DE Mike Vrabel (All B1G, All American, Pro Bowl, All Pro, Super Bowl Champion)

[jwinslow]

Urban Meyer is not only a premiere coach, but looks to have a premiere budget to work with if he gets hired.


Rather than making excuses, what is it that Vrabel has done to earn an elite position like this?

- His recruiting is non-existent. This isn't solely his fault (sanctions), but you MUST be a killer recruiter to work for Urban.
- His position coaching has been so-so. Shazier has made strides, while Klein & Sabino have not, and Sweat has regressed.
- He doesn't have a history of coaching success before this to point to in contrast to this season.

What is the compelling reason to hire him?


Particularly when a retained Fickell could go back to coaching LBs as his specialization (like Assistant HC Hazell with WRs)

 

[OSU_D/]

I would keep Vrabel, and not just b/c he's one of us/fan favorite.

Sabino: ever since he has been here he's had the athletic ability but hasn't shown to be 100% reliable in the mental side.
Sweat: knows what to do, but just isn't as physically gifted as other LBs
Klein: see Sweat

Lastly, this year's DL just isn't as good as last year's. We lost Williams (injury), Heyward (NFL) and Larimore. See Katzenmoyer for similar results when he lost an impressive DL from frosh to soph year. We all know that a good DL helps the LB's look better.

Edited to adjust to JWins above... something tells me Heacock would only spend another year here or retire. I don't see an issue keeping both LF and MV.

 

[southcampus]

Urban Meyer is not only a premiere coach, but looks to have a premiere budget to work with if he gets hired.


Rather than making excuses, what is it that Vrabel has done to earn an elite position like this?


What is the compelling reason to hire him?


Particularly when a retained Fickell could go back to coaching LBs as his specialization (like Assistant HC Hazell with WRs)

This.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

D'Andrea actually played pretty well in the game or two when he wasn't injured.

Maybe, but "pretty well" isn't 5-star domination like was expected, or what apparently starBUCKS expects.

Weak come back, and not relative.

Again, this is about a cohesive unit as a whole, not looking at individual performances. Underperformed this season.

Backstep much? So now it's not the lack of individual development play it's the play as a unit? You mentioned Sabino earlier as underperforming...newsflash, he has been underperforming ever since he got here and now it's Vrabel's fault?

How long has Vrabel been here for how long, five months? Five fucking months and he was supposed to ramp up a group of LBs who, with the exception of Sweat, and virtually no starts under their belts? Shit, I'm sure glad I don't work for you...

 

[jwinslow]

How long has Vrabel been here for how long, five months? Five fucking months and he was supposed to ramp up a group of LBs who, with the exception of Sweat, and virtually no starts under their belts? Shit, I'm sure glad I don't work for you...

Being hired for a lousy job situation that won't last long is not exactly a ringing endorsement for future job placement.

He was dealt a tough hand. So was Fickell.

That doesn't mean either has earned this kind of position at this point in their careers.

 

[Colvinnl]

I agreee, I don't think Vrabel's job performance will be based on results on the field, at this point. He has not been here long enough and there is not a glutton of talent.

If Urban does not already have someone else in mind, he will have other means of determining Vrabel's fit.

The LBs are not the only group underperforming...

 

[starBUCKS]

Maybe, but "pretty well" isn't 5-star domination like was expected, or what apparently starBUCKS expects.


Backstep much? So now it's not the lack of individual development play it's the play as a unit? You mentioned Sabino earlier as underperforming...newsflash, he has been underperforming ever since he got here and now it's Vrabel's fault?

How long has Vrabel been here for how long, five months? Five [censored]ing months and he was supposed to ramp up a group of LBs who, with the exception of Sweat, and virtually no starts under their belts? [Mark May], I'm sure glad I don't work for you...

No back step at all... I've said unit as a whole from the beginning, and used the word underperformed multiple times.

As jwins said, instead of making excuses... state exactly why Mike Vrable deserves to be on one of if not the top staffs in college football?

You're telling me you would rather continue hoping that year 2 gets better, because he's only had 5 months... instead of having a proven professional like a Jon Tenuta or John Chavis for example?

Really?

 

[PlanetFrnd]

I personally agree that the LBs have been underwhelming this year, but would be willing to give MV some kind of pass IF I had heard more about him on the rercruiting trail... but, truth be told, I haven't seen anything this season to make me believe that he has had the impact many of us hoped he would. IF he is retained, hopefully I will be proven wrong or misinformed. Mili, if you have something from the inside that you can allude to, please, by all means, prove me wrong (not a burden of proof shift, really hoping for some better news on MV recruiting)...

 

[BUCKYLE]

And to those that want to bring up Shazier's success...Shazier is a bad ass, pure athletic specimen, but you can't say MV taught Shazier how to be an athletic freak.

