Nice write-up on our old OC …

Home Forums All StateFansNation Nice write-up on our old OC …

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  • #122484
    44rules
    Participant

    https://www.si.com/college-football/2017/04/17/lsu-tigers-offense-matt-canada

    although it takes the obligatory shot at N.C. State. Mentions our favorite JaySam though, so that makes up for it a bit.

    Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy. Mao Zedong

    #122489
    ryebread
    Participant

    Good read. I think he’ll do well at LSU because no team has done less with more offensive talent than they have. It will be a situation where the only way is up.

    At the same time for all the praise in this article, he’s not without issue either. I thought we were pretty predictable based on formation and motion and field position, particularly with the use of the jet sweep. I also think he was fired for other reasons beyond just on the field performance. I tend to think he is divisive.

    #122492
    44rules
    Participant

    True that, Ryebread. I think I remember somebody posting that he ticked off a lot of N.C. high school coaches or something like that. And yeah, I thought our O was predictable too and didn’t use JaySam nearly as much as warranted. And if somebody like me, who doesn’t even pretend to be a football expert on the internet, can figure things out, I’m sure opposing D’s could too.

    Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy. Mao Zedong

    #122501
    choppack1
    Participant

    Yes. There were statements made that it wasn’t related to on field performance.

    As an OC, it matters not what we think. Most college coaches and the stat sheet have a favorable impression of him.

    His next gig is head coach if he doesn’t go off the reservation at LSU. And if he does well at that mid-major gig..

    #122503
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    ^
    Yes, boys, and I will reiterate that he was about to set the entire NCHSAA on conflagration mode. His kid screwed up, and Canada’s ego couldn’t leave it alone.

    He’s been bouncing around a bit…No?
    It isn’t about his scheming an offense.

    #122505
    choppack1
    Participant

    True cow dog – but just because people present employment challenges doesn’t mean they aren’t good at their job.

    Translation: if Canada wasn’t good, he would probably be out of football. But there’s evidence he is good.

    Like I said, these next 2-3 years will be interesting. I had heard another one of our ex-oc’s was similarly eccentric/difficult to work with. He ended up as a HC in the NFL

    #122506
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Chops…What I presented to you guys had nothing to do about his ability to coach at this level.

    I was only lettng y’all know that he had become a liability here…at NC State.

    Well, not so much, really. He has a propensity to wear himself out. Maybe that’s what I’m getting at.

    #122507
    ryebread
    Participant

    CowDog: 🙂 😉 He’d worn himself out at Wisconsin prior to us ever getting him. He was at the center of a tiff that got the OL coach fired four games into the season and got his play calling duties revoked. People focused on a couple of good games at the end of the season that year, but I really questioned that hire from the start.

    I never sensed it was about X’s and O’s with Canada. The offenses were balanced and I personally loved the commitment to the run (these are two major red flags I have with Drink). Yeah, we were predictable with down, distance, motion and formation (i.e. I think you could have schemed against us fairly easily and blown up our playbook like Mississippi State did), but the overall things that most OCs are measured by with respect to X’s and O’s were generally fine.

    It was the off the field stuff, interviewing for other jobs, the NC High schools, the lack of QB development, and the baffling usage (or lack thereof) of some serious playmakers in that last year that I think did him in. There’s also an incident that I seemingly don’t know much about (and don’t need to). Put it all together and he deservedly got the hook.

    It will be interesting to see his career trajectory. I knew he’d kill it at Pitt last year because they had all the pieces (senior QB, great RB, great OL). I could have coached that team with an offense out of Playstation. It would have been interesting to have seen what he’d have done this year working with much less. Much like Pitt last year though, he’s going to have a wealth of talent and look very good given what he has to work with at LSU.

    I do question Ogeron’s belief that he’s got a “staff full of guys he can trust.” Can one really trust Canada? I’m kind of glad it’s no longer our problem.

    I’m more interested to see what we do this year on offense. Ours last year never really had an identity. It felt like we were almost too game planned to the opponent as opposed to finding 5 things we did really well and worked on executing them. I will say that I thought our OL play improved considerably through the course of the year, and if that trend continues this season we’ll be in pretty good shape.

    #122508
    choppack1
    Participant

    Rye – I don’t care about X’s and O’s. I care about scoring, red zone efficiency, and the ability to get that key first down (read third down efficiency.) But, no matter how good you are at the most visible part of your job – there are things you can’t do. It sounds like Canada crossed one of those lines.

    Like the op – not sure why the SI guy had to editorialize unless he has asked both Canada, DD and DY on their take as to why he was let go, but hey, it’s the media and there’s a reason why most Americans don’t respect that job anymore.

    Drink really needs to improve on our red zone efficiency this year if we are going to have a better year.

    #122509
    ryebread
    Participant

    Chop: I agree with you. My metrics of success for an OC are wins (their plan has to mesh with the DC’s and special teams), points, red zone scoring, turnover margin and the ability to control the clock and grind out a drive if needed. Nothing else matters to me. I only mention balance and running because I think those things facilitate the above. In the end though the most balanced offense in America doesn’t matter if the other things aren’t there.

    I’m not yet sold on Drink but realize that a lot of things were new for him as well as the players last year. Landing a decent QB was a good sign. If the OP play continues the trend from last year and the QB play is improved, then we are okay.

    #122511
    choppack1
    Participant

    I think Finley’s play last year is also a good sign.

    If red zone td conversion (which imho hurt us every bit or more so than our field goal kicking) can improve I think sky’s the limit (assuming we have any scholarship bodies left in defensive backfield.)

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