Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

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Jack
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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by Jack » Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:07 am

Rolling Ridge wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2019 8:48 pm I totally agree about that spread offense. I knew the minute I heard Coach Bell say that he would implement that system that we were going to be in for a really rough transition, and it's even rougher than I'd imagined. Molnaresque. I just don't understand why coaches can't evaluate what talent they have and scheme better for their players, rather than force a system on guys who clearly, obviously can't handle it. Sure, recruit for the spread, move toward that eventually, but doing it now just seems to make a bad situation worse. Also agree about the defense, but I can sort of live with that because we just don't have the troops.
Molnaresque is pretty accurate. In Coach Bell's defense, he would probably say that the best way to implement that spread offense is to run it all the time until it clicks.... if it ever does. Right now its a potporri of pre-snap penalties, missed blocking assignments, slowly evolving end runs that are doomed from the start, screens passes that fool nobody in the entire stadium, 1 yd runs directly into the pile, players lining up incorrectly, errant passing, Qbs being swarmed in the backfield, receivers who can't catch the 1 or 2 accurate passes, or seemingly get a first down...ever - and on those incredibly rare occasions when we do get some decent field position (due to opponent error) the offense almost always fails to convert or kills its own drive by moronically committing personal fouls....Coach Bell is supposedly an offensive genius but there is little evidence of that thus far....its almost a complete clown show and in that regard it is quite Molnaresque.

The good part of Coach Bell's hurry up spread offense is that we don't have to watch it for very long b/c is usually on and off the field in less that 2 minutes...at which point the McGuirk DJ slams us w/a cacophony of bad rap or worn out old metal at decibel levels that make it impossible to hear anybody or even The Minuteman Marching band ...... and the Band is BY FAR the best part of the entire gameday - in contrast to our team - the Minuteman Marching Band executed flawlessly and everybody was in the right place, in synch and hit the precisely right notes ...... right now I'm not a big fan of Coach Bell's Hurry up spread offense.... but hopefully we see improvement.

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by photoman » Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:18 am

^ When someone says "Walt Bell wants to win" I just don't understand what that's supposed to mean. I'll bet you anything that Molnar "wanted to win".

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by stevemaz » Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:39 am

I think our offense will be decent this year. Yesterday they left 28+ pts on the board.

1. first drive should have just ran up the middle
2. Johnson dropped likely TD
3. West missed Horn for likely TD
4. Johnson's idiocy cost them on first drive of 3rd qtr

The problem all year is going to be our front 7 on D..

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by jjmc85 » Sun Sep 08, 2019 8:08 am

Jack wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:07 am
Rolling Ridge wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2019 8:48 pm I totally agree about that spread offense. I knew the minute I heard Coach Bell say that he would implement that system that we were going to be in for a really rough transition, and it's even rougher than I'd imagined. Molnaresque. I just don't understand why coaches can't evaluate what talent they have and scheme better for their players, rather than force a system on guys who clearly, obviously can't handle it. Sure, recruit for the spread, move toward that eventually, but doing it now just seems to make a bad situation worse. Also agree about the defense, but I can sort of live with that because we just don't have the troops.
Molnaresque is pretty accurate. In Coach Bell's defense, he would probably say that the best way to implement that spread offense is to run it all the time until it clicks.... if it ever does. Right now its a potporri of pre-snap penalties, missed blocking assignments, slowly evolving end runs that are doomed from the start, screens passes that fool nobody in the entire stadium, 1 yd runs directly into the pile, players lining up incorrectly, errant passing, Qbs being swarmed in the backfield, receivers who can't catch the 1 or 2 accurate passes, or seemingly get a first down...ever - and on those incredibly rare occasions when we do get some decent field position (due to opponent error) the offense almost always fails to convert or kills its own drive by moronically committing personal fouls....Coach Bell is supposedly an offensive genius but there is little evidence of that thus far....its almost a complete clown show and in that regard it is quite Molnaresque.
.
I will start off by saying two games is obviously a very small of sample size. but reading these quotes about stubbornly using a system the players aren’t right for despite having little success reminds me not only of Molnar, but also Michelleto. :oops:

And it sucks for Bell but even though this is his year one, it’s year 8 for the FBS era. The university can’t hit the reset button endlessly every few years and expect the fans to continuously be patient. Eventually even the biggest of diehards will quit going.

