(11-29-2013 04:10 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(11-29-2013 04:02 PM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  

(11-29-2013 03:51 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(11-29-2013 03:21 PM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  I wonder if eastisbest still thinks this was a "fun year"

yes

but again, I root for the school, not the wins. I enjoy the effort and the time put in by the kids. There was and is a ton of hard working talent.

I enjoyed 1968-1971 but I don't live in it. I didn't expect Coach Campbell to be the second coming of Meyer/Saban but at the same time, I think AD made a mistake in giving the extension. The idea that coaching stability leads to recruiting leads to wins is a falsehood in the MAC. Superior coaching wins in the MAC.

I support the players. I support the coaches even if I don't agree with the minutia. I support and do my best to enjoy the Toledo Rockets, win or lose. My thinking that the coach is not ready for a head assignment is not new and doesn't mean I do not support his efforts.

Good response but my own personal comparison to a successful program was when I was a student (early 2000s) when we sold out the Glass Bowl, beat BCS programs, and finished in top 25. We should be taking a step in that direction but I fear we are not

Yeah, I can see that.

Anyhow, we have all been raving our QB class. We have most of that O line back. D will be more mature. Sure we're hurting at RB but other teams will offer to give us the field goal so they can have extra clock time.

I think we need a punter and an LB?

Owens gave good to the University but honestly, there are not a lot of great left-handed QBs. The systems from pee-wee on up just do not accommodate their development, even though we'd like to think they do. Dantin was the better QB but when Owens got the job, he was my QB. I really don't like when "fans" heap their frustrations on him but I suppose the leader he is, he handles it.

Our record really hasn't been that bad. Akron has a head coach experienced with MAJOR programs, the economic support that Tressel brings, are surrounded by a hotbed of northern football, and they are nowhere near where we are.

I REALLY enjoyed the last four years.

Dantin was a better qb? Lol. Dude was not good. Had a wet noodle for an arm. As bad as Owens was, I wanted to leave games when Dantin was on the field. It was like watching a high school offense.

I hate to complain about officiating - and I haven't at all this year - but I find it interesting how our receivers are getting hit constantly before the ball arrives - and no calls. Then we get called for pass interference on a pass that could not have been caught - and if it was - he would have been out of bounds by three yards. The 2-pt conversion was clearly pass interference and nothing gets called. That kind of BS is what keeps me from wanting to travel to games.

With that said, our sad performance before the end of the 1st half on the fake punt - and then our version which faked no one (other than those of us that said no one would be dumb enough to run a fake punt now) is what cost us the game. Reedy cutting back and getting stopped short of a first down, our insistence on rolling Owens out to the left to throw a pass when he can never decide to throw it until the guy is covered with no sideline left and throwing a pick in the end zone - again. That is why this team did not produce what they are capable of. I saw no improvement this year over last year - and unless we get a leader at QB, next year is going to be disaster as well.

(11-29-2013 04:14 PM)T-Town Wrote:  

(11-29-2013 03:34 PM)42 of Blue Crew Wrote:  Our coaching needs to improve. I am sad to say, I believe TO peaked as a Soph, Reedy was not the Reedy of yester-year and Flu couldn't stay healthy this season. With that said, the only guy I'm going to miss from the 2013 team is Jayrone.

If coaching improves, 2014 could be a decent season. If coaching stays the same or gets worse, next season could be a very long, painful thing to watch (Amstutz post Gradkowski-type stuff).

I agree with almost 100% about everything you say-----except I would add in Zac Kerin along with Jayrone Elliot as being the biggest losses to graduation. TO just never realized the potential he showed his sophomore year and I put that on the QB coach as much as on him. As to Reedy, it seemed like that every brilliant catch or return he made, was always countered by a dropped pass, a fumble, or a drive killing stupid penalty.

This team seemed to get worse as the season progressed and I put that on the coaching staff more so than the injuries.

Actually, IMHO one small but significant coaching change could solve most of the problems and that is if Head Coach Campbell learns how (and when) to better hire, fire and utilize his assistant coaches.

Oh boy, I forgot we're losing Zac. Add him to my list.

