So Edsall fired OC Gary Crowton

[billsin01]

I think it was four turnovers.

And I don't think that 28 points is something that "no offense can overcome."

Too, there were other problems in the game besides the defense. The Huskies had great field position all game because of special teams breakdowns.

Nassib threw that horrible INT in the fourth quarter that ended the game, we missed that short FG at the end of the first half and the SU offense turned the ball over I believe immediately following a UConn turnover.

And, yes, if the offense had been able to score 56 points, or 48 points or 35 points or even 31 points, we would have won the game.

So, yes, all aspect of a team are implicated in every loss.

But, in the second half of that game, it came down to our complete inability to stop the UConn offense. Heck, we couldn't even keep them from gaining eight to ten yards a clip on first down. They blew us out in that half regardless of how many total yards they had for the game - that stat told us nothing about what actually happened that day.

If you were there - were you? - you would have experienced the frustration of watching an offensive team with a really poor starting QB, just run the ball down our throats. It was awful.

And that is why the game was lost. Had the defense made one stop - one - we would have won the game.

Instead, the defense forced the Orange offense to be perfect in the second half. (Ironically, the UConn offense was perfect in the second half) And with our talent level - one that requires long, sustained drives with lots of plays and no real opportunities for a quick score - that was too steep a hill to climb.

And the inevitable happened - Nassib threw that INT on the out pattern.

It should have never come down to that.

I agree with everything you write in the first 2/3 of this post other than the 4 TOs. I think it was five. But the orange offense had to be perfect in the second half?

And no, I didn't take my three kids and non-SU fan wife to lovely Storrs, CN to watch a completely irrelevant football game. I'm not sure what exactly this proves as it was still undeniably frustrating watching the defense be manhandled on TV.

My simple point, which I humbly suggest can be gleaned in person or through one of these newfangled TV screens (though you don't get the game-day experience of the Rent), is that the defense contributed a bunch to that loss but that STs and the offense had their opportunities to help and didn't. Therefore, your stance of "the defense is the reason we lost" is patently false -- or at least a much too limited, agenda-driven stance.

 

[Whitey23]

Let's have a comment contest:

RandyEdsall Randy Edsall ​

Excited to have @Coachlocks on board with us as our new OC! Great fit for what we are doing here.​

.​

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Let's have a comment contest:

RandyEdsall​

Randy Edsall​

Excited to have @Coachlocks on board with us as our new OC! Great fit for what we are doing here.​

.​

Translation, I am douchebag, everybody knows it and hates me, fans, players, alumni, reporters, high school coaches everywhere. Therfore, I need to hire a guy with a street cred and recruiting contacts in this area to save face... and who can help from more current players from leaving. This is wreaks of desperation by Edsall but is really what needed to be done. Haven't seen a coach dig himslef such a hole in one year, since GROB. Locksley can recruit, that is it.

 

[OttoForLife]

Translation, I am douchebag, everybody knows it and hates me, fans, players, alumni, reporters, high school coaches everywhere. Therfore, I need to hire a guy with a street cred and recruiting contacts in this area to save face... and who can help from more current players from leaving. This is wreaks of desperation by Edsall but is really what needed to be done. Haven't seen a coach dig himslef such a hole in one year, since GROB. Locksley can recruit, that is it.

Don't disagree, but give HCRE credit for realizing what needed to be done and make the switch. Wish Dougie Bear would have the same sense to cut Hackett after one year.

 

[Chip]

As far as 2002, I frankly do not recall your reaction to the spring game.

The venom was always hurled against the offense.

You're not correct about 2002. In fact, in most conversations about our QB play post McNabb, many often say here that the best we had was Troy Nunes his senior year. Most people even separate Nunes into senior year Nunes and other years Nunes, it's been written here (well, Scout, or Rivals or wherever we were) so many times.

People often have said that 2002 was the best offense overall that we had since McNabb.

In 2002 people accurately and consistently pointed out the failures of the defense, it was the worst passing D in 1A that year, and that was well documented. I know I've often had back and forth with Go who blamed the defensive failures on an unending amount of injuries (something disputed by the participation reports, but that's a different story).

