IN SHAFER I TRUST

[CUSU]

Sure the cupboard was bare. Marrone only left behind an 1100 rusher in Jerome Smith, the MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl in PTG and a very competent offensive line. Marrone also went 2-2 against Rutgers and should have won the two games we lost.
I'll never respect the guy for the way he left, but facts are facts.

"Should have won" ? BUT HE DIDNT. Funny how Marrone should have won some close games but Shafer gets flamed for losing some close games.

 

[Willy75]

"Should have won" ? BUT HE DIDNT. Funny how Marrone should have won some close games but Shafer gets flamed for losing some close games.

Whatever. My point is Shady did not "own" Marrone.

 

[oldpinepoint]

Whatever. My point is Shady did not "own" Marrone.

recruiting he sure did

 

[jekelish]

Sure the cupboard was bare. Marrone only left behind an 1100 rusher in Jerome Smith, the MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl in PTG and a very competent offensive line. Marrone also went 2-2 against Rutgers and should have won the two games we lost.
I'll never respect the guy for the way he left, but facts are facts.

It's hard to be able to run when the other team can load the box since we lost 3700 passing yards and our two best receivers (by far) from that offense, along with a guy who was so good on the OL that he was a first round pick and a starter from day one (or close, I can't remember if he opened his rookie year as a starter).

The RBs were fine, but I think a lot of the success Rome and PTG had was due to a better OL and a vastly superior passing attack that opened things up. We saw last year that PTG wasn't exactly a guy who could be a lead rusher.

 

[Willy75]

recruiting he sure did

Not even sure I agree with that if you evaluate based on success at the college level, although he did have an edge. Even with RU's easier schedules they were 31-20 during Marrone's tenure to his 25-25.

 

[K Otto XLIV]

It's hard to be able to run when the other team can load the box since we lost 3700 passing yards and our two best receivers (by far) from that offense, along with a guy who was so good on the OL that he was a first round pick and a starter from day one (or close, I can't remember if he opened his rookie year as a starter).

The RBs were fine, but I think a lot of the success Rome and PTG had was due to a better OL and a vastly superior passing attack that opened things up. We saw last year that PTG wasn't exactly a guy who could be a lead rusher.

But we ran the ball well in 2013 and the coaches didn't seem all that interested in having Rome come back despite eligibility. The passing game should have been a mess the last two years but the running game should have been a Top 40 run game.

 

[hoopsupstate]

The Maronne debate is very interesting. If he was such a great coach, we would be seeing his juniors and seniors leading this program. He could scheme offensively, but his game management left us alwasy wondering what the hell he was doing. He was a LOUSY recruiter and Shafer is bearing the brunt of it right now. He hated recruiting and his smug attitude turned off players and parents. He NEVER recruited a starting quarterback. He won with Robinson's upper classman. Shafer has been left with nothing. This is why he's playing so many young players. When Maronne did win, he won a lot of games with Shafer's defense.

I'm as frustrated as anyone. I went to Virginia last week and left again yesterday feeling lousy. I can't imagine how the players and coaches are feeling. Like Franklin said, they are getting close. This team will continue to getter better and they might surprise some teams on the back end of the schedule. We've been saying for years that we have to play our young players and watch the program benefit down the road. We can see it happening right in front of our eyes. Shafer and his staff deserve the chance to coach these players in the future. I don't want to start all over again. You can tell this staff is making great inroads on the recruiting trail and a couple of more players and we will be in a place where we can start redshirting our freshman and the program will be sound and in a great place moving forward.

Another change would be 5 coaches in 12 years. We need continuity and a plan. Shafer and his staff have a plan. They are recruiting good talent and great kids. They are doing very well in the classroom and with our new chancelor, that's a must. These kids don't need their hearts ripped out again with another coaching change. We need to stay the course. It's not fair to Shafer and his staff to make a change after only three years.

 

[jekelish]

But we ran the ball well in 2013 and the coaches didn't seem all that interested in having Rome come back despite eligibility. The passing game should have been a mess the last two years but the running game should have been a Top 40 run game.

Doesn't Shafer and his staff get any credit for getting decent production out of the passing game his first year, though? Think about this: in three seasons, Shafer hasn't finished the season with the same starter one time, twice due to injury, once due to a kid falling remarkably below expectations. The first year, without injury, we got to a bowl. Last year, we had an absurd run of back luck with injuries. This year, we've played four QBs already and are playing a true freshman QB and a walk-on as our top two options...and the offense is getting better than it was previously.

