James Vollono (ST coordinator)

[PAcuse]

I still find it weird we had so many starters on ST

Fran has stated he wanted them on ST to help with there draft stock etc.

 

[upperdeck]

Losing all the DL guys forced some changes in how we played D for sure.

 

[PhatOrange]

The change in defensive scheme was very drastic. I’d like to see what happens next season with a full year and half and two springs under the belt before the 2nd season begins.

Many of the mistakes I saw in the secondary were guys not on the same page or not understanding their responsibilities; dumbing it down, there were times half the guys were in zone and the other half in man. Or a CB passing a guy off when there’s no safety help behind him because the safety is moving to The other side of the field. Lots of miscommunication and mixups. There’s a lot more put on the secondary plate than what they were used to with White. (We need a couple of kids to step up at safety, I thought that was a bigger issue than DL even though we obviously need someone to be able to get to the QB.)

Second major problem I saw was fundamental and fixable; tackling and angles.

All in all, the change in scheme was drastic and we need to allow for it to sink in. If ERob came in playing a 335 with these results then I’d be concerned. Not concerned yet.

 

[bnoro]

Again guys, we don't have to play this game, out of all the many good decisions he made a poor decision. It's ok to mention that. All the good he's done for our program doesn't negate or end the need to point out the bad.
It grounds us in reality and not the need to rationalize everything. I suggest we all try it. It's very freeing.

Yeah, criticism is warranted, but what's the point? People make mistakes.

This isn't a three-strikes-and-you're-out situation for Fran. It's just an odd way to call it out.

 

[djcon57]

Again guys, we don't have to play this game, out of all the many good decisions he made a poor decision. It's ok to mention that. All the good he's done for our program doesn't negate or end the need to point out the bad.
It grounds us in reality and not the need to rationalize everything. I suggest we all try it. It's very freeing.

Just to review...

I stated "Glad to see Fran doing the right thing"

Me saying "Glad to see Fran doing the right thing" doesn't suggest the initial hire was a "good decision"...so the whole idea I was rationalizing anything is bizarre


You responded "He's the one who hired him too... just sayin."

"JUST SAYIN" Just sayin' what? Say it with your chest.

 

[Chip]

We did have a nice punt and kickoff return in the bowl game.But, as you guys mentioned, the punt team is the major reason this guy is gone. I don't fault ST coaches for kickers that suck. If the unit is snapping, holding and blocking acceptably then he's doing his job. But Jake mentioned above that 11% of our punts were blocked this year? That has to rival an NCAA record. Totally unacceptable.

Yeah, agree. I think people over-vilify the ST coordinator sometimes (in general, not just a Vollono thing).

But when you can't execute a punt block scheme this often, then you have to find someone who can. That's not a talent thing. Teams with much less talent than us get a much higher % of their punts off.

Thankfully we were good enough to overcome it in two big wins this year, but can't keep playing with fire.

 

[NKR1978]

I don't want you to answer in any way. I just want you to use basic logic.

Yes, Vollono was hired by Fran Brown. It was a bad hire...somehow with Fran Brown's other hires, we went 10-3...so I'll trust Fran Brown to do better with his next hire.

Now what's your point?

He did a bad job this year, but he's otherwise had success. There was no indication that ST's would be as historically bad as they were. So I don't think it was a bad hire, it just didn't work out.

 

[Chip]

Again guys, we don't have to play this game, out of all the many good decisions he made a poor decision. It's ok to mention that. All the good he's done for our program doesn't negate or end the need to point out the bad.
It grounds us in reality and not the need to rationalize everything. I suggest we all try it. It's very freeing.

I think you're trying to free yourself from the initial 'who hired him' comment that turned things sideways.

Coaches make staff hires all the time that don't work out. Sometimes it turns out not to be a good fit, doesn't mean it was a bad hire at the time. You rip off the band aid and move on.

 

[PhatOrange]

Just scanning the special teams comments …no mention that our first drive in the bowl game was a punt and we had a delay of game lining up to punt because we were shifting and confused. After the delay, that punt was almost blocked.

