This just feels different.

[SoBristol]

Willis is a given as backing up LQA. Barnes, probably. Edwards, maybe. I’d like to see James get a shot at kick returns. Maybe a freshman WR emerges as a backup.

Who else after that?

This team on the field is going to be heavily upperclassmen.

Yes, heavily upperclassmen, and the heavy majority of stars are here only for 2024. That is why this needs to be a big win season while we have McCord, Gadsden, Allen and a comparable handful of leaders on defense in Barron, Clark, Chestnut, Wax and Diggs.

I am not worried that Fran is a first year head coach. He has veteran leaders in all units.

 

[money3189]

Yes and hiring a coach with no head coaching experience is always a gamble. Nobody has a clue what this staff will look like on gameday.

we have a first time D coordinator and an O coordinator who was a RB for the NYG last year. It’s a big gamble

How can we not consider the learning curve with a new staff. It doesnt matter how many studs you have. We cant assume all is going to go right.

 

[baggerbob]

How can we not consider the learning curve with a new staff. It doesnt matter how many studs you have. We cant assume all is going to go right.

A voice of reason, there always is a learning curve.
The object is to try to limit the errors and not make big ones.
This staff I believe understands that, and have prepared themselves well to get through them.
The gathering in camp of all the players together for 4 weeks was a good sign that they have an established plan.
The key will be how quickly they adapt when a slight deviation occurs to their plan.

 

[kcsu]

I think that the coaches QB son is going to be the surprise addition of the fall.

 

[RF2044]

How can we not consider the learning curve with a new staff. It doesnt matter how many studs you have. We cant assume all is going to go right.

Agreed. Game planning, in-game adjustments, game management, etc. are all big unknowns at this point.

At minimum, there are bound to be some growing pains. They'll be learning on the fly, same as the players in the new system.

That doesn't imply that they'll be inept, won't know what they're doing, etc. Just that like any new team, the staff will have to learn / grow / make mistakes together before turning into a high performing group [if they ever do].

 

[GoSU96]

How can we not consider the learning curve with a new staff. It doesnt matter how many studs you have. We cant assume all is going to go right.

What’s good is that until NCSt SU won’t be over matched physically. GT is at worst even, and at home. Gives them time to workout the kinks.

Marrone to start played Minnesota, PSU, and Northwestern out of the gate that finished 6-7, 11-2, 8-5 respectively that year. Pretty stiff hill for a program coming off of 10-35.

Shafer started with PSU at Met Life and at Northwestern with a team that played two bowls three years prior. Still not easy.

Dino started with Colgate then played peak Lamar in his second game and ranked USF in game three. That’s an adult dose.

This opening stretch is much more managenable starting with a much better roster and 18-20 the last three years and some very good play at times when healthy. They weren’t as good as wanted, but they weren’t dregs either.

 

[money3189]

A voice of reason, there always is a learning curve.
The object is to try to limit the errors and not make big ones.
This staff I believe understands that, and have prepared themselves well to get through them.
The gathering in camp of all the players together for 4 weeks was a good sign that they have an established plan.
The key will be how quickly they adapt when a slight deviation occurs to their plan.

Of course they understand that. Its doesnt mean there wont be mistakes, bad decisions etc.. Its human nature. Some of the most experienced coaches have slip ups. We dont know what Fran's strengths or weakness are yet. He doesnt even know.

 

[kcsu]

What does in game coaching actually come down to?

Half time adjustments

A few calls per game on 4th down situations.

I believe that most games are won before the kickoff. Game planning and preparation trump in game decisions by a long shot. The OC and DC in my opinion are the keys to success. If they are solid and our talent level is adequate, we can win every game on the schedule. Poor talent and i don't care how good a play caller is we won't be able to execute. Dino wasn't good on game days. I doubt his in game coaching won many games. Last year the preparation with Dan at QB did win us a game or two. It was a brilliant job by the staff with their backs against the wall. Maybe the best coaching job of his tenure.
Fran is going to win games now. By bringing in talent, creating a tough culture, and surrounding himself with talented coaches. He is training his players so that games are easier physically than camp. I believe he is going to do the same thing in preparing for our opponents.

