Just how terrible are we?

[dawg80]

Between HD implying I'm not a real Tech fan and your incredibly creative name calling, I feel like I need a safe space. Your simple football answer was to fire Holtz and kick Smith off the team.

When asked how that would play out, you didn't want to get into it...but I'm the dim one!

Good stuff!

Again, I am speaking strictly about the football side of the question. It is very simple. You are the one who are speaking on the administrative issue(s). I have, now for the third time, at least, clearly stated I am talking ONLY about the football question. It is a very SIMPLE solution.

Firing Holtz is an administrative issue. I purposely avoided that aspect...in this discussion. I said I was. Yet, you keep waiting for a response to a question I said I was not addressing...in this discussion.

Of course I can comment on that aspect...too.

For now, the football side of the question is really simple. And I guarantee with any halfway decent OC, and any decent Division I QB...with the same OL, with the same WRs, with the same RBs Tech has currently, we'd see a huge improvement in offensive production. The problem is the QB for fact, and by implication, the HC since we are not seeing any of the really simple changes.

[johnnylightnin]

Hiring an OC isn’t administrative?

[glm47]

Hiring an OC isn’t administrative?

Dude. Just try a different QB. Play a different QB for a few series and see how it works.

That’s pretty simple. Why doesn’t Holtz want to do that?

As long as Holtz is there it will do no good to hire an OC since Holtz micromanages that role. That’s why he hired his buddy that got fired from BC.

Tech has painted themselves into a corner by hiring McClelland and Holtz, then giving them unwarranted extensions. Now Tech will pay the price due to declining interest and support. Maybe they can turn it around but I’m not optimistic.

[johnnylightnin]

Dude. Just try a different QB. Play a different QB for a few series and see how it works.

That’s pretty simple. Why doesn’t Holtz want to do that?

As long as Holtz is there it will do no good to hire an OC since Holtz micromanaged that role. That’s why he hired his buddy that got fired from BC.

Tech has painted themselves into a corner by hiring McClelland and Holtz, then giving them unwarranted extensions. Now Tech will pay the price due to declining interest and support. Maybe they can turn it around but I’m not optimistic.

Sounds to me like it's not actually simple. The guy who hasn't groomed or recruited anybody to take the job from J'Mar is calling the shots.

Personally, if we're going to run the O the way we're running it, I think we should try somebody else at QB. I've watched our back-ups (except for Allen) and I don't have very high expectations. Allen has what, 3 more games and he can keep his RS? After Saturday, I'd give him a shot and see if he can make it worth it to burn his shirt.

That said, whatever skill Smith has, we're not utilizing him to maximize it. I have little hope that we'll do the same with another QB.

[johnnylightnin]

Let me answer my original question...I don't think we're terrible. Now, that doesn't mean this offense isn't painful to watch at times. It is certainly that. We're 5-2 with a good shot at 7-5...even playing like we have been.

So, whatever you think of Holtz, he ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

[Amos Moses]

The worse thing that has happened to Tech football in the last three years is when Higgins got busted for DWI. This put the rock star at the helm, and, by George, he almost beat an SEC team! If Higgins had played against Arkansas, I believe Smith would have never seen the field to this day. Holtz saw the 21-20 score and the missed FG for the win as a coronation of the rock star for three years.

[JDubyadawg]

Let me address both the administrative and football sides of the question. Les Guice can fix all of this in a five minute meeting at the 16th floor at Wyly Tower before noon today. He simply calls the AD and tells him to go by and pick up the Head Football Coach and come to his office. Now. Right Now. He tells them that after the lackluster attendance at Homecoming this past weekend and the declining attendance and I'm sure the whispers in his ear, not so pleasant emails and downright angry comments he has heard from alumni and supporters that he wants this at home football performance fixed. He doesn't care if we are 5-2, he has had heard enough from the people who have seen enough of this crap show for the last two seasons. He also doesn't ask for thier "feedback" or anything else except a nod in the affirmative and their plan to do so by noon tomorrow. The President of a university in Louisiana is the king of those he oversees. They all walk in fear of not pleasing him. If you don't believe that you have never interacted with any of the staff or faculty.

