McCarthy - angry or frustrated?

[Patler]

It really is unusual for him to criticize individuals specifically in the press at anytime, in season or off season. Yet, at his press conference yesterday he clearly:

- called out Lacy for conditioning. He criticized his off season work from last year and his ability to "catch up" during the season. Essentially gave him an ultimatum, get in condition or you won't play.

- called out Adams and R. Rodgers for not stepping up. Implied that their roles will be reevaluated by repeated off season film reviews to minimize emotion.

- without naming them, called out the offensive coaching staff, perhaps mostly Bennett, for the game plans and for not scheming help for the backup tackles. (I think Bennett is on the hot seat, because MM said it wasn't about Clements, and that Clements was a valued assistant who has been there from the start, one who he expected to be there next year. Didn't mention Bennett by name, but said their "staff structure" was being evaluated. Bennett might see a demotion, perhaps not in title but in responsibility.)

- put the blame on Janis' lackluster training camp for not playing him more, but complimented his effort on STs.

This was a different Mike McCarthy. Clearly he was dissatisfied with players and staff.

He affirmed something I argued earlier this year. Players roles are determined coming out of TC, and it is difficult for those to change during the season. Thus, he stuck with the significantly under-performing Adams for the season, and gave Janis no opportunity until forced to do so. Perhaps a take-away from this season for MM should be to be more objective, more flexible and more aggressive with in season changes to give backup players the opportunities to prove themselves on the field.

[Maxie the Taxi]

^In other words, Stubby should change his DNA. Yeah, right.

Seriously, Patler, I agree with you, but guys like Stubby are like leopards and spots...

[pbmax]

The last part, roles defined by training camp, seems unnecessarily severe. Its a sound basis to start with, to reward good work and tape, it can't overwrite work done during the season and the games. It also gave us Boykin. Kinda odd for a draft and develop situation, but perhaps its how you keep the younger players working.

I did not get the sense that he was blaming Bennett. He clearly wants to absolve Clements of personal failings as play caller. I thought his critique of the offensive staff not helping players out was largely a self-criticism as he has mentioned that in the past about the tackles. Perhaps even he thought they should help earlier and didn't, but as HC that seems to fall to him to insist on. Its only your QB after all.

He was asked about the young players and RichRod and Adams specifically. Not sure that qualifies as being called out (not like he did Lacy). He basically said his impression now is that they did not jump enough in their second year. But that those initial reactions are ranked and then they do a compete film review. They then re-rank all players to take the emotion and last impressions away.

[Deputy Nutz]

I didn't think McCarthy attacked his coaching staff. I think he tried to do a very unique structure with his staff this year and it didn't work on the surface. Bennett is not a typical offensive coordinator and Clements was. I think Bennett has been a great coach in technique and individual scheme but I don't think he is ready for the big picture organization of the offense, or if he is then he doesn't need to get clearance from both McCarthy and Clements. Either move Bennett back to receivers coach, Van Pelt back to QB coach, and Clement back to OC, or remove Clements from the coaching tree.

Bennett has also been with McCarthy from the start. I really don't see any members of this coaching staff being let go.

[mraynrand]

Richard Rodgers needs to lose about 20-30 pounds from those saddlebags; it's like a sea anchor. His thighs looks wider and flabbier than Mariah Carey's.

I wonder about Adam's mental state. Guy was called on after Nelson, seemed willing, said all the right things, then got the ankle thing. He never really recovered. Maybe it was just too much for him in his second year.

[mraynrand]

I didn't think McCarthy attacked his coaching staff. I think he tried to do a very unique structure with his staff this year and it didn't work on the surface. Bennett is not a typical offensive coordinator and Clements was. I think Bennett has been a great coach in technique and individual scheme but I don't think he is ready for the big picture organization of the offense, or if he is then he doesn't need to get clearance from both McCarthy and Clements. Either move Bennett back to receivers coach, Van Pelt back to QB coach, and Clement back to OC, or remove Clements from the coaching tree.

Bennett has also been with McCarthy from the start. I really don't see any members of this coaching staff being let go.

Clements is 62, and his best work has been as QB coach. I say put him back there with the assistant coach title, and either coach up Bennett to be the permanent OC, or let him go and bring in someone from outside or (a big possibly disruptive stretch: move up Solaris).

[MadScientist]

MM's an offense minded coach, and the offense was crap for most of the year. He's pissed and frustrated. Lacy took his role for granted and turned into a fat tub of goo. R.Rodgers and Adams were supposed to step up and have big years, and neither did. They are probably a sizable part of the red zone failures this year.

As for locked into rolls after TC, its more that there is very limited prep time for each game. You have to get your starters ready to play, so they get the most reps. There can, and because of injuries has to be, adjustments during the year. In an offense like this, reps are critical to being on the same page with AR. There just isn't the practice time available to get a 4th, 5th or 6th string fully up to speed.

That said, when those backups are thrust into the mix, there should be some subset of the plays that they are actually ready to handle, and those plays are the ones that should be featured, until they can learn more.

[Deputy Nutz]

Richard Rodgers needs to lose about 20-30 pounds from those saddlebags; it's like a sea anchor. His thighs looks wider and flabbier than Mariah Carey's.

I wonder about Adam's mental state. Guy was called on after Nelson, seemed willing, said all the right things, then got the ankle thing. He never really recovered. Maybe it was just too much for him in his second year.

Funny I almost said the same thing about Adams in another thread two seconds ago. Rodgers is fat and can't block. So really he is kind of worthless for this offense in his current state.

[mraynrand]

[Maxie the Taxi]

MM's an offense minded coach, and the offense was crap for most of the year. He's pissed and frustrated. Lacy took his role for granted and turned into a fat tub of goo. R.Rodgers and Adams were supposed to step up and have big years, and neither did. They are probably a sizable part of the red zone failures this year.

