M-Borg vs. THE Flavortown U Thread, Orig. by Buckeye Paul, absconded w/by talent.

[The Oracle]

What's the possibility of Borges' scheme being a major defect to the OL? As bad as Borges was this year, the OL as a group was worse. I just can't imagine them getting rid of Borges while keeping Funk if the OL's issues all fall to Funk. Gotta think if Nuss wants to come in and run a zone blocking scheme, that changes things for Funk.

[hack]

If they can't figure out the problem then it just brings is closer to the time when another coach is hired. We'll find out.

[The Oracle]

Agree. I'm just saying maybe our offense could actually improve quite a bit with a new OC only, rather than being a pissed off bunch because our offense will still suck because Funk is still here.

[hack]

Agreed. Hoke ought to know better whether the problem was really the OL or the scheme. I'm back on tue wagon. More cautiously optimistic than going into the '12 season, but cautiously optimistic is a lot more optimistic than before.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'm convinced it wasn't Funk. Why? Because I don't think Hoke is a complete idiot.

I guess will find out the truth to that assertion but, if it is true that Hoke made the initial contact with Nussmeier and assuming he did this himself without pressure from Brandon ( I can't believe there wasn't .... Something like Brandon saying you need to figure out what the problem is and make necessary changes), Hoke would have let Funk go, not Borges.

There is a lot of good reading from various regular writers at Mgoblog. One was a UFR type regurgitation of the Alabama/OU game. It implies that there are significant differences between the way nussmeir schemes and play calls and the way Borges did. Borges is much more inflexible than Nussmeier appears to be with Nussmeier being the much better in game play caller than Borges.

Bottom line, there is a lot to the value of chemistry within an offensive unit. If there is bunch of arguing going on among the staff, players and HC, it hurts effectiveness a whole lot more than it is usually given credit for.

I can see problems may have existed between Hoke, Borges and Funk. Nussmeier may be a good fit with Funk while Borges wasn't. All three together may be on the same page while the other three weren't.

Remains to be seen but I don't think Funk is as big of a problem as Hanni and talent might believe they are. I think it was scheme. I think it was Borges' inability to translate what was in his mind to teachable points for his staff, including funk. I think Hoke saw this. That's why Borges is gone and Funk isn't.

If this hypothesis turns out to be wrong and the crapfest that is M's OL continues, then we'll know with certainty who ought to be let go.

[The Oracle]

I tend to agree. Can't imagine an OL coach can inhibit an offense like that and be the main culprit.

[iam416]

Having watched two seasons of Warriner, I'm convinced an OL coach makes a real difference. There is, frankly, no way Funk can escape significant blame for that stinkfuck performance last season. None, IMO.

[WM Wolverine]

Borges wanted to run far less zone blocking schemes than what Funk prefers. Lots of blame to spread around for the OL issues, but the recruiting from '09 - '11 share a lot of it (they are incredibly lucky Lewan stayed a 5th year) with coaching, scheme and play-calling all getting assists.

Three second-year players (mixed in with walk-ons and a true freshman) all on the same offensive line aren't going to be an effective unit... Borges play calling (lack of short passes, screens, etc.) & Devin scrambling made the OL look even worse. I expect the offense to be much, much better in '14 if the OL progresses as hoped and those loss of yardage plays are greatly reduced.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Having watched two seasons of Warriner, I'm convinced an OL coach makes a real difference. There is, frankly, no way Funk can escape significant blame for that stinkfuck performance last season. None, IMO.

I can't knock this view either. I wish I had been a fly on the wall in coaches and players meetings. I'd have a better idea of what the problems really might have been.

But, no question. It's hard to keep Funk blameless in all this. If the boss says do it this way and you can't, f'ing it up time and time again, it becomes a head scratcher as to why the guy most responsible for f'ing the OL up is still on the payroll.

I suspect there is a lot more to the story that we just don't know. Whatever it is, the offense can not be worse next season ..... or can it? I said the same thing right before GERG showed up in 2009. The crapfest he produced is unequaled in futility, passing Borges' offense in suckitude by a big margin. At least Borges eeked out a few nice games in his 2 years.

[Pasadena Blue]

Funk is gone after NSD or at the worst after spring practice when Nuss gets to see how badly he sucks in real life. Brandon should fork out the dollars and grab the 'Bama OL coach as well.

I just completed watching all of the M games from last season again ... don't ask me why.

The only games I thought we deserved to lose were Iowa, Sparty, and KSU. I didn't find that the other team on the field was truly better than us on the others. Given the suckitude that was Borges and his randomly changing blocking schemes and game plans, we actually weren't as bad as I thought.

We need to have some injury/luck on our side next year for a change, but I don't think the Domers, Sparty, and Ohio fans should automatically assume they are going smack us down next year. I think we'll have a good team.

[Rob F]

Not quite as optimistic as you, PB. Being that those 3 are road games, well, we're gonna need huge improvement to compete let alone win any of the 3.

Regarding Funk, I too believe we're gonna know his fate immediately after signing day. Too much at stake for it to happen sooner; too much evidence of ineptitude for it NOT to happen immediately afterwards.

[Hannibal]

If he was going to be gone, I think that we would know it already.

[WingsFan]

if it is true that Hoke made the initial contact with Nussmeier and assuming he did

That is not true, this was all Domino Dave, who is getting a nickname around Ann Arbor as "Jerry Jones Jr." And a press conference to announce your new OC? Guess who did most of the talking - Dave B - Hoke hardly said a word, think about it.

[WM Wolverine]

We'll never know if it was DB or Hoke that brought in Nussmeier, we'll also never know if DB hinted to Hoke that he needed a staff shake-up. At this point, it's next to impossible to separate blame on the OL from Hoke, Borges, Funk, OL personnel but it's never been 'right' with those three coaches in three years... They all played a role though we'll never really know how much till the variables change...

With Denard Robinson, he could make two defenders miss in the backfield when pressure broke down and at least get near the line of scrimmage if not pick up a few yards. Devin loved to run backwards (a HUGE no-no that Borges/QB coach should've taught Devin the very first time he did so)... DG running backwards turned a lot of pass attempts into what should've been throw away, in-completions and sacks for minimal losses in to drive killing losses of yardage.

[WM Wolverine]

Said it quite a few times already but any additional staff changes won't happen till after signing day at the earliest though I'm not expecting any either.