In my opinion there are two types of coaches in sports; the coach who is a system coach and the coach who is an adaptive coach. Some coaches mix a little bit of both but the truly successful ones employ one of these two mentalities. To give examples of the two types, take a look at some local coaching legends here in South Florida.
The system coach is a coach like Pat Riley. He believes in a system and
employs that system wherever he has coached. When he had the players to support his system he has found success; when he did not have the players or when they were hurt, he struggled. His system was a powerful, dominant center (Abdul-Jabbar; Ewing, Mourning, Shaq) and a dynamic guard (Magic, D-Wade) to feed the center with a bunch of defensive minded role players to fill the roster. No matter where he coaches, this is his formula for success. If his team was struggling, little to no adjustments were made; the team just needed to play harder.
The adaptive coach is a coach like Don Shula. When he was in the glory days of the early seventies, his offense was run dominated because that was his teams’ strength. When he drafted Marino, he threw the ball 40 times a game. The adaptive coach is also the type of coach that is not afraid to abandon a game plan at halftime if it was not working. Many times the team would come out from halftime with a completely different game plan than what they started the game with. This type of coach looks for mismatches and is always looking to make a move to give his team the edge.
If Shannon is a system coach, how much success can the team expect until he fills out the roster with his type of players? U also have to wonder how much control and influence he will have over the offensive side of the ball. What type of attack he will employ and how quick will he be to adjust the game plan if it is not effective?
The question here is what type of coach Randy Shannon is going to be.
Watching his defense the last couple of years, it seems like Shannon believes in a system. He plays the cover 2 press and expects his players to know everything there was to know in order to successfully run the scheme. Even when it seemed like the coverage was not working, Georgia Tech last year for example, Shannon was slow or reluctant to make adjustments to his game plan. He stuck to his system because he believed in it and because he felt the scheme would provide the best opportunity for his players to make plays. Georgia Tech, with Patrick Nix as Offensive Coordinator, would go on to win the game.
With Shannon certain things are known for sure. The team will be in shape. The team will be focused on game day. The team will not accept failure as an option. The best players will play and everyone is accountable for what they do. We all have seen what Shannon can do in recruiting and what has been accomplished there has been in a word excellence. But what happens at 12:00 on September 1 at the Orange Bowl will give us our first glimpse of how Shannon is going to coach this team.
Welcome to Friday Night Lights...
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:00 PM
Guest author DaytonaCane will be with us along with your blog host 86Cane...
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:01 PM
here
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:03 PM
86
Thinking about Riley and "sticking to his guns" I can't help but think about the Finals when his Knicks faced the Rockets in a game 7 and Starks shot like 1-16 and he never changed to another player.
Posted by: daytonacane | July 13, 2007 at 08:07 PM
You have to believe in what you are doing but at what point do you have to throw the gameplan out the window because it is not getting the job done.
These aspects of game management are going to be critical this year for Shannon to take a motivated and talented team and put them into positions to win games.
Posted by: daytonacane | July 13, 2007 at 08:10 PM
Well we have set a new record here at the Canespace blog! We exceeded 700 posts in only three days for the first time EVER for one blog topic!!!
Our previous record was somewhere over 600 (the judges are checking it out now), but this is a new milestone for us. The Lucky Dog who posted #700 is:
SolarCane! Here it is lucky #700:
It appears even the Oklahoma newspapers have a sense of humor:
"The NCAA wants Oklahoma football fans to take a summer vacation. Remember the 2005 OU season? Well, it's time to vacate it."
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 07:40 PM
SolarCane...congratulations! You have just won two tickets to the UM vs North Carolina Football Game in Chapel Hill, NC courtesy of Canespace!!!
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:10 PM
mm01 on the mic...
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:11 PM
How much is The Randy a system coach, and how much is it him just believing in running that kind of system when you have an athletic advantage over your opponents like Miami does on any given Saturday (minus FSU week, when it's more likely a push in athletic ability)? If The Randy was coaching FIU, would he still make his 3rd tier athletes run the same system I guess is what I'm wondering?
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | July 13, 2007 at 08:12 PM
I am not too confident in the flexibility of Caoch Shannon to be honest. Remember even Omar called into question some of Shannon's "Old School" mentality and methods. The Boss seems to be a do it my way or no way kind of guy...
