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While PS rates several of our position groups first in the MAC he places us second in the West. In addition he ranks our coaching staff last in the MAC.

(07-02-2017 02:20 PM)Doo Wrote:  While PS rates several of our position groups first in the MAC he places us second in the West. In addition he ranks our coaching staff last in the MAC.

Nice thing about last is there's nowhere to go but up.

Plus you get a little hormone boost from the insult.

(07-02-2017 02:20 PM)Doo Wrote:  While PS rates several of our position groups first in the MAC he places us second in the West. In addition he ranks our coaching staff last in the MAC.

Don't agree with Steele's WMU unit ranking. He's got the DL, QB,REC,CH all too low.

(07-02-2017 04:35 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(07-02-2017 02:20 PM)Doo Wrote:  While PS rates several of our position groups first in the MAC he places us second in the West. In addition he ranks our coaching staff last in the MAC.

Don't agree with Steele's WMU unit ranking. He's got the DL, QB,REC,CH all too low.

Where's the link?

The only reason I agree with his ranking of our coaching staff is because they haven't coached one game in the MAC yet. All of them are unproven as a unit at the FBS level.

(07-04-2017 09:05 AM)John52168 Wrote:  The only reason I agree with his ranking of our coaching staff is because they haven't coached one game in the MAC yet. All of them are unproven as a unit at the FBS level.

That's not accurate Kevin Johns served as offensive coordinator at Indiana University. His brand of offense was very effective and he is one of the gems of WMUs new coaching staff. He is a proven commodity at the FBS level as are others on the staff including Lester. Why would they not be able to coach as a unit at the FBS level?

By comparison CMoo's new OC was fired as HC at D-II Northern Michigan.

No doubt Steele ranked our staff last because they are the only new one in the league. But we have several assistants who have coached in MAC and-or higher. Lester has a winning record as HC at lower levels.

Those things alone would put our coaches ahead of Kent State's (for ex.) before we even play a game.

I am confident our staff will coach and recruit well.

Still looking for a link... ?

(07-05-2017 07:57 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  Still looking for a link... ?

This might be a pay-for-the-magazine only forecast.

From the magazine, here are Phil Steele's MAC coaching rankings:

1. Ohio
2. Akron
3. NIU
4. CMU
5. Toledo, EMU, Miami, Buffalo
9. KSU
10. BSU, BG
12. WMU

For the most part, his list is based on seniority (though Bono, Candle, and Leipold are all higher than they should be if in fact seniority is the criteria). If that is, indeed, the criteria, I don't put much stock in it. I don't think even an Akron fan would argue for Bowden as #2 MAC coach based on MAC accomplishments. Most NIU fans wouldn't argue for Carey as #3 (in fairness, Carey at least has a MAC title on his resume).

Phil Steele also has WMU as last in the MAC QB rankings and tied for last in the MAC WR rankings. If returning experience is the criteria, that's understandable, but IMO there is enough (inexperienced) talent at both positions to expect to be no worse than middle-of-the-pack in the MAC at both spots by season's end.

(07-05-2017 12:47 PM)The Colonel Wrote:  From the magazine, here are Phil Steele's MAC coaching rankings:

1. Ohio
2. Akron
3. NIU
4. CMU
5. Toledo, EMU, Miami, Buffalo
9. KSU
10. BSU, BG
12. WMU

For the most part, his list is based on seniority (though Bono, Candle, and Leipold are all higher than they should be if in fact seniority is the criteria). If that is, indeed, the criteria, I don't put much stock in it. I don't think even an Akron fan would argue for Bowden as #2 MAC coach based on MAC accomplishments. Most NIU fans wouldn't argue for Carey as #3 (in fairness, Carey at least has a MAC title on his resume).

Phil Steele also has WMU as last in the MAC QB rankings and tied for last in the MAC WR rankings. If returning experience is the criteria, that's understandable, but IMO there is enough (inexperienced) talent at both positions to expect to be no worse than middle-of-the-pack in the MAC at both spots by season's end.