I've cut back. I used to block out these weekends. I still have season tickets but I didn’t go yesterday. I would have liked to but I had something else. In years past, I’ve told everyone I’m unavailable on UMass game days, but driving four hours round trip after seeing so many beat downs is getting old, and truthfully I thought they were gonna win yesterday. I would have been livid if I missed the other engagement to drive out and see that. TBH I’m livid on behalf of the rest of the people in my row who did make that trip.

Eight years is a long time to get your act together and UMass football hasn’t. I hope Bell is the guy and he rights the ship and in three to four seasons everyone’s excited again. Morris was in over his head and got the program off track. Molnar destroyed it to the point where most of the time those teams didn’t belong on the same field with the opponents. Whipple improved it to a bad-mediocre team that at least belonged on the field, but couldn’t get over the hump. Like it or not, that all happened, and that all is making this even tougher for Bell IMO. Hopefully this is a one step back this season two steps forward next cause otherwise, I’m not sure how much goodwill is left.
UMass Football: 22-3 at home when I was a student.

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by 78 » Sun Sep 08, 2019 8:13 am

Once again Jack and I are 100 percent on the same page...his comments about the music are spot on. It was nearly deafening and at times it seemed non-stop. And it is much worse standing in the Minutemen Club end zone. I couldn’t hear myself think. I get it, it’s for the students, etc. but they were completely gone at half time. I’m a big fan of music, but jack nails it with his comment. Oh, he’s also spot on about the team. 😀
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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by dennisdent » Sun Sep 08, 2019 8:32 am

Great post Jack and I agree with your comments on the spread offense 1000%! I watched other games yesterday and I can't remember one team that ran a hurry up offense to start the game. What I saw the past two games was CM2. Curtis looked really good last season when he played, he can throw and run. Brito does not look like an FBS level spread QB--I thought they had to both run and throw to keep defenses guessing...

I used to fly up to games, but no longer because the product on the field is so bad. I watched the exciting URI/Delware game last night in a packed updated URI stadium and longed for those days. I only want the program to succeed but I already feel that Bell is in over his head. He seems like a smart guy so I hope he can right the ship.

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by Rolling Ridge » Sun Sep 08, 2019 8:34 am

Jack wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:07 amThe good part of Coach Bell's hurry up spread offense is that we don't have to watch it for very long b/c is usually on and off the field in less that 2 minutes...at which point the McGuirk DJ slams us w/a cacophony of bad rap or worn out old metal at decibel levels that make it impossible to hear anybody or even The Minuteman Marching band ...... and the Band is BY FAR the best part of the entire gameday - in contrast to our team - the Minuteman Marching Band executed flawlessly and everybody was in the right place, in synch and hit the precisely right notes ...... right now I'm not a big fan of Coach Bell's Hurry up spread offense.... but hopefully we see improvement.
I literally just said almost exactly the same thing about the in-game music and the band on my post-game survey. That really is super-tedious, and the band was particularly spectacular yesterday, right out of the gate! Also suggested the point the speakers in the student tailgate section away from Lot 11 to further reduce the noise.

I guess we'll see where the offense goes this season, and if it is just a matter of "doing it until it clicks," then I hope it clicks sooner than later. I'm of the mind that I'd like to see the team be "tougher" rather than "flashier," but we probably couldn't run an offense like that at this stage either. :?
photoman wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:18 am ^ When someone says "Walt Bell wants to win" I just don't understand what that's supposed to mean. I'll bet you anything that Molnar "wanted to win".
Here's what I meant by that. I think Walt Bell believes he has potential to be a big-time head coach some day. Success at UMass is a step in a process for him, and proving himself here is a road to bigger things.

