Printable View
These two need to be changed asap, but when it happens we are likely to have them replaced with more old friends of Holtz who are part of the coaching establishment.
https://latechsports.com/coaches.asp...&path=football
https://latechsports.com/coaches.asp...&path=football
If Holtz does not make changes in this staff he is saying that what we saw this year is as good as we can do. Also, look for Blake Baker to be hired away soon and for Holtz to become more involved in the defense again.
Agree about Baker. If he stays, next years D will be salty.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
Aren't you also critical of Rattay as QB coach? Get rid of him too, then.
Not me. Only people who don't understand the game think Rattay is the problem with our QB.Quote:
Originally Posted by dawg80
How confident are you that the OL are being held back by the coach and not their talent level? And if J'Mar's talent is an issue, why are you throwing Fitch under the bus but not Rattay?Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
The Oline is a problem. They have been for three years. Logic says the coach is the problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by T1
I'm not throwing Fitch under the bus because of our QB. Our offense is horrible. I know our HC is not taking the blame so logic says it is the OC.
Rattay knows the position. He was an over achiever who learned proper technique. Our QB is gifted as an athlete, but has no natural technique and is apparently unable to learn the basics that most QBs are either gifted with or learn by or during high school. Nobody, including Fitch or Rattay can teach instinct.
It doesn't make sense to me to fire the WR coach if the QB has poor technique though. The HC is saying the OL, QB, and coaches are to blame for the horrible offense. Logic would indicate if the QB sucks, his coach is to blame... just like the OL. Unless you are willing to cut McFarland the slack you are cutting Rattay and say the OL are unable to learn from the coach too?
twssQuote:
Originally Posted by SicemDawgz
You know as well as I do that our QB was not "game manager" material when he got here. He plays by the seat of his pants which is fine if the HEAD COACH will allow him to do that. I've never blamed our OC for anything. Our HC won't take responsibility so his OC has to take the blame. Our HC has NEVER blamed his QB coach for Smith's lack of accuracy or basic instincts.Quote:
Originally Posted by T1
:icon_roll:Oh brother....here we go again. :icon_roll:Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
Dude! We are all sorry you are in a pissy mood again but won on Saturday.:icon_roll::icon_roll: Even the announcers mentioned his poor QB techniques that needed work on live TV in the first half if you were watching the game at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
it’s amazing how many folks are willing to throw Rattay under the bus.
PD, Rattay can't go on the field and throw the ball for the kid. If he can make the plays and throws in practice, as Holtz said recently, but gets on the field in a game and struggles.....that's not on the QB coach.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
But it is on the HC to make a change.Quote:
Originally Posted by tenacious_dog
It's absolutely amazing how every TV analyst says the exact same thing. They have no dog in this fight and have every reason to take the easy road and just say, "Smith is a good QB." But they don't. Every one of them is critical of Smith. And they pick up on that with just minimal film review preparing for the telecast.
If 20 people tell you are drunk, please give your car keys to a friend. In this case, 20 people are telling Holtz "your QB sucks."
I hope we get something different next year. But if Smith is back as the starter I will, at first, HOPE he suddenly acts like other senior QBs do and has a great year. If not, I will hope we manage to get to 7 wins and then win bowl #6 in a row. Hope springs eternal!
The TV guy for the bowl game said the overthrows were mechanics...which goes back to QB coaching.Quote:
Originally Posted by dawg80
Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
We need a REAL Offensive Coordinator (OC). I've said this for 2 years. Todd Fitch was unsuccessful as an offensive coordinator at Boston College and at USF before coming to LA Tech. I was shocked that we even hired Fitch. Fitch’s offense at Boston College was ranked # 125 out of 127 FBS schools in 2015. Does that sound like someone we should have hired?
I think Holtz hired Fitch simply because they were old friends. Fitch was so bad as OC, Boston College head coach Steve Addazio announced in mid-January 2016 that he had already hired Scott Loeffler as his new OC, effectively demoting Fitch back to receiver’s coach. Three weeks later, Fitch headed to LA Tech as OC for Holtz. Here are a couple of links to the Fitch story and stats:
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/2016/team/21/p3
https://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...as-latechs-oc/
This year, Louisiana Tech's offense was ranked # 89 (out of 129 FBS schools). That's not good enough.
