Out coached again....

[Zipgrad01]

Kind of a broken record. Teams make adjustments against us every game in the 2nd half and we can do nothing. I am sick of no adjustments, stupid play calling, bad penalties, poor tackling and blown coverages. I am starting to see why no other d1 coach hired Bowden and most of the people at north Alabama were not upset to see him go. I have really lost a lot of confidence that he is the guy to turn this program around. I pray that I am wrong.

[akzipper]

There is very little talent on the team, and no depth on defense makes it a trainwreck waiting to happen. Unfortunately next years draft class would be disappointing FCS team, so I'm very doubtful they will be much better. Unless he is able to bring in a dozen transfers, we'll be lucky to get two wins...

It's just not fair to blame the coaching staff. While there may be a few bad playcalls, it's bound to happen. I don't think even Nick Saban calls every game perfectly. The reality is that Bowden has coached up this team, and I guess the only positive is they didn't get blown out every game.

[bigzipguy]

I have a difficult time disagreeing with you.

[Dr Z]

I have really lost a lot of confidence that he is the guy to turn this program around.

After 12 whole games?

I am sick of no adjustments

I have heard coach Bowden address your concern more than once on his Monday tv show. Tune in.

[GP1]

Kind of a broken record. Teams make adjustments against us every game in the 2nd half and we can do nothing. I am sick of no adjustments, stupid play calling, bad penalties, poor tackling and blown coverages.

What adjustments would you have made? What plays would you have called based upon what Toledo was doing?

[zippy5]

Our players aren't good enough to hang with Toledo for 4 quarters. I think it's more of TB coming out with a decent gameplan, other coaches adjusting, and then taking over our inferior talent. We'll get there.

[akzipper]

On paper our 1-10 team should not have had a shot with Toledo, or even Tennessee, Can't, Ohio for that fact.

[Captain Kangaroo]

"Lose big... lose by a little... win by a little... win big."

That's the progression Bowden promised. He's got the first 50% down, the upcoming 50% should be more fun.

Note - While I have not lost any faith in Bowden, that fake FG was one of the worst football plays I've ever seen.

[MaxZIP]

Other teams have turned it around. I can only hope the zips can follow suit. That being said I still think we are in for a long season next year as fans. Key question...would you rather lose to an fcs school but win at least one fbs game in a season or would you rather lose all fbs games and trounce an fcs foe? Which means more as a fan?

[Dr Z]

While I have not lost any faith in Bowden, that fake FG was one of the worst football plays I've ever seen.

Even Super Bowl winning coaches lose their mind some times!?!?

[mivid12]

i luv how ppl play the 2nd half adjustment card...sounds like that hack ridneour writing about mangini and his perceived lack of '2nd half' adjustments...

like i told marla....these coaches flatulence know more about football than beat writers or msg bd posters ever will

[akzipper]

i luv how ppl play the 2nd half adjustment card...sounds like that hack ridneour writing about mangini and his perceived lack of '2nd half' adjustments...

like i told marla....these coaches flatulence know more about football than beat writers or msg bd posters ever will

So many people these days think they know everything because they play Madden or sit in and watch a few Zips practices...

[InTheZone]

Our problems in the 2nd half have much less to do with gameplan, and much more to do with depth. It'll come people. These guys need a few more offseasons and a couple recruiting classes of guys that fit their schemes. Let's remember on offense we're playing a high octane spread with kids that were recruited to ground and pound and on defense we're running a defense that depends on pressure and blitz packages with kids who were recruited to play in 4-3 max zone reactionary type scheme.

[g-mann17]

I'm glad there are few level headed people on the board.

Bowden made one bad decision this game, that was the poorly executed fake field goal. That play was set up when Pohl was still the holder for field goals, as soon as they moved that to Paul, about mid season, the play should have been thrown out. Despite that we ended up forcing a turnover 5 plays letter so that ended in a wash.

Other than that we lost because the offense couldn't get anything going to take advantage of the defense's strong third quarter, after that depth got to us, you could see them playing tired (slow reaction, missed assignments etc) in the 4th. That goes for the two second quarter deep balls as well.

Hopefully we build some depth in the off season.

This team was legitimately close to 4 additional wins this season (FIU, Miami, Can't, Ohio) and competitive in everything except for CMU (which is just plain curious, maybe looking ahead to Can't who knows). It hurts bad for another crappy season, but remember how young the team is

We lose, Suel, Dalton, and two starting lineman on offense. We lose both corners, Griggs, and Mangum on defense. So we are returning 14 starters next season. We have one of the top offenses (in many categories) in the country coming back, and Pohl looks more than capable to keep that trend going.

We need Brown and Turner to have a good off season in the weight room and we have a devastating tandem in the Linebacking core next year. Corners and additional D-line are what worry me, we need 4 solid d-tackles that can rotate so we don't have another Bowling Green happen.

[K92]

Speaking of Turner, anybody know why he missed the trip last night?

[Blue & Gold]

I'm glad there are few level headed people on the board.