By the time Molnar got here, he knew who he was. His greatest asset as a coach, it turned out, was his ability to sell himself to an Athletic Director who was in way over his head. Sure, Molnar "wanted" to win, but he had neither the ability nor the deeper commitment to rebuilding the UMass football culture that it really would have taken to do so. Nor did he really have the football chops to operate at a higher level, and I think he (and many others in the football world) knew that. He was also utterly tone-deaf to the culture of UMass and Amherst, and remained so during his tenure. In the end, he got paid, and I can't help thinking that was all he was in it for.

I get a very different impression from Bell, for whom failure would represent something entirely different. Bell was going to get a chance somewhere, and in some ways we're lucky to have him. As good as he is, this is his first HC job and there's going to be a learning curve, but I think he's committed in an entirely different way to the program's success, and by extension his own success.

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by Jack » Sun Sep 08, 2019 9:37 am

^ They should fire that DJ immediately, Tape down the soundboard to a reasonable volume, and have someone w/a clue about football and music that families and people besides college students and old metal heads want to hear... Good Lord that DJ alone is going to drive me out of there....UMASS Football used to be pleasant experience were you could actually have a discussion w/the people sitting next to you during the game....AND you could actually HEAR THE BAND.... Bamford (yes Im blaming him for this) has allowed a truly BAD DJ to turn the University of Massachusetts gameday experience into Sonic Hostile Attack on the eardrums.... A little Drake or G-Eazy mixed in now and then is fine for the students...A little Ozzy or ACDC fine okay.... .. But Constantly Blaring shitty Rap and shitty Metal for three hours straight at high decibels is absolutely freaking absurd unless Bamford's only goal is to cater to 18 olds and 50 yr old former metal heads while driving everybody else out into the parking lot and home. The majority of fans don't buy tickets and drive to Amherst for an assault on our ears by crappy rap or 70s & 80s metal that we've heard 10 Billion times before.... A significant group of us loves and appreciates the UMASS BAND and the Students in the UMASS BAND - We cannot even hear them now because the stupid DJ will not stop blaring the same incessant garbage at us .... Apparently when we do score the Band is not even allowed to Play the "Go UMASS" Fight Song b/c the DJ insists on playing over them..... They have only been playing that UMASS Fight Song for every UMASS score for at least the past 35 years.... But apparently Mr. Bamford has decided to abruptly end that tradition because Mr. Bamford bought a new Video Board with a new sound system and hired a DJ to destroy our eardrums and destroy our ability to hear the UMASS BAND much less chant our UMASS FIGHt SONG on that rare occasion when something good happens....Please Mr. Bamford we are begging you.... FIRE THE DJ IMMEDIATELY !!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Sorry for the rant but that shit DJ and the AD's refusal to tone that WAAAAAY down or go in there and pull the plug on that just screamed amateur hour. I can handle a team trying to learn the spread offense and losing ugly... I'm not okay with not even being able to talk to the person next to me b/c the AD has completely lost control and is enabling some yahoo to blare Young Thug at us for 3 hours.

Also.... can the use that beautiful Video Board to post scores from other NCAA games around the Northeast and the Country? Is that too much to ask for?

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by R&G » Sun Sep 08, 2019 9:44 am

I just re-watched the game to determine if I could see anything positive to hang my hat on. The following is my list of positives:

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by KahunaK » Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:17 am

WOW! That was what I got for my $25. I want a refund and the silly cowbell I got at the end of the game doesn't make up for it.

This was my only shot at seeing the football team play this year as I was in Boston this week and stayed around to go to Amherst and see the game. I was excited to see the team and new coach (though very skeptical about a hurry-up offense after losing the qb, top running bank and top receiver to graduation). Nevertheless, I figured UMASS would at a minimum eke out a win against an FCS school. As someone mentioned earlier, this was worse than the Maine defeat in the first year FBS. I blame some of what I saw on Whipple for being a poor recruiter. How could he not have groomed some qbs to play when he knew he would lose both his starters. West holds the ball too long and Brito just seems too small. I was checking the number of Fr, RS Fr and RS Soph playing in the game and it seemed in the second half more than 50% of the players were in these three classes. Where are the Jrs and Sr. that should have been going through the Whipple system?

