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Best still HC per Spokesman
- Thread starter luckyintheorder
- Start date
luckyintheorder
Active member
luckyintheorder said:
[media]https://x.com/Thompson_DS/status/1726768400414695658?s=20[/media]
luckyintheorder
Active member
Yeah, I don't have any words.... Can't get behind this action.
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99KH0TR-J4&list=PLAfRHHn4K9JSIGeN5UtErexRCDLTTWNW8&index=29[/media]
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99KH0TR-J4&list=PLAfRHHn4K9JSIGeN5UtErexRCDLTTWNW8&index=29[/media]
Sounds like the AD is giving Best 1 year to turn things around. It should be pointed out that those successful seasons early in Best tenure as HC were with many of Baldwins players and some of Baldwins coaches.
Any coach needs the support of the AD whether it is real or just for show to have any hope of recruiting players. If the AD came out publicly saying he has 1 year to prove something would really hurt recruiting.
Any coach needs the support of the AD whether it is real or just for show to have any hope of recruiting players. If the AD came out publicly saying he has 1 year to prove something would really hurt recruiting.
luckyintheorder
Active member
EWU98 said:
Details were scant in the article. Assume budget is a concern, not aware of a buyout or what it would be. Not like Eastern is breaking the bank on salaries. Wondered if the AD had a candidate pipeline as well. I didn't scrutinize the article, but didn't come away with an impression of "support" per se for Best, more of a resigned indifference. Of course, that's likely a reflection of my own feelings.
Did you have some numbers you can share?
E-Wu Tang Clan
Active member
According to this website https://fiscal.wa.gov/Staffing/Salaries Best's salary for the last year listed 2022 was $255,400. Assuming a contract buyout would just be another years salary, Eastern would have to pay up $250-300k. I don't know if that is how it works though, and its irrelevant now.
If he fired the DC and hired an amazing up and coming assistant to be DC and they brought fired underperforming defensive coaches and hired better ones, brought in some transfer portal guys to fill in positions that are short people and/or underperforming. He could save his job. The defense in 2018 FCS Championship run wasn't great, I think it was like 67th in the FCS, so around the middle. It just got turnovers and stops when it needed to, more bend don't break type defense. Unfortunately, all his coordinator hires have been pretty bad thus far.
If he fired the DC and hired an amazing up and coming assistant to be DC and they brought fired underperforming defensive coaches and hired better ones, brought in some transfer portal guys to fill in positions that are short people and/or underperforming. He could save his job. The defense in 2018 FCS Championship run wasn't great, I think it was like 67th in the FCS, so around the middle. It just got turnovers and stops when it needed to, more bend don't break type defense. Unfortunately, all his coordinator hires have been pretty bad thus far.
luckyintheorder
Active member
E-Wu Tang Clan said:
Middle of the pack was were the D was after the first 3-4 games and then straight to hell. It's been my contention for the past 2.5 seasons that Best is calling ALL the shots, offense, defense, etc.. far to often and the play from the team REGARDLESS of the coordinators has been the same since '18. I've watched a lot of video and it was mind boggling to me how the team did the EXACT same dysfunctional things across all coordinators (offense and defense) during his tenure. The only conclusion is that Best is calling the shots, he hasn't learned anything from failure and is exceedingly and pointlessly stubborn.
I've seen someone post that these long time coaches just don't know how to coach defense, but that's BS. The best DC Eastern has had in 13 years is Schmedding and he sucked mostly (explain having a true freshman safety, not CB, covering the best WR for NDSU the whole game, dude caught 3 TD's and kept numerous drives alive). Get Best out of the way and the coordinators might actually produce a viable product on offense and defense. I don't think he has it in him. He had a real shot at being 7-4 instead of 4-7 and made all the same mistakes to lose those 3 games (and I'm not even talking about the stupid play calling in OT versus Fresno, which would have made it an 8-3 season)...
Like you say, it's all moot at this point but I won't forget what might have been and have little hope for the future. Hope I'm wrong. (rant off)
eaglesfootball
Active member
luckyintheorder said:
I agree with most of this. This team had enough talent to make it to 7-4 this year with this schedule instead of 4-7. They should have won the ISU game hands down and I think there could have been another couple of wins as well. Best does need to take a step back from calling all of the shots. The best coaches let their assistants do their job. The best example of this is the 2016 Eagle offense with Troy Taylor as the OC. Despite being a brilliant offensive mind, Baldwin was humble enough to let his OC call the shots and what an offense that was. Probably the best in EWU history.
