Today's attendance for Homecoming. We are now 3-1 in conference. If that doesn't tell Massaro & Co. how apathetic the fan base as a whole is, I don't know what does. That was the smallest crowd our team has played in front of all year, and it was at home. This team deserves big crowds having done well so far in CUSA, but I fear there is such little support for Coach Stockstill that it's making another lasting negative mark on the fan base. Ugh.
FOOTBALL 13,102
- Thread starter MTOleBlue
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3-1 in the conference sounds nice but I feel the fan base is just tired and has been for a while. Recent results against regional rivals and lack of success in CUSA as well as losing most bowls we play in has just destroyed the fan base.
Stockstill is not doing a bad job per say, but with the direction CFB and sports in general are going you really gotta have a rock-star head coach and top shelf product on the field if you expect big crowds. People, and the networks, want to support the fun, flavor of the month programs who defy expectations. Our basketball program has captured a lot of this recently. Football program, not so much.
By the way, there wasn't even close to 13k people in that stadium. 3-4k at most.
Stockstill is not doing a bad job per say, but with the direction CFB and sports in general are going you really gotta have a rock-star head coach and top shelf product on the field if you expect big crowds. People, and the networks, want to support the fun, flavor of the month programs who defy expectations. Our basketball program has captured a lot of this recently. Football program, not so much.
By the way, there wasn't even close to 13k people in that stadium. 3-4k at most.
We can’t go up against Bama-UTK. And many other reasons.
Smallest HC I’ve ever seen. Last year was bad too
But I and my 4 tickets were used
Smallest HC I’ve ever seen. Last year was bad too
But I and my 4 tickets were used
The city is full of transplants who don't care about MTSU. In general young people don't care about football. Even if we had an energetic and charastmatic coach I'm not sure it would help much.
It's disheartening when I see our downtown becoming more vibrant and full of people. I wish it would translate over to support.
When I approached the parade the first thing I saw was two Tennessee chairs. At least people are showing up for free candy.
It's disheartening when I see our downtown becoming more vibrant and full of people. I wish it would translate over to support.
When I approached the parade the first thing I saw was two Tennessee chairs. At least people are showing up for free candy.
Awful game against Vandy and lost last weekend in front of 853 people. We can’t get a law school approved and have little support at the state level. It was a great day weather wise and glad we got a W.
Man, it really is a mystery why no one supports this team...maybe we can discuss in depth?
I still feel it’s the color blue. Maybe if we were the yellow raiders?
I still feel it’s the color blue. Maybe if we were the yellow raiders?
People support whoever is popular. That's why the Kroger on Veterans has an entire shelf for Bama merchandise. I have 5 MTSU alum in my office not counting me (a small office). One goes for Utah, another roots for Ohio State, another for Bama, and two hate sports. This ratio is likely common.
It's the alumni that are killing us. I understand a lot of the alumni base grew up watching other teams. I did. Some have strong emotional connections to those teams, but if you earned your degree from MTSU....that's your first priority. If anything it raises visibility for your Alma mater. Unfortunately, MTSU is the school that a lot of people ended up going to. They have no intention of ever supporting their Alma Mater. Once leaving MTSU they'll return to their childhood school or whoever their buddies root for.
It's the alumni that are killing us. I understand a lot of the alumni base grew up watching other teams. I did. Some have strong emotional connections to those teams, but if you earned your degree from MTSU....that's your first priority. If anything it raises visibility for your Alma mater. Unfortunately, MTSU is the school that a lot of people ended up going to. They have no intention of ever supporting their Alma Mater. Once leaving MTSU they'll return to their childhood school or whoever their buddies root for.
I just think Lightning needs some help. Hire Stormy Daniels and we might get Jim Cantore coverage!
THIS
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again. I wish I knew how to get other alumni to feel the same.
I grew up in WV. Live here now. Raised a WVU fan. Went to games. Still root for them and still go to games now and then.
But I’ll tell you this.
If MT ever played WVU, I’d be wearing my royal blue and white and cheering for the Mountaineers to get their butts stomped.
WONDERFUL comment! There is no school pride or feelings of emotional connection anymore. Believe it or not, I was asked yesterday about our opponent whether they were UNCC or if a D-II non conference game from Charlotte, Tennessee. Folks, that’s a problem. The Sun Belt and C-USA has lent itself the need to travel 1,500 or 2,000 miles between no name opponents over three time zones. Coverage in media, television or print is non existent or limited to a corner box column or 20 seconds of airtime of C-USA; many do not know who we play or often see it as OVC level competition, and not D-I like the $EC. At least with the OVC, everyone around here knew or heard of of Tenn. Tech, TSU, APSU, Murray, Eastern KY, or UT Martin. We were 1-AA then, but homecoming was pretty festive with our 11,000 or so folks present in a 15,000 seat stadium: yesterday’s 13,102 was more like 5,300 in person. One year, WNGE’s (Channel 2) Tom Siler came to a chili cook off during Homecoming week. That cook off supported a charity, IIRC. That builds spirit. Unfortunately, the C-USA brand of FBS football is like buying yellow label Cost Cutter or the plain labeled generic can foods when placed next to the national brands of $EC, B1G, or PAC 12.
