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View Full Version : Here's what I think Cohen needs to realistically do



Irondawg
10-14-2019, 11:39 AM
First off you have to identify why this marriage isn't working out and the true depth of the issues with the program. I'm calling every senior that graduated last year for their opinion and then I'm bringing in the supposed senior leaders on this team from some honest 1:1 time.

That should give you a very good idea of the pulse assuming you get some consistent feedback.

From there you determine if this thing can be salvaged or not. I know 98% of ya'll would can him today, but Cohen's job isn't to make the impulse decision, it's to make the right decision for MSU. If after getting all the first hand information along with what he knows about Joe you think it's not going to work you prepare the exit plan and start contacting agents.

However, if you think it can potentially be fixed somehow you try to make that work as one of the biggest long-term measures of success from non-blue bloods is consistency in the coaching staffs ( Beamer VT, Snyder KSU, Iowa staff, etc). You never want to blow it up unless you just have to.

The easiest way to get this fixed in my eyes if you decide to keep him is with the coordinators. Starting on offense it's clear we need an OC actually in charge of play-calling. I think it's extremely, extremely hard to be the OC and the HC at the same time. A few succeed with it, but a ton fail as well and I think it's hurting Joe. Heck Mullen gets away with it but there are times I think it catches up with him. This new OC would need to be incredibly focused on technique and discipline. No more INT caused by a receiver not running his route at full speed. No more having 2 false starts by QB not waiting for the motioned WR to get set. Let Joe be good cop, but you need a big time bad cop on that side of the ball and we don't have one right now.

On defense the jury is still out on Schoop as his resume is full of ups and downs. In the end I think he's a slightly above average DC but nothing special. Most DC's are good with lots of talent, most DC's are bad without any talent. This year we have very little true SEC talent on the defensive side of the ball so it's really hard to tell. But he's also the safety coach and we've been truly awful there most of the year. I can't call this one so would probably come down to what I thought current and former players thought about him. I wouldn't be upset if he left or if he stayed. Cases can be made for both in my opinion.

I'm still one that thinks Joe has some potential as a head coach. I think his biggest problem is the ability to implement across the board what he says he believes in as he always mentions "precision" and I think he'd tell you he wants to be physical. Find some guys to help him with his weaknesses and it could still work. I have a hard time believing the locker room is lost to him because there were so many ex players that spoke really, really highly of him when we hired him.

If you have the conversation and he pulls a Cutcliff and can't admit some of his deficiencies then you for sure pull the plug.

We all know it's not working right now so it's up to Cohen to fix it one way or the other.

Really Clark?
10-14-2019, 12:13 PM
?However, if you think it can potentially be fixed somehow you try to make that work as one of the biggest long-term measures of success from non-blue bloods is consistency in the coaching staffs ( Beamer VT, Snyder KSU, Iowa staff, etc). You never want to blow it up unless you just have to.?

All 3 of those coaches stepped into losing programs. More so with Beamer and Snyder by far but Iowa was 3-8 the year before Frentz got there and he had to build it back up. I do believe in that cohesiveness but it is predicated to the situation the coach is entering. This resembles the Washington State down turn after Mike Price left. Doba matched Price his first season with that continuity but 5, 4, 6 and 5 wins is all he could accomplish for his next 4 seasons. I don?t need to see another 4 seasons to make a change. The play on the field or lack of the basic play needed to compete (effort, hustle, discipline, etc.) is a glaring neon sign of concern. And I have never seen a coach that could get that turned around. If it was just a talent/transition season, that?s one thing but the actual play on the field is a huge problem

Irondawg
10-14-2019, 12:55 PM
And you may be dead on and if that's the consistent theme you get from the player interviews then you either fire him or make him hire multiple drill sergeant assistants.

I'm very much leaning toward him not being the right fit for our job, but holding out some small degree of hope we can get it right.

Heck if I was just Moorhead I'd have brought in two former marine drill sergeants to chew some ass during practices during the bye week.

Cooterpoot
10-14-2019, 12:58 PM
Cohen should fire his ass and be done. The end.