The most important lesson to learn from Robb Smith's firing

[salzie]

A good coach adjusts the system to best fit the players. Smith didn't do that at all.

I think Smith tried to adjust too many things and ended up confusing the players

 

[Schnauzer]

Back when the staff was assembled, I took a look at the job Smith did at Arkansas and it didn't take a great football mind to see his defense got progressively worse there. So, that was a red flag right up front and it was my number 1 worry among Fleck's staff. Then others said perhaps the decline was due to BB's program imploding and losing better recruits. I hitched my wagon to that opinion and then hoped for the best. As the Gopher defense continually declined under Smith, I kept thinking about his Arkansas defense and I grew to really question Fleck on how he could hire someone like this.

But here we are several weeks later and although it is still a black mark on Fleck's Gopher coaching record, he does deserve credit for pulling the plug when he did and not waiting for this to reach the off season. It very likely got the Gophers a bowl game and momentum heading into the offseason. So the lesson learned is if it looks like a fish, smells like a fish, and is identified as a fish - make a decision to keep it or throw it back SOONER rather than later.

 

[OddStack]

Back when the staff was assembled, I took a look at the job Smith did at Arkansas and it didn't take a great football mind to see his defense got progressively worse there. So, that was a red flag right up front and it was my number 1 worry among Fleck's staff. Then others said perhaps the decline was due to BB's program imploding and losing better recruits. I hitched my wagon to that opinion and then hoped for the best. As the Gopher defense continually declined under Smith, I kept thinking about his Arkansas defense and I grew to really question Fleck on how he could hire someone like this.

But here we are several weeks later and although it is still a black mark on Fleck's Gopher coaching record, he does deserve credit for pulling the plug when he did and not waiting for this to reach the off season. It very likely got the Gophers a bowl game and momentum heading into the offseason. So the lesson learned is if it looks like a fish, smells like a fish, and is identified as a fish - make a decision to keep it or throw it back SOONER rather than later.

You should have looked at his results at Maine and you would've seen the same distrubing trend.

Thank goodness he's not here; hopefully, he'll get a position coach somewhere.

 

[metrolax]

In retrospect, which is when you often discover things, its very evident that Smith was the type of coach who wanted to show everyone everything
he knew. What I mean by that is that there are some coaches who want to spill every bit of knowledge they have and apply it. It complicates things
to the point where players are doing way too much thinking and not enough reacting. From what's been said, things have been dumbed-down and
simplified, allowing players to simply read and react...in other words, play football at full speed.

One would be amazed at just how often this happens as some coaches cannot get out of their own way. Slot this into the PJ Fleck learning curve
and it likely won't happen again. This can only be a good thing going forward. You'd be surprised at how many coaches never bother to learn this,
and I'm relived that the current coach has, apparently.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I think Fleck said it best in the post game. "This is us." basically Rossi understands the personnel and what they can do.

 

[Gophers_4life]

But here we are several weeks later and although it is still a black mark on Fleck's Gopher coaching record, he does deserve credit for pulling the plug when he did and not waiting for this to reach the off season. It very likely got the Gophers a bowl game and momentum heading into the offseason. So the lesson learned is if it looks like a fish, smells like a fish, and is identified as a fish - make a decision to keep it or throw it back SOONER rather than later.

This x1,000,000 ! I was frankly shocked that Fleck did pull the plug after Illinois .... really, really though he wouldn't fire Smith until the off season. It must've been way, way, way more toxic in the locker room and in the coaches offices that we will ever know, to get to that point. Have to wonder if players came to Fleck personally and ask for Smith to be let go. Pure wild guess on my point, could be wrong. But still ...

 

[MGGopher]

I think Smith tried to adjust too many things and ended up confusing the players

I was just about to post this as well. As someone posted below, there are some coaches who just can't help themselves -- they have to tweak and tweak and tweak things in the search for "better" until "good enough" is so far in the rearview mirror you can't see it. I've coached with lots of guys like this and you just want to shake them awake...but they refuse to believe they can't fix everything with a few little changes.

