• The KillerFrogs

Former Players - Your Thoughts

Travis Trucks

Active Member
I am one and I think your coaching suggestions are ridiculous

I do not think the head coach is the problem, I don't think the defense is the problem, if you told me before the game we'd hold Oklahoma to 30, I'd take it, they score 28+ on everyone. If you hold them in the 30s you have a chance. Too many of you think this is still the MWC and if we let a team score more than 7 points it means our defense sucks. Those days are over. Defense is relative now. If you allow 30 to a team like Kansas State that's a problem but high powered offenses are going to score even on the best defenses.

The problem is and has been offense, Cumby should have been let go after 2018, especially 2019, but he is still here for some reason. The offense has no sense of direction or cohesion. There is no plan. It starts with the offensive line which is terrible.

I also think entitlement is a problem, as our recruiting classes have gotten better, the on field results have gotten worse. I remember after the Kansas State loss we had players joking around and laughing with K State players in the post game handshakes. Never would have happened when I was there, but then again I was only apart of 3 losses.

Clean house offensively and try to find an offensive staff that has full autonomy over the hires. Unless things have changed in the last 10 years since I was there, I still think our head coach is a good one who prepares the right way and is great at Xs and Os. But we could get by in the MWC solely on defense and grinding down teams on offense - that doesn't work in the Big 12 - you need to be able to score.
 

PO Frog

Active Member
I am one and I think your coaching suggestions are ridiculous

I do not think the head coach is the problem, I don't think the defense is the problem, if you told me before the game we'd hold Oklahoma to 30, I'd take it, they score 28+ on everyone. If you hold them in the 30s you have a chance. Too many of you think this is still the MWC and if we let a team score more than 7 points it means our defense sucks. Those days are over. Defense is relative now. If you allow 30 to a team like Kansas State that's a problem but high powered offenses are going to score even on the best defenses.

The problem is and has been offense, Cumby should have been let go after 2018, especially 2019, but he is still here for some reason. The offense has no sense of direction or cohesion. There is no plan. It starts with the offensive line which is terrible.

I also think entitlement is a problem, as our recruiting classes have gotten better, the on field results have gotten worse. I remember after the Kansas State loss we had players joking around and laughing with K State players in the post game handshakes. Never would have happened when I was there, but then again I was only apart of 3 losses.

Clean house offensively and try to find an offensive staff that has full autonomy over the hires.
This should have been done 3 years ago. Now GP has burned all of his political capital that should have been used on giving a completely new offensive staff some breathing room. The fact that GP didn’t pull the trigger last year despite being more obvious than ever makes me doubt it will ever happen. Instead we heard all of the two-year window for evaluation crap that no coach worth his salt would ever actually implement if he cared about accountability.
 

wilson912

Active Member
Thank you for your reply-appreciate it. But doesn’t the offensive woes and lackadaisical attitude fall on the HC. He hired the offensive staff.

If you are right and Gary is in no way the problem, he still has to retire someday. Since my recommendations don’t measure up, who would you bring in? Who should he got get for an OC since Cumbie is a problem?
 

Travis Trucks

Active Member
This should have been done 3 years ago. Now GP has burned all of his political capital that should have been used on giving a completely new offensive staff some breathing room. The fact that GP didn’t pull the trigger last year despite being more obvious than ever makes me doubt it will ever happen. Instead we heard all of the two-year window for evaluation crap that no coach worth his salt would ever actually implement if he cared about accountability.

GP has never fired anyone in his 20 years as a coach. It's not what he does. From my experience in the program he treats his assistants like family. Ignore the yelling on the sidelines - they are a close knit bunch. It's like one big happy family.

Not justifying the fact we have kept Cumbie around too long. But him firing a coordinator would be a first.
 

wilson912

Active Member
GP has never fired anyone in his 20 years as a coach. It's not what he does. From my experience in the program he treats his assistants like family. Ignore the yelling on the sidelines - they are a close knit bunch. It's like one big happy family.

Not justifying the fact we have kept Cumbie around too long. But him firing a coordinator would be a first.

Do you think he would ever truly give an OC full autonomy? Feels like Kill is here to rein in Meacham and Cumbie?
 

Travis Trucks

Active Member
Thank you for your reply-appreciate it. But doesn’t the offensive woes and lackadaisical attitude fall on the HC. He hired the offensive staff.