Phil Steele puts a lot of stock in experience. Upperclassmen, returning starts, returning lettermen, returning production, etc...those are the big qualifiers for his rankings.

That's why WMU ranks very low at coaching, QB and WR, but very high at OL, RB, LB and DB.

Can't say I disagree with most of it. This coaching staff hasn't done anything together in the MAC yet. I like a lot of their resumes, but since WMU has the only new coaching staff in the MAC, it's not unreasonable to consider them an unknown. WMU also has so little production returning at QB and WR, that I would not argue for a higher ranking for those units.

As a disclaimer, I do not think those units (coaches included) will be the worst in the MAC. As you said, they'll at the very least finish middle of the pack.

We probably all feel that our QB play will be above last in the league. But my guess is we have the lowest completed passes returning on the MAC and maybe the whole country. His ranking has merit.

I would rather have a team full of studs and a terrible coach than nick saban and a group of no talent.

(07-05-2017 05:47 PM)jubbasubba Wrote:  I would rather have a team full of studs and a terrible coach than nick saban and a group of no talent.

I'd bet on Saban and the no talent.

(07-05-2017 05:47 PM)jubbasubba Wrote:  I would rather have a team full of studs and a terrible coach than nick saban and a group of no talent.

Exactly. Players win games.

Nothing against Lester, but coaching (in general) is overrated.

(07-05-2017 06:35 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(07-05-2017 05:47 PM)jubbasubba Wrote:  I would rather have a team full of studs and a terrible coach than nick saban and a group of no talent.

I'd bet on Saban and the no talent.

So you'd put money on Nick Saban winning the MAC with Buffalo's roster last year?

(07-05-2017 06:35 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(07-05-2017 05:47 PM)jubbasubba Wrote:  I would rather have a team full of studs and a terrible coach than nick saban and a group of no talent.

I'd bet on Saban and the no talent.

Unless you're talking about looking ahead a few years, thats just absurd.

1990 Rockets. Saban turned the team around in his first year as a HC.
UT(9-2) ended up as MAC CoChamps with CMU. Rockets missed being undefeated by 5 points. I wouldn't have bet against Saban taking Buffalo to
a MAC East Crown last season.

(07-04-2017 09:43 AM)goldsworth Wrote:  

(07-04-2017 09:05 AM)John52168 Wrote:  The only reason I agree with his ranking of our coaching staff is because they haven't coached one game in the MAC yet. All of them are unproven as a unit at the FBS level.

That's not accurate Kevin Johns served as offensive coordinator at Indiana University. His brand of offense was very effective and he is one of the gems of WMUs new coaching staff. He is a proven commodity at the FBS level as are others on the staff including Lester. Why would they not be able to coach as a unit at the FBS level?

Goldsworth. Great point. But, I was talking as a group, coaching the same FBS level school. I know Lester has had experience as a coach at the FBS level, but none of the coaches have been on the same team at the same time.

(07-05-2017 10:21 PM)John52168 Wrote:  

(07-04-2017 09:43 AM)goldsworth Wrote:  

(07-04-2017 09:05 AM)John52168 Wrote:  The only reason I agree with his ranking of our coaching staff is because they haven't coached one game in the MAC yet. All of them are unproven as a unit at the FBS level.

That's not accurate Kevin Johns served as offensive coordinator at Indiana University. His brand of offense was very effective and he is one of the gems of WMUs new coaching staff. He is a proven commodity at the FBS level as are others on the staff including Lester. Why would they not be able to coach as a unit at the FBS level?

Goldsworth. Great point. But, I was talking as a group, coaching the same FBS level school. I know Lester has had experience as a coach at the FBS level, but none of the coaches have been on the same team at the same time.

I get it but in my book if you're a good coach and have performed well in the past no reason to think you won't just because you haven't coached a down at a given school It would be more accurate to give them a non rank until they have a season under their belt than to assume they have a bad season and automatically rank them at the bottom of the MAC because they haven't worked together as a staff