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What is MSU's Major Malfunction?

touche. I forgot about Drevno's dual role there. I didn't realize Fisch would be considered a co-OC though. It seems to me like there's a clear "chain of command"... and as OC, Drevno calls the shots on gamedag. and I also presume Harbaugh is hands-on enough to discover and resolve any conflicts before they affect on field performance.

Not sure how that's supposed to work in MSU's case. this article sounds like Dantonio is worn out and losing the stomach for the fight, and having a team captain melt down and get tossed last week looks like this team is devolving into chaos. I can't imagine having 4 coordinators helps resolve that, instead of leading to more confusion, finger pointing, etc. Maybe the structure didn't cause MSU's woes
in the first place, but I can't see it helping.

Yeah, I think technically only Drevno has the OC title, but he's the running game coordinator and Fisch is the passing game coordinator. And from the bits I've heard it actually sounds like the gameday playcalling is pretty collaborative between those two and Harbaugh. Really if it was any other head coach I'd be concerned, but it sounds like Jim has communicated the situation properly and is able to manage it.
 
Well, the problem with the dual OCs that MSU have revolve around the fact that both aren't very good. Warner from what I remember hasn't been an OC before the MSU gig, and Bollman is a dinosaur. There were a few "good riddance" type articles after he left. The fact that he left Ohio State and then went to Boston College as an offensive line coach shows his career trajectory.
 
I think the issues are on several levels. First Dantonio is loyal to a fault. This has hurt the team in many ways. He is loyal to the kids that have been in the program so if players are close in ability he will play the senior. I am convinced he promised O'Connor the starting job his senior year. All 3 of his 5th year senior captains havnt shown the leadership you would expect. Riley Bullogh managed 3 PF penalties one with targeting in 8 min on Saturday. Cox gets burned in coverage so often its not even funny. But Dantonio keeps giving them chance after chance. He just now started playing younger kids but they arent in playing shape so it seems a desperate move.

Dantonio is also loyal to his staff as he is with his players. He only hires his friends. When Narduzzi left and took staff with him he promoted within makeing 2 people co DC. I dont really inderstand how that works. He has 2 DC and 2 OC's. I think there needs to be just one guy in charge of each so if there is a problem the buck stops with that person. Instead you have 2 so who is responsible for what? And if we dont know I doubt the players do either. It worked for a few years because the players knew the Narduzzi system. Now most of these players are from the new staff and they seem lost and confused. Look at what Harbaugh did last year when Durkin left. He could have promoted from within and done well. But he went out and talked to people. He looked around and found Don Brown. He didnt know who he was but he met with him and hired him instantly because he loved him. Sometimes just like players get comfortable so do coaches. Its not that they dont have talent on D. They dont have technique. They are not very disciplined. Michigan struggled early with the new system but once they got it down they have been dominate. They have 11 guys moving as one. Where as the MSU defense seems to be a bunch of guys playing as individuals.

On the offensive side of the ball no imagination what so ever. The co OC's seem to only really have 8 plays they run every time. Run up the middle, Jet sweep to the short side of the field and deep pass game with Corley who seems to be their only WR with the ability to separate. I watched the Maryland game and you could tell Maryland knew the play by the formation. and as the team has started to struggle the team has no fire. Corley especially has had a bad attitude and body language on the field. He is letting his frustration effect his play much like OBJ has in the NFL.

I really think for dantonio to fix this he needs to clean house much like James Franklin did. He needs to look beyond his buddies and get some fresh ideas on offense and defense. He may not have to totally fix his scheme as much as get some fresh ideas and energy.
 
Yeah, I think technically only Drevno has the OC title, but he's the running game coordinator and Fisch is the passing game coordinator. And from the bits I've heard it actually sounds like the gameday playcalling is pretty collaborative between those two and Harbaugh. Really if it was any other head coach I'd be concerned, but it sounds like Jim has communicated the situation properly and is able to manage it.

Fisch's official job is passing game coordinator. My understanding is Drevno handles everything on game day. And the offensive system is Harbaugh's. Fisch handles everything to do with passing plays in the game plan and Drevno handles running plays and OL. I believe Fisch will be our next OC when Drevno gets a HC job which will be soon.
 