 

[money3189]

Agreed. Game planning, in-game adjustments, game management, etc. are all big unknowns at this point.

At minimum, there are bound to be some growing pains. They'll be learning on the fly, same as the players in the new system.

That doesn't imply that they'll be inept, won't know what they're doing, etc. Just that like any new team, the staff will have to learn / grow / make mistakes together before turning into a high performing group [if they ever do].

We all hope he will do well with the things you mentioned but there is no guarantees. I am going to be prepared for it all. The good and the bad and hope that he learns fast and makes adjustments.

 

[SuFTW]

Yes and hiring a coach with no head coaching experience is always a gamble. Nobody has a clue what this staff will look like on gameday.

we have a first time D coordinator and an O coordinator who was a RB for the NYG last year. It’s a big gamble

Again I disagree on this staff. There are plenty of clues out there based on the coaches prior experiences including where they were at and what we have seen so far since they were hired.

But sure the reality is any coaching hire is going to be a gamble even if they had prior success elsewhere. No hire is a certain thing.

 

[money3189]

What’s good is that until NCSt SU won’t be over matched physically. GT is at worst even, and at home. Gives them time to workout the kinks.

Marrone to start played Minnesota, PSU, and Northwestern out of the gate that finished 6-7, 11-2, 8-5 respectively that year. Pretty stiff hill for a program coming off of 10-35.

Shafer started with PSU at Met Life and at Northwestern with a team that played two bowls three years prior. Still not easy.

Dino started with Colgate then played peak Lamar in his second game and ranked USF in game three. That’s an adult dose.

This opening stretch is much more managenable starting with a much better roster and 18-20 the last three years and some very good play at times when healthy. They weren’t as good as wanted, but they weren’t dregs either.

Good points.

 

[SoBristol]

How can we not consider the learning curve with a new staff. It doesnt matter how many studs you have. We cant assume all is going to go right.

Sure, but that factor is more than offset by the other pluses. Are you really worried about game prep, punt/no punt decisions, FG or go for it, half time adjustments, motivation? Where do you think this new staff will need learning on the curve?


Because I would much rather have stars on the field, depth and size.

 

[Cuse House]

What does in game coaching actually come down to?

Half time adjustments

A few calls per game on 4th down situations.

I believe that most games are won before the kickoff. Game planning and preparation trump in game decisions by a long shot. The OC and DC in my opinion are the keys to success. If they are solid and our talent level is adequate, we can win every game on the schedule. Poor talent and i don't care how good a play caller is we won't be able to execute. Dino wasn't good on game days. I doubt his in game coaching won many games. Last year the preparation with Dan at QB did win us a game or two. It was a brilliant job by the staff with their backs against the wall. Maybe the best coaching job of his tenure.
Fran is going to win games now. By bringing in talent, creating a tough culture, and surrounding himself with talented coaches. He is training his players so that games are easier physically than camp. I believe he is going to do the same thing in preparing for our opponents.

This is accurate. In game coaching is overrated. The game plan is set and worked on throughout the week. You can’t tweak a whole lot during a game. When I played in college albeit at a D3 school, the adjustments at half time were essentially quick position meetings of “what are you guys seeing?” You might change up an alignment or tweak something minor but the core of what was planned remains.

 

[kcsu]

This is accurate. In game coaching is overrated. The game plan is set and worked on throughout the week. You can’t tweak a whole lot during a game. When I played in college albeit at a D3 school, the adjustments at half time were essentially quick position meetings of “what are you guys seeing?” You might change up an alignment or tweak something minor but the core of what was planned remains.

I played college bball and i agree it was the same for us. Also, we played a few d1 teams each year and unless we played perfect ball, and they played stoned we didn't have a chance. Talent trumps pretty much everything most of the time and very little in football can trump a great QB

 

[money3189]

Sure, but that factor is more than offset by the other pluses. Are you really worried about game prep, punt/no punt decisions, FG or go for it, half time adjustments, motivation? Where do you think this new staff will need learning on the curve?


