major conferences.
 


I'm always curious about who said what. I'm thinking Ferentz is first, and Frost is last. Is it game time yet?!
 

I wonder if anyone anonymously said "It is clear Lovie Smith will be fired near or at the end of this season" or "Rutgers remains the dumpster fire we anticipated them to be"
 

I wonder if anyone anonymously said "It is clear Lovie Smith will be fired near or at the end of this season" or "Rutgers remains the dumpster fire we anticipated them to be"

Anytime I see seriously critical "anonymous coach" or "scout" or "gm" ... I kinda wonder if it is true or not.

All those kinda jobs involve a lot of networking, well many jobs do, but those jobs especially.... burning bridges even anonymously is seems super risky.

I really doubt many of those folks would take that risk.
 

I'd be shocked if any of those quotes came from head coaches. The preface to the piece only says "coaches" and "coaching staffs".
 



all of sudden those players saw success on the field and started really playing their ass off, playing above their ability."

I think I would disagree with this statement. Personally I believe that people bought into what was going on, starting playing like a team and put it all out in the game. This is doing what they are capable of doing for several straight games, not playing above their ability.
 

Cue people ripping whoever said the gophers are recruiting better than they ever have

Well, using recruiting rankings, the closest thing that exists to objectivity in evaluating recruits, it's not a true statement.
 

I wonder if anyone anonymously said "It is clear Lovie Smith will be fired near or at the end of this season" or "Rutgers remains the dumpster fire we anticipated them to be"

I assume not because it would be against their self interest to diminish the perceived strength of the conference.
 

Big Ten Coaches Speak Anonymously about Other Teams

Didn't see this posted... I apologize if this is a repeat.

Minnesota:

"The culture looks like it's working. They were a very different team on the field from '17 to '18. In '17 you could see them, player by player, figuring out if they were all the way bought in on the systems and the attitudes."



"You get the sense coaching against him that P.J. Fleck is more of the new CEO type of college head coach than a pure X's and O's, but if he's recruiting and motivating that talent there's a place for that. You saw that toward the end of last season — all of sudden those players saw success on the field and started really playing their ass off, playing above their ability."



"They're fairly simple offensively. They're very big up front. They're a big zone team, they want to cover you up and let the backs find their creases. But that O-line makes holes. They're stout dudes."



"I think defensively they're doing a good job, but they don't have the personnel."



"They need to settle on a starting QB right away and get consistency there. Is it going to be Tanner Morgan? He was better than we expected down the stretch last year."



"The change in defensive coordinators showed a lot. Once they switched, they played a lot harder, a lot more simple stuff after the change."



"They're recruiting better than that program ever has. They need to find a way to put that on the field with their defense, especially with the cold-weather atmosphere."



"They return a lot of guys on both sides, the real question there is the new assistants. It’s a little strange when you have a big “culture” guy like PJ to rotate that many assistants early on at P5 job. That shows a sense of urgency to get it right."


https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...s-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2019
 



Didn't see this posted... I apologize if this is a repeat.

Minnesota:

"The culture looks like it's working. They were a very different team on the field from '17 to '18. In '17 you could see them, player by player, figuring out if they were all the way bought in on the systems and the attitudes."



"You get the sense coaching against him that P.J. Fleck is more of the new CEO type of college head coach than a pure X's and O's, but if he's recruiting and motivating that talent there's a place for that. You saw that toward the end of last season — all of sudden those players saw success on the field and started really playing their ass off, playing above their ability."



"They're fairly simple offensively. They're very big up front. They're a big zone team, they want to cover you up and let the backs find their creases. But that O-line makes holes. They're stout dudes."



"I think defensively they're doing a good job, but they don't have the personnel."



"They need to settle on a starting QB right away and get consistency there. Is it going to be Tanner Morgan? He was better than we expected down the stretch last year."



"The change in defensive coordinators showed a lot. Once they switched, they played a lot harder, a lot more simple stuff after the change."



"They're recruiting better than that program ever has. They need to find a way to put that on the field with their defense, especially with the cold-weather atmosphere."



"They return a lot of guys on both sides, the real question there is the new assistants. It’s a little strange when you have a big “culture” guy like PJ to rotate that many assistants early on at P5 job. That shows a sense of urgency to get it right."


https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...s-talk-anonymously-about-conference-foes-2019

So you didn't actually read the original post...
 


Well, using recruiting rankings, the closest thing that exists to objectivity in evaluating recruits, it's not a true statement.

I don’t disagree with you. I do think you’re funny though
 

One comment says they don't have the personnel.
The other comment says they are recruiting better than ever before.

Perhaps both are true, but that's a narrow window.
Talking about the D. We are still suspect in the secondary and while the board is high on the D line, it's an unproven unit to the rest of the league, outside of Coughlin

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 

my cynical take is that - even if they are giving "anonymous" quotes - most coaches would be reluctant to openly criticize another coach or program.

Because, coaching being what it is - they could be looking for another job someday, and they don't want to burn any bridges. that IA or NEB assistant coach today could wind up trying to get a job with MICH or OSU in the future.

I suspect that if coaches really felt free to say what they believe, the comments about some teams and coaches would be a lot harsher.
 




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