FOOTBALL 2018 FB Schedule
- Thread starter bobdizole
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The seasons of more favorable scheduling for increased wins to yield more success and attendance have passed. Now it's time to pay the bill for failing to get big success, buzz, energy, and good home crowds. Sadly, it's a bill the players will have to pony up on to some degree. Let's face it though, most of these young men will relish the opportunity to take a shot at SEC teams.
That whole bowl thing looks more difficult for next season.
I'm a little mixed on prospects for next season. I'm really liking what coach Shafer is bringing to the team. It's been a while since I've had positive expectations for the team on the defensive side of the ball. MT's bowl win wasn't exactly like winning the Rose Bowl, but it turned out to be quite an enjoyable bowl win. It was really good to see the team be able to celebrate a bowl win. The team could even be better next season, but they could have a worse record due to the strength of schedule.
That whole bowl thing looks more difficult for next season.
I'm a little mixed on prospects for next season. I'm really liking what coach Shafer is bringing to the team. It's been a while since I've had positive expectations for the team on the defensive side of the ball. MT's bowl win wasn't exactly like winning the Rose Bowl, but it turned out to be quite an enjoyable bowl win. It was really good to see the team be able to celebrate a bowl win. The team could even be better next season, but they could have a worse record due to the strength of schedule.
At some point to go from 7-8 wins we are going to have to beat some good teams. The only thing I don't like about the schedule is only 5 home game, really want 6. We are used to coming from behind in the schedule, the Vandy and FAU games are swing games for us and the difference between being bowl eligible and a great season.
FAU at home with Brent if he can stay healthy worries me a lot less now and Briles being gone is another factor.
Vandy will no longer have Webb or Sherfield. They lost a lot on D too. We just have to keep our RB's healthy in camp this year.
Marshall without Litton will be rough for them. They aren't exactly getting momentum for their new OC search either.
I'm calling 2-2 in the first 4 games. After that, we'll see. I think we beat FAU, WKU and Marshall this year if we keep Brent healthy. If not, we will be lucky to win 6. I would just play the 3rd string against UGA. Why risk getting the team hurt like in the Minny game last year?
Vandy will no longer have Webb or Sherfield. They lost a lot on D too. We just have to keep our RB's healthy in camp this year.
Marshall without Litton will be rough for them. They aren't exactly getting momentum for their new OC search either.
I'm calling 2-2 in the first 4 games. After that, we'll see. I think we beat FAU, WKU and Marshall this year if we keep Brent healthy. If not, we will be lucky to win 6. I would just play the 3rd string against UGA. Why risk getting the team hurt like in the Minny game last year?
The only un-winnable game is UGA.
If we're ever going to take that step forward, then we need to beat the Kentucky's, WKU's, and FAU's.
12+ years in, it's time to stop finishing in 4th place and moaning about the schedule. This is not a demand to win everything every year. But there's no reason we can't win something important every few years and be in the hunt the rest of the time.
Everyone in G5 has games against P5 schools. Everyone has a tough schedule. Everyone has facility problems, or budget problems. Everyone has injuries. Somehow, many of those teams overcome them to win conference championships and get ranked.
When are we going to be one of those teams?
If we're ever going to take that step forward, then we need to beat the Kentucky's, WKU's, and FAU's.
12+ years in, it's time to stop finishing in 4th place and moaning about the schedule. This is not a demand to win everything every year. But there's no reason we can't win something important every few years and be in the hunt the rest of the time.
Everyone in G5 has games against P5 schools. Everyone has a tough schedule. Everyone has facility problems, or budget problems. Everyone has injuries. Somehow, many of those teams overcome them to win conference championships and get ranked.
When are we going to be one of those teams?
Then don't schedule that many of them.
The fact is, programs like ours are not any different than FAU, Marshall, WKU, La Tech, USM, Northern Illinois, etc, etc, etc. We don't face any challenges that they don't also have, and in many respects they have much less to work with.
Yet each of those programs have achieved much more than we have.
Why not us?
Could it be some of these other programs focus on just a few sports? Of the list above, the only program that has as good an overall program is WKU. Of the list above I think we have the biggest athletic budget along with WKU.
I think part of our issue is the FB program is supporting the entire department. Maybe this isn't the right move or maybe it doesn't matter to the point being made.
The reality is we are so close in FB, we are only a win or 2 per year on average of being in a much better spot. The difference in the list above is each of these teams (other than LT) have won championships in FB over the last several years.
We really are in a damned if you do, damned if you don't position with FB...the departments needs the $$ because we don't have enough fans, or enough givers to off set it. Many won't give until we win more. I have no answers. We need facilities but don't have the cash.
You might be right regarding the other sports. We do have many other successful teams.
I freely admit that other than baseball (which ain't great since we didn't bother to actually hire a real baseball coach and just went with the guy down the hall), I pay zero attention to any of the other sports. And, considering attendance, neither do many other people.
Anyhow, driving this back to the schedule - that's not an impossible sched. We get FAU and WKU at home. Vanderbilt is losing some talent and Kentucky isn't a world beater.
If not now, when?
RaiderDoug: I beg to disagree that we are not any different - we are
Leaving out FAU and NIU the other four schools (all conference foes) have something we, apparently, never had and will never have. A sense of community. It all bolls down to location, location, location.
I'll give two facts from earlier threads:
We have no "sphere of influence" as evidenced by the fact that a survey showed that MT is not even the #1 followed team in zip code 37130 - where the damn school is located. How many "beat" writers do we have, how many out of town newspapers cover our games? Heck, our radio network is shrinking. Business signage in The Boro on game days is almost non-existent. Ride around The Boro and count MT fans compared to other schools. Most of the times I am in the town I am dismayed at the number of vehicles with UT-K, VU, UK, and UA decals, stickers, and front plates when compared to MT's. MTsU athletics has no "sphere of influence"; again, influenced heavily by location.
