The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Bobby deserves another year, but unfortunately, I have very little faith that he’ll be able to bring in a defensive coordinator who will be a difference maker. I’ve lost count how many we’ve had in 10 years, but it’s too many.

(11-24-2018 11:20 PM)ODUCoach Wrote:  Bobby deserves another year, but unfortunately, I have very little faith that he’ll be able to bring in a defensive coordinator who will be a difference maker. I’ve lost count how many we’ve had in 10 years, but it’s too many.

We’ve had quite a few difference making defense coordinators, the problem is the difference they are making is unanimously negative.

(11-24-2018 11:20 PM)ODUCoach Wrote:  Bobby deserves another year, but unfortunately, I have very little faith that he’ll be able to bring in a defensive coordinator who will be a difference maker. I’ve lost count how many we’ve had in 10 years, but it’s too many.

We have had three officially, Andy Rondeau, Bill Dee, and Riich Nagy. The rumor on here was that Nagy had been demoted and an interim DC promoted. I have not seen that corroborated, and the University still lists Nagy as DC.

Andy Rondeau was one of the original coaches, but was suspect because he went from being an Assistant DC at an FBS program (Buffalo) to a position coach at an FCS school (Maine), before coming to ODU. Who does that? (rhetorical). In any event, Rondeau seemed not to have been able to adequately replace the Hofstra and Juco players when they aged out.

BW had a chance to upgrade the caliber of Defensive Coordinator, but in a bizarre head-scratcher chose to promote OL coach Bill Dee to DC. Bill Dee was fortunate to have 4 or 5 NFL or almost NFL caliber linemen during his tenure as OL coach.
Prior to that Dee spent 2 years as a position coach at Christopher Newport, and previously 24 years as a high school coach.

Rich Nagy actually had some success in his career. He had a brief tenure at the NFL level and he was a FBS DC in his final season at Western Michigan. He spent a few years at Maine as DC as well.
For a time it appeared that our defense was going in the right direction, albeit slowly.
Accolades were given for developing walk-ons Rotimi, Ricks, Wilson, Sean Carter, and Brandon Addison, although this may (or admittedly may not) actually have been an omen that we were not doing the best job properly assessing and recruiting talent.
In any event, a Dline that showed so much promise for 2018 was exposed as fragile w/o Miles Fox and without depth as well. We have had difficulty developing linebackers, and our secondary may have been the slowest in CUSA in 2018.

IMO
Four years into FBS, our defensive personnel show an apparent lack of positional discipline (that may just be a result of being slow), lack of fundamentals (tackling), and most of all, are too slow for FBS.

We totally failed to replace Ricks and Wilson.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

(11-25-2018 01:02 AM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  

(11-24-2018 11:20 PM)ODUCoach Wrote:  Bobby deserves another year, but unfortunately, I have very little faith that he’ll be able to bring in a defensive coordinator who will be a difference maker. I’ve lost count how many we’ve had in 10 years, but it’s too many.

We have had three officially, Andy Rondeau, Bill Dee, and Riich Nagy. The rumor on here was that Nagy had been demoted and an interim DC promoted. I have not seen that corroborated, and the University still lists Nagy as DC.

Andy Rondeau was one of the original coaches, but was suspect because he went from being an Assistant DC at an FBS program (Buffalo) to a position coach at an FCS school (Maine), before coming to ODU. Who does that? (rhetorical). In any event, Rondeau seemed not to have been able to adequately replace the Hofstra and Juco players when they aged out.

BW had a chance to upgrade the caliber of Defensive Coordinator, but in a bizarre head-scratcher chose to promote OL coach Bill Dee to DC. Bill Dee was fortunate to have 4 or 5 NFL or almost NFL caliber linemen during his tenure as OL coach.
Prior to that Dee spent 2 years as a position coach at Christopher Newport, and previously 24 years as a high school coach.

Rich Nagy actually had some success in his career. He had a brief tenure at the NFL level and he was a FBS DC in his final season at Western Michigan. He spent a few years at Maine as DC as well.
For a time it appeared that our defense was going in the right direction, albeit slowly.
Accolades were given for developing walk-ons Rotimi, Ricks, Wilson, Sean Carter, and Brandon Addison, although this may (or admittedly may not) actually have been an omen that we were not doing the best job properly assessing and recruiting talent.
In any event, a Dline that showed so much promise for 2018 was exposed as fragile w/o Miles Fox and without depth as well. We have had difficulty developing linebackers, and our secondary may have been the slowest in CUSA in 2018.

IMO
Four years into FBS, our defensive personnel show an apparent lack of positional discipline (that may just be a result of being slow), lack of fundamentals (tackling), and most of all, are too slow for FBS.

Excellent observation. I might add that we always talk about our best players in terms of how they stack up within the confines of our own team. Yes, all of these kids were walk ons and got significant minutes. I just wonder what their careers would have looked like if they walked on at a top tier CUSA school.
I think I hear a kids name mentioned week in and week out and begin to think he must be pretty good, but I forget we're still just talking about the best of a bunch of bad players.
Having said that, I absolutely believe there is internal disharmony and bad chemistry on this team, and I believe it is primarily in the coaching ranks and spills down to the kids.