 

[Vandy]

I was just about to post this as well. As someone posted below, there are some coaches who just can't help themselves -- they have to tweak and tweak and tweak things in the search for "better" until "good enough" is so far in the rearview mirror you can't see it. I've coached with lots of guys like this and you just want to shake them awake...but they refuse to believe they can't fix everything with a few little changes.

I'm wondering if Coach Rossi's first meeting with the defensive team started out with the famous old quote, "Gentlemen, this is a football".

Sometimes when things are not going well, getting back to the basics is a good place to start.

 

[t-docious]

I'm not buying the weather excuse for the Boilermakers. I personally think that Brohm didn't have the nuts to credit Minnesota for flat out manhandling them. He didn't expect it, and he didn't want to admit it.

agreed.

 

[50PoundHead]

Just an observation, I didn't hear Chris Williamson's name a lot when Smith was DC, but he seems to have played a bigger role after Rossi took over. Could be my imagination.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Just an observation, I didn't hear Chris Williamson's name a lot when Smith was DC, but he seems to have played a bigger role after Rossi took over. Could be my imagination.

Nope, I noticed it too. Just a few little tweaks in personnel. One I noticed more before the Badger game was Sam Renner getting more reps on the interior DL. Now it looked like we had everyone back for the Wisconsin game, including big OJ and Royal too.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

Nope, I noticed it too. Just a few little tweaks in personnel. One I noticed more before the Badger game was Sam Renner getting more reps on the interior DL. Now it looked like we had everyone back for the Wisconsin game, including big OJ and Royal too.

Coney Durr as well.

 

[STPGopher]

I think you hit the nail on the head - that is a measure of how good Winfield is. He covered a lot of sins. He found ways to impact plays he had no reason to be involved in (based on where they were on the field). It was almost like Smith's defense was predicated on having that type of player, which are few and far between.

I think promoting Rossi was the right move based on timing, what he's done, etc. He maintains the same essential system, terminology, etc., but brings a different philosophy. I really hope it continues to work well!

Quote Originally Posted by Gophers_4life View Post
Fresno is a great team and Miami OH actually ended up having a pretty nice year in the MAC.

It’s still kind of shocking that these teams didn’t find a way to dismantle us the way that Maryland did.

But we also had Winfield ....

I somewhat agree with what you guys are saying, but Maryland has some serious speed. I don't think that Fresno State or Miami of Ohio has the speed that Maryland has. Maryland is the kind of team that won't allow you to take time to think.

Rossi's done a great job of simplifying reads/ assignments so far. Also a great job of teaching zone.

 

[FredCoxRocks]

Ryan Burns over at Gopher Illustrated had this article related to this whole thing (apologies if this has been posted somewhere else already). Explained very nicely even for us folks who don't lay in bed at night thinking of different schemes/formations, secretly hoping that PJ will pull us out of the stands and throw a headset on us.

https://247sports.com/college/minne...-defensive-coordinator-125378605/#125378605_1

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Ryan Burns over at Gopher Illustrated had this article related to this whole thing (apologies if this has been posted somewhere else already). Explained very nicely even for us folks who don't lay in bed at night thinking of different schemes/formations, secretly hoping that PJ will pull us out of the stands and throw a headset on us.

https://247sports.com/college/minne...-defensive-coordinator-125378605/#125378605_1

Really good article. Well worth reading. Thanks for posting it.

Robb Smith in six 2018 Big Ten games

- Points allowed per game: 43.16 points

- Opposing running backs: 7.47 yards per carry for 1.83 rushing touchdowns per game

- Third down conversion rate: 48.8% converted against this Gopher defense

- Turnovers forced per game: 1.33 turnovers

- Average length of touchdown: 34.74 yards per touchdown

Joe Rossi in three 2018 Big Ten games

- Points allowed per game: 13.0 (down 30 points from Smith)

- Opposing running backs: 4.06 ypc allowed (down 3.41 ypc) and .66 rushing touchdowns per game (down 1.17 touchdowns)

- Third down conversion rate: 22.2% (down 26.6%)

- Turnovers forced per game: 1.66 (up .33)

- Average length of touchdown: 7.66 yards (down 27.1 yards)