Chris Creighton has done an unbelievable job at EMU, and honestly he deserves a lot of praise for making EMU competitive again. But this is a game of numbers. Creighton's winning percentage through almost 4 years is similar to Genyk, and his MAC record is actually worse. I remember those Genyk years, and people were constantly calling for his firing. Creighton has led EMU to respectability but not much else. So we have a great defense, Genyk had great offenses, and terrible defenses, whats the difference. This goes back to EMU's acceptance of mediocrity with their football program. There is no reason that we couldn't be a contender year after year like Toledo, Ohio, NIU etc... but we are more accepting of close losses, and "just competing". I realize Creighton is a great guy, and people at the University love him, but this is a results based industry, and losing constantly because of pour coaching, doesn't get the job done. If this team is 4-4, we wouldn't be having this conversation, but they aren't, and Creighton and Keen are to blame. In the real world, if you screw up enough at work, you lose your job. Creighton sounds like a great guy, a great leader, a great teacher, a great motivator, but I think what we are learning is maybe he isn't a great "football coach".

We could still go 6-6 or 5-7 on this season. Genyk never had a season as good as either of those, let alone 7 wins like last season.

We have a football-first AD in Wetherbee, who I believe won't have a problem canning Creighton if that's what it comes to. Especially because he didn't hire him. Different circumstances than Genyk.

(10-28-2017 11:14 AM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  We could still go 6-6 or 5-7 on this season. Genyk never had a season as good as either of those, let alone 7 wins like last season.

We have a football-first AD in Wetherbee, who I believe won't have a problem canning Creighton if that's what it comes to. Especially because he didn't hire him. Different circumstances than Genyk.

Genyk also brought no excitement to the program. CC has rebranded the program with the field and the soon to come new facilities. Where he is lacking is his in game calls and coaching hires. He needs to hire better coordinators instead of being loyal. Mccaslin was here far too long before Neathery and Keen should never have been put in the position he has now.


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Agreed, King. Creighton isn't perfect, but this is the most positive momentum the program has had since the late-80s. If Creighton has us reverting and heading back towards a bottom-10 program, I think all of us will have no problem calling for him to be fired. We just aren't there now.

Let's see what he does with Keen and the punter. Will tell a lot about his urgency to really contend in the MAC. Oh, and whether or not he can convince Neathery to stay.

I think EMU has the players, and has the plays, but you are losing these close games because you didn't use the right plays at the right time. Coaches have to have the brass to be aggressive, even when it may seem safer to be cautious. Against NIU you guys had the lead late, and the ball, but down in your own territory, and the play calls were very conservative, running the ball and the clock, leading to a punt which went bad. Could have tried to get first downs by doing what you do best on offense, and taking advantage of all the NIU players in the box, but instead did what NIU was praying you would do, and predictably it ended in a 4th and long. Punter gets the blame, buy even if it was a good punt NIU would have had the ball in great field position with plenty of time, because that was your coaches strategy, right?

Thereafter, you have the ball with a tie score, and move it brilliantly until you get in field goal position, and instead of letting your excellent QB do what he does best, and what led you to that spot in the first place, your coach makes an affirmative and very deliberate choice to put the entire game in the hands of a kicker who everyone in the building, including your coaches, knew was far more likely than not to miss the uprights, as he has proved repeatedly that is what he does. Your chances of scoring a touchdown were far greater that your chances of making a FG, and if you didn't score the TD after a few attempts, then the FG attempt is still available.

Far too often football coaches follow a script created over the years just because that is the way others have done it, regardless of whether it is logical or not. Playing for a FG in that situation when you have time to work on a TD is stupid, regardless of the reasons some will site (all of which lack real merit).

CC is a good coach, but he needs to see the wizard of oz and ask for whatever he gave the cowardly lion. You guys win several of those close games if you play to win instead of not to lose. Your players are way better than that.[/u]

(10-29-2017 09:08 AM)brovol Wrote:  I think EMU has the players, and has the plays, but you are losing these close games because you didn't use the right plays at the right time. Coaches have to have the brass to be aggressive, even when it may seem safer to be cautious. Against NIU you guys had the lead late, and the ball, but down in your own territory, and the play calls were very conservative, running the ball and the clock, leading to a punt which went bad. Could have tried to get first downs by doing what you do best on offense, and taking advantage of all the NIU players in the box, but instead did what NIU was praying you would do, and predictably it ended in a 4th and long. Punter gets the blame, buy even if it was a good punt NIU would have had the ball in great field position with plenty of time, because that was your coaches strategy, right?

Thereafter, you have the ball with a tie score, and move it brilliantly until you get in field goal position, and instead of letting your excellent QB do what he does best, and what led you to that spot in the first place, your coach makes an affirmative and very deliberate choice to put the entire game in the hands of a kicker who everyone in the building, including your coaches, knew was far more likely than not to miss the uprights, as he has proved repeatedly that is what he does. Your chances of scoring a touchdown were far greater that your chances of making a FG, and if you didn't score the TD after a few attempts, then the FG attempt is still available.

Far too often football coaches follow a script created over the years just because that is the way others have done it, regardless of whether it is logical or not. Playing for a FG in that situation when you have time to work on a TD is stupid, regardless of the reasons some will site (all of which lack real merit).
[/u]

You're absolutely right. EMU went into a shell. They were neither running the ball well nor making routine kicks, yet they relied on them to preserve a victory.

The coaching staff has repeatedly taken the ball out of Roback's hands at the end of close, winnable games.

It's a bottom line business. If Eastern loses out, he's back on the hot seat, like any profession. In sales, if you are a good guy, work hard, give a good presentation but don't close, you get fired. No difference.

At least the crazy talk about him getting hired away after the season is gone.