Even with the loss to Akron, we did win the MAC East! lol

Glad the Owens era is over. Wished we would have played Woodside today to prepare him for the future of Rocket football, not just letting the senior piss away the game.

So many damn injuries to our running backs.

Way too many drops by our receivers, especially the senior Reedy.

We really are not mentally in shape for any bowl game. We should respectfully decline one if offered...wouldn't be fair to the MAC to have us representing in our current state. If the team is as banged up as Campbell said in his post-game, then we're physically not ready for one, either. Let's wrap the season up. I don't think many fans would mind. Nothing good can come from a loss in a bowl and a 7-6 season. At this point I'd be worried that more players would just get injured during the practices leading up to a bowl. We sure seem to have a lot of injuries...maybe need to re-examine our strength & conditioning program?

(11-29-2013 05:37 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  We really are not mentally in shape for any bowl game. We should respectfully decline one if offered...wouldn't be fair to the MAC to have us representing in our current state. If the team is as banged up as Campbell said in his post-game, then we're physically not ready for one, either. Let's wrap the season up. I don't think many fans would mind. Nothing good can come from a loss in a bowl and a 7-6 season. At this point I'd be worried that more players would just get injured during the practices leading up to a bowl. We sure seem to have a lot of injuries...maybe need to re-examine our strength & conditioning program?

There is no way in hell we would "respectfully decline" and offer. First off, I bet the coaches get a bonus for going to a bowl game. Second, it'd be dumb to pass up 15 practices.

(11-29-2013 05:37 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  We really are not mentally in shape for any bowl game. We should respectfully decline one if offered...wouldn't be fair to the MAC to have us representing in our current state. If the team is as banged up as Campbell said in his post-game, then we're physically not ready for one, either. Let's wrap the season up. I don't think many fans would mind. Nothing good can come from a loss in a bowl and a 7-6 season. At this point I'd be worried that more players would just get injured during the practices leading up to a bowl. We sure seem to have a lot of injuries...maybe need to re-examine our strength & conditioning program?

I mean as fan, I wouldn't mind a bowl trip up to Detroit just because I'd get to go due to location and a lot of us Rockets fans would too. But yeah, we go to a bowl and lose, end up at 7-6 and that's a horrible season for Rocket football. So we gotta be careful. Injuries should play a huge part in their decision to accept a bowl bid. Would declining a bowl game affect recruiting ?

(11-29-2013 05:42 PM)inductchuck16 Wrote:  

(11-29-2013 05:37 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  We really are not mentally in shape for any bowl game. We should respectfully decline one if offered...wouldn't be fair to the MAC to have us representing in our current state. If the team is as banged up as Campbell said in his post-game, then we're physically not ready for one, either. Let's wrap the season up. I don't think many fans would mind. Nothing good can come from a loss in a bowl and a 7-6 season. At this point I'd be worried that more players would just get injured during the practices leading up to a bowl. We sure seem to have a lot of injuries...maybe need to re-examine our strength & conditioning program?

I mean as fan, I wouldn't mind a bowl trip up to Detroit just because I'd get to go due to location and a lot of us Rockets fans would too. But yeah, we go to a bowl and lose, end up at 7-6 and that's a horrible season for Rocket football. So we gotta be careful. Injuries should play a huge part in their decision to accept a bowl bid. Would declining a bowl game affect recruiting ?

Yes! Why would kids want to come to Toledo, when they would know that there is always a possibility that we would turn down a bowl invite when we are bowl eligible?

We aren't in a position to decline bowl bids...it will be a gift if a bowl extends an invite.

I'm really worried about this staff moving forward. They can recruit but what are they doing with the talent? TO regressed considerably from his Soph year. We can't call offensive plays on time...play calling is predictable. Our pace is horrible and we don't have any rhythm. DB's continue to give way too much cushion and never look for the ball when in position. We win games based on our talent, not by scheme and coaching.

Does anyone question whether we are mediocre now?