Offense may have been a theme from 99 to 04, but certainly not that year. I'm sure there were those who made comments when we only scored 7 against Miami and 0 in the 2nd half of BC, but it didn't change how bad the D played in those games.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Don't disagree, but give HCRE credit for realizing what needed to be done and make the switch. Wish Dougie Bear would have the same sense to cut Hackett after one year.

This move has a lot more to it than just offense This isn't about X's and O's. Locksley at Illinois had Juice Williams and Mendenhal, and a great WR. Once those guys left his offense really wasn't very good. This about an arsehole smug head football coach, who has basically lost all support of a program in 1 year and has basically poisoned everything surrounding it. The fact is he needs Locksley badly and Locksley needs to try and rebuild his tarnished reputation as well. Without Locksley, Edsall was basically not going to do well in the DC Metro area recruiting or anywhere really. Have you been reading some of the articles that they are writing about Edsall? They are crushing the guy, not nitpicking or or poking, CRUSHING him. He needed to do something and bringing the local boy back home, who will no doubt be able to land talent from DC/ Baltimore metro area will help big time in many ways but on offense, who knows?

Hackett is running Doug's offense, really not his fault. Doug is basically the OC, just not calling ALL the plays. Doug will live or die with his system and whatever happens it will be all on him, good or bad and I am fine with that. Doug ain't changing, he is a New Yorker through and through and is convinced his way is the right way, so be it. People who don't like this will be shown the door for the most part and I have zero problem with that, can't right the ship with too many people chirping but believe me this season could not get over soon enough it was a complete disaster

 

[IthacaBarrel]

You're not correct about 2002. In fact, in most conversations about our QB play post McNabb, many often say here that the best we had was Troy Nunes his senior year. Most people even separate Nunes into senior year Nunes and other years Nunes, it's been written here (well, Scout, or Rivals or wherever we were) so many times.

People often have said that 2002 was the best offense overall that we had since McNabb.

In 2002 people accurately and consistently pointed out the failures of the defense, it was the worst passing D in 1A that year, and that was well documented. I know I've often had back and forth with Go who blamed the defensive failures on an unending amount of injuries (something disputed by the participation reports, but that's a different story).

Offense may have been a theme from 99 to 04, but certainly not that year. I'm sure there were those who made comments when we only scored 7 against Miami and 0 in the 2nd half of BC, but it didn't change how bad the D played in those games.

2002 was the year that Donnely was the next Mark Bavaro and the yeat that DK was ready for a heisman run I believe

 

[Aweart23]

This move has a lot more to it than just offense This isn't about X's and O's. Locksley at Illinois had Juice Williams and Mendenhal, and a great WR. Once those guys left his offense really wasn't very good. This about an arsehole smug head football coach, who has basically lost all support of a program in 1 year and has basically poisoned everything surrounding it. The fact is he needs Locksley badly and Locksley needs to try and rebuild his tarnished reputation as well. Without Locksley, Edsall was basically not going to do well in the DC Metro area recruiting or anywhere really. Have you been reading some of the articles that they are writing about Edsall? They are crushing the guy, not nitpicking or or poking, CRUSHING him. He needed to do something and bringing the local boy back home, who will no doubt be able to land talent from DC/ Baltimore metro area will help big time in many ways but on offense, who knows?

Hackett is running Doug's offense, really not his fault. Doug is basically the OC, just not calling ALL the plays. Doug will live or die with his system and whatever happens it will be all on him, good or bad and I am fine with that. Doug ain't changing, he is a New Yorker through and through and is convinced his way is the right way, so be it. People who don't like this will be shown the door for the most part and I have zero problem with that, can't right the ship with too many people chirping but believe me this season could not get over soon enough it was a complete disaster

However it happened that Edsall didn't come here...whether it was him or us...I'm thrilled he is Maryland's problem not ours...

 

[Scooch]

2002 was the year that Donnely was the next Mark Bavaro and the yeat that DK was ready for a heisman run I believe

2002 was the year I lost all hope in the predictive ability of camp reports. One would have believed we were going to win another 10 games that year from the glowing things I read in late August. Then we played BYU...