The choices of games on TV, our diminished stature such as MT not getting a law school, our inconsistencies in media/marketing, and lack of recent championships all hurt our image. Perception has to change. Community engagement has to improve. And, quality of play must be consistent in terms of contending for championships and winning them often. Has to be more than once every 26 years for an outright title and not like the 2006 Troy or 2012 blowout loss to Arkansas State. Wins against Vanderbilt are the measuring sticks: if we can’t do that, then a championship is a must if we are to have the currency and relevance of school spirit.
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Football fortunes run in cycles, especially in the G5.
Teams are bad, they rebuild, they reach the top, and they do it all over again. Winning is great. Even losing is OK because there's excitement in the new hope that it brings. What you can't be is mediocre.
We're stuck in that no man's land between good and bad, and we've been there for so long every season it is like watching a movie you just saw, for the 13th time.
It's really a unique situation - I've searched wiki and college football reference and Stock's longevity here without accomplishment of any note is unheard of. There's not even any comparison, the closest is Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern but that's sort of a one off as they've done well for NW and he's a favorite son.
Add in the fact that the program has no personality, the overwhelming emotion that MT football elicits is "meh" .
Even when we win, no one really gets fired up, and that should scare the crap out of the AD.
People think losing can hurt a program. It can't. Everybody loses from time to time. That's why the "it could be worse" argument holds no water.
Apathy kills though. You can bring back an angry fan. The ones that just don't care are lost forever.
Teams are bad, they rebuild, they reach the top, and they do it all over again. Winning is great. Even losing is OK because there's excitement in the new hope that it brings. What you can't be is mediocre.
We're stuck in that no man's land between good and bad, and we've been there for so long every season it is like watching a movie you just saw, for the 13th time.
It's really a unique situation - I've searched wiki and college football reference and Stock's longevity here without accomplishment of any note is unheard of. There's not even any comparison, the closest is Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern but that's sort of a one off as they've done well for NW and he's a favorite son.
Add in the fact that the program has no personality, the overwhelming emotion that MT football elicits is "meh" .
Even when we win, no one really gets fired up, and that should scare the crap out of the AD.
People think losing can hurt a program. It can't. Everybody loses from time to time. That's why the "it could be worse" argument holds no water.
Apathy kills though. You can bring back an angry fan. The ones that just don't care are lost forever.
I lived in Murfreesboro from 2003 to 2010, I was raised a UGA fan and don't think I had even heard of MT until about 2001.
My fandom ratio went from 90/10 UGA to 99/1 MT from roughly 2003 to 2005 and I didn't miss a home game from 2005 to 2010, I attended the Motor City, New Orleans and GoDaddy bowls. I traveled to Tuscaloosa, Fort Lauderdale, Monroe, College Park, Starkville, Lexington, Louisville, Columbia, Jonesboro...
I moved back to Atlanta and came back for every home game in 2010, 2011, and 2012, over the last five years the apathy has reached me as well and my attendance has declined each year to the point that 2017 was the first year I didn't attend a single game and it's unlikely I make one this year as well.
There are some exacerbating circumstances, I work many weekends and this is my second season as an Atlanta United season ticket holder.
I'll make it back up there if I find myself with free weekends in the future, but with my current situation and the longstanding tradition of mediocrity and letdowns that is Blue Raider football, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify taking time off and/or missing United games, to drive 200+ miles to watch average football in an empty stadium.
My fandom ratio went from 90/10 UGA to 99/1 MT from roughly 2003 to 2005 and I didn't miss a home game from 2005 to 2010, I attended the Motor City, New Orleans and GoDaddy bowls. I traveled to Tuscaloosa, Fort Lauderdale, Monroe, College Park, Starkville, Lexington, Louisville, Columbia, Jonesboro...
I moved back to Atlanta and came back for every home game in 2010, 2011, and 2012, over the last five years the apathy has reached me as well and my attendance has declined each year to the point that 2017 was the first year I didn't attend a single game and it's unlikely I make one this year as well.
There are some exacerbating circumstances, I work many weekends and this is my second season as an Atlanta United season ticket holder.
