Rate the Walt Bell Hire
- Thread starter Chriselli
- Start date
It's interesting that I have not seen a single media person or fan say "This is a great hire". The best thing that can be said for Bell is "I Trust Tom Allen. Maybe it will work out." That's not what you should be saying after a big hire.
Can he recruit better than average talent? If he can do that, and coach them up to their potential, then he should be fine. If not, then Allen may find himself buying out another offensive coordinator.
I don't know how many times, and in how many threads, you've said essentially the same thing. We get it, you hate the hire.
And you're right, no one is saying, "Alright, it's Walt Bell!" But the guy does have P5 experience, and maybe this was as good as it gets after a 2-10 season.
Let's give the guy a chance.
After watching many clips on Walt Bell, I am excited about this hire. Changed my rating from a 8 to a 10
Initial reaction: this is a subpar hire, was hoping for a proven track record
Secondary reaction: Sheridan was way over his head, Bell has to be at least a small improvement.
Tertiary reaction: Bell is going to bring Allen down with him in 2-3 years
Secondary reaction: Sheridan was way over his head, Bell has to be at least a small improvement.
Tertiary reaction: Bell is going to bring Allen down with him in 2-3 years
Ask me in 2 years … new system and the cupboard is bare on the offensive side of the ball.
Bell is a supposedly a terrific recruiter from everything I have read. That might be his one saving grace. UMASS apparently had 21 three star recruits in their last class which is unbelievable recruiting for UMASS. My fear is that he's going to get Tom Allen fired before he can get difference making recruits in. With the transfer portal there is a greater chance to make an immediate impact in recruiting and maybe he does that and can bring in enough talent to compensate for coaching shortcomings. To be clear, unlike others I am not up in arms about the hire because I want Tom Allen out of here. It's the opposite. I am beside myself about the hire because I want Tom Allen to succeed and if this hire does not work out I don't think he's going to get a chance to make the next one.
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Changed my vote from a 1 to a 5... I'm willing to give the guy a chance... (I'll put another thread up as to why)...
The bigger factors in our success or failure next Fall will more likely be who we're able to bring in through the Transfer Portal...
We need 4 guys on the OL; 2 or 3 Receivers; 1 or 2 RB's; and a QB (that's up to 10 guys on Offense 🙉🙉🙉)... First, I've lost track but I doubt we have that many scholarships available (after what we have already allocated to Portal guys and High School guys)..., not to mention that we still need a big time Inside Linebacker; a Free Safety; and 1or 2 DE's on the Defensive side of the ball... (so that's 14 scholarships to Portal guys [which we probably don't have that many to give]...
The interesting thing is that Recruiting still appears to be going well, considering everything else...
Who we are able to bring in from the Portal looks to be the key to next season...
At minimum, we'll need 2 on the OL, 2 Receivers; 1 RB and most likely a QB (6 Total O, and 1 LB, 1 S and 1 DE (3 total D) which adds up to a minimum of 9 more guys from the Portal... Should be interesting...
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Make it 2. Everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - gets a mulligan their first year.
Now, if he improves the offense right away, great. I just don't see it happening. If it does, I'd kiss his ring myself.
You can’t really rate a hire until you have a season to judge how the team did . A coach has to adjust his game plan according to the talent he is coaching . If coach Bell can adjust, and help the team be more productive on offense then it will have been a good hire . Waiting and hoping that it was a very good hire .
Getting 4 P5 quality OL in the portal is a tall order for any team.
And if you could I wonder how many coaches would want that. You're robbing peter to pay paul since now that is a frosh you can't take or a younger guy you can't experience up. Not to mention working as a unit issues. I think relying on OL transfers is partially to blame for Brohms struggle to run the ball up in WL.
As long as he can adjust after the first scripted drive he should be miles better than Sheridan
One thing we have to do next year that we did not do this year is not turn the football over. Deboer had only 15 turnovers. Sheridan than had 12 in 8 games in year 1, but it ballooned to 21 this year. I look at Bell's turnover history and that is not so good either. He had 26 at Florida State, had one low turnover year at Maryland and one high, one very high turnover year at Arkansas State (26) again and I think 17 the other. That's a critical stat and his teams have not one that stat consistently. Some of that is on the running backs coach. We had six fumbles last year which is respectable. The interceptions at 15 were way too high.
I’ll start with saying that i was most frustrated with his calls today than I’ve been in weeks past. I will say that one thing that has really stuck out about his play calling, is when he calls a play where someone is wide open on a pass, it seems that the ball is often overthrown or dropped.
