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Topic: Four Captains, Hakuna Matata and Austen Everson

Topic: Four Captains, Hakuna Matata and Austen Everson

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D.A.
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Member Since: 8/6/2010
Location: Georgetown, ME
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Four Captains, Hakuna Matata and Austen Everson

Posted: 9/13/2010 11:48:00 AM

As a precursor, I am at a disadvantage in having not been present for the first two games. However with taking the first two games in online, reading the post game feedback of those on the board regarding our lack of offensive production and piecing that together with my first hand sideline experiences in witnessing the team over the last couple of years, I think there once again continues to be an issue with the offensive group that has persisted since 2007. LEADERSHIP

I was concerned as early as fall practice once we heard that there would be four captains, all defensive.
Additionally, I was concerned viewing Ted's pre-season interviews and hearing from Boo that his mantra is "Hakuna Matata", loosely interpreted as "no worries".
Then, once again hearing indecision from the staff this season regarding who would be the field general for the offense, including essentially having a 1 and 1A for game one.
Finally, with the performance Saturday and the offensive team clearly looking shell shocked as the game progressed, it appeared that no one was "grabbing people by the face mask" (homage to JCW) and imploring their teammates to raise their game considering the gravity of the situation.

This isn't a recent phenomenon, it has persisted since Austen Everson's departure. In 2006, Austen willed the offense, and to a lesser extent Kalvin due to just being damn good and leading by example. He lifted the offense on his shoulders and carried the team to success. Not discounting last season's performance/record, but Theo was not that guy, the one to get in his fellow offensive teammate's grills and hold them accountable, nor was Brad Bower before him.

By contrast, consider the past, emotional leaders of the defensive side of the ball: Muncy, Russ, Mitchell, Parson, Hartke, Renfro, Tafua, Keller, Posey. Emotion has not been a problem for the defensive unit for the last several years. But having four defensive captains almost implies that there are no natural leaders on the other side of the ball, and that is a HUGE problem if true. If that is the case, then those defensive captians need to get out of their silo and start holding the O accountable. The problem with that is that THOSE GUYS are on the field when the O isn't. And the defense cannot continue to spend ten to fifteen minutes more per game on the field than the O, as it has the last three years.

IMHO, the O really needs someone to take the reigns, regardless of position, and "move" their unit to exceed their expectations and make things happen in the face of adversity. It appears the only solution at this time is for the O to find a leader or two and push their teammates to up their games and find another gear.

An offensive leader doesn't have to be the QB, although it doesn't hurt. (Brees, P. Manning, Brady, Rivers) No knock on Boo, but simply put if your mantra is "no worries" and a situation presents itself as it did last weekend, you're going to need someone to give you a kick in the pants, as well as your teammates, you likely aren't the pants kicker. Boo is a great ambassador for Ohio that I respect and admire, however if he isn't a field general, then SOMEONE in the offense has to be.

Austen couldn't throw an out route with much velocity, as we are seeing from Boo due to coming off surgery. Austen found a way to make his limited physical ability work, but in 2006, more improtantly, he led. Who will be this team's offensive leader?

The long term prospect of having Derek Roback in the mix is great, because in his highlight film you see him doing the things that Austen would have done, like being 20 yards down the field making blocks for his teammates. That exhibits an intense desire to win. But that does NOTHING for 2010, and there has to be someone in the O group that can fill that void. Otherwise, the staff has done a poor job in my opinion, because recruiting talent only gets you so far. WILL gets you over the top.

If that leader doesn't exist on the roster, then the staff better take that role on, a la John Groce. Unfortunately, my experience has been that the staff tends to defer to the team for that leadership from within, and falls back on the game plan to scheme their way out of match up issues. (which hasn't worked so well either)

Right now, this team is what it is, and they need to find a solution from within. Sure there are a number of holes in the O line (pun intended) due to injury/eligibility that are causing many of the issues the O is experiencing right now, but they have to find a way to work through that adversity.

No one feels the pressure and disappointment of last Saturday more than the men in Green and White, and the pressure will likely not decrease from this Saturday to last, although it should have been greater this past week since it was a Conference game. The nice thing now is that there are very managed expectations from everyone outside of that group for this Saturday, so lets hope they can use that to their advantage and make some strides this week.

Fortunately the staff and team have done a good job of turning seasons around after disappointing starts, so I'll reserve judgement of the long term prosepcts once we see how they are able to call out themselves over the next couple of weeks. Glad I got that off my chest. Good luck men!

Last Edited: 9/13/2010 12:27:49 PM by D.A.

The Few, The Proud, The Bobcats!

And for the record, I hate tOSU, and Ricordati and Torgerson are DB's.

"This isn't just another walkover from the MAC." Kirk Herbstreit, another DB, on College Football Gameday

GoCatsGo
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Member Since: 7/3/2005
Location: Cleveland, OH
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RE: Four Captains, Hakuna Matata and Austen Everson

Posted: 9/13/2010 6:17:35 PM

I too found it a bit odd that all four captains were defensive players. I was a couple rows behind the bench for the Toledo game, and I did see one offensive player attempting to rally the troops and that was #7, LaVon Brazill. He was trying to get his team ready to go out fighting on that last drive speaking to the line and fellow receivers. Now that I think about it I'm not sure that I saw #8 in that meeting.

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