The whole personnel grouping here seems odd. Meeks is lined up 1 player off the center so he’s technically the OT. Gadsden is on the line blocking to with Barron, freshman LB Goddard and walkon Josh Kabula. Gunner’s look like Gill and Martin?

2 guys deep are Clements and McDonald.

It’s a bizarre personnel grouping, the splits are huge and only two guys back deep with the punter; doesn’t seem the norm.

 

[kcsu]

When 4 of your top 8 DL were out before the season started we were in trouble.

Good point. What cracks me up is the crowd that continually complained about lack of blitzing.
We couldn't get home. We are slow in the back and didn't have the talent. In short a bend don't break D was our best chance. Our D was beat up, lacking depth and experience. I agree there were coaching mistakes but we won 10 games and beat some excellent teams. Erob will get better. So will the D.

 

[djcon57]

In short a bend don't break D was our best chance.

But we broke.

Repeatedly.

 

[kcsu]

Yeah, agree. I think people over-vilify the ST coordinator sometimes (in general, not just a Vollono thing).

But when you can't execute a punt block scheme this often, then you have to find someone who can. That's not a talent thing. Teams with much less talent than us get a much higher % of their punts off.

Thankfully we were good enough to overcome it in two big wins this year, but can't keep playing with fire.

The guy was the coach of one of the worst ranked special teams units in all of college football. Of course he was fired. We sucked, he was the coach. Dont Mind it.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

But we broke.

Repeatedly.

Yeah.

Resulting in multiple game ends that involves an onside kick attempt that should have been unnecessary.

One of which got Hatcher injured.

 

[Sudano]

Just to review...

I stated "Glad to see Fran doing the right thing"

Me saying "Glad to see Fran doing the right thing" doesn't suggest the initial hire was a "good decision"...so the whole idea I was rationalizing anything is bizarre


You responded "He's the one who hired him too... just sayin."

"JUST SAYIN" Just sayin' what? Say it with your chest.

Your first post isn't your rationalization, it's the second post in response to mine.
Not even Fran related, but when people praise themselves or anyone for doing the right thing without mentioning the fact they are correcting their own error and all the misfortune that came from it is just reductive.

 

[Sudano]

I think you're trying to free yourself from the initial 'who hired him' comment that turned things sideways.

Coaches make staff hires all the time that don't work out. Sometimes it turns out not to be a good fit, doesn't mean it was a bad hire at the time. You rip off the band aid and move on.

Yup

 

[djcon57]

Your first post isn't your rationalization, it's the second post in response to mine.
Not even Fran related, but when people praise themselves or anyone for doing the right thing without mentioning the fact they are correcting their own error and all the misfortune that came from it is just reductive.

Ok..well fwiw...My original post wasn't PRAISE in the least.

I was glad he wasn't being stubborn about it. There are plenty of coaches out there that are. I was happy he's not one of them.

 

[Sudano]

Yeah, criticism is warranted, but what's the point? People make mistakes.

This isn't a three-strikes-and-you're-out situation for Fran. It's just an odd way to call it out.

You call it criticism, I call it the whole truth. Without it we become blind to truth. It's not odd it's natural, honest, pure and a new normal I'd like to see more of in our overall discourse in this country, including this form. Without it we just become tribal repeaters of only some of the facts. It's ok to list the dozens of good things Fran Brown does along with a few not so good things. Period, the end. We don't need the yeah but, or well what about to shield ourselves.

 

[Franz69]

I find this argument boring and tiresome.

 

[Orangello]

The performance over the season was not acceptable. Move on.

 

[Tony DeFranco]

Good point. What cracks me up is the crowd that continually complained about lack of blitzing.
We couldn't get home. We are slow in the back and didn't have the talent. In short a bend don't break D was our best chance. Our D was beat up, lacking depth and experience. I agree there were coaching mistakes but we won 10 games and beat some excellent teams. Erob will get better. So will the D.