For example, I think it was Andison who got overthrown on a post in the end zone.
Also, today of all games it seemed like the inside runs with Turner were half ass working but everything was being thrown/run in the flats. I get that was probably the game plan coming in, but when you’re down 3 TDs it’s time to open it up a drive or two to see if it’s possible to get back in it.
For example, I think it was Andison who got overthrown on a post in the end zone.
Also, today of all games it seemed like the inside runs with Turner were half ass working but everything was being thrown/run in the flats. I get that was probably the game plan coming in, but when you’re down 3 TDs it’s time to open it up a drive or two to see if it’s possible to get back in it.
If you happened to listen to SXM radio this afternoon, they were broadcasting the Maryland network. After the second Maryland TD in the span of less than 60 seconds, and IU's next possession (three plays... three consecutive negative yards) they commented that IU's offense is so predictable and everyone has had an easy time with IU and "Bell's offense".
So for the 2nd year … we start the shiney new bicycle … leave it out in the rain … and find a rust bucket the next day?
And when we had actual Big Ten strength RB's hitting those holes...
Bells fantasy of hitting a home run up the middle with #12 every time he touches the ball is just that: a fantasy... The kids not strong enough to break an egg in there... There's a lot of ways to utilize him that will get him out into space where he can actually do some damage and use his cutting skills but running him up the middle isn't one of them...
That and attempting to have a QB whose clearly not a running threat run the Option are the two things that are going to get him fired (in my opinion)... /*/along with not teaching Jackson the footwork necessary to prevent overthrows (sound familiar-same as last Fall)//*/
Bell seems to live in an alternate reality where everything he thinks "should work"is going to be run irregardless of the actual outcome... What's bizarre is that he refuses to acknowledge that running #12 inside and having Jackson pretend to be a running threat are both consistently failing and simply wasting downs...
I'm starting to really wonder about the guy...
I'm not convinced it's all Bell. I've said this before - I think Allen made promises to Lucas to get him to stay and I think he made promises to Jackson to get him there. Probably others.
Based on his body language and answers in the post-game press conference, I think he's done with those promises - he's given both Lucas and Jackson every chance to shine.
I know what I'd do if I was Bell - I'd call the team together and get their input on what they think the problem is. They know. They know what plays work and who can make them. Get their input and tell Allen to go pound sand if he has any input into the offense.
And have you seen all our off-field coaches on staff? WTF are they there for? One way to save a helluva lot of money is to get rid of half of them. What good are they doing? Absolutely zero. Keep Carey and those with proven success and get rid of all the dead weight on staff. Make it know winning is the criteria and anyone who's not directly contributing to it will be gone.
Is this supposed to be an "I told you so?" Read my earlier post again. Like almost everyone, I wasn't thrilled with the hire, but pointed out that the HC's phone was not going to light up with calls from great OCs after a 2-10 season. Who did you propose as OC back then?
I said give him a chance. He's had that chance and, so far, he's failed. He needs to be gone if this season ends up in the crapper, and so does Allen.
And your constant feuding with Jackship is aiding and abetting.
Agree, and I always give him (and the mod) the to option to stop it, but if they won’t they he gets what he gives.
I have maintained the get what you give position for 30 years with no bannings. Give me respect and you get it right back.
Unless someone is pro-Trump. I took a lot of unwarranted shit from you about that, so don't act like you're only giving what you take.
Water cooler is what it is but I give what I get. Doesn’t mean I don’t call out a dumb post. Half the folks on the WC call me a libtard and half call me a MAGA so I know I am in a good place.
Ok. I just reread it and don’t see the debate.
Oh, and for the record I see my “fan” is already stalking my posting. After his drunken meltdown last night I give him a break tonight.
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Why can’t that be water cooler discussion?
It would be great if sports forums would just be about sports.
I’ve called him out on that in the past. He just doesn’t get it.
Sometimes there is a legitimate crossover. Take the kneel down fiasco for example. Keep the federal government out of the libraries, classrooms, bedrooms and halftime shows!
But coming back to football, I wonder if the Hoosiers will have some player only activities related to the ongoing meltdown of this season. There are five team captains including at least one first year transfer. I'd suggest that they approach the coaching staff and ask them to stop dragging the players out in front of the media to explain away all the bad coaching decisions.
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Yeah, but he’s oblivious to that fact.
He can’t shut his ****ing mouth either, but Ordy is ENTIRELY to blame.
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