E-Wu Tang Clan
Active member
I think Troy Taylor is the exception when it comes to OCs. He is Stanford's HC rn. Even Baldwin hasn't been HC of any team higher then FCS level.
I don't think Best calls plays, especially on defense being a offensive guy. I do think he'll bitch if the OC isn't being balanced and not calling enough run plays. I think that is what happened with Shoemaker and why he quit mid season. It could be part of the reason Pat McCann left for Fresno State to be the WR coach when he was offered the OC job at Eastern. We had the best QB in the FCS and some of the best receivers and Best still wanted to run it more. I'm not against running the ball, I'm for whatever will win the game and score the most points.
Even if Best is calling plays for both sides, the coaching is still bad. The defense didn't know how to tackle last year and it got better this year but I think it is because the transfer guys knew how to tackle from coaching from their former schools, hence all our top tacklers being transfers. Its like holy shit, its tackling, the fundamental skill of football. Every good team stresses fundamentals, even in the NFL. You still see it this year, guys throwing arm and body tackles when they should be wrapping up. I realize open field tackles are hard but damn. Hard to see what should have been a tackle for a loss turn into a first down.
I don't think Best calls plays, especially on defense being a offensive guy. I do think he'll bitch if the OC isn't being balanced and not calling enough run plays. I think that is what happened with Shoemaker and why he quit mid season. It could be part of the reason Pat McCann left for Fresno State to be the WR coach when he was offered the OC job at Eastern. We had the best QB in the FCS and some of the best receivers and Best still wanted to run it more. I'm not against running the ball, I'm for whatever will win the game and score the most points.
Even if Best is calling plays for both sides, the coaching is still bad. The defense didn't know how to tackle last year and it got better this year but I think it is because the transfer guys knew how to tackle from coaching from their former schools, hence all our top tacklers being transfers. Its like holy shit, its tackling, the fundamental skill of football. Every good team stresses fundamentals, even in the NFL. You still see it this year, guys throwing arm and body tackles when they should be wrapping up. I realize open field tackles are hard but damn. Hard to see what should have been a tackle for a loss turn into a first down.
HeavyIsTheCrown
Active member
They’re not gonna fire Coach Best because his new QB Kekoa wet the bed multiple time during the season. Kekoa cost EWU an FBS/MWC win and a couple more games by choking during clutch time.
Eastern needs a QB that’s ready to play now, and if he’s going to run a pocket passer offense he needs to be taller and stronger. Kekoa looks like a 5’10 Freshman, with no real throwing mechanics. He’s made some good throws when he’s had time I’ll give him credit. But he can’t shake off tacklers and he’s light and frail. We’ve had strong pocket passers here and Kekoa doesn’t have the body/leg strength for that. When it comes to speed, he’s ok but he’s not fast at all, he’s got to get lucky to break a long run. He’s got little-to-no speed, he can get caught by linebackers. When linebackers can catch a QB trying to run it eliminates your options when the pocket breaks down.
If you think about great teams, they’re led on the field by the play of their quarterback. If their quarterback is slow and can’t run, it makes the quarterback stay in the pocket longer, he makes the O-line’s job harder because they’ve got to block longer, which translates to sacks and poorly thrown balls aka interceptions. He’s got to be good at one or the other, either he can’t run but he makes quick reads and throws, or he’s good at running when there’s pressure. When he’s not good at either you have to make the tough call and replace him.
Eastern needs a QB that’s ready to play now, and if he’s going to run a pocket passer offense he needs to be taller and stronger. Kekoa looks like a 5’10 Freshman, with no real throwing mechanics. He’s made some good throws when he’s had time I’ll give him credit. But he can’t shake off tacklers and he’s light and frail. We’ve had strong pocket passers here and Kekoa doesn’t have the body/leg strength for that. When it comes to speed, he’s ok but he’s not fast at all, he’s got to get lucky to break a long run. He’s got little-to-no speed, he can get caught by linebackers. When linebackers can catch a QB trying to run it eliminates your options when the pocket breaks down.
If you think about great teams, they’re led on the field by the play of their quarterback. If their quarterback is slow and can’t run, it makes the quarterback stay in the pocket longer, he makes the O-line’s job harder because they’ve got to block longer, which translates to sacks and poorly thrown balls aka interceptions. He’s got to be good at one or the other, either he can’t run but he makes quick reads and throws, or he’s good at running when there’s pressure. When he’s not good at either you have to make the tough call and replace him.
Seattle Eagle
Active member
EWU98 said:
Hand injury.