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/21/p2
Like many of you, I’ve heard rumors that Fitch --despite his OC title here at Tech-- doesn’t really call the plays, and that Holtz does. Well, it's time to quit “winging it”. offensively. Why can’t we do it like the big boys? LA Tech deserves a FULL-TIME OC that calls our plays, just like the big boys do. Please hire us a real OC now.
Some of the big boy coaches call their own plays. I don't think it has to do with money, but control.Quote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
It's amazing how many folks are afraid to question him.Quote:
Originally Posted by glm47
...and exactly how long do the big boy coaches stay employed with a #89 ranked offense, that bores their fans to tears and runs fans off?Quote:
Originally Posted by T1
I’m not afraid to question Rattay. But our micro-managing control freak head coach called Smith a Rock Star early on, so call me a little skeptical of blaming a guy that I know for a fact knows how to play QB. Meanwhile, Holtz hired his buddy, a yes man OC, in name only, who was fired from his previous job. So Holtz’s credibility is not real high in my book.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cool Hand Clyde
SG, Rattay can't go on the field and throw the ball for the kid. If he can make the plays and throws in practice, as Holtz said recently, but gets on the field in a game and struggles.....that's not on the QB coach.Quote:
Originally Posted by Saint Greg
I agree with HD. :shocked2:Quote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
I assume Fitch role is to design and implement the plays including our comical execution of the trick plays.
I've been hearing that Ruston High wants Rattay. Not that it matters.
Not sure if this is a joke, but would he leave to be a head coach at a HS with college and semi-pro coaching experience because he thinks it’ll fast-track his career goal? This man needs to be our OC. ImmediatelyQuote:
Originally Posted by LTUIronDawg
If he feels holtz is holding him back out of fear for him taking his job then I wouldn’t be surprised. Honestly, I think we are lucky to have held onto him as long as we have. When we hired him, I thought he would be hired away quick. I bet he did too.
Rattay has found himself in the same boat Hines was in.
Comes back to Ruston, shows patience and loyalty then gets passed over cause he doesn’t have enough outside experience.
My gut tell me it’s time to elevate Tim to oc and can Fitch.
I would be fine with Tim taking over for Holtz sooner or later.
Rattay for Offensive Coordinator and free rein to call plays!
And there’s the rub. If Skip isn’t going to let them BE the OC it doesn’t matter who has the title.Quote:
Originally Posted by tenacious_dog
Huh? You believe the HC is to blame, but he won't accept it, so LOGIC says to fire the OC? That doesn't sound like logic at all. As 77 has said, what difference will a new OC make if he can't run things as he sees fit?Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
You're terrible about saying "no" to every change recommended. You just love gunning down other people's ideas, without ever recommending any of your own.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
KNOWING that our offense must improve in 2019, what exactly do YOU suggest to improve it? Let's hear it......
I believe the only way this offense improves is for us to have an AD that will sit down with our HC and state that he HAS to put an offense in place that will excite the fans. It is his choice on if that is hiring a new OC, promoting Tim, or staying with what he has. In any case, it need to be clear to him that if he doesn't produce an offense that will get the fans to the games and win, then his job is in question - no matter how many bowls we win. SD needs to see the urgency of this situation. I LOVE that our defense is playing so well, but we are losing our casual fan base in big chunks right now due to an unexciting product on the field. Ultimately, this needs to come from our President down to the AD down to the HC and down from there. Each person under Dr. Guice needs to be held accountable and make something happen quickly or that person's job is on the line. That is the only way this will work.Quote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
I said no to the logic, not to the change.Quote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
The only way that PD's suggestion is logical is if he's playing a long game by trying to show that no OC's can be successful here, thus showing that the problem lies higher up the food chain.
My suggestion has been noted numerous times here...play looser and faster. If J'Mar is going to be the QB, that's the only way he'll be successful. If Skip refuses to do that, I would suggest he go out and find a QB who can play the game Skip wants to play. Maybe a grad transfer or Allen if he fits that mold. Our OL has underperformed for several years...if the OL can't block, we can't run or pass.