Because I would much rather have stars on the field, depth and size.

“Because I would much rather have stars on the field, depth and size”. I’m confused by this. I never said I didnt want stars. Just simply saying there is a process. Collective coaches working together for the first time. They have to get acclimated with each other and with the players.. A new head coach is making decisions for the first time. There will be some good and bad ones. He will learn as he goes. I’m just hoping it doesn’t decide too many games.

 

[Cuse House]

I played college bball and i agree it was the same for us. Also, we played a few d1 teams each year and unless we played perfect ball, and they played stoned we didn't have a chance. Talent trumps pretty much everything most of the time and very little in football can trump a great QB

Absolutely. My junior year of high school we played for a state title in the Dome. We had one guy on our team that was D1 caliber. He played with Broyld in the upstate downstate game. The team we played had 4 D1 guys (BC, Dukex2, and Yale). They also had a future Notre Dame lacrosse captain. We lost by 3 touchdowns. There’s only so much gap that can be made up by coaching, technique, etc. This years team finally has a lot of dudes that won’t be so easily bested at the snap.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Yes and hiring a coach with no head coaching experience is always a gamble. Nobody has a clue what this staff will look like on gameday.

we have a first time D coordinator and an O coordinator who was a RB for the NYG last year. It’s a big gamble

Sometimes hiring a coach with game day experience is a risk. Some coaches have a bad first run, learn from it, then thrive at their next stop.

 

[SuFTW]

We all hope he will do well with the things you mentioned but there is no guarantees. I am going to be prepared for it all. The good and the bad and hope that he learns fast and makes adjustments.

Right. A learning curve is not the same as a gamble.

 

[Crusty]

If I must say...
if coaches learning curves are our biggest worry, we are in pretty good shape

 

[Roger N]

I get that Fran hasn't done it on the field yet, and that's a major item still outstanding, but I feel for the first time in a while we don't have someone at the top of the program blowing smoke up the fanbase's collective ass. The contrast is dramatic. You can feel the accountability and that is contagious.

I was very happy with Dino the first 3 years. Year 4 was the beginning of the significant roster imbalances that ultimately were a theme during the rest of his tenure. And I permanently broke when he blamed NIL on the lack of depth on the offensive side of the ball after we lost no-one of significance on the offensive side of the ball to NIL...

Dino's problems started when he brought in his daughter's father in law as QB coach. He was a disaster. Never recruited a single player out of talent rich Texas. Dino never recruited South Jersey.
Secondly, DeVito was a" Deer in the headlights". Do you remember Western Michigan in 2018? We had a comfortable lead at the half and Dino starts Tommy in the second half. Enough said.

 

[AngryOtto]

How can we not consider the learning curve with a new staff. It doesnt matter how many studs you have. We cant assume all is going to go right.

I think you could say this for all teams. Every year teams replace position coaches and players. Now with the transfer portal a lot of new players on every team.
We kept the core of our best players. We added a lot of talent. Most of these guys been practicing together since January. Adding savion Washington and Ross-Simon’s late will have a learning curve but no different than other teams.
I feel Fran’s attention to detail will limit the learning curve. Also I feel players that continue to make mistakes will not retain the position

 

[OmahaCuse]

Stanford is awful, 132 out of 133 in total defense , gave up 63 tds, most in all of FBS.

Is or was?

 

[tep624]

Dino's problems started when he brought in his daughter's father in law as QB coach. He was a disaster. Never recruited a single player out of talent rich Texas. Dino never recruited South Jersey.
Secondly, DeVito was a" Deer in the headlights". Do you remember Western Michigan in 2018? We had a comfortable lead at the half and Dino starts Tommy in the second half. Enough said.

Well Martin did bring us Koda for a year so at least he did something. But yeah his tenure left a lot to be desired for sure.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

Back to the OP this year should feel different. I am 44 years old and demand a season worthy of 44!

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

Well Martin did bring us Koda for a year so at least he did something. But yeah his tenure left a lot to be desired for sure.

Brought Martin and ate sandwiches.