Point two: A schools' involvement by students and future support by alumni has been shown to have a direct correlation to how many live within walking distance to the school on the weekends when they are students. How many students at MT commute, are adult learners, or go home every weekend? Way too many of MT students' lives do not revolve around campus but somewhere else while they are students. Social influences, entertainment opportunities, and weekend jobs are not on or close to campus. (And don't get me started on satellite campuses and distance learning) Where do our students come from? Rutherford, Davidson, and Williamson counties are by far the largest percentages. Too many students' home-towns are within 45 minutes of campus compared to many other schools. Walk around MT on a weekend and the campus is a ghost-town compared to many other colleges and universities I have visited. Check it out for yourself by visiting other campus libraries, student centers and fraternity rows on a weekend. A few are close by.
Students and alumni are not ashamed to tell you they are/were students at MT but will admit they follow other school's athletic teams more closely. We have terrible student involvement (not just in athletics) and even worse alumni financial support and attendance at athletic events. We don't have a sense of community. We just don't.
Great Post MTFNBY5. When I was a student at MT, I lived and worked on South Tennessee. I was there on weekends and it was a ghost town then and I bet it is a ghost town now. It is a culture that may not be broken or fixed.
I used to give the boro a pass considering the Weil years and our transition to 1-A but now I think this town is definitely letting down golden goose that powers the economy.
That being said, if we start out 1-4, 1-5, or 1-6...attendance is going to stink (again), we will be out of the conference race, and we will ride on to the mediocre sunset. I hope we reverse that trend because I haven't cared in years and my interest almost non-existent at this point for football. The bowl game helped but I am going to be cautiously optimistic. I made it to one game last year. I'd like to double it at the very least.
I used to give the boro a pass considering the Weil years and our transition to 1-A but now I think this town is definitely letting down golden goose that powers the economy.
That being said, if we start out 1-4, 1-5, or 1-6...attendance is going to stink (again), we will be out of the conference race, and we will ride on to the mediocre sunset. I hope we reverse that trend because I haven't cared in years and my interest almost non-existent at this point for football. The bowl game helped but I am going to be cautiously optimistic. I made it to one game last year. I'd like to double it at the very least.
Well this thread has taken a depressing turn. I wish I could disagree with some of the points being made, but I really can't.
The general "suitcase college" phenomenon as touched on by MTFNBY5 has long been a difficult factor for MT. Perhaps suitcase college does not account for all the nuanced details of MT, but it does seem to fit to some degree. MT's location in some ways has been both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that MT's location in a growing suburb of a large fast growing metropolitan area has provided for a nearby large population base in which many students are drawn. The curse, those same large amount of students commute to school daily or drive 30 miles to home for the weekends. Of course this situation has never really been that conducive to establishing a connected social community on weekends and holidays etc etc.
At this point, I'm not even all that sure what can be done to help change that culture. Perhaps one element has recently begun. With the admin pushing higher academics and somewhat less quantity in enrollment, just maybe more dedicated students to campus and student life might be increasingly attracted. Whatever the case, the established culture and close proximity to the region's large population will likely continue to draw a large percentage of students who are desiring to commute. I don't even know if Pres McPhee is pushing any serious efforts on this front.
While the crowds may not be as large as most of us would like to see, at least MT and M'boro are capable of turning out decent crowds if the team is winning.
The general "suitcase college" phenomenon as touched on by MTFNBY5 has long been a difficult factor for MT. Perhaps suitcase college does not account for all the nuanced details of MT, but it does seem to fit to some degree. MT's location in some ways has been both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that MT's location in a growing suburb of a large fast growing metropolitan area has provided for a nearby large population base in which many students are drawn. The curse, those same large amount of students commute to school daily or drive 30 miles to home for the weekends. Of course this situation has never really been that conducive to establishing a connected social community on weekends and holidays etc etc.
At this point, I'm not even all that sure what can be done to help change that culture. Perhaps one element has recently begun. With the admin pushing higher academics and somewhat less quantity in enrollment, just maybe more dedicated students to campus and student life might be increasingly attracted. Whatever the case, the established culture and close proximity to the region's large population will likely continue to draw a large percentage of students who are desiring to commute. I don't even know if Pres McPhee is pushing any serious efforts on this front.
While the crowds may not be as large as most of us would like to see, at least MT and M'boro are capable of turning out decent crowds if the team is winning.
The fans and community have proven they will support the program and team when given a reason.
This fan base shows up every single year, only to be left disappointed time and time again.
We're about to graduate the best QB in program history, paired him with the best WR in history for several years, with a veteran coaching staff of 10+ years experience and backed by one of the top budgets in the conference..... And they'll have never even played for a conference championship. That's almost impossible.
There's no reason to lose to Vandy. There's no reason to lose to FAU. Sure, those are good teams. We're supposed to be a good team too. But if we ever want to be more than a 500% team, they are must wins.
This fan base shows up every single year, only to be left disappointed time and time again.
We're about to graduate the best QB in program history, paired him with the best WR in history for several years, with a veteran coaching staff of 10+ years experience and backed by one of the top budgets in the conference..... And they'll have never even played for a conference championship. That's almost impossible.
There's no reason to lose to Vandy. There's no reason to lose to FAU. Sure, those are good teams. We're supposed to be a good team too. But if we ever want to be more than a 500% team, they are must wins.