You know I've always said the same about Holtz micro management.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
I should have been more clear. Holtz logic says the OC and the OLine coach need to be changed. We know the QB and the HC won't be changed.
You good with things staying the same?
Edit: I agree that looser and faster will work, but Holtz has said he does not like to do that.
Agree. But our running game was much worse than our passing game this year. I think Holtz should find a way to get more creative with the run game... I liked the reverse to Tarzan against Hawaii. I liked J'Mar keeping the ball more. We don't do well with the RPO overall. I think we could use a better back too though. Dancy was pretty limited this year. The backups were marginal at best. If we can't run the ball, it puts that much more pressure on J'Mar to move the ball and score our points. I don't think that's his game.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
"...J'Mar to move the ball and score our points. I don't think that's his game."
I agree, moving the ball and scoring points is definitely NOT Smith's strength!
:rolleyes4:
I mean he's a game manager, not a Johnny Manziel kind of player. If a team takes away our run game and forces J'Mar to beat us by himself, we are in trouble. That's not who he is. He's perfectly capable of winning a bunch of games in a balanced (run and pass) offense though.Quote:
Originally Posted by dawg80
See that’s the catch 22. Everyone sees our offense and knows that our RPO is anemic, but no one knows what to do. Some blame the OLine, some the QB, some the HC, some the assistant coaches, some the WR, some the RBs.Quote:
Originally Posted by T1
What I have said consistently is ultimately this falls on the HC to change. He has often said that nothing is wrong. The last game of the season after get shellacked by WKU with a lame duck HC, he finally said something was wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
So....no personnel changes are recommended by YOU? YOU think we've got all the right people. So as long as we produce "looser and faster 3 and outs", you're happy. Got it. :icon_roll:
If you want to play "looser and faster", don't we need a new head coach? That's just not Holtz's style. Just saying......
If Holtz is micromanaging the offense and he stays, everything stays the same anyway right? What does canning Fitch help?Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
Do you actually read my posts or just respond to what you think I think?Quote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
Do you care?Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
I'm sorry.....did you say something? :icon_razz:Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
Looser and faster isn’t going to make Jmar more accurate. He already has terrible mechanics according to some.
Depends on how you define care I suppose. I just wondered given the fact that the last sentence of the post you responded to concurred that the OL was a problem and had been for years. Perhaps I wasn't explicit enough for you. I agree with Monty that the OL issues need to be addressed.Quote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
Further, I've NEVER said I was satisfied with the offense. I just don't think firing Fitch is going to change much (as I believe PD has already said himself...more or less).
It won't make him more accurate...it might make being accurate a little less essential.Quote:
Originally Posted by rabiddawg
So, according to you, it's the OL's fault that we have a QB that --almost EVERY reasonable QB observer agrees-- holds the football far too long on too many plays? If you go back and listen to the Hawaii Bowl broadcast, the color analyst for that game took J'Mar to task repeatedly on the air for holding the football too long. He said it caused J'Mar to miss too many wide open receiver opportunities. This is something many of us have been saying for 2 years.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
I don't doubt that our OL could be fine tuned to perform a little better. But the majority of our offensive problems have been QB & coaching (play call) related. If that 4th down & 1 call from our own 25-yd line the other night (when we were already trailing 7-3 on the scoreboard) didn't convince you that we have a coaching problem on offense, nothing ever will.
Ruston hired WM's QB coach in August to gain a little knowledge of the WM offense.Quote:
Originally Posted by LTUIronDawg
Guess we see how that worked out.
I never said it would help. The guy does not deserve to be here making the money he makes to do nothing. It won't hurt to make another hire. Our offense is horrible. Holtz owes it to the fans to make a change even though we know he is really the problem. He will never admit that,Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
Holtz called the plays with Sokol, Driskel, and Higgins right? Isn't that why Peterson left? We don't have a premier running back or a consistent quarterback. I certainly understand why Holtz didn't bring in a grad transfer after Driskel left or even Jmar's first year as starter. He should have landed McMillan or young Driskel or someone for this year but I guess he was thinking Jmar's grasp of the scheme and another year of maturity would be enough. It wasn't. It's not like he doesn't show flashes of making plays and he is sometimes confidently competitive. You simply can't bottle up the bowl game J'mar.