I'll make it back up there if I find myself with free weekends in the future, but with my current situation and the longstanding tradition of mediocrity and letdowns that is Blue Raider football, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify taking time off and/or missing United games, to drive 200+ miles to watch average football in an empty stadium.
Definitely more than 3-4k there Saturday. But unfortunately when you put up 140 yards of offense you are doing nothing to convince newcomers to ever come back. There are empty seats everywhere...so we are no different although we have a LOT of them.
I just can't see it happening.
Why would he?
This is about as low pressure a job as there is in college football. It might be the lowest pressure job in college football. He's not really all that old for coaching- he's only 60. Saban's 66, Bill Snyder is 79, plenty of older coaches than 60 are still around.
His staff is stocked with his buddies, and he's got a lifetime contract from the AD who's totally fine with 6-6 and trips to Hawaii. He doesn't even really have to bother to recruit much.
Unless you know something definite, I just can't see it happening.
I will pledge right now to purchase 2 season tickets within 1 hour of a press conference announcing a new coach.
So what you’re saying is we could have 19 more years of Stockstill (if he goes Snyder’s way)...
Yeah. I don't see Stock retiring, I also don't see him making it close to 19 more years.
The auto extension portion of his contract is over I believe, but he's still signed on for another four or five years if I'm not mistaken.
Without drastic changes in outcome, I could just see him coaching out his current contract and then maybe retiring.
The auto extension portion of his contract is over I believe, but he's still signed on for another four or five years if I'm not mistaken.
Without drastic changes in outcome, I could just see him coaching out his current contract and then maybe retiring.
Kirk Ferentz originally came to mind, but he did win a couple of B!G titles. Of course the last one is 2004. He also did not take over a losing program in D1A infancy with no money and an aging fanbase. The reason this is a unique case is there is likely no other program as consistent and as new to the FBS/1A level. Even if that consistency is mediocrity. Boise State may be the only exception. They are obviously at another level, but also in a different part of the U.S. Ever notice for the most part Midwest and Northern teams do better at the lower levels. The talent slips through the cracks much easier than where we play.
I’dlook at what the sounds and preds are doing. Middle game days are the same as 1999.
Why would Stock retire? He just passed up a 100k raise for added years to his contract.....which people think he will now walk away from? huh???
He's only 60. Brent want's to get into coaching. I'm sure he will have Brent on staff sooner rather than later. Probably groom him for the head job. I will die an old man with a Stockstill still as our HC.
Just doesn't add up as to why he would retire, unless he really had a change of heart the last ~12ish months. I don't see it.
He's only 60. Brent want's to get into coaching. I'm sure he will have Brent on staff sooner rather than later. Probably groom him for the head job. I will die an old man with a Stockstill still as our HC.
Just doesn't add up as to why he would retire, unless he really had a change of heart the last ~12ish months. I don't see it.
When we moved up to 1-A, I remember seeing a lot of young alumni coming to games and bringing their kids. It was common to see kids tailgating, playing catch, having a good time in Blue Raider gear and going into the games. I thought that kind of like with the Predators, we'd build a fan base through the next generation. Kids that are students now, could have been won as fans when they were young, but our inability to capture the mid-state college football fan and/or our young alumni with the product on the field prevented those kids from considering MTSU as a legitimately "cool" school to root for.
On top of that, MTSU went out of it's way to crush the Greek Life experience on campus and as that went on, I saw less and less fellow Greek alumni brining their families out to the games and tailgate parties. So now the kids of the parents who MTSU really needed full buy in from are enrolling and graduating and their level of enthusiasm for the football games is evident.
Throw in all of the other variables, ESPN only promoting highest level competition, unprecedented success of SEC, addition of professional sports in the mid-state market... It's an unbelievable deck of cards our athletic department was dealt. I really think our window to make this work was the most open from 2002-2010 and unfortunately we followed that great 09 momentum up with two clunkers of seasons.
On top of that, MTSU went out of it's way to crush the Greek Life experience on campus and as that went on, I saw less and less fellow Greek alumni brining their families out to the games and tailgate parties. So now the kids of the parents who MTSU really needed full buy in from are enrolling and graduating and their level of enthusiasm for the football games is evident.
Throw in all of the other variables, ESPN only promoting highest level competition, unprecedented success of SEC, addition of professional sports in the mid-state market... It's an unbelievable deck of cards our athletic department was dealt. I really think our window to make this work was the most open from 2002-2010 and unfortunately we followed that great 09 momentum up with two clunkers of seasons.
The whole leadership of the university, athletic department, and football program needs to be ripped out by the roots and replaced, or a flamethrower needs to be taken to this place.
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