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2 Fatal Flaws
theknowledge
Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 4,845 
- Offensive line. They are a mid level Mountain West line at best. The fact that Fish and Carrol can scheme around this albatross to move the ball between the 20's as well as they do is pretty impressive. They will never be a good red zone offense this year because when things get tight and you really need to put a hat on a hat to create a hole to run through or a pocket to throw from they just can't do it. Juco kids, guys coming back from season ending injuries, RS freshman that don't look ready, Big Sky kids, Mountain West kids and a guy who played in a handful of games in four years at Ohio State. It's a mess and they're gonna need to build it from the floor up because they are too poor to afford ready made help. There is a reason they are trying to take up to six offensive lineman in the 2025 class. It's a shit as fuck room.
- Special teams. Can't cover punts or kick offs, can't block for field goals, can't make field goals. I thought Gross would be the X factor in winning close games and it's been the opposite. He's mentally fucked. He can't even get height on his chip shot kicks. Everything is a low line drive. If he were kicking at last years level UW is probably 6-1. It's not all on him but his regression has been dramatic, unexpected and has cost a UW team that can't score in the red zone critical points in tight ball games. like the offensive line this likely won't improve this year. PaoPao won't magically figure it out. This is a Fish problem and will need to be overhauled in the offseason.
The defense, QB's, the WR corps, the RB's have all been good enough to win games. The two fatal flaws are why UW will be fighting for 6 wins this year.
Comments
Y
The O line thing is infuriating and the first major red flag following the Fisch hire. Fisch knew our o line was decimated after last season and yet, as the OP pointed out, he put in almost no effort into getting portal guys for that position. So what we're left with is a bunch of freshmen from the 2 years that Huff couldn't recruit and some grad transfers that should be playing at some place like UC Davis
I like empty backfields on 3rd and 1.
The OL feels like they really put it together for a play here and there and then have massive breakdowns. The OL situation and some other situations required some rabbits out of the hat pulls to exceed expectations and nothing happened.
The coach sucks. In over his head. Wait for the blowouts @ penn st and @ ore and the loss @ indiana and 3/4 this board will feel the same way. He fuckin sarked us
The line was a lot better with McCree in. That was a massive loss
#1 is what I've been saying for months
Sark took us from Owen to winning the Holiday Bowl in 2 years. He had UW turned around. I have the receipts tucked away in my Yella Hard Drive.
Fair and I'm not an anti Sark guy on here. I think the situation he walked into in 2009 was really friendly though compared to what Fisch took over at Arizona. Not that I've deep dived that roster or anything. Having Locker there was huge for Sark.
2026 will be special. This is a three year build. They will get young next year and take their lumps similar to 2015 under Pete. Going into 26 they’ll know which of their recruits are good and they can use the portal to supplement where guys haven’t quite developed. I wouldn’t hold your breath that they will hit the portal hard for next year. Next year is about proving that Fish will ride or die with his recruits. If the kids next year don’t show talent UW is in big trouble. I’m in long term LIPO mode on Fish.
Sark, Pete, Lake and DeBoer inherited way better roster situations than Fisch.
I’m not saying we might not have to fire Fisch at some point so don’t twist.
But Creedence needs to be given to how hard year 1 was going to be. If Fisch was 6-1 right now it be some very impressive stuff.
On another note, I’m guessing home field advantage on the long road trips will prove to be a big deal in the B1G moving forward.
Im definitely not defending Fisch but I am curious what next year looks like. He won 1>5>10 at Arizona. His MO was never the same as DeBoers that he just wins every game so if he can get to 7 this year I'd still be hopeful in year 2
I couldn't believe my eyes
I agree on most points. I was kind of hoping Demond could be a red zone weapon simply because it opens up the run game a bit when things get packed. He threw a TD in garbage time, I wonder if he might be inserted in the near future as he earns trust.
I actually don't think UW is that far off. They just have no mental toughness. They take a fucking false start penalty on half of their red zone trips. Retarded.
If they punch in a TD on their first drive against Iowa it would be much easier for them to compete and win and develop that resilience.
OL is not good. But these fucks are not locked in and that keeps them from getting better.
QB and OL are losing because they lack the killer instinct.
No way they should be giving up 40 and only scoring 16. That is Fisch's fault for this team being mentally weak.
This game should have been a 31-24 contest.
I do like Fisch's construction of the roster in most respects, however.
Felt like a typical at ASU loss where it feels like easy chances were blown early (the flea flicker should have been 6) and it was an even game and then suddenly you're down by 28. Overall, the loss isn't a huge deal. It was a touch schedule coming off of Michigan and having to go there, the problem is the WSU and Rutgers losses made it a damn near must win.
This is a crap head case team with Mid America O and D lines and a QB that can not run and pass at the same time when obviously he needs to be able to do that given the Offensive Line issues. Obviously they will try out the kid QB to see what they have, but I’m not sure there is anything else to build on and the 2025 recruiting looks underwhelming. We look like a left behind program at this point unless they are able to buy the players they need to get back in the conversation in my opinion.
The recruiting is pretty good? That was the consensus
@PostGameOrangeSlices ok.. so i just looked and this is a little better than I was thinking… 8 “4 star” guys and a bunch of ”high 3 star guys” so maybe they do have some guys to start to build on after all…
To be fair to Fisch, the new portal rules gutted the OL. The 2024 team was returning its 3 interior starters and already had Azzopardi coming in at RT (who has been good this year outside of the Iowa game).
If UW had had a managed coaching transition like Alabama and Michigan had, they would have had time to convince players to stay. Instead, the 3 returning starters left and Fisch and co had to scramble to replace them. They got LT Chris Adams but then he decided to go to a school closer to home so they pulled the McCree rabbit out of the hat and he has been solid. There's a big drop off after him so I hope he can come back.
The guy who really worries me is the RG from Ohio State. In the last 3 or 4 games, he has missed blocked that have led to at least two blocked field goals and has had at least two false starts in the red zone. Even though he's a RS-SR, he really shouldn't be starting. If McCree and Memelaar are healthy after the bye week, why not try Hatchett or Tafai at RG?