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:13 PM
Shannon is a strong willed individual.
The person with the most to win or lose under Shannon is Nix. "The best players will play" Nix doesn't score points his journey into head coaching heaven will be derailed quick.
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:14 PM
"The system coach is a coach like Pat Riley. He believes in a system and employs that system wherever he has coached."
Let me see if I've got this right: the "system" that produced "Showtime" in Los Angeles is the same system that won a championship for the Heat (and lost one for the Knicks)?
I'm pretty sure that's not right.
Posted by: dj moonbat | July 13, 2007 at 08:15 PM
And if Nix is an adaptive coach as DaytonaCane seems to suggest, does that mean that Walton and the D will be a system unit, while Nix and the O will be an adaptive unit?
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | July 13, 2007 at 08:16 PM
The judges have conferred and determined that the old Canespace record for number of posts for one blog was 603 for:
"U Feeling Lucky Punk" written by none other than your boy SolarCane! Coincidence you ask? Hmmmm......
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:16 PM
86 your too kind, my eyes are moist, wait a second I gotta sneeze,
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:17 PM
"And if Nix is an adaptive coach as DaytonaCane seems to suggest, does that mean that Walton and the D will be a system unit, while Nix and the O will be an adaptive unit?"
I think that's probably what we'll see.
Posted by: dj moonbat | July 13, 2007 at 08:17 PM
agreed 86. I think Shannon is a little stubborn in regards to changing the gameplan midway through a game
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:20 PM
OGV,
I'm thinking the O will be very adaptive.
Remember something like" If we have to put a tight end at Qb then we will put a tight end at Qb or words to that affect.
Shannon seems driven to score points, I think he will be open to trying anything productive on O
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:20 PM
What I want to know is who has a problem with the last six years of defensive performance? I know that almost every year could have been better here or there, but for six years, The Randy turned in one of the top defenses you'll ever see regardless of the reduction in offensive production. And he had years where he had to replace the entire secondary, the majority of the linebacking corps, key pieces of the line, yet still excelled. How the Big O can call into question the tactics of a coach who has produced head-busting units like clockwork makes me wonder just how many great D-Coordinators he got to cover up-close and personal at FAMU. Maybe Cav's suspicion of an unpublicized Big O/The Randy feud is right on after all?
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | July 13, 2007 at 08:23 PM
Set a record, break a record it's what I do.
I'm the Barry Bonds of blogging
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:23 PM
Shannon knows that if his maneater defense can play with a substantial lead the game is OVER!
The big plays on D will return, the TO's for scores will happen regularly and the 7-10 point lead that we used to cling to will turn into 17 and 24 real quick.
Then the young guys get to play, everybody is happy on Monday at team meetings watching film of the BIG plays and the rest is history...
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:24 PM
Solar...after that last comment, I'm having second thoughts about those tickets!
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:26 PM
I mentioned on TOS that as soon as Shannon took over Omar got antsy.
Now I see in a move of sheer genius the SS has Omar at his old blog, with new curtains and desk
Wait tll Randy ignores him again "yea I said it"
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:27 PM
We always knew what to expect from the D as long as the ONION was in charge.Sure we had a few games that they didnt perform up to expectations but that happens.The ONIONs Ds dictated the game.
Posted by: Fear The Graveyard | July 13, 2007 at 08:27 PM
All we need is for a little more production on offense, just a little more... and everything will break wide open.
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:28 PM
Gee 86 not only the media hates me, but my own blogmates, I feel like.. A Miami Hurricane!!
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:28 PM
24-31 points per game... it's all over for everyone else.
17-24 points per game... the better teams we face might be in the game.
10-17 points per game... 7-6. Losses to UVA and Maryland. Enough said.
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:30 PM
mm01,
If we score some points the D can turn it all the way up, play loose and we will see some outrageous shyt
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:30 PM
By the way I invited Mark Pray, the Assistant Athletic Director of Communications for the University of Miami to join us tonight for FNL on the blog. I also invited him to invite "the Boss".
I don't think either will show, but it was worth the chance! Now don't anybody go doing any imitations here. That would not be in our best interests. If they show they show, but don't hold your breath...
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:31 PM
86 what time does the limo take me to the airport anyway?
