valdezj: I didn't like what I saw in the blocking schemes under Grimes. The players discuss the differences between what Grimes was teaching and what Denver Johnson is teaching in the following article:
http://www.buffzone.com/news/2009/apr/23/cu-offensive-line-colorado-buffs-johnson/
I observed the same thing under Grimes last year that the players talk about in this article... the sideways and backward blocking techniques. I don't mean to be snotty here at all, but I believe it is easy to take shots at what some coaches try to do when two things add up. That is: 1) when I don't agree/like what they are doing technically and by design, and 2) when what they are doing technically and by design doesn't work. I think my shots were justified because 1 and 2 added up. It seems the linemen also agree with me.[/QUOTE]
I believe the techniques Grimes was teaching was because of the lack of experience/talent on the Oline. I don't think it would've been smart to ask the players he had to become bulldozers. I don't think Miller or Solder were strong enough to really accomplish this vs. our B12 opponents. Same with MTM and Devin Head. Can these kids turn into bulldozers in the future? No doubt, but at that time I think it wasn't an option. So Grimes tried something different.
I also expect players to say the PC thing to the media in just about every occasion. Grimes has had success everywhere he went. I think it was his coaching ability that produced those results. I think he would've produced similar results here if he would've stayed.
As far as Helfrich goes, 3 seasons of last or near last in offensive production speaks for itself. He had perhaps 3 or 4 games in 3 seasons where the offensive game plan was at least partially successful. His offense that was implemented in the spring of 2008 and then seen in the 2008 season was completely wrong for the personnel. I thought it was going to be a disaster when I saw it in the spring. A shotgun/no huddle offense with a short, immobile quarterback; young/inexperienced receivers; and young/inexperienced linemen was just plain dumb. The sideways blocking schemes with handoffs to running backs at a standstill were ridiculous. Speedy Stewart was quoted in the paper where he mentioned that the backs and linemen preferred running the ball out of the I-formation where they got the ball while in motion and a blocking back in front. (I didn't look up the article, but I know it exists somewhere.) I can only assume he got into trouble with the coaches for talking about something contrary to their ridiculous scheme. The injuries only added insult to the overall problem that was a bad overall scheme in the first place.
The results speak for themselves? This is a rebuilding program. I know many people here seem to expect Hawkins to come out and produce an immediate winner, but most did not expect that to happen. If Helfrich was the **** coach everyone here thought he was, I really doubt he would've landed the job at UO.
Speedy said those quotes to the paper because he never played in a spread offense. I'm sure he had many doubts when things didn't go our way. But the spread is, and has been proven to work. Like it or not.
Football being a different game now than what it was years ago is not an excuse for poor schemes. The fundamentals of football are still the same. Sure, some new ideas not seen years ago can sometimes work with the right personnel. But they can also be a disaster. I like what I hear regarding what Denver Johnson is doing with the offensive line and what Kiesau plans for the offensive design. We will see if what they do is any better. I think there is only a 5% chance that the Johnson/Kiesau results on offense are going to be as bad or worse than the results we saw from Grimes/Helfrich. We will see.
If Helfrich and Grimes were working with a veteran team, with experience under their belts then I would probably agree with you. But they weren't. Sure I didn't agree with every call, but what fan does? To come out and say the their system is flawed just isn't acurrate.
Kiesau will see better results from this team based on the experience we have. I think that is huge.