USD FB 2010 - Strengths, Weaknesses, Suggestions

[usdfbalum]

Have a feeling there will be lots of thoughts about this past year. Certainly some ups and downs.

I am still calming down after the wild ride and will share more thoughts later.

Any thoughts?

[usdfbalum]

May as well start with the positive.

The USD victory over Minnesota was a great game. Showcased the great recruiting work that Ed and his staff has done to bring our players into the D1 level. The OC called a great game and set the tone for what we all thought was going to be an explosive year.

The defense was better, but still not where USD needs it to compete in the MVFC. NDSU really proved that in the 2nd half of that game. Physically the USD defense was not up for the task when NDSU decided to man-handle the Yotes.
There were fewer missed tackles this year, the hitting intensity was better, and the DB play was better (I think due purely to having more athletic players there).

In the Special teams area: our Kick coverage was ok, but our return game was good (minus all of the penalties we piled up early in the season.)
Still nervous about our Xtra Point/FG accuracy. Our Punter is a stud.

Next year will be an easier schedule minus Wisconsin and Air Force (Games I have heard USD coaches say they expect to lose). Think the team will most likely have a chance to be 8-3 or 7-4 when all is said and done.

From what we have seen, is USD on track to be ready for the MVFC schedule in 2012? - I am not sold on that at all.

Ideas:

The facilities improvements cannot happen fast enough. Not only will it allow the FB staff to recruit higher level athletes, it will make working as a coach at USD more desirable.

USD needs to be more competitive in what it pays the HC and Coordinators. SDSU has used NDSU as a model for what they want to achieve athletically. I think USD needs to take a hard look at NDSU, UNI, So. Ill, MT, and Mt State athletically. What do they pay their HC and Coordinators. USD needs to get into that realm - pay coaches at a championship level and hold them accountable for results.

The U of SD needs to decide their future. They can become a dominant force in the FCS world if they choose to do it. There is nothing stopping them.

They can also easily slide into the doormat position. That seems to be the momentum right now.

Minus the DL/DE position group - USD was a competitive athletic match against every FCS team they played this year. There is a problem.

[Coyote Fan]

#1) Replacement at head coach. The team is talented but just doesn't have the confidence it takes to be able to complete and win games against evenly matched teams. I wouldn't mind Morrell staying and seeing what he can do but if losing Ed means losing him than it's a tradeoff I would take without blinking. It goes way beyound transitioning, talent and the tanglibles. The adjustments we need as a program cannot happen when the head coach at the top refuses to make them.

#2) The radio broadcasts need a complete overhaul. From the play by play announcers to the confusing multiple stations that air games. How many different radio stations does USD have that cover less than a 60 mile radius. Just go look at the audio portion of the website. I think I could figure out how to get out of the middle of a vast forest with no sense of direction in the dark before I can figure out which station is covering which games (a little sarcasm there). Worse than the stations that cover the Yotes is Swain. He needs to go plain and simple.

That should just about cover it, at least for now.

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

Nov 14, 2010 10:30:22 GMT -6 usdfbalum said:

May as well start with the positive.

The USD victory over Minnesota was a great game. Showcased the great recruiting work that Ed and his staff has done to bring our players into the D1 level. The OC called a great game and set the tone for what we all thought was going to be an explosive year.

The defense was better, but still not where USD needs it to compete in the MVFC. NDSU really proved that in the 2nd half of that game. Physically the USD defense was not up for the task when NDSU decided to man-handle the Yotes.
There were fewer missed tackles this year, the hitting intensity was better, and the DB play was better (I think due purely to having more athletic players there).

In the Special teams area: our Kick coverage was ok, but our return game was good (minus all of the penalties we piled up early in the season.)
Still nervous about our Xtra Point/FG accuracy. Our Punter is a stud.

Next year will be an easier schedule minus Wisconsin and Air Force (Games I have heard USD coaches say they expect to lose). Think the team will most likely have a chance to be 8-3 or 7-4 when all is said and done.

From what we have seen, is USD on track to be ready for the MVFC schedule in 2012? - I am not sold on that at all.

Ideas:

The facilities improvements cannot happen fast enough. Not only will it allow the FB staff to recruit higher level athletes, it will make working as a coach at USD more desirable.

USD needs to be more competitive in what it pays the HC and Coordinators. SDSU has used NDSU as a model for what they want to achieve athletically. I think USD needs to take a hard look at NDSU, UNI, So. Ill, MT, and Mt State athletically. What do they pay their HC and Coordinators. USD needs to get into that realm - pay coaches at a championship level and hold them accountable for results.

The U of SD needs to decide their future. They can become a dominant force in the FCS world if they choose to do it. There is nothing stopping them.

They can also easily slide into the doormat position. That seems to be the momentum right now.

Minus the DL/DE position group - USD was a competitive athletic match against every FCS team they played this year. There is a problem.

Yeah I definitely agree with the post, except I would add the OLBs as a major problem this year as well.

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

There has been a lack of posts on this subject and I feel like there are a lot of opinions to be had on this topic. I feel part of it was maybe a lot of you were busy this weekend.

I would love to hear everyone's opinion on what they thought of the season and what needs to be done going forward.

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

Meierkort was just on KWSN talking about the Lamar game and the season. He put the blame squarely on himself, which is where it goes.

He said how he thought he had the team ready to win those close games this year and it didn't go that way. This is the same thing he has been saying year after year with the exception of his first two years basically.

He also said since the team only loses 5 seniors, they will only sign 12 to 13 kids on recruiting day.

He talked about Dante's injury. It's an MCL injury but they won't know if it's a sprain or tear until late today or tomorrow.

[Yote 53]

Hopefully Dante gets some good news. Always hate to see injuries happen.

I've been to busy to formulate any thoughts other than what happened this season is unacceptable. The high was high and the lows were really low. I, and I think most Coyote fans, expect more from this team. I don't think it's to little to ask that we see this squad progressing towards a Championship caliber program in the next 5 years. I don't see that right now, but, maybe the youth of this season turns into experience for the future and we are two years away from seeing a MVFC championship contender. Right now, I really don't know.

[Coyote Fan]

If Ed puts the blame squarely on himself why doesn't he take the ultimate accountability for it and resign.

As far as the players coming back I have always wondered one thing about having a losing team. If we weren't very good is it really a good thing to have all those players back? With this years team I think it will be good to have many back.

My opinion is that our players are just fine. Other than needing some upgrades on defense I am not worried too much about the talent on this team.

As far as a strength we all kind of assume Chuck did a good job and I think he did ok. I think he has some improving to do as well because alof of quarterbacks had very high completion percentages against our defense. We bent a little too much at times IMO.

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

Coyote Fan,

There is no reason to really resign from a job in South Dakota college coaching because of the one-year deals. Play out the contract and leave. The only way is if they were looking for another job.

Also, when has a coach ever resigned and didn't have something in place after that? It's very rare, if ever. Why would a coach just walk away from a job and money? It's just the truth.