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:32 PM
Solar you know what they say:
It's great to be Miami Hurricane,
I said it's great to be...
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:33 PM
Look, if my 11 guys on D are faster, stronger, jump higher, and athletically better across the board than their 11 counterparts on offense for the other team, YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT I'M LOCKING THEM UP IN MAN-TO-MAN FOR A FULL SIXTY MINUTES! If I have an advantage in 11 one-on-one match-ups, I take my chances with winning all 11 of those individual battles rather than running the risk of my 11 guys losing track of an inferior athlete in an 11 man web of reactive responsibility. To me, that's the '05 VT game right there. Shannon's 11 were a cut above Beamer and Stinespring's 11's right down to the LB spy vs. Ron Mexico's little brother matchup, thus the five turnovers, the defensive scores, and all out route on the road that ensued.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | July 13, 2007 at 08:33 PM
solar,
the D can take some chances with a double-digit leads! Turn up the heat some, yes sir, I agree!
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:34 PM
5:50PM the limo will arrive. Wear your best orange and green please!
But back to this coaching thing...
You got Shannon, Walton and Nix. Three young dynamic HUNGRY guys. I kinda like that combo!
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:34 PM
"What I want to know is who has a problem with the last six years of defensive performance?"
What he said. Even while losing just as many first-rounders as the offense, the defense just kept on a-clickin'.
There's nothing wrong with Randy's scheme. You just have to be super-duper disciplined if you want to run a scheme without gimmicks, and Shannon has them disciplined.
But he seems to like a big-play offense, instead of trying to grind out wins. Which is good. Because I like to watch UM blow teams' doors off.
Posted by: dj moonbat | July 13, 2007 at 08:35 PM
solarcane, the Bonds of blogging? I did think his forehead looked a little enlarged in those pictures on his page for some reason . . . hmm. ;)
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | July 13, 2007 at 08:36 PM
good point, OGV, but straight man-to-man D doesn't make the OC think too hard. I think RS got in some OC's heads in the past...
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:36 PM
the guy just knows Defense X's and O's. Let's hope that the scheme doesn't change too much under Walton...
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:39 PM
ONION has heard all the doubters and has a true understanding of what the U stands for and his drive will return us to oUr rightful throne atop college football.NIX DA FIX is the young blood we need on the O side of the ball.This team will follow the staff and thats a very positive atmosphere.DAU!!!
Posted by: Fear The Graveyard | July 13, 2007 at 08:39 PM
Shannon goal.
Bring Miami back to the top of College Football immediately
Nix goal
Bring a pathetic offense back to a top five scoring team, bring public eye upon the Miami offense and his coaching ability
Walton goal
Don't fk up Randy's Defense
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:39 PM
right on, solar!
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:41 PM
solar, where did you find that gem from Chow's O?
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:42 PM
not that I know what his 60 series means (blocking wise) or what his passing tree looks like. You know, a 60 series could be different dependent upon who's O your running.
U guys think we are gonna blitz more often this year?
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:43 PM
Make an opposing OC think? Why? He shouldn't be thinking, he should be WORRYING about the fact that the rush might be coming on the next snap and what he's going to do keep his QB alive for the ensuing play. How do you think The Randy got out of Boise with Coker's 60th win on New Year's Eve? He sat back, sat back, sat back, then BLITZED THE HELL OUT OF ROWE and got him to throw the hot read to where Grant was squatting on the route. Game over.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | July 13, 2007 at 08:46 PM
mm01
http://smartfootball.blogspot.com/
Chris Brown has lots of interesting things there
peace
Posted by: solarcane | July 13, 2007 at 08:47 PM
OGV, good point, instead of saying thinking I should have worrying...
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:52 PM
"Solarcane, the Bonds of blogging?"
You think the guy is on steroids?
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:57 PM
What about Barrow, how will he influence the defensive coaching?
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:58 PM
I don't know 86? Good point. He brings an NFL pedigree to the table now
Posted by: miamimike01 | July 13, 2007 at 08:59 PM
Remember you've got Barrow and Hurtt who are former Cane players now also.
I'm sure they have somethin' to say about the D too?
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 08:59 PM
Who did Shannon and Barrow play for in the NFL?
Posted by: 86Cane | July 13, 2007 at 09:00 PM