Devils @ Ducks 10/14

[O]

Folks wanted a QB change, they got one.
Will it make a difference?

 

[Brian in Mesa]

We got another change at the half...

Samson Szakacsy with two quick TD's in the 3rd quarter.

 

[HooverDam]

Our offensive play calling is just laughably bad. Ericksons in way over his head in that department. I dont know if its because he's too busy, the game has passed him by, he needs newer ideas, or whatever but its awful. A good example is in the 4th QTR when ASU went for it on 4 downs and didn't get it. On 3rd and 4th down he just had Nance run up the middle for no game. The Oline is super banged up and Nance had been getting snowed in the backfield all damned night, so you run right into your weakness?

How about using your STRENGTH, Samsons legs getting outside. At least one of those plays shouldve been a bootleg/rollout pass that wouldve given Samson a run or pass option. The lack of creativity and confidence is just mind numbing.

ASUs got to let Olsen and Smiths contracts expire and bring in a new OC who can recruit and call plays. Im not sure who that person is yet, but the idea of Erickson calling plays is not an acceptable long term solution.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

ASUs got to let Olsen and Smiths contracts expire and bring in a new OC who can recruit and call plays. Im not sure who that person is yet, but the idea of Erickson calling plays is not an acceptable long term solution.

If you're going to scrap everything on one side of the ball, why not just get a whole new head coach? It's not like Erickson is to ASU like Paterno is to Penn State or Bowden to FSU where he has enough clout to write his own ticket. I'd imagine the powers that be give Erickson a year or two to clean up his own mess and then make a decision from there. However the rumored names to take over those two spots aren't very inspiring (Tim Lappano, Robin Pflugrad). Names like that will simply come in and do what Erickson says much as Olson and Smith do now.

Of course Lisa Love could technically come in and overhaul the entire offensive system both off and on the field much like Arizona did with Dykes. But of course that also means you'd probably lose valuable guys like Matt Lubick. Anyone who takes the position you refer to would want full control over offensive position coaches/recruiting and those will almost always go to someone in their own network.

 

[HooverDam]

Like I keep trying to explain to you Erickson was not brought in here as an offensive guru like you seem to think. He's not the Koetter type or like Stoops whos a defensive coach. DE was viewed as a Head coach, he's had both excellent offenses as well as defenses. Bringing in a new OC does not imply in any way that Ericksons having power taken from him (as he'd be the one helping to select the OC) or is being ousted.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Like I keep trying to explain to you Erickson was not brought in here as an offensive guru like you seem to think. He's not the Koetter type or like Stoops whos a defensive coach. DE was viewed as a Head coach, he's had both excellent offenses as well as defenses. Bringing in a new OC does not imply in any way that Ericksons having power taken from him (as he'd be the one helping to select the OC) or is being ousted.

Here we go again. Dennis Erickson is currently in charge of offensive scheme, offensive recruiting, and offensive playcalling. Assuming in your scenario that you give all those things to a new OC, how exactly does that not imply Erickson having power taken from him?

 

[Mathew81]

Here we go again. Dennis Erickson is currently in charge of offensive scheme, offensive recruiting, and offensive playcalling. Assuming in your scenario that you give all those things to a new OC, how exactly does that not imply Erickson having power taken from him?

We don't want someone to take over recruiting from Erickson. He's still in charge for overall recruiting on both sides of the ball. Like Hoover said, DE is not a head coach who only focuses on one side of the ball. An OC who would just help with recruiting would be good enough. Olsen doesn't do squat. Also, Erickson isn't usually the play caller either. He took that away from Olsen last year. So a new OC who could call plays would allow Erickson to go back the way he used to doing things. Not "taking it away" from him.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

We don't want someone to take over recruiting from Erickson. He's still in charge for overall recruiting on both sides of the ball. Like Hoover said, DE is not a head coach who only focuses on one side of the ball. An OC who would just help with recruiting would be good enough. Olsen doesn't do squat. Also, Erickson isn't usually the play caller either. He took that away from Olsen last year. So a new OC who could call plays would allow Erickson to go back the way he used to doing things. Not "taking it away" from him.

That's fine, but then that would be someone from Erickson's past or close to it because the OC you describe would have to know Erickson's scheme in order to call plays and evaluate recruits. That's my point - you can't bring in some young innovative OC from a Texas Tech or Cincinnati or wherever to run things and not take control away from Erickson. The scenario you envision ends up with ASU hiring somebody from Erickson's coaching tree, which is fine but not really what most of the ASU people I've talked to are hoping for.