(11-29-2013 05:46 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(11-29-2013 05:42 PM)inductchuck16 Wrote:  

(11-29-2013 05:37 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  We really are not mentally in shape for any bowl game. We should respectfully decline one if offered...wouldn't be fair to the MAC to have us representing in our current state. If the team is as banged up as Campbell said in his post-game, then we're physically not ready for one, either. Let's wrap the season up. I don't think many fans would mind. Nothing good can come from a loss in a bowl and a 7-6 season. At this point I'd be worried that more players would just get injured during the practices leading up to a bowl. We sure seem to have a lot of injuries...maybe need to re-examine our strength & conditioning program?

I mean as fan, I wouldn't mind a bowl trip up to Detroit just because I'd get to go due to location and a lot of us Rockets fans would too. But yeah, we go to a bowl and lose, end up at 7-6 and that's a horrible season for Rocket football. So we gotta be careful. Injuries should play a huge part in their decision to accept a bowl bid. Would declining a bowl game affect recruiting ?

Yes! Why would kids want to come to Toledo, when they would know that there is always a possibility that we would turn down a bowl invite when we are bowl eligible?

Are we talking about those "best in the MAC" recruiting classes? Because I'd rather have kids who want to accept the challenge of re-building a Toledo program into champions worthy of a bowl. Having said that: my comment really should (this time, anyway) be taken literally...we just aren't in any shape, physically or mentally, to be playing a bowl game. Somehow, we've ended up in worse shape on both counts than last year heading into a bowl (when our back-up QB and a 4th string RB who hardly played that season led us to a win over Akron in the final game). But rest easy--obviously, the U isn't going to turn a bowl down, and the MAC wants to fill spots, so my guess is we're probably headed to Detroit against a Sun Belt team or San Diego to be the sacrificial "visiting" team against San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl. May we get a huge dose of good luck in either case.

If the team is lucky enough to get a bowl bid and not be one of the non-AQ bowl eligible school sitting home in the post season this year they absolutely have to accept it, not only for recruiting and marketing reasons but also for the extended practice time it affords.

(11-29-2013 05:54 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  Are we talking about those "best in the MAC" recruiting classes? Because I'd rather have kids who want to accept the challenge of re-building a Toledo program into champions worthy of a bowl.

I don't think that the recruits are the problem so much as the development and coaching they get after they arrive, not to mention preparation for game day and play calling and coaching adjustments during the game. I am not convinced that they are consistently put into a position to be successful contrary to protestations to the contrary by the coaching staff.

(11-29-2013 06:13 PM)T-Town Wrote:  

(11-29-2013 05:54 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  Are we talking about those "best in the MAC" recruiting classes? Because I'd rather have kids who want to accept the challenge of re-building a Toledo program into champions worthy of a bowl.

I don't think that the recruits are the problem so much as the development and coaching they get after they arrive, not to mention preparation for game day and play calling and coaching adjustments during the game. I am not convinced that they are consistently put into a position to be successful contrary to protestations to the contrary by the coaching staff.

Then we have a problem...and may for a couple more seasons.

There was a dust up on the sidelines between Alonzo and the coaches toward the end of the game. Does anyone know what that was about?

(11-29-2013 06:26 PM)B4b Wrote:  There was a dust up on the sidelines between Alonzo and the coaches toward the end of the game. Does anyone know what that was about?

I could speculate but won't. Even I have limits.

(11-29-2013 06:26 PM)B4b Wrote:  There was a dust up on the sidelines between Alonzo and the coaches toward the end of the game. Does anyone know what that was about?

I think I remember seeing that on E$PN3. IIRC, it seemed like it had something to do with a missed assignment/drop/something like that.

(11-29-2013 05:37 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  We really are not mentally in shape for any bowl game. We should respectfully decline one if offered...wouldn't be fair to the MAC to have us representing in our current state. If the team is as banged up as Campbell said in his post-game, then we're physically not ready for one, either. Let's wrap the season up. I don't think many fans would mind. Nothing good can come from a loss in a bowl and a 7-6 season. At this point I'd be worried that more players would just get injured during the practices leading up to a bowl. We sure seem to have a lot of injuries...maybe need to re-examine our strength & conditioning program?

My opinion is that we have had a season with very few injuries, certainly fewer than most teams. Yes, we lost Voss early and Fluellen was on and of much of the season. But really, what else other than minor injuries? Most players are hurt to some extent by the end of the season.