Now, I have seen coaches trade bad for worse at Quarterback (see LSU) and I'm sure Holtz has too. I'm also convinced neither Griffin or Allen were the answer. Some say Abraham would have been but I thought J'mar looked better than him head-to-head (he didn't win that game for Southern Miss nor did Smith lose the game for LaTech). Anyway, this wasn't the season to attempt a quarterback carousel at LaTech.
I think we would be well served by bringing in a transfer this off season. Search high and low. If J'mar wins the first start, he needs someone breathing down his neck.
Hmm. I can’t believe you thought that thru before posting.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnylightnin
A qb Has to be accurate or we could just let a rb play the position.
Accuracy is on a gradient. If your QB struggles with it, there are schemes that help minimize his deficiency.Quote:
Originally Posted by rabiddawg
I’ve been reading your posts long enough to know that you know that.
The college football landscape is littered with QBs with accuracy issues. Some have other attributes that outweigh their deficiencies, others have coaches who call to their strengths and bear out the weaknesses. It's Holtz's dilemma and he's paid to figure it out. It's not as easy as some suggest, but it's his job so I don't mind the second guessing.Quote:
Originally Posted by rabiddawg
I don’t believe “turning Jmar loose” is gonna miraculously change our team.
His throws are erratic, his decision making is questionable, he is hestitant at running or passing, he doesn’t like contact.
I don’t want a Michael Vick back there. Those guys just don’t hold up too well. I want an accurate pocket passer that is athletic enough to run if needed.
I also want play calling taken away from Skipper
Yeah...pretty sure you're not reading what I've been writing. I never said we don't have coaching problems. In fact, I've been saying our coaching is the primary issue with the offense (see the "suggestion" I offered).Quote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
"Everybody" knows Fitch isn't calling the plays. Hell, questioning Rattay's work with the QBs can lead you to the threshold of banishment! So, what is shuffling the underlings going to do to improve our offense?
This, "we deserve action" mantra...while admitting the action won't actually change anything is bewildering to me.
There's what you want and what you got. I'd like Tim to be taking the snaps again...or maybe the Luke McCown/Kenneth Dixon combo would make us exciting again? I'm sure it would, but that's not what we got.Quote:
Originally Posted by rabiddawg
I'm betting that Skip will never give up play-calling. So, if he insists on the offense like we've seen it, he better go out and get a QB who can run it. But, even if he doesn't, we'll win 6-7 in down years and he's not likely to get fired. So, hunker down!
We only have four basic plays/sets.Quote:
Originally Posted by rabiddawg
Our QB has run better out of those limited sets when he appears to have the green light to run or throw. This "green light" only happened maybe 6(?) total quarters throughout the year. Holtz was asked why he didn't allow it more by Nick Brown and Aaron Dietrich. Both times he said he didn't want to risk turnovers.
So there we have it. Turnovers are bad. Losing games is acceptable.
The last few years a lot of folks had been calling for Baker's head. Why the sudden turn around?Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
People were calling for Baker's head in 2016. Not so much in 2017 or this year. Fans generally blame the DC long before blaming the OC, or in our case, the HC who is really the OC. The defense can give up 21 points, but if the offense only scores 20 many fans blame the defense.Quote:
Originally Posted by stodgdog
FWIW, fans were hating on our DC in 2011 when our defense bailed us out many times. In 2012 it was all his fault. Many of our fans didn't like the job Diaz was doing until he was hired away and those same fans were irate that we didn't have him "under contract".
