There’s pure workers turnover — primarily assistants getting poached for higher alternatives elsewhere — after which there’s what Ohio State and LSU are purportedly doing. Every head coach is underneath strain to make adjustments after showings lower than program requirements, and if historical past is a sign of something, it’s that the fixes higher work — or else.
Employees alterations originating from grumblings throughout the program are usually not nice indicators for Ryan Day and Brian Kelly (See: Fisher, Jimbo.) It means each LSU and OSU skippers are heading into subsequent season on various levels of sizzling seats, and might be anticipated to right what might or might not be damaged, precise revenge on their rivals, and do all of it whereas successful as convincingly as potential en path to a playoff berth.
Is that this actually needed, Ohio State?
Day’s offense, normally the crown jewel of the Huge Ten, by no means fully acquired going this season, and now the Buckeye coach is reportedly tinkering with play calling and presumably the QB coach. Brian Hartline’s first yr as offensive coordinator is likely to be his solely season as these duties seem like shifting elsewhere.
Experiences say Day is looking for a new offensive coordinator, who might be empowered to judge and alter his assistants accordingly. Quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis is on an expiring contract, and doubtless isn’t tremendous stoked about his job safety after Kyle McCord’s blasé yr. With Day attempting to scapegoat his method out of the crosshairs, somebody has to take the autumn.
The tough half concerning that plan is Hartline is among the greatest, if not the very best, huge receivers coach within the nation. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the most recent first-round decide he’s produced, so no matter demotion/restructuring occurs there, ideally it’s achieved deftly sufficient to not piss off Hartline.
To me, that is foolish. The temper in Columbus is further bitter as a result of the Wolverines are taking part in for a title. Ohio State followers’ irrational anger over dropping to their rival is predicted, but it surely additionally might be harmful. Whereas the Cotton Bowl was ugly, Devin Brown was the backup all season, and he acquired harm within the first quarter. Bowl wins at the moment are coin tosses for coaches with depleted rosters and third-string QBs, but they’re nonetheless anticipated to place a elegant product on the sphere.
The coach who tabbed Will Howard as the reply to the Buckeyes’ quarterback conundrum is the one coach who must be fired. If that was Day, so be it.
Nevertheless, Ohio State is months previous taking a deep breath, stepping again and attempting to make an goal evaluation. The wheels are in movement for an offensive overhaul that followers higher hope doesn’t find yourself as a homonym.
Did Brian Kelly miss the LSU-Mizzou recreation?
In Baton Rouge, Kelly’s protection received Jayden Daniels the Heisman, however removed from sufficient video games. Seeing as Kelly is among the greasier head coaches going, he fired defensive coordinator Matt House and three different assistants on that facet of the ball this week.
Enter now ex-Missouri D-coordinator Blake Baker, whose protection allowed 21 factors per recreation this season. On the floor, it’s superb, I suppose. LSU followers watched Daniels and the offense go for 49 factors and 533 yards towards Baker’s group in Columbia, so that they’re assuredly completely happy that he’s now the highest-paid assistant coach within the nation.
The SEC East additionally was low-key rubbish in 2023. Joe Milton routinely missed Tennessee’s usually explosive ability gamers all season, and Georgia didn’t have Brock Bowers towards the Tigers. Hell, Baker’s group gave up 500 yards to a 5-7 Florida workforce. Clearly, the expertise stage might be elevated within the bayou, with Harold Perkins Jr. on the prime of that record.
The linebacker was All-SEC first-team as a freshman, however had an up-and-down yr in 2023 largely as a result of he was taking part in out of place for many of it. Friday was the final day to enter the switch portal for the winter window, so so long as Perkins sticks round by spring ball, all the pieces is cool. He did tweet “It ain’t humorous when the bunny acquired the gun” throughout this week’s restructuring.
I’m not going to faux to know what which means, or decipher the social media posts of a sophomore in faculty, however Kelly emits heavy dictator vibes. That’s why there are few information conferences as enthralling as Brian Kelly’s under-fire information conferences. And we’re going to get lots extra of these if the LSU protection fails to carry out like an LSU protection subsequent yr.
There’s a potential upside to all of this, however that’s contingent on the brand new hires delivering outcomes. Adjustments saved Jim Harbaugh’s job at Michigan, so they may work. It’s simply an ominous signal every time a head coach begins changing assistants out of self-preservation.