 

[OrangePA]

You're not correct about 2002. In fact, in most conversations about our QB play post McNabb, many often say here that the best we had was Troy Nunes his senior year. Most people even separate Nunes into senior year Nunes and other years Nunes, it's been written here (well, Scout, or Rivals or wherever we were) so many times.

People often have said that 2002 was the best offense overall that we had since McNabb.

In 2002 people accurately and consistently pointed out the failures of the defense, it was the worst passing D in 1A that year, and that was well documented. I know I've often had back and forth with Go who blamed the defensive failures on an unending amount of injuries (something disputed by the participation reports, but that's a different story).

Offense may have been a theme from 99 to 04, but certainly not that year. I'm sure there were those who made comments when we only scored 7 against Miami and 0 in the 2nd half of BC, but it didn't change how bad the D played in those games.

I think you're trying too hard to pick the post apart.

The point of my post was simple - during those years the offense was productive - the defense was the problem and not just for the 2002 season.

And yet, the focus of the public's attention during those years was the offense. Coach DeLeone - not Rippon or Dunlap or whomever - was the assistant who was the target for the complaints. You recall them don't you?- We still run the freeze option - we always run to the short side of the field - we need to move to a pro offense - our play calling is too predictable, blah, blah, blah.

It was the public sentiment about the offense that prompted Jake C to have P "demote" DeLeone from OC at the end of the 2003 season - even though we had just kicked ND and Walter Reyes had had a record breaking season.

 

[OrangePA]

2002 was the year I lost all hope in the predictive ability of camp reports. One would have believed we were going to win another 10 games that year from the glowing things I read in late August. Then we played BYU...

That's true.

The coaches that season truly believed that the 2002 team would be better than the 2001 team.

I don't think anyone truly appreciated how much Freeney covered for the defense.

LaCasse, Wyche and Pollard were very decent players but at that point not good enough or experienced enough to make up for Dwight.

And the loss of Harris at SS hurt a lot.

The feeling was that RJ Anderson was going to have a big year and Damien Rhodes was the real deal. And he was that day in Provo, Utah.

I still have that BYU game on tape. I am convinced that had Lenny Cusamano caught that 4th and one pass in the endzone - on the TE throwback - we would have won the game.

That drop - he was wide open - might be the most painful in my SU Football memory.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

That's true.

The coaches that season truly believed that the 2002 team would be better than the 2001 team.

I don't think anyone truly appreciated how much Freeney covered for the defense.

LaCasse, Wyche and Pollard were very decent players but at that point not good enough or experienced enough to make up for Dwight.

And the loss of Harris at SS hurt a lot.

The feeling was that RJ Anderson was going to have a big year and Damien Rhodes was the real deal. And he was that day in Provo, Utah.

I still have that BYU game on tape. I am convinced that had Lenny Cusamano caught that 4th and one pass in the endzone - on the TE throwback - we would have won the game.

That drop - he was wide open - might be the most painful in my SU Football memory.

My god that drop was brutal, that was one of the first days on my new house, just got cable hooked up for that game. That game was tough

 

[Chip]

I think you're trying too hard to pick the post apart.

"Under DeLeone, by the end, the offense was not great but was productive. In those last few years it was the defense that was the problem. Remember how bad it was in 2002?

And yet all the venom on the board and elsewhere was spewed toward the offense.

Never understood it. "

Your quote above, not my spin on it. If you're big picturing or combining years even thought you mention one specifically, you should be more clear. Venom was spewed on the defense in 2002.

The 2003 team underachieved. 14 points or less, under 200 yards offense, in 4 straight away games. All losses. Resulted in a 2nd straight year without a bowl game. At the time it seemed like Jake just wanted to make it seem like he was doing something, anything, about it.

 

[BlackKnight76]

Let's have a comment contest:

RandyEdsall Randy Edsall​

Excited to have @Coachlocks on board with us as our new OC! Great fit for what we are doing here.​

.​

"To be honest, we've looked at this season's offensive film, and as a staff we really felt that we lacked the requisite sexual discrimination and coach in-fighting that comes with a successful ACC offense."

