New Kirk or Evolving Kirk

[BigD]

Wow man. Not meaning to bust your chops but if you want people to read this (which I tried to) then paragraphs with spacing is your friend.

How's this?

I wasn't one who really bought into the 'new Kirk' thing last year, but after watching the first game this year I'm starting to think there is 'trend' in changing his thinking about participation, game planning, as well as recruiting that started in 2014 and continues today. Yes, KF has had some years where he has played a lot of freshman, but that was usually due to attrition and injuries but that doesn't seem to entirely be the case this year. In the past, he didn't start the year saying a lot of freshmen would play because they had played well enough to see the field, they just got inserted when he was running out of 'bodies', like an Al Reisner.

Remember, this is the guy (KF) who in the recent past was lobbying for true freshmen to not even be eligible. I think he is seeing the writing on the wall that a lot of these freshmen are coming in much more 'prepared' to play due to improved S&C in high schools and all the camps kids are participating in these days. 10 have already seen the field and this wasn't even a very highly ranked class (although I think most of us 'liked' this class regardless what the 'services' said). With the class that's coming in next year, it will be really interesting to see the competition for playing time, and I will have to change my thinking about kids 'automatically' being red-shirted because there is already experience 'depth' at a position.

I don't think in the past we would have seen Stanley get the opportunity he is with an experienced guy in front of him, and I'm not sure I agree with it as I don't see the point of burning his RS to hand off 4-5 times in mop-up duty, because unless CJ gets hurt, he may never see the field again this year and that would be a little bit of a shame. I will 'eat my crow' on Fant playing and not red-shirting. The youngsters behind Pekar must not be 'developing' very quickly allowing a very good athlete like Fant to jump them even though he is probably still pretty shaky on knowing the system, and if Wiz was healthy I'm not sure this happens.

He also continues to appear to be allowing Davis to be a little more aggressive at times (especially early in games, even against inferior opponents). A flea-flicker and a reverse early in the game? Obviously wanted to try to jump all over these guys so they could settle into their ball control offense, and I like that approach. It makes more sense than trying to grind it out right out the block allowing lesser teams to possibly 'stay in the game', and against better opponents, wouldn't it be better to attempt to jump all over them early instead of trying to make big plays late in close games (when the opposition knows you have to) especially when you have 'good' WR's, but maybe not necessarily ones who can be a 'game changer'.

We'll have to see if this continues. They weren't very aggressive on D this game at all, but I think that was by design. Never even saw the Raider Pkg. that I recall, but I think we will see the D be much more aggressive against Iowa St. (and in the B1G) trying to create pressure with the Raider (or other blitzes and stunts) and trying to create take-aways, as the +17 change in turnover margin from 2014 to 2015 was one of the biggest (if not 'the' biggest) contributing factors to the success of 2015.

I won't go into recruiting much as most of you already know that they are identifying and offering kids earlier in the process than in the past out of necessity. But try not to get too hung up on the 'star' system because as the coaches have said (Parker said it again just a week or two ago) they don't know how many 'stars' a kid has, and don't really care.

I don't know if there ever was or is a 'new Kirk' as he still does most of the things he does the same way he always has, but there always has been an 'evolving Kirk' which is what has allowed him to be by far the longest tenured coach in the B1G as well as the longest in the country (tied with Stoops) now that Beamer has retired. I think it's just that we didn't always notice or hear about all the little changes, but times have changed and people (fans) have much more access to information and definitely not as 'patient'. KF will be here for awhile and I will enjoy watching how things 'evolve'.

Yesterday at 11:28 AMReport
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[seepig]

The reason we are playing more freshman this year is due to some defections and transfers in the off season. This is NOT what you want as evident by the poor defensive showing this weekend.

 

[seepig]

I wasn't one who really bought into the 'new Kirk' thing last year, but after watching the first game this year I'm starting to think there is 'trend' in changing his thinking about participation, game planning, as well as recruiting that started in 2014 and continues today. Yes, KF has had some years where he has played a lot of freshman, but that was usually due to attrition and injuries but that doesn't seem to entirely be the case this year. In the past, he didn't start the year saying a lot of freshmen would play because they had played well enough to see the field, they just got inserted when he was running out of 'bodies', like an Al Reisner. Remember, this is the guy (KF) who in the recent past was lobbying for true freshmen to not even be eligible. I think he is seeing the writing on the wall that a lot of these freshmen are coming in much more 'prepared' to play due to improved S&C in high schools and all the camps kids are participating in these days. 10 have already seen the field and this wasn't even a very highly ranked class (although I think most of us 'liked' this class regardless what the 'services' said). With the class that's coming in next year, it will be really interesting to see the competition for playing time, and I will have to change my thinking about kids 'automatically' being red-shirted because there is already experience 'depth' at a position. I don't think in the past we would have seen Stanley get the opportunity he is with an experienced guy in front of him, and I'm not sure I agree with it as I don't see the point of burning his RS to hand off 4-5 times in mop-up duty, because unless CJ gets hurt, he may never see the field again this year and that would be a little bit of a shame. I will 'eat my crow' on Fant playing and not red-shirting. The youngsters behind Pekar must not be 'developing' very quickly allowing a very good athlete like Fant to jump them even though he is probably still pretty shaky on knowing the system, and if Wiz was healthy I'm not sure this happens.
He also continues to appear to be allowing Davis to be a little more aggressive at times (especially early in games, even against inferior opponents). A flea-flicker and a reverse early in the game? Obviously wanted to try to jump all over these guys so they could settle into their ball control offense, and I like that approach. It makes more sense than trying to grind it out right out the block allowing lesser teams to possibly 'stay in the game', and against better opponents, wouldn't it be better to attempt to jump all over them early instead of trying to make big plays late in close games (when the opposition knows you have to) especially when you have 'good' WR's, but maybe not necessarily ones who can be a 'game changer'. We'll have to see if this continues.
They weren't very aggressive on D this game at all, but I think that was by design. Never even saw the Raider Pkg. that I recall, but I think we will see the D be much more aggressive against Iowa St. (and in the B1G) trying to create pressure with the Raider (or other blitzes and stunts) and trying to create take-aways, as the +17 change in turnover margin from 2014 to 2015 was one of the biggest (if not 'the' biggest) contributing factors to the success of 2015.
I won't go into recruiting much as most of you already know that they are identifying and offering kids earlier in the process than in the past out of necessity. But try not to get too hung up on the 'star' system because as the coaches have said (Parker said it again just a week or two ago) they don't know how many 'stars' a kid has, and don't really care.
I don't know if there ever was or is a 'new Kirk' as he still does most of the things he does the same way he always has, but there always has been an 'evolving Kirk' which is what has allowed him to be by far the longest tenured coach in the B1G as well as the longest in the country (tied with Stoops) now that Beamer has retired. I think it's just that we didn't always notice or hear about all the little changes, but times have changed and people (fans) have much more access to information and definitely not as 'patient'. KF will be here for awhile and I will enjoy watching how things 'evolve'.