 

[Willy75]

It's hard to be able to run when the other team can load the box since we lost 3700 passing yards and our two best receivers (by far) from that offense, along with a guy who was so good on the OL that he was a first round pick and a starter from day one (or close, I can't remember if he opened his rookie year as a starter).

The RBs were fine, but I think a lot of the success Rome and PTG had was due to a better OL and a vastly superior passing attack that opened things up. We saw last year that PTG wasn't exactly a guy who could be a lead rusher.

6100 total yards in 2012, 4900 in 2013. Hunt and Allen combined for 2300 yds passing; Hunt had a qb rating over 117. Again my point is not that the offense was as good, rather that the "cupboard was bare" stuff is revisionist history.

 

[money3189]

The Maronne debate is very interesting. If he was such a great coach, we would be seeing his juniors and seniors leading this program. He could scheme offensively, but his game management left us alwasy wondering what the hell he was doing. He was a LOUSY recruiter and Shafer is bearing the brunt of it right now. He hated recruiting and his smug attitude turned off players and parents. He NEVER recruited a starting quarterback. He won with Robinson's upper classman. Shafer has been left with nothing. This is why he's playing so many young players. When Maronne did win, he won a lot of games with Shafer's defense.

I'm as frustrated as anyone. I went to Virginia last week and left again yesterday feeling lousy. I can't imagine how the players and coaches are feeling. Like Franklin said, they are getting close. This team will continue to getter better and they might surprise some teams on the back end of the schedule. We've been saying for years that we have to play our young players and watch the program benefit down the road. We can see it happening right in front of our eyes. Shafer and his staff deserve the chance to coach these players in the future. I don't want to start all over again. You can tell this staff is making great inroads on the recruiting trail and a couple of more players and we will be in a place where we can start redshirting our freshman and the program will be sound and in a great place moving forward.

Another change would be 5 coaches in 12 years. We need continuity and a plan. Shafer and his staff have a plan. They are recruiting good talent and great kids. They are doing very well in the classroom and with our new chancelor, that's a must. These kids don't need their hearts ripped out again with another coaching change. We need to stay the course. It's not fair to Shafer and his staff to make a change after only three years.

Really like this post.

 

[jekelish]

Dungey, I am pretty sure, would be the first ever starting QB w/ no competition for a job to leave solely b/c of a coaching change (not to move up a level from FCS to FBS or anything like that).

Recruits are an entirely different ballgame.

First time for everything.

Again, not saying he's one of them. Not saying he's not. But people would be very unhappy with some of the departures if they followed through, should Shafer be let go.

 

[Crusty]

Doesn't Shafer and his staff get any credit for getting decent production out of the passing game his first year, though? Think about this: in three seasons, Shafer hasn't finished the season with the same starter one time, twice due to injury, once due to a kid falling remarkably below expectations. The first year, without injury, we got to a bowl. Last year, we had an absurd run of back luck with injuries. This year, we've played four QBs already and are playing a true freshman QB and a walk-on as our top two options...and the offense is getting better than it was previously.

Absolutely correct.

 

[Crusty]

6100 total yards in 2012, 4900 in 2013. Hunt and Allen combined for 2300 yds passing; Hunt had a qb rating over 117. Again my point is not that the offense was as good, rather that the "cupboard was bare" stuff is revisionist history.

Absolutely no depth anywhere. Where are the seniors and Rs juniors?

 

[Willy75]

The Maronne debate is very interesting. If he was such a great coach, we would be seeing his juniors and seniors leading this program. He could scheme offensively, but his game management left us alwasy wondering what the hell he was doing. He was a LOUSY recruiter and Shafer is bearing the brunt of it right now. He hated recruiting and his smug attitude turned off players and parents. He NEVER recruited a starting quarterback. He won with Robinson's upper classman. Shafer has been left with nothing. This is why he's playing so many young players. When Maronne did win, he won a lot of games with Shafer's defense.

I'm as frustrated as anyone. I went to Virginia last week and left again yesterday feeling lousy. I can't imagine how the players and coaches are feeling. Like Franklin said, they are getting close. This team will continue to getter better and they might surprise some teams on the back end of the schedule. We've been saying for years that we have to play our young players and watch the program benefit down the road. We can see it happening right in front of our eyes. Shafer and his staff deserve the chance to coach these players in the future. I don't want to start all over again. You can tell this staff is making great inroads on the recruiting trail and a couple of more players and we will be in a place where we can start redshirting our freshman and the program will be sound and in a great place moving forward.