As far as the current coaches go, there was on play in the second half where there was a scramble to get the right defensive players onto the field. One DB was covering the TE and then SIU split out a back to the WR position and nobody went with him. The DB on that side looked around and he was going to be covering 2 receivers. He looked lost but walked out to cover the WR or there would have been no one covering him. Luckily SIU called a running play. Otherwise, it would have been a lob to the TE with no one covering him. The DB did the right thing but he should never have been in that position. Bell needs to take the heat when Johnson gets the 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty on 1st and goal from the five )glad to see Bell tossed him from the game). I will give Bell 2-3 years since he is starting from scratch but his players should be able to line up correctly. This is clearly a 4-5 year rebuild. Their performance guarantees that attendance all year will be sub 7,000.

As far as the gameday experience goes obviously Bamford et al are tone-deaf (sorry for the pun) about the music. At the beginning of the game, 60-70% of the crowd disliked the loud rap music and in the second half 99% hated it as all the students left. Talk about not playing to your audience. As mentioned, why have that booming irritating music if most hate it. Also, why is UMASS paying for a huge band and not letting them play???

Another tone-deaf move was kicking students out of empty sections. I was section 4 near the top and it was pretty empty. About 30-40 students were there just enjoying themselves- no problems and they were kicked out. They were told you can only sit in sections 9,10,19 and 20 and they were made to move. I thought UMASS was happy that students actually showed up. These were not problem students.

Also, did anyone buy a program? I think that there is a big clue as to tone-deafness by Bamford and Bell. There is a whole page on Bamford, two pages on Bell- another 7 pages on other coaches while there were 2 pages for player rosters, and 5 pages of player pictures for 90 or so players. Finally 3 pages on UMASS football/Mcguirk and no info on our opponents. Seems to me there is an ego problem here- 10 pages for AD and coaches and 7 pages for players and 3 on UMASS football.....hmmmm.

There needs to be a reset for more than just the players. People in my section were chanting "We want Molnar and Bring back Charlie".

BAMFORD are you listening???

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by KahunaK » Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:26 am

R&G wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 9:44 am I just re-watched the game to determine if I could see anything positive to hang my hat on. The following is my list of positives:
The practice field for the bubble looks great! :lol: :lol:

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by DrG » Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:30 am

For the first time ever, I am happy there was no coverage of a UMass game in the Globe.

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by Jack » Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:55 am

KahunaK wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:17 am I blame some of what I saw on Whipple for being a poor recruiter. How could he not have groomed some qbs to play when he knew he would lose both his starters.
To be fair, Coach Whipple was grooming Mike Curtis as the next UMASS QB and Mike Curtis looked pretty competent when he was in games last season - Not Joe Montana - but he definitely showed that he could run the offense and lead the team. But Mike Curtis is a Pro Style QB and Coach Bell is committed to running the Spread Offense and consequently Mike Curtis is I believe currently 3rd on Coach Bell's Depth Chart ...

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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by McKinney » Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:01 am

I thought the athletic department put together a spotify playlist that fans could contribute to?

Also, I'm not sure I've been to a stadium where the music was "quiet". Frankly, UMass might be the quietest games I've been to. I know someone who worked on her homework at a basketball game last year. :lol:
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Re: Game 2: Southern Illinois - 9/7/2019

Post by 78 » Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:13 am

McKinney wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:01 am I thought the athletic department put together a spotify playlist that fans could contribute to?

Also, I'm not sure I've been to a stadium where the music was "quiet". Frankly, UMass might be the quietest games I've been to. I know someone who worked on her homework at a basketball game last year. :lol:
Wait, are you saying it was quiet yesterday? I hope not. And the points about the band being complete drowned out are spot on. Dreadful team and dreadful game day experience.
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