As for locked into rolls after TC, its more that there is very limited prep time for each game. You have to get your starters ready to play, so they get the most reps. There can, and because of injuries has to be, adjustments during the year. In an offense like this, reps are critical to being on the same page with AR. There just isn't the practice time available to get a 4th, 5th or 6th string fully up to speed.

That said, when those backups are thrust into the mix, there should be some subset of the plays that they are actually ready to handle, and those plays are the ones that should be featured, until they can learn more.

Exactly.

I was so tired of hearing during the season that Janis isn't playing because he wasn't getting to where Arod thought he should be. Well, damn! There are only two people involved in this equation. If Janis can't or won't get to a spot, play as if you don't expect him to. He's all you got. Deal with it.

[call_me_ishmael]

I have a hunch Mr. Rodgers is going to be a weight loss plan this off-season too. Anyone think he is bigger this year? I don't remember to be honest.

Good read on topic:

http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_23885989/cal-football-richard-rodgers-gains-position-after-losing

Richard Rodgers said goodbye to Red Vines and hello to a new position.

"I told him you will not play a down if you don't (lose weight) because you're slow and fat and out of shape and you can't play," Cal offensive coordinator Tony Franklin said of Rodgers. "He wants to play."

So Rodgers, who played tight end for the Bears last season, dropped 33 pounds to find a home in an offense that doesn't typically feature his position.

After ballooning to 278 in the offseason while recovering from shoulder and foot injuries, Rodgers cut out his biggest dietary vice. "I have a big sweet tooth. I like Red Vines a lot," he said. "That was my problem."

If I had to guess, he seems bigger than this now.

[Patler]

I didn't think McCarthy attacked his coaching staff. I think he tried to do a very unique structure with his staff this year and it didn't work on the surface. Bennett is not a typical offensive coordinator and Clements was. I think Bennett has been a great coach in technique and individual scheme but I don't think he is ready for the big picture organization of the offense, or if he is then he doesn't need to get clearance from both McCarthy and Clements. Either move Bennett back to receivers coach, Van Pelt back to QB coach, and Clement back to OC, or remove Clements from the coaching tree.

Bennett has also been with McCarthy from the start. I really don't see any members of this coaching staff being let go.

Ya, I don't think he will fire anyone either, mostly because everything was fine in 2014 offensively, MM stirred the pot and things went to heck in 2015. MM must feel responsible for that, and won't in good conscience fire anyone for it. But, I think EB is the one who might lose responsibilities in resetting the structure.

I mentioned earlier in the year that all MM really needs to do is get creative with job titles so everyone can save face while he gets back to what was working prior to this season. For example, he could set it up like this:

Clements, "Asst H.C. and Passing Game";
Bennett, "Offensive Coordinator and Running Game"
Van Pelt, "QB and Red Zone" (or some other meaningless title)
new "WR "coach,

or,

Clements,"Asst H.C./Game Planning
Bennett, "O.C. & WRs"
Van Pelt, "QB & Red Zone" etc.
No new coach is needed

Other teams have used heads of passing game, running game and red zone before. Sort of like naming half the bank personnel "vice president".

[Deputy Nutz]

I think part of the problem is that Bennett is the OC and reporting to both McCarthy and Clements. I like your first solution that way responsibility is divided and everyone reports to McCarthy.

[Patler]

I think part of the problem is that Bennett is the OC and reporting to both McCarthy and Clements. I like your first solution that way responsibility is divided and everyone reports to McCarthy.

Agreed. In retrospect you have to ask yourself how that could ever work? If he wanted to give Clements the play calling responsibility, why not just leave him as OC? Did they need to promote Bennett to keep him? I don't remember if there was talk about EB going elsewhere or not.

I wonder how many coaching changes McAdoo will make. I could see him going after Clements, Bennett or Van Pelt for an OC type position. If one were to leave, McCarthy's restructuring becomes easier, especially if Clements or Bennett leaves.

[3irty1]

I agree that McCarthy has always seemed resistant to changing the roles set in August. There are dozens of examples of commitments to people that seem downright stubborn to us as fans. I think most likely this is an effort to maximize competition in the off season and training camp. His commitments make a real incentive to stand out in August. If he were more objective week to week he might get the best players on the field sooner but in doing so might compromise the mechanism that creates backups capable of competing with starters in the first place.

He's right to be frustrated with Lacy. A professional athlete who doesn't hit their weight mark is inexcusable. Especially when it renders them so useless that they can't even play their way into shape. Coming in too light is even worse given the weight these guys tend to lose over a season and I'll look for Datone Jones to make his weight finally this year. He had a decent season anyways but they'll need him to do even more soon. As for Dickrod, I don't think he missed his weight mark, I think he was just given poor direction. Its pretty ambiguous what his ideal playing weight should be and with this season's data point I think they'll have him on track soon. Dickrod did fine this year anyways. The issue isn't that he's not reaching his potential, it's that he doesn't have much potential.

Adams is a mystery. I expect the ankle is a big component of his regression after so much hype by everyone who'd seen him. Jury is still out on Adams. He might get his ankle scraped out and dazzle us next season although hopefully we're not depending on it again.

I can only imagine MM's frustration because the offense was trash, but even still the causes are undiagnosed. The guys you can definitely say had down years like Lacy and Adams can't explain it all. The whole season can be characterized by the sorts of passes that are just out of reach such that a little more form either the QB or WR would have meant a completion, passes thrown to empty swaths of the field we can only explain as miscommunication, or disrupted timing routes which leave Rodgers with the ball in his hands and nowhere to go.