If you are right and Gary is in no way the problem, he still has to retire someday. Since my recommendations don’t measure up, who would you bring in? Who should he got get for an OC since Cumbie is a problem?

I don't think WHO matters who is brought in as OC as much as WHAT matters. Get in someone who can have full control over the offense from top to bottom including the position coach hires. Someone who has a proven track record of offensive success as a PLAY CALLER. I don't want some OC who has worked under a head coach who does the actual play calling. Bring in a successful OC with play calling experience that has proven to have a system out there that can move the ball. I don't care if its a two tight end I formation offense or triple option offense or Art Briles style offense, just get someone who has a proven scheme that works.

Dip down into the FCS level if you have to.
 

Travis Trucks

Active Member
Do you think he would ever truly give an OC full autonomy? Feels like Kill is here to rein in Meacham and Cumbie?

When I was there Fuente had total autonomy. The OCs do have full control over the scheming, playcalling and practices. I am talking more over the staffing.

Kill was brought in to be kind of like a consigliere/advisor to Cumbie and manage more of the operations of the offense so Cumbie could focus solely on the playcalling, scheming, and player development.
 

wilson912

Active Member
I don't think WHO matters who is brought in as OC as much as WHAT matters. Get in someone who can have full control over the offense from top to bottom including the position coach hires. Someone who has a proven track record of offensive success as a PLAY CALLER. I don't want some OC who has worked under a head coach who does the actual play calling. Bring in a successful OC with play calling experience that has proven to have a system out there that can move the ball. I don't care if its a two tight end I formation offense or triple option offense or Art Briles style offense, just get someone who has a proven scheme that works.

Dip down into the FCS level if you have to.
Great thoughts but is Gary gonna give up control?
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
I am one and I think your coaching suggestions are ridiculous

I do not think the head coach is the problem, I don't think the defense is the problem, if you told me before the game we'd hold Oklahoma to 30, I'd take it, they score 28+ on everyone. If you hold them in the 30s you have a chance. Too many of you think this is still the MWC and if we let a team score more than 7 points it means our defense sucks. Those days are over. Defense is relative now. If you allow 30 to a team like Kansas State that's a problem but high powered offenses are going to score even on the best defenses.

The problem is and has been offense, Cumby should have been let go after 2018, especially 2019, but he is still here for some reason. The offense has no sense of direction or cohesion. There is no plan. It starts with the offensive line which is terrible.

I also think entitlement is a problem, as our recruiting classes have gotten better, the on field results have gotten worse. I remember after the Kansas State loss we had players joking around and laughing with K State players in the post game handshakes. Never would have happened when I was there, but then again I was only apart of 3 losses.

Clean house offensively and try to find an offensive staff that has full autonomy over the hires. Unless things have changed in the last 10 years since I was there, I still think our head coach is a good one who prepares the right way and is great at Xs and Os. But we could get by in the MWC solely on defense and grinding down teams on offense - that doesn't work in the Big 12 - you need to be able to score.

You lost me at "do not think the head coach is the problem". He has complete control over everything that is wrong with our program.... he could address all of it tomorrow if he wanted to.... he doesn't want to.... he is the problem.
 
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Horny4TCU

Active Member
I am one and I think your coaching suggestions are ridiculous

I do not think the head coach is the problem, I don't think the defense is the problem, if you told me before the game we'd hold Oklahoma to 30, I'd take it, they score 28+ on everyone. If you hold them in the 30s you have a chance. Too many of you think this is still the MWC and if we let a team score more than 7 points it means our defense sucks. Those days are over. Defense is relative now. If you allow 30 to a team like Kansas State that's a problem but high powered offenses are going to score even on the best defenses.

The problem is and has been offense, Cumby should have been let go after 2018, especially 2019, but he is still here for some reason. The offense has no sense of direction or cohesion. There is no plan. It starts with the offensive line which is terrible.

I also think entitlement is a problem, as our recruiting classes have gotten better, the on field results have gotten worse. I remember after the Kansas State loss we had players joking around and laughing with K State players in the post game handshakes. Never would have happened when I was there, but then again I was only apart of 3 losses.

Clean house offensively and try to find an offensive staff that has full autonomy over the hires. Unless things have changed in the last 10 years since I was there, I still think our head coach is a good one who prepares the right way and is great at Xs and Os. But we could get by in the MWC solely on defense and grinding down teams on offense - that doesn't work in the Big 12 - you need to be able to score.
Did you have any interaction with Jarrett Anderson? Should he still be there? Am I wrong in thinking he's the wrong guy coaching any unit for TCU?
 

