Fire Baker - NOW

[PawDawg]

The guy you are overlooking has only kicked about two good kicks in his entire career. What would make him want to try this guy after 4 years or failure?

Insanity on special teams? Fair catches by hands guys on pooch kicks...not risking a thow back to a better hands guy...having a guy fair catch a punt inside the 5... having a guy let the ball roll when he watches it bounce on the 40...I could go on and on over the past 4 years. HCSH is HORRIBLE when it comes to clock management and special teams.

[T1]

The guy you are overlooking has only kicked about two good kicks in his entire career. What would make him want to try this guy after 4 years or failure?

Insanity on special teams? Fair catches by hands guys on pooch kicks...not risking a thow back to a better hands guy...having a guy fair catch a punt inside the 5... having a guy let the ball roll when he watches it bounce on the 40...I could go on and on over the past 4 years. HCSH is HORRIBLE when it comes to clock management and special teams.

Logan McPherson's stats show 9 punts in the last 2 years. You may be making a mountain out of mole hill with that one? The fair catches by Woodall were coaching decisions. So, you start on the 30 instead of possibly the 40? Mole hill? Did he "have the guy watch the ball roll" and did the guy watch the ball roll? I see the guy doing it, you see him being ordered to do it. Holtz will err on the side of caution though. He doesn't want the game to be won or lost by him. He wants to put them in the best position to win the game. He's not the riverboat gambler type. That could be a flaw at times.

[glm47]

Logan McPherson's stats show 9 punts in the last 2 years. You may be making a mountain out of mole hill with that one? The fair catches by Woodall were coaching decisions. So, you start on the 30 instead of possibly the 40? Mole hill? Did he "have the guy watch the ball roll" and did the guy watch the ball roll? I see the guy doing it, you see him being ordered to do it. Holtz will err on the side of caution though. He doesn't want the game to be won or lost by him. He wants to put them in the best position to win the game. He's not the riverboat gambler type. That could be a flaw at times.

So why would you pull a guy off the shelf that's only punted 9 times in the last 2 years to punt in the CUSA championship game? Especially one that was consistent only in the fact that he couldn't punt worth a damn.

[T1]

So why would you pull a guy off the shelf that's only punted 9 times in the last 2 years to punt in the CUSA championship game? Especially one that was consistent only in the fact that he couldn't punt worth a damn.

I can only tell you the reasoning. He didn't want to lose the game on a punt return (he feared that punter returner was going to do it to us). It's fair to second-guess that based on McPherson's history. It was calculated and he determined rugby kicking was the best way to prevent a big return. In his mind, the rugby kicking would be adequately executed. It wasn't.... again.

[revf]

I can only tell you the reasoning. He didn't want to lose the game on a punt return (he feared that punter returner was going to do it to us). It's fair to second-guess that based on McPherson's history. It was calculated and he determined rugby kicking was the best way to prevent a big return. In his mind, the rugby kicking would be adequately executed. It wasn't.... again.

You have one of the worst defenses in the country, you were just blown out by a team with a losing record, and two of your starters are out for academic reasons...so yeah let's worry about the punt returner.

[T1]

Every phase counts. Make them earn their points with their offense.

[techman05]

Our OC doesn't do anything but report what he sees from the booth. Already works with WR's. Let him take inside receivers as well and then Sloan, or someone can take on Special Teams. Or let Sloan watch from the booth during games and coach all receivers. Either way opens a spot for full time special teams.

[Champ967]

We need an aggressive pentrating D.

twss

[Champ967]

So why would you pull a guy

twss

[dawg80]

Every phase counts. Make them earn their points with their offense.

Did you really post this in reference to OUR defense? I mean, really!?

"earn their points"

Again, were you referring to Tech's defense?????

[T1]

Did you really post this in reference to OUR defense? I mean, really!?

"earn their points"

Again, were you referring to Tech's defense?????

Hey, that's not fair. 5 of their 10 scoring drives took over 6 plays.

[cscollis]

It's the lack of aggression, and really poor tackling. If you are going suck at D at least be aggressive and go for turnovers.

Has tech ever beaten an Academy school in football. Should be a high scoring game.

[JuBru]

It's the lack of aggression, and really poor tackling. If you are going suck at D at least be aggressive and go for turnovers.

Has tech ever beaten an Academy school in football. Should be a high scoring game.

No. We are 0-4 against Army and Navy. Have not played Air Force.

[T1]

I doubt we stop them much. The good thing is this will be the best offense we've had against a military school, so maybe we can outscore them this time. The most we've ever scored on them was 23 points in Dykes' first year (2010).

[DangDawg]

So why would you pull a guy off the shelf that's only punted 9 times in the last 2 years to punt in the CUSA championship game? Especially one that was consistent only in the fact that he couldn't punt worth a damn.

According to the stats McPherson was the starter for 2 years, he finished last in CUSA both years. Coaches let Shouse punt quite a few times over that period and for the most part did way better and finished with better avg for both years. Since making Shouse the starter his avg has steadily gotten better, last year he put 48% of his punts inside the 20 and this year probably around 40%. Shouse has only had 3 or 4 touch backs in his whole career at Tech and right now his avg is 43 yards per punt. If his avg stays anywhere close to that for the season he'll finish 2nd best in Louisiana Tech history behind Ryan Allen. Imagine if he had been the starter all 4 years. The only game he hasn't started in the past few years was against WKU this season and the reasoning was fear of their returner. I would think that after that fiasco with an extremely short rugby punt and another one blocked and returned for a touchdown that just about anybody in their right mind would have to say damn that sure backfired. The idea that in a game as big as the Championship game you would go with the no fear approach and go with the best you've got but these geniuses decided to try the same damn thing again and it cost us dearly.