(11-24-2018 05:09 PM)TheDancinMonarch Wrote:  

(11-24-2018 04:38 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(11-24-2018 04:23 PM)benny_t Wrote:  Have we ever really had a competant defense in the 10 years of the program though. What makes everyone think it will suddenly happen next year.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

We had a ~60th ranked defense in 2016, which is really good for our level. In 2017, it was 88, which is good enough to get to a bowl game with a decent offense.

We dont need a great defense to make a difference next year; just be top 85ish.

This is the G5 mantra. Yes, we're #66.

Yup, the epitome of why this sucks. Weekday pre-Christmas bowl game in Bahamas is the ceiling.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

It’s not just the defense though. The Offense sucked 50% of the time too. And as much as I like and respect LaRussa, he is very average at best. He does have a knack for stepping up big when the pressure is on though as we saw in the three miracle wins. But in regular game time he’s not great. Just the best we have. No disrespect intended, but if he’s our starting QB next year, we may as well get a new coach now rather than wait a year.

Brad Lambert fired at Charlotte. Team was better than Wilder's team this year.

Love Wilders as a promoter and PR person. He has always been a great representative for ODU and I have great respect for him. But ODU needs and is ready for a change.

(11-25-2018 11:51 AM)ODUBB35 Wrote:  Brad Lambert fired at Charlotte. Team was better than Wilder's team this year.

Much better. I thought he had done enough to keep his job. Not sure what they lose, but this was easily their best year. If they keep a lot of main pieces they could be decent next year.

The game Saturday was a great exclamation point on this season. I am convinced that Wilder was a good FCS coach, but has not, and can not, be even a mediocre FBS coach. The team this year was inconsistent, poorly performing, and seemed to be outcoached in every phase of the game. I don't see this improving with Wilder at the helm. The new stadium vibe has been completely blown ..... the loss to Rice has made ODU football the laughing stock of FBS football. How many people have asked me "Rice, really?". A total embarrassment for the program, fans, and university.

http://www.odusports.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=211781633

(11-25-2018 01:05 PM)blueandsilver Wrote:  The game Saturday was a great exclamation point on this season. I am convinced that Wilder was a good FCS coach, but has not, and can not, be even a mediocre FBS coach. The team this year was inconsistent, poorly performing, and seemed to be outcoached in every phase of the game. I don't see this improving with Wilder at the helm. The new stadium vibe has been completely blown ..... the loss to Rice has made ODU football the laughing stock of FBS football. How many people have asked me "Rice, really?". A total embarrassment for the program, fans, and university.

I agree. Losing to Rice and our overall record do not speak volumes for what ODU is about to ask of its fanbase.

(11-25-2018 01:23 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  http://www.odusports.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=211781633

Great respect for Harry. When he was a reporter he would sometimes give you a little off the record opinion. Not anymore. He is ODU's spin doctor now and gets paid to put on a happy face. Seriously doubt if he'll ever give us any complete analysis again.

Wonder if he truly enjoys his new gig, after being allowed to report the facts for so many years.

I actually think the team was worse than the record indicates. All three of our FBS wins were miracle “flukes”. The VT win, the last second heroics over UNT and the bizarre WKU win shouldn’t have ever happened. I’m thrilled with them, but in all honestly it took a whole lot of luck for this team to finish with more than 1 win. Rice and WKU are likely better teams than we were this season imo in spite of the records.

(11-24-2018 06:43 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  He'd say that regardless. Although I believe him, for now.

Disagree - you don’t make a public statement that someone is on “solid ground” before you fire them a week or so thereafter. Not good for credibility. If that happens, then I have no respect for Selig. And I’m not saying I agree or disagree with the decision - just an unprofessional/bush league move.

(11-25-2018 03:36 PM)ODUDJ96 Wrote:  

(11-24-2018 06:43 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  He'd say that regardless. Although I believe him, for now.

Disagree - you don’t make a public statement that someone is on “solid ground” before you fire them a week or so thereafter. Not good for credibility. If that happens, then I have no respect for Selig. And I’m not saying I agree or disagree with the decision - just an unprofessional/bush league move.

bull****. Who was it that fired their coach mere days after saying somedging similar at ACC media days?

(11-25-2018 03:38 PM)Grommet Wrote:  

(11-25-2018 03:36 PM)ODUDJ96 Wrote:  

(11-24-2018 06:43 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  He'd say that regardless. Although I believe him, for now.

Disagree - you don’t make a public statement that someone is on “solid ground” before you fire them a week or so thereafter. Not good for credibility. If that happens, then I have no respect for Selig. And I’m not saying I agree or disagree with the decision - just an unprofessional/bush league move.

bull****. Who was it that fired their coach mere days after saying somedging similar at ACC media days?

It’s a bush league move - pure and simple.

(11-25-2018 12:48 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(11-25-2018 11:51 AM)ODUBB35 Wrote:  Brad Lambert fired at Charlotte. Team was better than Wilder's team this year.

Much better. I thought he had done enough to keep his job. Not sure what they lose, but this was easily their best year. If they keep a lot of main pieces they could be decent next year.

Indeed, much better with lesser talent, at least on offense.

They were ranked 110 on offense compared to 79 for us. (Footballoutsiders). Their defense was 97 compared to our 119