I love Etienne Sabino, I love Storm Klein and I love Andrew Sweat... the group as a whole has underperformed.

I also love Mike Vrable, hell was even friendly with him when he was at Ohio State... this is real talk here, not Buckeye blinder.

So...LB failures are on Vrable, and successes are on the player. Got it.

 

[Bill Lucas]

Vrabel

 

[starBUCKS]

So...LB failures are on Vrable, and successes are on the player. Got it.

Actually god given athletic ability comes from the parents genes and god.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Vrabel

Yeah, my bad. Spell check says both are wrong. Whoops.

Actually god given athletic ability comes from the parents genes and god.

 

[AKAK]

I personally agree that the LBs have been underwhelming this year, but would be willing to give MV some kind of pass IF I had heard more about him on the rercruiting trail... but, truth be told, I haven't seen anything this season to make me believe that he has had the impact many of us hoped he would. IF he is retained, hopefully I will be proven wrong or misinformed. Mili, if you have something from the inside that you can allude to, please, by all means, prove me wrong (not a burden of proof shift, really hoping for some better news on MV recruiting)...

My question as to recruiting is that, again, middle of the cycle. Keep in mind it was the HC we lost, not a position coach where their guys needed to be "picked up"

Here's my thing, unless he doesn't want to do the work (in which case he needs to be gone) I can't imagine he wouldn't do well with recruiting. He's got street cred, he's young, he can do the Charlie Weiss thing. (Hey, he got guys, didn't know what to do with him)

As to the coaching thing, Its an "incomplete" I don't want to knock any of the players but, one of these guys RS'd in the middle of his career to catch up. I think saying Sweat regressed is pretty subjective and the one kid that's been here only with Vrabel has been an animal.

Now, be clear on one thing, none of this is an endorsment to keep or not keep Vrabel.

The one thing that does bother me though, is the constant attemps to evaluate, on this season some of the folks on this staff as a reason to keep or let them go.

Here's the one thing I will say. If we are to believe that Luke Fickell is to be retained as assistant HC. (As last night's rumor of Fickell helping to recruit Meyer supports) There is, in my mind, reason to believe that Meyer is okay with that becuase he realizes he needs some staff that isn't transient. If Fickell stays, I believe it's because he feels he can stay until Meyer is done and possibly take over then. Now, with any HCIW situation, it doesn't always work out. But, at the least, I think the confirmation is that Fickell may not be interested in going to another HC job to come back later.

Point is, I believe a certain part of the staff with be selected on the basis of loyalty to and longevity at this University for the very purposes of giving Meyer more stability (and thus less staff turnover) then he's had in the past, and consequently more stress.

I'd say Vrabel is that type of guy. I'd also say, that his buddy could help him out if he needs it and isn't the HC.

 

[osu_edu]

How anyone can write off Vrabel now is beside me!!! Not only is he a great representation of TOSU, he is also passionate about our Alma Mater, our football program, our town. If he lacks any of the above, he wouldn't have been back to coach our LB when he did, given the impending NCAA sanction we face ahead. Trust me, with his energy, approachability and legacy, kids WILL gravitate toward him and what he say to a recruit would carry significant weight.

IF Meyer indeed has the privilege to become the head man of our football program, he would be a fool not to retain Vrabel on the staff. I think Fickell and Vrabel definitely have what it takes to be the two brightest young defensive coaches in the country, especially Fickell with his HC experience.

:osu2:

osu.edu ROCKS!!!!

 

[RB07OSU]

I see Vrabel's situation as nearly identical to Fickell's. A Buckeye fan-favorite in terms of name recognition but basically no experience at the position they were filling. Also very young. Ultimately, I will trust Meyer's judgment as he always has a killer staff of assistants. However, I would prefer to see him stay. Retiring from the NFL to coach a depleted LB unit last minute with no prior coaching experience is hardly an audition.

Sabino failed to do anything in the years before this season despite the raw talent, so you can't put that on Vrabel. Sweat was a decent-to-solid performer and is performing at that level this season imo. Bell was already gone, Whiting hadn't showed anything, McVey is hurt, Grant was trying to learn the ropes as a freshy, and Shazier really looks to be improving. This is the most down I can remember our LB's being. And Moeller, if considered a LB, has had a pretty terrible year that coaching couldn't help. I would hope we keep him and give him a couple years with the LB's and have Fickell help out some, unless we can get a big name LB coach (also analagous to Fickell, as I only wanted him replaced if we got someone in the Urban Meyer ballpark). I just have a feeling Vrabel can be a great coach, he is young, and I think he can rock out the recruiting aspect, especially with Meyer in town.