Fisch's official job is passing game coordinator. My understanding is Drevno handles everything on game day. And the offensive system is Harbaugh's. Fisch handles everything to do with passing plays in the game plan and Drevno handles running plays and OL. I believe Fisch will be our next OC when Drevno gets a HC job which will be soon.
I know there have been examples of Fisch and Harbaugh being involved with in-game playcalls, but I'm sure it does all flow through drevno.
 
Was reading the newspaper and it looks like the excuse of the day for MSU is

Youth!! Too many young guys starting...playing...etc

isn't this just because the older guys stink, though? I mean...so far?

Talk preseason was that they just had to replace Cook...and they'd be set and how they would whoop Michigan and OSU's ass in E. Lansing...
 
Was reading the newspaper and it looks like the excuse of the day for MSU is

Youth!! Too many young guys starting...playing...etc

isn't this just because the older guys stink, though? I mean...so far?

Talk preseason was that they just had to replace Cook...and they'd be set and how they would whoop Michigan and OSU's ass in E. Lansing...

That's going to be our excuse next year, too. Losing about 17 starters plus a few major contributors. Still, plenty of talent should help us not suck.
 
Was reading the newspaper and it looks like the excuse of the day for MSU is

Youth!! Too many young guys starting...playing...etc

isn't this just because the older guys stink, though? I mean...so far?

Talk preseason was that they just had to replace Cook...and they'd be set and how they would whoop Michigan and OSU's ass in E. Lansing...

That's the problem with unproven players. You never really know what you have until they're on the field.

I really haven't seen anyone making excuses for this team. We're full aware that we are down. We're also full aware that we have some good young players on the team and we'll be back.

Hopefully it doesn't take us 10 years to get back like others in the conference.
 
Was reading the newspaper and it looks like the excuse of the day for MSU is

Youth!! Too many young guys starting...playing...etc

isn't this just because the older guys stink, though? I mean...so far?

Talk preseason was that they just had to replace Cook...and they'd be set and how they would whoop Michigan and OSU's ass in E. Lansing...

Yes, the seniors are getting benched to undisciplined poor performance so its your standard next man up. Im glad they are getting time to play. Its really one of the only good things I can extract from this mess. I said MSU would win last year and lose this year. Looks like thats probably going to be the case.
 
That's the problem with unproven players. You never really know what you have until they're on the field.

I really haven't seen anyone making excuses for this team. We're full aware that we are down. We're also full aware that we have some good young players on the team and we'll be back.

Hopefully it doesn't take us 10 years to get back like others in the conference.

1967-2008

4. Michigan: .756 W375 L118 T8
60. Michigan State: .503 W237 L234 T9

MSU was down for nearly two generations.
 
1967-2008

4. Michigan: .756 W375 L118 T8
60. Michigan State: .503 W237 L234 T9

MSU was down for nearly two generations.

No offense, but I could give two shits about seasons that happened before I was born.
 
I'll say this in his defense. The all time record is way overblown, considering that in 1912 Michigan was playing high schools and universities that only employed teachers and glassblowers.

I do appreciate more modern-day context. And even in that, Michigan's still been consistently solid.
 
I don't think there is any one malfunction to point out. And each problem compounds on the others. Some people seem to think it's a playicallng issue, that the team needs to be more aggressive, but that ignores that our our QBs are inaccurate and our DBs can't cover on a blitz. Some people say the players just aren't any good, but we do know guys like Scott, McDowell, and Copeland were pretty good already. I think the issue overall is lack of ready talent. We have two quality d linemen, one decent lb, one quality db, two quality o linemen, one great rb, and one good wr. That's just not enough in the B1G. Throw away from Copeland, get an easy completion. Run away from McDowell, get an open running lane. Sell out against our running game, and we probably can't hurt you through the air. Lack of talent limits what plays we can safely run, and a limited playbook just makes us even easier to beat.

I really hope guys step up this weekend to make the game competitive, but getting a new crop of players is probably the only fix going forward.
 
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