With all the cherry picking of our coaches by the power-five teams, are your concerned about continuity in our program? Last year Notre Dame hired Mickens away. That was not too surprising because Mickens played for Kelly in 2009. This year Kelly returns to the well for Marcus Freeman. Now Vandy is interviewing Mike Denbrock. Congratulations to the coaches on their success but as always, we are a proving ground for the power five.

Even assuming Coach Fickell stays, the players will be adjusting to new systems on both sides of the ball. This was a problem (for other reasons) back in the Rick Minter days as referenced in “Bearcat Rising” by Josh Katzowitz. It specifically states the players had problems adjusting to the new coordinators the first year of their tenure because everything was changed. The new coaches had their own philosophies, plays and call signals that had to be relearned from scratch. In the past this led to mistakes and affected performance on the field.

Even with Coach Fickell at the helm, is there concern for the upcoming season?

Yeah, we will have a built in excuse for struggling at times next season. New coordinators are possibly more of an upheaval to programs than a new HC.

Continuity in staff is rare in CFB, even at the P5 elite schools

Frankly, I'm just thankful that we have the guy at the top and a bunch of assistants who are good enough to attract interest elsewhere. As long as Fickell remains, he'll be able to attract really good assistant coaches, including a solid mix of up-and-comers and some - like Enos and Denbrock - who are looking to reset their careers.

(01-13-2021 02:03 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  Continuity in staff is rare in CFB, even at the P5 elite schools

This. Saban, Urban, and to a certain extent Dabo all lost coordinators and position coaches like crazy over the last decade. Time for the Fickell coaching tree to start.

I'm most worried about our recruiting since we aren't a stable household name in football like the big P5 schools. I think we kill it on the field again next year though and all will take care of itself. Hopefully we get to a point where players start committing to our school and not coaches.

I hate to relate this board to Ohio State so much, but here is a great article on how Mike Vrabel recruited at his time up there. He knew he wouldn't be at Ohio State very long and still landed the big ones while being honest. https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/m...67895.html

Our defensive schemes will change a bit on personnel and as college football progresses. Not worried about D one bit next year.

I think Denbrock did a better job this year with O but there is still a lot of room for improvement in playing calling. It won't bother me if he stays or leaves.

Keep the man in charge and we'll be just fine!

You guys have to be freaking kidding me.

(01-13-2021 02:42 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  You guys have to be freaking kidding me.

More specifics would be helpful.

(01-13-2021 02:46 PM)geef Wrote:  

(01-13-2021 02:42 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  You guys have to be freaking kidding me.

More specifics would be helpful.

I think he's probably asking why the hell there would be a ton of concern for a team that brings back 16 starters and 8 other players who have started significant time for us, who just finished the season in the Top 10 with the same head coach coming back. To me, assistant turnover isn't something to take lightly, but to say that you're concerned about next season is a bit of an overreaction IMO.

(01-13-2021 03:03 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(01-13-2021 02:46 PM)geef Wrote:  

(01-13-2021 02:42 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  You guys have to be freaking kidding me.

More specifics would be helpful.

I think he's probably asking why the hell there would be a ton of concern for a team that brings back 16 starters and 8 other players who have started significant time for us, who just finished the season in the Top 10 with the same head coach coming back. To me, assistant turnover isn't something to take lightly, but to say that you're concerned about next season is a bit of an overreaction IMO.

Cincinnati Sports Trauma. We've been hurt before.

I'm good though. I'm ready to ride this train to wherever it takes us.

Were about to keep the hottest name in G5 football for a FIFTH YEAR. not only should we not be concerned about continuity, we should be celebrating the fact that our current coach is blowing every other G5 upstart out of the water with his loyalty. My lord man. If you can't enjoy this run of success then idk what to tell you

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

It's a legitimate question and was stated without hyperbole by cpawstoney. Rath had a predictably pessimistic/cynical reaction though haha

It’s part of being successful. We just have to get used to it. As long as Fick is here people will be after our coaches.

(01-13-2021 06:03 PM)chicago bearcat Wrote:  It's a legitimate question and was stated without hyperbole by cpawstoney. Rath had a predictably pessimistic/cynical reaction though haha

Shocker.

Wait .. what?

Not skipping a beat in the first season with 2 new coordinators isn’t easy for any program.

(01-13-2021 06:03 PM)chicago bearcat Wrote:  It's a legitimate question and was stated without hyperbole by cpawstoney. Rath had a predictably pessimistic/cynical reaction though haha

I mean it's a legit question in the sense that it can be added but almost any top 15 program goes through this every couple years with their coordinators. If they don't it's because they weren't good and got fired.

Comparatively, even the best teams have growing pains with new coordinators.

Doug Nussmeyer, Lane Kiffen, Steve Sarkesian...had a few things in common. One was being an OC at Alabama. Another was that their offense didn’t take off until the second year when I believe each won a National championship ring.

Something has to give with our ongoing success going back to Dantonio. We managed a new, successful head coach every three years. Now, we have a successful coach beginning Year Five. Repeat that again...Year Five. If we don't lose a quality head coach, we're going to lose coordinators/assistants because we can't pay top dollar and we don't compete in the power conferences. As most of us have posted over the years on here, we'll take coaching turnover if that is the price of admission for success in our minor league system.

Losing both coordinators is not the best timing with everything that's at stake next season. That makes it seem all the more probable that at least one of the replacements will be an in-house promotion. There's no question the coaching turnover will be another challenge to overcome in the short term. How much remains to be seen but having a fourth year starter at QB returning is really a huge deal now. Players help with continuity on and off the field too.

(01-13-2021 08:28 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Something has to give with our ongoing success going back to Dantonio. We managed a new, successful head coach every three years. Now, we have a successful coach beginning Year Five. Repeat that again...Year Five. If we don't lose a quality head coach, we're going to lose coordinators/assistants because we can't pay top dollar and we don't compete in the power conferences. As most of us have posted over the years on here, we'll take coaching turnover if that is the price of admission for success in our minor league system.

Losing both coordinators is not the best timing with everything that's at stake next season. That makes it seem all the more probable that at least one of the replacements will be an in-house promotion. There's no question the coaching turnover will be another challenge to overcome in the short term. How much remains to be seen but having a fourth year starter at QB returning is really a huge deal now. Players help with continuity on and off the field too.

Fact. Do you think Saban is concerned about coaching turnover? I don't.

If Denbrock stays, which is debatable as to that being in our best interests, then only the defense would have to make an adjustment.

Defense is our strength. It is not going to take much to keep that crew going strong.

Indiana and Notre Dame are not high powered offenses. We have UCF at home. If there was a year to have this happen I guess it would be now, so... viva continuity.

It’s about having a good system in place and bringing in people who fit the system, not the other way around. CLF has built a culture. We can lose a person and replace them with someone else who fits the culture and we’re fine. That applies to coaches and players.