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FOOTBALL Middle Tennessee (0-3, 0-1) vs WKU (0-2, 0-0) (ESPN3)/Homecoming, Saturday 4PM, October 3, 2020

I’m so glad that I am in Turkey and I have slept through the games this season. It is much easier to wake up and read about the game,instead of experiencing it in person.
 
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Here’s my guess: in the short term, if things don’t turn around, Franklin will be first on the list. The offense has been bad.

If that doesn’t fix anything, and this team is staring down a two or fewer win season, something bigger would likely happen.

Thats the problem.

If Stock wanted to make those changes, he should have made them after 4-8. He did not. Massaro did not force those changes.

Now another year in (and worse than before), Stock is going to do what anyone with common sense and eyes knew to do last year? - That’s weak, shows a lack of understanding & is all about saving your own hide versus what’s best with the program.

Agree with Space & others, if Stock isn’t fired, then Massaro is putting an exclamation point on his failed administration.
 
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Thats the problem.

If Stock wanted to make those changes, he should have made them after 4-8. He did not. Massaro did not force those changes.

Now another year in (and worse than before), Stock is going to do what anyone with common sense and eyes knew to do last year? - That’s weak, shows a lack of understanding & is all about saving your own hide versus what’s best with the program.

Agree with Space & others, if Stock isn’t fired, then Massaro is putting an exclamation point on his failed administration.
I understand you all wanted changes after last season. I wasn’t around so I can’t say I agreed or disagreed at the time.

Love it or hate it, firing Stock right now would do nothing to make any outcome better for the 2020 season. This cake is already baked - either Stock is given the opportunity to get this team to respectability or everything falls apart.

I understand that option sounds good to a fanbase desperate for any change. I’m sure you all are thinking, “I’d take the bottom falling out if it guaranteed a new coach.” but Massaro can’t make that decision - he’s got 100 players and ticket sales, concessions, etc. to think about.

Anyone expecting an announcement on Stock’s future in October is pissing in the wind.

Let’s get to the end of the year, then we’ll know more.
 
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I understand you all wanted changes after last season. I wasn’t around so I can’t say I agreed or disagreed at the time.

Love it or hate it, firing Stock right now would do nothing to make any outcome better for the 2020 season. This cake is already baked - either Stock is given the opportunity to get this team to respectability or everything falls apart.

I understand that option sounds good to a fanbase desperate for any change. I’m sure you all are thinking, “I’d take the bottom falling out if it guaranteed a new coach.” but Massaro can’t make that decision - he’s got 100 players and ticket sales, concessions, etc. to think about.

Anyone expecting an announcement on Stock’s future in October is pissing in the wind.

Let’s get to the end of the year, then we’ll know more.
CM told me a while back he doesn't like to make changes mid season. He's proven that the past 15 years. This is exactly why CM should be fired immediately.
 
I feel like watching this is deja vu all over again. After 2005, Tommy West ran through 4 Defensive Coordinators (counting himself). He fired Joe Lee Dunn 3 games into the 2006 season after an early blowout at ECU to appease the masses but lost his team, specifically his defense after naming himself the DC. The next year, he fired Rick Kravitz after FAU destroyed them in the NOLA Bowl. The next guy he hired saw the talent level and bolted for the Detroit Lions before getting fired in 2008. The next guy, Kenny Ingram was promoted from within and never was a DC. No one else would take the job because the coaching community knew it was a one and done position. It was a disaster. After three hires, folks finally figured out that the REAL problems were the AD and the Head Coach and cleaned house after 2009.
 
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I understand you all wanted changes after last season. I wasn’t around so I can’t say I agreed or disagreed at the time.

Love it or hate it, firing Stock right now would do nothing to make any outcome better for the 2020 season. This cake is already baked - either Stock is given the opportunity to get this team to respectability or everything falls apart.

I understand that option sounds good to a fanbase desperate for any change. I’m sure you all are thinking, “I’d take the bottom falling out if it guaranteed a new coach.” but Massaro can’t make that decision - he’s got 100 players and ticket sales, concessions, etc. to think about.

Anyone expecting an announcement on Stock’s future in October is pissing in the wind.

Let’s get to the end of the year, then we’ll know more.

2020 was ruined when Massaro gave his rah rah speech last December about how things looked up and no changes would be made. Massaro’s failure to critically analyze the situation is why 2020 is a dumpster fire.