 

[OrangePA]

"Under DeLeone, by the end, the offense was not great but was productive. In those last few years it was the defense that was the problem. Remember how bad it was in 2002?

And yet all the venom on the board and elsewhere was spewed toward the offense.

Never understood it. "

Your quote above, not my spin on it. If you're big picturing or combining years even thought you mention one specifically, you should be more clear. Venom was spewed on the defense in 2002.

The 2003 team underachieved. 14 points or less, under 200 yards offense, in 4 straight away games. All losses. Resulted in a 2nd straight year without a bowl game. At the time it seemed like Jake just wanted to make it seem like he was doing something, anything, about it.

Sorry, you're wrong.

Or you refuse to read.

The reference to 2002 was an example. The post was not a referendum on one particular year.

I'm right. You're wrong. Very few fans were calling out the defense during those years - even in 2002.

And look at what you're now doing.

Focusing on the offense's "underachievement" in 2003. It's that kind of thinking that prompted Jake to act after the season. And as you must know the announcement that DeLeone was being demoted was all PR - he remained in control of the offense.

The PR move was made precisely because folks - including you apparently - seemed so consumed with the performance of the offense. Even though the defense was the real problem at that point.

Your post proves the point.

Thanks and sorry - you're wrong.

 

[OrangePA]

My god that drop was brutal, that was one of the first days on my new house, just got cable hooked up for that game. That game was tough

Worst drop ever.

It seemed to foreshadow what would happen that year.

I'm convinced that it just plain messed up the confidence that that team had at the beginning of the game/season.

Awful.

 

[Scooch]

We had statistically great defenses in 1999 and 2000 and went 13-10.

We've rarely had a year where both sides of the ball were very good. Always seems to be one or the other. Or more recently, neither.

 

[Chip]

Sorry, you're wrong.

Or you refuse to read.

The reference to 2002 was an example. The post was not a referendum on one particular year.

I'm right. You're wrong. Very few fans were calling out the defense during those years - even in 2002.

And look at what you're now doing.

Focusing on the offense's "underachievement" in 2003. It's that kind of thinking that prompted Jake to act after the season. And as you must know the announcement that DeLeone was being demoted was all PR - he remained in control of the offense.

The PR move was made precisely because folks - including you apparently - seemed so consumed with the performance of the offense. Even though the defense was the real problem at that point.

Your post proves the point.

Thanks and sorry - you're wrong.

I think my post proves that you're getting frustrated. I'm looking at individual years, I'm not using 2003's bad offensive games to make a statement about 2002. In 2002 people complained about the defense, in 2003 people complained about the offense. Can't prove who is right or wrong because we don't have the posts. But I know I had many back and forth with Pasqualoni defenders about how bad the defense was in 2002. It's the first thing I think about when I think of 2002. And when I think about 2003 (which was a different season), I think about how good the offense was in the first and last game, and how good it wasn't for so many games in between, in which I gave actual facts to back up. Those 4 away losses were not "productive" offense. But 2 of them were bad defense too, so what does it matter.

The one thing I do agree with you on is this thread that anyone who thought 2002 would be better than 2001 didn't pay much attention to 2001. That DE you mentioned single handledly changed games, and there wasn't another one on the roster.

And yes, when I said Jake said he wanted to look like he was doing something, anything, that was in reference to the song and dance moves at the end of 2003. It was a joke on the board that P was the OC. Not sure you remember the posts though.

 

[Scooch]

The coaches that season truly believed that the 2002 team would be better than the 2001 team.

Are you suggesting that experienced, successful coaches could be wrong?

I've read your posts for a longtime OPA, and I'm pretty sure that is simply impossible!

 

[Millhouse]

2002 was the year I lost all hope in the predictive ability of camp reports. One would have believed we were going to win another 10 games that year from the glowing things I read in late August. Then we played BYU...

Lots of glass full that year. Cecil howard looked ok in the spring game. Then we realized oh no this defense made howard look ok