We lose, Suel, Dalton, and two starting lineman on offense. We lose both corners, Griggs, and Mangum on defense. So we are returning 14 starters next season. We have one of the top offenses (in many categories) in the country coming back, and Pohl looks more than capable to keep that trend going.

We need Brown and Turner to have a good off season in the weight room and we have a devastating tandem in the Linebacking core next year. Corners and additional D-line are what worry me, we need 4 solid d-tackles that can rotate so we don't have another Bowling Green happen.

I believe we'll only lose one corner (Commack), as Malachi Freeman is listed as a junior.

We've got that Colorado State transfer waiting in the wings to fill Grigg's DE spot.

Then we've got James Price (6-0, 305) coming back from academic ineligibility to play DT next season.

I think we need ONE great JUCO DT for next season (to give us a rotation of 4), as both Grice & Caponi will be back.

We'll also be getting Jamar Williams back at LB. Add him to Justin March (stud), Jatavis Brown & Jamel Turner and we've got a GREAT LB crew (heck, maybe Rossi will have a breakout year?).

All things considered, IMHO we look to be in pretty good shape.

[Wally B]

Kind of a broken record. Teams make adjustments against us every game in the 2nd half and we can do nothing. I am sick of no adjustments, stupid play calling, bad penalties, poor tackling and blown coverages. I am starting to see why no other d1 coach hired Bowden and most of the people at north Alabama were not upset to see him go. I have really lost a lot of confidence that he is the guy to turn this program around. I pray that I am wrong.

Skipped 1 too many analytical thinking classes did we? It's as though a select few on here have completely ignored the wealth of information discussed on this board and in the media over the last several years to make a stement such as this.

[LZIp]

Speaking of Turner, anybody know why he missed the trip last night?

yes. But its a little hush-hush.

My problems with coaching last night off the top of my head:

Fake field goal, passing the ball on 3rd and goal from the 1-2, wasting the last timeout to call a 2pt conversion play (should have been ready), the 2pt conversion play (a corner pylon fade is a very low percentage play), being too conservative by not going for points before halftime and kicking on 4th and 1 from around mid field a few times.

Football isnt a hard game to understand people. I support Bowden, but dont act like he is perfect and that "some message board posters or media" dont know anything about the game. Depth was an issue this season, but it wasnt the only issue.

[mivid12]

yes. But its a little hush-hush.

My problems with coaching last night off the top of my head:

Fake field goal, passing the ball on 3rd and goal from the 1-2, wasting the last timeout to call a 2pt conversion play (should have been ready), the 2pt conversion play (a corner pylon fade is a very low percentage play), being too conservative by not going for points before halftime and kicking on 4th and 1 from around mid field a few times.

Football isnt a hard game to understand people. I support Bowden, but dont act like he is perfect and that "some message board posters or media" dont know anything about the game. Depth was an issue this season, but it wasnt the only issue.

who said bowden was perfect? how old are you? 12? and yes msg bd posters and the media know very little about football compared to the knowledge base of eric mangini or terry bowden...no even close...so don't act like a msg bd poster or a media member could do what coaches do...

[K92]

Coaches very rarely call a perfect game. Lots of times the players on the field can mask a coach's mistakes by making plays with superior athleticism. When you don't have the talent, some of the usual coaching errors are more glaring, so I am throwing Bowden & Co. a bone here.

However, there was no excuse in the fake FG try. My head almost exploded on that one.

[akzipper]

Coaches very rarely call a perfect game. Lots of times the players on the field can mask a coach's mistakes by making plays with superior athleticism. When you don't have the talent, some of the usual coaching errors are more glaring, so I am throwing Bowden & Co. a bone here.

However, there was no excuse in the fake FG try. My head almost exploded on that one.

What does a 1-win football team really have to lose? Maybe the coaches told the unit if they read the defense and thought they could capitalize on a fake, do it. Maybe whoever decided to run the fake made the mistake? Maybe they saw something in the defense and was wrong? Who knows...

I remember one of Mangini's Browns teams had a huge fake punt that went for 70+ yards against New Orleans. Mangini did not call the play at that time, Hodges was trained to run the fake if the coverage was lined up a certain way.

[zipsfan33]

"That play was set up when Pohl was still the holder for field goals, as soon as they moved that to Paul, about mid season, the play should have been thrown out"

I don't recall Pohl holding. Do you mean D'Orozo?

[LZIp]

who said bowden was perfect? how old are you? 12? and yes msg bd posters and the media know very little about football compared to the knowledge base of eric mangini or terry bowden...no even close...so don't act like a msg bd poster or a media member could do what coaches do...

Pretty ironic post considering Bowden was the media a few years ago and thats where Mangini is now.

[mivid12]

Pretty ironic post considering Bowden was the media a few years ago and thats where Mangini is now.

whether or not a coach is/was in the media is not a reflection of his coaching acumen...mangini's just riding out his browns contract and he has turned down at least 3 dc jobs i'm aware of.....as far as bowden it appears it was his choice to not coach for a period of time...

[Dave in Green]

Which is more likely: An experienced football coach moving over to serve as a successful football analyst in the media or an experienced media person moving over to serve as a successful football coach?