Can you go into more detail about why Massaro can’t pull the trigger mid-season? I know Massaro wont (I expect Stock to be back next season), but AD fire HCs at all levels of college football at mid-season every year. If Massaro cared about ticket sales, concessions & donations, he would have fired Stock years ago. The longer he keeps Stock, the worse these will get. Our fan base was never large, but the core was bigger 5-10 years ago. A lot have sworn off donations and tickets until Stock is fired.

Only a fool doesn’t realize this and stubbornly brings His buddy back year after year at this point.
.

McPhee, Massaro and Stock need to go.
 
CM won't fire Stock. It isn't in his nature. He McPhee and Stock are the three amigos after all these years. They will ride out the year and Stock will "retire" with a cushy spot in an office and have major influence on the next hire.

So again. Nothing major will change in how things are run unless CM goes too.
 
CM won't fire Stock. It isn't in his nature. He McPhee and Stock are the three amigos after all these years. They will ride out the year and Stock will "retire" with a cushy spot in an office and have major influence on the next hire.

So again. Nothing major will change in how things are run unless CM goes too.
If Stock “retires” with all that he is contractually due, I want him gone. Massaro too. He lied to me last November about the “changes after the season”. Letting both of them hang around is a terrible plan for bringing back donors (like myself) and our chances in hiring really good replacements. That’s what it will take for me to come back. Nothing less.
I won’t be back until then.
 
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The sad reality is if it doesn’t include McPhee it’s not going to matter. Lest we forget how the AD actually had a good BB coach ready to take the job only to have McPhee say no and force the hire of McDevitt.

The truth is we are screwed whether we keep Stock or fire him. But at least with a new coach there might be some energy put back into the program. Ants in a toy ant farm are more functional and productive than this team.
 
The sad reality is if it doesn’t include McPhee it’s not going to matter. Lest we forget how the AD actually had a good BB coach ready to take the job only to have McPhee say no and force the hire of McDevitt.

100% this. That was such a pivotal moment. It showed Massaro has no real power over his own department. Me, personally, I would have quit that day and walked away, because the writing was on the wall. At the very least I’d be planning a swift exit strategy. Massaro seems content to ride this thing till the wheels fall off. It’s sad, really.

If there’s going to be substantial changes, it starts with McPhee - who has, what, 4 years left on his new deal? So I’m not holding my breath there. We’re in this for the long haul, folks. A winless season will probably shake things up, but if McPhee is calling the shots on replacements I have zero faith that the ship gets back on course.
 
2020 was ruined when Massaro gave his rah rah speech last December about how things looked up and no changes would be made. Massaro’s failure to critically analyze the situation is why 2020 is a dumpster fire.

Can you go into more detail about why Massaro can’t pull the trigger mid-season? I know Massaro wont (I expect Stock to be back next season), but AD fire HCs at all levels of college football at mid-season every year. If Massaro cared about ticket sales, concessions & donations, he would have fired Stock years ago. The longer he keeps Stock, the worse these will get. Our fan base was never large, but the core was bigger 5-10 years ago. A lot have sworn off donations and tickets until Stock is fired.

Only a fool doesn’t realize this and stubbornly brings His buddy back year after year at this point.
.

McPhee, Massaro and Stock need to go.
I just don’t see a scenario in which firing Stock mid-season solves any problems.

Schafer or whomever they appoint as interim isn’t suddenly going to get something out of this team that Stock hasn’t found.

Massaro and Stock are buddies - he’s going to give him every chance to turn it around and find some success - and after 15 years here I think he deserves it.

Now, if it doesn’t turn around, my guess is they’ll have a tough conversation before the final game. And it would not surprise me at all if they come to some sort of agreement for Stock to resign and a new buyout structure that helps the program.

But again, we’re a few weeks away from having a legitimate conversation about that.

FIU, NT and Rice are all pretty bad. And while I wouldn’t pick MT to sweep those three, it’s not impossible we’re sitting at the bye week talking about a 3-4 team. Stock deserves the opportunity to see it through.
 
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Tyler, a part of me didn't even want to bother with this, because I've just reached the point I don't care. But that's exactly the point here and why a decision now makes more sense than waiting (that is of course assuming we could negotiate our way down from that steep buy out). Making a change now would more than anything send a message to all of us that we aren't going to continue accepting this. Here are all the reasons to make a mid-season decision:

1. As mentioned, the fan base almost completely eroded. The risk to not making the move is now higher than keeping CRS. The fan base and the alumni have already spoken. We simply cannot continue operating the way we have been, and decision to make a change and the message that would send would have significant long term implications for bringing the fans back, increasing fundraising, and reviving the program.