I think so also.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dixonfor6
I have always hoped his career goal is to stay with Tech and lead us where we all want Tech to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dixonfor6
I have always found an outstanding defense to be as exciting as an outstanding offense. It would be nice to have both.Quote:
Originally Posted by champion110
Yes, but our defense isn't a big problem right now. I do agree with you, though; although exciting offenses usually get more butts in the seats.Quote:
Originally Posted by stodgdog
Ole Hud dumbed down his offense and was fired by ull. He publicly stated he was trying to avoid turnoversQuote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
Performance. Why is THAT so hard for some people to understand? It's the law of the jungle; get things done, and you live to fight another day. Don't get it done, and you die. Please let me know which part of this you don't understand?Quote:
Originally Posted by stodgdog
I understand that many folks want immediate gratification. The possibilities exist that either Baker didn't have the players earlier or required to better learn the job as he matured as a coordinator.Quote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
Of course, people want immediate gratification. Duh! For God's sake, Baker didn't join a football team that was 0-12. Baker became DC when LA Tech was winning 9 games a year. Why wouldn't fans expect immediate gratification? Our defense performed very well under Manny Diaz in 2014. I guess if you were a ULM fan, you wouldn't "want immediate gratification". :laugh:Quote:
Originally Posted by stodgdog
To your point, this was Bakers 4th season as LA Tech's DC. He finally succeeded in a big way, and everyone is happy for him. Fans were happy with his defense. So THAT'S the answer to your really......how do I say this nicely.....not so smart question above.;)
I concede that the defense finished pretty good but I also remember all those times when we had several teams stymied with 3 and long like 10 yards or more and game up drive extending first downs that either led to scores agayus or gave up important field position. I can’t accept rushing 3 as was often the case in those situations. If it wasn’t the lack of pressure on the QB that did us in it was escaping running QBs that did. Once again I’m not sure if it was Baker’s play it safe and hope for the best strategy that failed the situation or if it was by Holtz’s direction. The thing is if Tech hopes to have a good and even improved defense in 2019 I hope they change this particular approach.
Link is gone.
Yep, so is our best receiver who missed the bus to Longview.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kodawg
No word yet on why our All State Senior OLine guy was a no show in Hawaii. Was he busy with our S&C coach getting ready for the NFL?
Yep. Link went to Appy St. He needed to go. Our Special Teams struggled again in the Hawaii Bowl. We gave up another blocked punt, and a long kick return which almost turned into a TD for Hawaii. Dyer did have 2 good punts inside the UH 10-yd line, but he also shanked one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kodawg
Who is the receiver you are referring to?Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
BonnetteQuote:
Originally Posted by HogDawg
What’s the deal?Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
Who knows for sure?Quote:
Originally Posted by glm47
Our HC will never be up front with his fan base. We are unworthy...
Or maybe he is respecting his players privacy, we are not entitled to know everything and some things cannot be disclosed because of laws. To blindly attack without first hand knowledge is not something that should be done .
Who attacked blindly? Did #1 catch the bus? Was he in Hawaii? Why didn't he play?Quote:
Originally Posted by tech70
You know what happened. Stop acting like you are privileged to know but other fans are not.
Why was our best OLine guy not there?
I hate the term game manager. The QB has to be a game manager. Every QB that can move the ball down the field and get 6 is a game manager. If you can’t do that, you just suck.Quote:
Originally Posted by T1
labgQuote:
Originally Posted by stodgdog
Bingo. Been saying this too; same coach for Sokol, Driskel, Higgins as JMar. I think what's at fault here is Skip's longsuffering patience, with JMar in this case.Quote:
Originally Posted by boxerdog
Here in the offseason, (being a sunshine pumper) I am optimistic that enough QBs, QBs parents/influencers, see that Tech needs a QB and we will get a quality transfer. With Driskel now starting in the NFL, and knowing his path from Florida to Tech to NFL, this should show promising QBs that going to Tech gives one a good shot at the NFL. PLUS, a talented transfer in will give Skip an out for benching JMar, something like "you've had two years to prove yourself" along the lines of what he said to the News Star reporter pre-game Hawaii. I mean Skip having coached Driskel, Higgins, Sokol knows that In-Game JMar is nowhere close to those three.
I’m hijacking this thread because I didn’t see a coaching carousel thread (I didn’t look that long).
Neal Brown to WVU.
If we do can Fitch (I doubt we will, but who knows), Larry Fedora is currently unemployed according to Wikipedia.