JugbandFrog

Full Member
The defense isn’t the same. The safeties don’t play the way they used to. This was especially telling yesterday when OU was running those counter plays. They, and no one else, was taking on lead blockers or double teams with any discipline and fire.

OU ONLY scored 30 because they suck at running the ball and we let them do it in the 2nd half. Once they saw how inept our offense was, they pulled back and weren’t as aggressive as they were in the first quarter.
 

Putt4Purple

Active Member
When I was there Fuente had total autonomy. The OCs do have full control over the scheming, playcalling and practices. I am talking more over the staffing.

Kill was brought in to be kind of like a consigliere/advisor to Cumbie and manage more of the operations of the offense so Cumbie could focus solely on the playcalling, scheming, and player development.

You keep on Travis Trucks! All you have posted has resonated with me. The offense is the primary problem. If TCU had a legitimate consistent offense the pressure on the defense would disappear. I for one appreciate what you post. Some old posters who never played football and people who are TV coaches and never played football make a lot of unknowing comments on this board. FYI, I played football a long, long time ago.
Go Frogs!
 

Westsider

Full Member
Kill was a completely useless hire. He’s just another layer of authority in an already undefinable structure. He’s no offensive genius and his resume is unremarkable. His most endearing qualities are his friendship with Gary and his need for another good payday before he checks out.
Don’t think that the rest of the staff is oblivious to this.
 

wilson912

Active Member
Kill was a completely useless hire. He’s just another layer of authority in an already undefinable structure. He’s no offensive genius and his resume is unremarkable. His most endearing qualities are his friendship with Gary and his need for another good payday before he checks out.
Don’t think that the rest of the staff is oblivious to this.

This is correct. His offensive philosophy couldn’t be more different than that of Cumbie and Meacham. Just adds to the chaos.
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
You keep on Travis Trucks! All you have posted has resonated with me. The offense is the primary problem. If TCU had a legitimate consistent offense the pressure on the defense would disappear. I for one appreciate what you post. Some old posters who never played football and people who are TV coaches and never played football make a lot of unknowing comments on this board. FYI, I played football a long, long time ago.
Go Frogs!

So our defense is basically dead last in the country in allowing big plays and that's the offense's fault?
 

wilson912

Active Member
Did you have any interaction with Jarrett Anderson? Should he still be there? Am I wrong in thinking he's the wrong guy coaching any unit for TCU?

well during Travis’ “time” Jarrett was co OC with Fuente so it’s interesting to hear that Fuente had full autonomy. I think we can certainly agree Justin’s offense seemed to work well and seemed to sit well with Gary. If for some unforeseen reason Justin is no longer employed at Va Tech, bringing him back as OC/head coach elect may be the only way we lay the groundwork for Gary to leave gracefully. I don’t see JD forcing this issue.
 

Froggy Style

Active Member
I am one and I think your coaching suggestions are ridiculous

I do not think the head coach is the problem, I don't think the defense is the problem, if you told me before the game we'd hold Oklahoma to 30, I'd take it, they score 28+ on everyone. If you hold them in the 30s you have a chance. Too many of you think this is still the MWC and if we let a team score more than 7 points it means our defense sucks. Those days are over. Defense is relative now. If you allow 30 to a team like Kansas State that's a problem but high powered offenses are going to score even on the best defenses..

Oklahoma went conservative. They were running the ball near the goal line on 3rd and 5. Unheard of for OU...but at no time did they feel threatened to need to score. Gary is getting off easy by people not challenging his defense after they've taken the big lead. He knows this, which is why he tells the OC's to just do a QB option run on 3rd and 11 so he can play defense and hero by keeping his defensive stats low (and be the "best" defense.

The problem may not be squarely on the defense, but it is on the HC who is coming up with the crappy overly conservative coaching philosophy of running the ball rather than at least throwing the ball deep into the end zone. He has given up, and it's a joke to watch.

We have wasted 25 scholarships on WR's...and we're running the ball on 3rd down so we can punt on fourth down. Trying to punt is not a coaching philosophy, but Gary has been doing it for the past three years when his defense has sucked. He blitzes and gives up monster plays. I could be down with this punting philosophy, if he knew how to call the stack 3 defense and he's spent his scholarships on linemen rather than WR's.
 
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