[johnnylightnin]

Let me address both the administrative and football sides of the question. Les Guice can fix all of this in a five minute meeting at the 16th floor at Wyly Tower before noon today. He simply calls the AD and tells him to go by and pick up the Head Football Coach and come to his office. Now. Right Now. He tells them that after the lackluster attendance at Homecoming this past weekend and the declining attendance and I'm sure the whispers in his ear, not so pleasant emails and downright angry comments he has heard from alumni and supporters that he wants this at home football performance fixed. He doesn't care if we are 5-2, he has had heard enough from the people who have seen enough of this crap show for the last two seasons. He also doesn't ask for thier "feedback" or anything else except a nod in the affirmative and their plan to do so by noon tomorrow. The President of a university in Louisiana is the king of those he oversees. They all walk in fear of not pleasing him. If you don't believe that you have never interacted with any of the staff or faculty.

I'll gladly co-sign this plan!

[dawg80]

Only the presidents of universities can hire/fire. No one else. Others can make requests, recommendations, even threaten to withhold donations, stomp their feet and gripe, all to no avail. The president of the UL system, Jim Henderson....who once smugly grinned at me while saying, "you Techies had to turn to an NSU Demon to run your athletics," cannot force a university president to hire/fire. He too can only request a personnel change, if he even goes that far. The guvnor, and it doesn't matter if that be a (D) or an (R), can only request a change. The university presidents are like parish sheriffs, they hold a LOT of unilateral authority/power.

Of course, there are contracts, so the money factor is a huge issue that has to be dealt with. But, once any contractual obligations are met, university presidents can dismiss anyone they want. This is an "at will" state. We all are employed "at the will" of our employer. Period. No explanation needed, and in fact, labor attorneys STRONGLY advise employers to not offer any explanation. A proper dismissal letter would read:

Dear TMAC,

Effective October 31, 2018, your services are no longer needed by Louisiana Tech University.

Human Resources will contact you to set up an appointment to discuss your separation options.

Sincerely,

Dr. Les Guice


Not that I expect this to occur, even by the guy who "gets it."

[Rama Jama]

I hate the title of this thread. It's negative from the get-go. But I "get it" in the question being asked.

I love the plan JDubyaDawg proposed. After leaving the meeting with Guice, the current QB would be benched before HC got back to the Field House; maybe this is what it will take. I assume Guice attends and watches the games?

The quick assessment:
1. Replace QB. Next man up, and keep going until the fire is roaring.
2. All out blitz on marketing, emails, social platforms. "sunshine pumping" all the way to 11. The current promotion is sparse.
3. We HAVE to mix it up on offense. At this stage of the season, our opponents can spend minimal film study time and know what we are going to do. Now is the time to go nuts with out of the box play calling but it wont happen with the current QB.
4. Maybe schedule all games on the road. Joking of course, but there has to be a reason we perform better on the road than at home. I welcome anyone's theory on this.

Guys, we showed a lot of grit and toughness against LSU and UNT. We came back and should have won at Tiger Valley and did win in Denton. With this team. So its there.
This said, I am HOPING that since QB1 is from Mississippi (so he will come out and show off in front of the home state crowd) and we play better on the road, AND our defense matches up well with Mississippi State, AND their HC is not a good play caller, I think we can pull off the upset in Starkville.

[tenacious_dog]

Something has happened since the LSU game. Because someone brought it up a week or two ago, I paid attention to the sideline during homecoming. J'mar pretty much sits by himself on the sideline when he's not in the game. Rattay comes up to him every now and then and talks to him. Judging by the hand motions he's coaching him up and appears to be trying to be positive. Every now and then a player comes by and talks to him. Maybe pats him on the shoulder. It went on pretty much the entire game.

Something is definitely wrong and whatever it is, what we are putting on the field is being affected.

[brtransplant]

I agree. Our offense is completely without a field general and it shows terribly.

[Ktulu7]

Honestly, the reason everyone sees us as terrible with our record, is that we are squandering easy opportunities to blow out awful opponents. The wins should be extremely easy, and we have wide open receivers all day long, but our QB can't hit them. The team as a whole is certainly not terrible, but the QB is awful... We could be undefeated if we had even a decent QB, because he has missed a lot of very very easy (for most QBs) opportunities to score points. We've got decent RBs, great WRs, and an awesome OL.

[LTUIronDawg]

I've wondered if J'Mar was ever a runner and has been scolded so many times that now he's not going to run regardless of the situation? If he has a problem of paralysis by analysis speed it up so he doesn't have time to over think.

[LTUIronDawg]

So I watched his highlight film and it appears that he was a legit dual threat QB. Why would you take away his biggest asset?