Another change would be 5 coaches in 12 years. We need continuity and a plan. Shafer and his staff have a plan. They are recruiting good talent and great kids. They are doing very well in the classroom and with our new chancelor, that's a must. These kids don't need their hearts ripped out again with another coaching change. We need to stay the course. It's not fair to Shafer and his staff to make a change after only three years.

Hunt, Dixon, Trudo, Thompson. Also, Shafer presumably had something to do with recruiting on the defensive side during Marrone's tenure.

 

[Ozcuse]

Did we move up to a better league? Yes we did.

So did Pitt and Lville. What's your point?

 

[Crusty]

So did Pitt and Lville. What's your point?

If you can't figure out the difference as to where we were relative to those programs there is no use continuing the discussion.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Hunt, Dixon, Trudo, Thompson. Also, Shafer presumably had something to do with recruiting on the defensive side during Marrone's tenure.

Well, Maronne told me flat out that Hunt would never see the field as a quarteback. Dixon was a walk on, Thompson was recruited as a tight end. I'll give you Trudo.

 

[jekelish]

If you can't figure out the difference as to where we were relative to those programs there is no use continuing the discussion.

I'd say that's more true of Louisville than Pitt, but mostly agree with this sentiment. Louisville has been a perennial top 15-20 team for awhile now (this year notwithstanding).

 

[Crusty]

Hunt, Dixon, Trudo, Thompson. Also, Shafer presumably had something to do with recruiting on the defensive side during Marrone's tenure.

So four names - I think you made my point for me.
50 to 60 percent of the snaps on D are by freshmen and 60 percent of the scoring. That is as bare as a cupboard can be.

 

[Ozcuse]

If you can't figure out the difference as to where we were relative to those programs there is no use continuing the discussion.

Greg Robinson left in December 2008. This is like people still blaming Bush for what's going on in 2015.

BTW, Pitt has had like 5 coaches in the last 4 years.

STOP THE EXCUSES ALREADY

Edit: 5 coaches in 4 years, not 6

 

[K Otto XLIV]

Absolutely no depth anywhere. Where are the seniors and Rs juniors?

By year 3 depth is the responsibility of the new coach not the old one. Here is what we should have this year from Marrone as starters:

QB Hunt, who was able to get us to a Bowl already
RB McFarlane, who was averaging over 6 ypc coming into this season
LT Foy
LG Robinson
C Emerich
RG Trudo
RT Palmer
TE Parris
WR Lewis
WR Broyld

That isn't a great team but it is good enough to push for a Bowl game if used properly.

 

[Willy75]

Well, Maronne told me flat out that Hunt would never see the field as a quarteback. Dixon was a walk on, Thompson was recruited as a tight end. I'll give you Trudo.

This is getting tedious but the argument is/was that Marrone left the cupboard bare. He did not, and if (incorrectly) that argument still gets made Shafer has at least some responsility on the defensive side.

 

[TheCusian]

Greg Robinson left in December 2008. This is like people still blaming Bush for what's going on in 2015. BTW, Pitt has had like 5 coaches in the last 4 years. STOP THE EXCUSES ALREADY Edit: 5 coaches in 4 years, not 6

And they have underperformed their recruiting rankings by a mile.

 

[TheCusian]

By year 3 depth is the responsibility of the new coach not the old one. Here is what we should have this year from Marrone as starters: QB Hunt, who was able to get us to a Bowl already RB McFarlane, who was averaging over 6 ypc coming into this season LT Foy LG Robinson C Emerich RG Trudo RT Palmer TE Parris WR Lewis WR Broyld That isn't a great team but it is good enough to push for a Bowl game if used properly.

No way. I don't think Marrone would have went with Hunt.

Broylds issues were not going to be solved with Marrone or Shafer.

That's a much worse team than this freshman led team.

 

[jekelish]

By year 3 depth is the responsibility of the new coach not the old one. Here is what we should have this year from Marrone as starters:

QB Hunt, who was able to get us to a Bowl already
RB McFarlane, who was averaging over 6 ypc coming into this season
LT Foy
LG Robinson
C Emerich
RG Trudo
RT Palmer
TE Parris
WR Lewis
WR Broyld

That isn't a great team but it is good enough to push for a Bowl game if used properly.

Dungey, Fredericks, Philips, and Ishmael are so much more talented than Hunt, McFarlane, Lewis, and Broyld it's not funny. The only guy in that group I want getting any touches is Lewis, as a possession receiver.