We don’t have the players on defense - Diggs, Wax and Barron were the only players that made plays - we had to outscore everyone - I’m not seeing how the defense can be better right now

Special teams was so awful I prefer not to talk about it

 

[ECE '76]

Of all of the prior staff that wasn’t retained, I actually thought Fran should have tried to keep Bob Ligashesky. For a first year HC, this guy had a ton of experience in both college and the NFL, that I think would have helped. Special teams under him were solid, not great. Would have served as a good transition for a future hire. Thought he also had a hand in helping Shmyt return to the player he was his freshman year. Thought this was a mistake by Fran, assuming Bob would have stayed on staff.

Bob Ligashesky was not let go. Fran's plan was to retain him. Ligashesky was involved in all of the transition activities, the recruiting events w/ the new staff, and the bowl game. Shockingly, he suddenly left for a Big 10 offer in January.

It seems to me, Fran had the whole crew in mind to be on his staff before he got the SU job, except the ST position was just not something he had all lined up. When Lig quit, the entire staff was set, but he had to find a ST coach kind of late in the game for anyone in D1. I also don't think STs is/was really in Fran's wheelhouse, as you could see problems with the unit not getting resolved.

He gets a second chance at this, and hopefully they do a really good job finding someone qualified. Historically, SU is practically punter/kicker U.

 

[baggerbob]

first step is to see what went wrong on STs before just going out and getting a coach.

STs stop the blocked kicks and make the tackles
Kickers make the kicks

We had a Punter who has a very slow release compounded by blocking issues

Who controlled who was on the STs though? Did he make all those decisions on who played those spots?

Bring back Coach P as a consultant he always had good special teams.

 

[Jake]

If you really watch Fran when he speaks…he is very self aware about his coaching inexperience…and understands he’s on a learning curve.

First game of the year he tells the opposing coach “you out coached me, but I’ve got better players”. He was just being honest.

He’s borderline reverential about Kirby and other coaches he’s coached under.

He also said in another interview “I’m not worried about recruiting, nah nah, it’s the other stuff I gotta learn.”

In a profession full of gigantic egos, he’s a bit of an outlier in that regard.

 

[bnoro]

You call it criticism, I call it the whole truth. Without it we become blind to truth. It's not odd it's natural, honest, pure and a new normal I'd like to see more of in our overall discourse in this country, including this form. Without it we just become tribal repeaters of only some of the facts. It's ok to list the dozens of good things Fran Brown does along with a few not so good things. Period, the end. We don't need the yeah but, or well what about to shield ourselves.

Blind to what truth? What are you talking about?

Fran made a mistake. He rectified it. We can move on now.

 

[Niastri]

are these rankings points per game or yardage?

I'm not sure, but points per possession is probably more valuable... If still not perfect.

It's easy to look like a great defense when you have a time eating offense that doesn't turn it over, and you only have to play defense a handful of drives per game.

Conversely, it's much much harder to keep scoring averages low when your offense can't get first downs and turns it over constantly.

Short fields and fatigue don't get counted in points per possession, but that magnifies Syracuse's weakness.

We were 111th in defensive points per possession this year, giving up .478 per opposing drive. I have no idea if our incidence of pick 6 and punt blocks for touchdown is backed out of this stat, as they really shouldn't be counted against the defense.

By comparison, Ohio State led at .182 per opponent drive. 20th place allowed .311 and last place was .625 (allowing a touchdown almost every possession, yikes!)

Last year we were 54th
White's years we were 45th and 70th.

It's clear we had some growing pains on defense that were covered up by McCord's excellent offense for a lot of the year.

College Football Stats - College FB Team Opponent Points per Play | TeamRankings.com

College Football opponent points per play, by team.

www.teamrankings.com

EDIT: I wrote this entire post, then discovered the stat I was analyzing was actually points per play, not points per possession. It seems a crazy way to do it, but winds up meaning the same thing, so I'm not redoing it.