Dude can you be MORE LENGTHY!

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

The reason we are playing more freshman this year is due to some defections and transfers in the off season. This is NOT what you want as evident by the poor defensive showing this weekend.

What defections and transfers contributed to more freshmen playing? They are playing because they are better. The corner is playing because Fleming left, but that's the only one I can think of that contributed there. We didn't lose any LB's, DT's to transfer and that's where we are playing guys. Our RB's are back...yet Toks played. We didn't lose any QB's, yet Stanley played.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

The reason we are playing more freshman this year is due to some defections and transfers in the off season. This is NOT what you want as evident by the poor defensive showing this weekend.

Other than Fleming, who was 3rd/4th on depth chart, and Outsey who was surprisingly 3/4 on depth chart, I don't recall any other transfers or defections.

 

[seepig]

What defections and transfers contributed to more freshmen playing? They are playing because they are better. The corner is playing because Fleming left, but that's the only one I can think of that contributed there. We didn't lose any LB's, DT's to transfer and that's where we are playing guys. Our RB's are back...yet Toks played. We didn't lose any QB's, yet Stanley played.

We've had other defensive transfers besides Fleming in the past 2-3 years I believe. As far as freshman being better that would speak to poor recruiting either way it leaves you with inexperienced depth. That's going to be an issue this year. It sure showed up in the pass D this weekend.

 

[deanvogs]

The reason we are playing more freshman this year is due to some defections and transfers in the off season. This is NOT what you want as evident by the poor defensive showing this weekend.

Not true at all. Of the 10 that left this offseason on Fleming would have even been in the two deeps.

Ogwo, Wilson, Graham , Jennings, Billings, Outsey, Andre Harris, Terance Harris, and Truitt. None of these guys would have been in the two deeps and every Fr that played on Saturday would have jumped them as well.

This leaves us more scholarship to offer to players when we are recruiting at a higher level now than before.

 

[Ohiohawk33]

I really don't think Kirk changed much at all until a couple years ago. It's really not that out of the ordinary either if you think about it. It's human nature to take too long to recognize something has to change.

Think about when people get older and start to gain weight. No one notices right away that they need to do something different. Some people notice after gaining 10-15 pounds. Some notice after gaining 50-100 pounds. Some never have the ambition to make changes at all. But pretty much no one makes changs after only gaining a few pounds. It just takes awhile to notice something needs done.

It's the same with everything else. Kirk had his methods and they worked fine. Of course it's going to take awhile to notice things needed to change. Then it's going to take even longer to implement those changes and see results. It's not really that damning to admit that Kirk didn't change as soon as he should have because it's a pretty common occurrence for people to take too long to change. I wish kirk would have changed after gaining 10 pounds but at least he wasn't one of those people who decided to do nothing about it ever. That's how I see it.

love the analogy, very true!

 

[deanvogs]

We've had other defensive transfers besides Fleming in the past 2-3 years I believe. As far as freshman being better that would speak to poor recruiting either way it leaves you with inexperienced depth. That's going to be an issue this year. It sure showed up in the pass D this weekend.

Our Defense played poorly, but it wasn't because of the new players. Nelson played like a beast, and the only player in the back 7 that was new was Hockiday replacing Jewell and Snyder.

We did not and will not miss the players that left. Now if a kid off the two deeps leaves, this will be a different story, but right now you tell me who of the list I just posted would have played Saturday? The only one is Fleming.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

We've had other defensive transfers besides Fleming in the past 2-3 years I believe. As far as freshman being better that would speak to poor recruiting either way it leaves you with inexperienced depth. That's going to be an issue this year. It sure showed up in the pass D this weekend.

Attrition has (knock on wood) been pretty minimal the last few years, outside of graduation. While the recruiting hasn't been great, the last couple years it has been improved, and looks to be getting better. Getting young players in early will gain depth quickly.

Defense gave up way too many yards and couldn't get off the field on 3rd, but I am still hopeful there were multiple extenuating reasons for this.