Rogers needs to take responsibility
Peyton Berg - Inside College Football
Last Saturday, Irish offensive uncoordinator Kevin Rogers probably cost head coach Bob Davie his job. Two things are evident during Notre Dame's current three game losing streak: a lackluster, predictable, confused offensive attack, and two coaches with no idea how to fix it.
Because of his defensive pedigree, Davie must exercise great care in selecting an offensive coordinator who can not only coach the offense independently, but also call all the plays and make key personnel decisions. Let's face it: in the last three years, Kevin Rogers has done none of the above well.
In addition to not scoring any points, Rogers has lately emerged as a spin doctor of Clintonesque proportions. The problem isn't injuries, quarterbacks or opposing defenses, it's the men wearing the headsets. Instead of benching Matt LoVecchio, Davie should bench Rogers. I hear somebody in New Jersey laughing, and it's the Rutgers athletic director knowing that he made the right decision when he hired somebody else.
Consider my laundry list of grievances: why don't we use the tight end or the fullback? Notre Dame fullbacks and tight ends are punishing blockers with soft hands who did the dirty work for their teammates first, then created opportunities for themselves later.
Today, our starting tight ends are a converted quarterback and defensive end. I take nothing away from John Owens and Gary Godsey's efforts on the field. My point is that in Roger's world, they're nothing more than extra linemen. A quarterback has yet to attempt one pass to a tight end this season.
Tight ends are essential to a quarterback's livelihood, especially young quarterbacks. If all else fails, they know they have a "safety valve" in their tight end—a big guy with sticky fingers who finds an open spot. Godsey is 6-foot-7, and a former quarterback. Why have we not explored the possibility of integrating this big target into the passing game with two inexperienced quarterbacks?
All Rogers needs to do is look at the Nebraska film. I don't know any other individual player who hurt Notre Dame more than Husker tight end Tracey Wistrom. Last year, tight ends Jabari Holloway and Dan O'Leary were rarely used in passing situations.
Both were drafted by NFL teams, and made the opening-day roster. What did the Patriots and the Bills see that Rogers didn't?
The Notre Dame fullback is about to follow the Tyrannosaurus Rex into extinction. In Notre Dame's current one-back set, Kevin Rogers seemsmore intent on finding the best of three tailbacks (Tony Fisher, by the way) than he does on helping the tailback position succeed.
Come November, there's nothing like a big fullback leading the way through a hole in bad weather. Ask Julius Jones, Fisher or Terrence Howard if they'd appreciate a fullback right about now.
Rogers sacrificed the fullback and the tight end, thus limiting the potency of the remaining offense. What's left? Our passing game's sophistication is on par with a mediocre junior high program. I didn't see a pass longer than 15 yards against Michigan State. Arnaz Battle made an excellent point after the Nebraska game: "Joe Montana could be the quarterback, and we still would have difficulty moving the ball."
This is exactly why I don't pay much attention to yesterday's quarterback swap. I think there is a bigger coordinator controversy. Carlyle Holiday has shown flashes of brilliance, yet has also shown that he is indeed just a first-year starter.
LoVecchio is the more stable of the two, but he has proven woefully ineffective in the red zone. Conclusion: both have their faults, but the larger problem is on the sideline. Rogers' one-dimensional attack gets worse as the game goes on.
Kevin, if you're not going to help your tailbacks with a fullback or your quarterbacks with tight ends, exactly who will make your "big plays" in this offense? I saw on Saturday that you thought the answer was Nick Setta up the middle on fourth and seven, and I'm not talking about a field goal.
That looked great to dozens of high school seniors across the country. Why go to Florida State or Michigan when the coach counts on the kicker to get the tough yards? Notre Dame's inability to score more than 17 points against a mediocre Michigan State team at home tells me that it's time for a coaching change.
If I'm the Texas A&M defensive coordinator, how do I prepare for Notre Dame this weekend? Eight in the box on first down to stop the run up the middle. This has become as predictable as the rising sun and watered-down drinks at the Linebacker.
Then, on second and 11, here comes the option. On third and seven, play the receivers tight to either tackle them immediately after the short pass or, better yet, intercept. On fourth down, it's Setta. You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him.
People always point to Davie's contract extension as a roadblock to resignation. To the contrary, Athletic Director Kevin White made resignation easier by restructuring Davie's contract into a package of five one-year deals.
White signs all head coaches to this type of contract because it is less expensive for the University to get out of them. The good news is that Notre Dame does not need to rebuild. There is probably more talent at Notre Dame than there was at Oklahoma last year. How many of you readers have Josh Heupel on your fantasy football teams?
We need new leadership that includes an innovative offensive coordinator who can prepare his team and make key adjustments. Combine this with a head coach who can recruit and inspire, and Nick Setta can return to kicking field goals-not getting clothes-lined by defensive players twice his size. Leave that job to the fullback.
Peyton Berg can be reached at berg.21@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, September 26, 2001
