The problems seem apparent enough.
1) Holgorsen isn't calling a good game or one suited to this staff or playing in the Big Ten. Rule is a stud running back. We paid a ton of NIL money for this offensive line and brought in a good coach for that unit. So run the ball for God's sake. Many many many times. Beat the crap out of them. Control the clock and the tempo. And build out offensive concepts like play action based on the running game. Make things easier for Colandrea. Instead, we get weird passing plays that go nowhere and Colandrea scurrying around the backfield with no one open. Holgorsen is caught in the trap of wanting to look like an innovative and clever genius rather than being boring and simply winning games. He needs to be fired and replaced with a boring but effective coordinator who will build a running offense.
2) Special teams is a problem. Our FG kicker sucks. We clearly miss Eckler and letting him leave was a mistake. Not having a stud coordinator compounds that error. Special teams can be just as important as the other units. Rhule has been a coach long enough he should know that. I have no idea why Satterfield still has a coaching spot but there is no spot designated for special teams.
3) Colandrea is a gamer and has moxie, but is also very limited. He looks great against lesser teams and struggles mightily against better teams. His size is a limitation. He gets happy feet in the pocket and makes poor decisions. He needs more help from the line and his receivers need to do a better job of getting open. But yesterday's dumpster fire was partially on him and inexcusable. We need a real open competition in the spring.
4) The culture sucks. Winners find way to win and losers find ways to lose. We have a losing culture. Contrast our meltdown with the way Indiana beat the odds to win against Minnesota. This is the hardest problem to diagnose and fix. We need coaches and players that are far tougher, especially mentally...and simply refuse to lose.
5) I am sick to death of excuses. These are the coaches and players Rhule has chosen. He has had years to get this right and failed to do so. In the meantime, schools that were far worse like Indiana and UCLA are rolling merrily along.
So fire Holgorsen and replace him with a coordinator who will run a Big Ten offense. Fire Satterfield and use that coaching spot to hire the best special teams coordinator available. Tell Rhule he has a year to show progress or he will be replaced. Evaluate the staff and players based on mental toughness and fire those who don't make the cut. And bring in a team of sports psychologists and exorcists to figure out why we are so good at finding ways to lose.