2. The place where you are wrong is by saying after 15 years he deserves it. No, he doesn't. After 15 years, we deserve a championship. After 15 years, we know what we have. Let's even say he turns it around this year. This team is already virtually eliminated from the east. We've lost the opportunity of a lifetime with this season. Will never come again and it's gone. But in reality we are now 4-14 in our last 18 games, and every single person who plays close attention to this program can all see the problems and these aren't going to suddenly improve. What have you seen in this program that it's going magically get better? This isn't a ship that's taking on water. It's now fully sunk and continuing to pretend like it can float again is the epitome of delusion. And I mean no offense to you but having not been around long enough to see all this you simply don't see what so many others who have been intimately familiar with everything for years.

3. The premise that making a mid-season decision couldn't - itself - lend some infusion of excitement and energy into the program is not based in reality. The team might actually rally around the fact that the administration that we aren't going to accept being a loser and they are going to support the players in a way that proves to them they are going to give them keys to being a successful program. There are so many examples of these types of mid-season decisions infusing energy and something to rally around. I was thinking of what happened with Jake Lamb after he got released by the Diamondbacks. He was hitting .116 with an .380 OPS. He gets released, signed by the A's and leads the A's in hitting down the final two weeks of the season with an .882 OPS for Oakland. It doesn't mean it would happen, but certainly just from a perception/alum/fan base perspective would have significantly positive benefits. But let's say that doesn't happen. Let's say we make the change and go on to only win one game or even none. It doesn't matter, because frankly this season is already lost. There is no point waiting to pull the plug (if we can), because the point here more than this season is the long term impact. We need the administration to step up and have the same expectations we do which is a championship caliber program that not only graduates players but is consistently competitive for a conference title. Because the exact opposite message is what has been sent to us for so long. That's why the change not today but yesterday would have been hugely beneficial for the benefit of this program's future.

Frankly I believe we've now reached the point where we can't afford to figure out a way. We're going to continue losing money, because things are not going to get better. How can we continue to afford funding a program without donations and without gate? Because people aren't giving and people aren't going to start coming again until there is change. Message needs to be sent. Needed to be sent a long time ago before we got to this point. Anyone who didn't see this coming wasn't really paying attention.
 
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We did the same crap with McCollum. We had back-to-back 4-8 seasons (which incredibly is better than Stockill's last 18 games). I remember this vividly and got the internet version of lynching after telling people following the 8-3 season that McCollum's recruiting philosophy was going to kill the program. No one believed me. Not even after the first 4-8 season. Clearly, the same culture in place the administration didn't see it.

Then 5-6 season. Three straight losing seasons and it was clear it wasn't going to get better. Yet, no change and 4-7 the next season. Had it not been for APR not sure the change would have been made then, because MT doesn't demand excellence. That! Has to change.

The point to all this is there isn't some magic bullet coming that's going to fix this again. MT is not likely to ever have another winning season with CRS at the helm. So, why wait? Figure out the finances and make the move. There is literally no reason to believe this is going to get better. None. Just look at where our recruiting rankings sit over the past few years.
 
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Tyler, a part of me didn't even want to bother with this, because I've just reached the point I don't care. But that's exactly the point here and why a decision now makes more sense than waiting (that is of course assuming we could negotiate our way down from that steep buy out). Making a change now would more than anything send a message to all of us that we aren't going to continue accepting this. Here are all the reasons to make a mid-season decision:

1. As mentioned, the fan base almost completely eroded. The risk to not making the move is now higher than keeping CRS. The fan base and the alumni have already spoken. We simply cannot continue operating the way we have been, and decision to make a change and the message that would send would have significant long term implications for bringing the fans back, increasing fundraising, and reviving the program.

2. The place where you are wrong is by saying after 15 years he deserves it. No, he doesn't. After 15 years, we deserve a championship. After 15 years, we know what we have. Let's even say he turns it around this year. This team is already virtually eliminated from the east. We've lost the opportunity of a lifetime with this season. Will never come again and it's gone. But in reality we are now 4-14 in our last 18 games, and every single person who plays close attention to this program can all see the problems and these aren't going to suddenly improve. What have you seen in this program that it's going magically get better? This isn't a ship that's taking on water. It's now fully sunk and continuing to pretend like it can float again is the epitome of delusion. And I mean no offense to you but having not been around long enough to see all this you simply don't see what so many others who have been intimately familiar with everything for years.

3. The premise that making a mid-season decision couldn't - itself - lend some infusion of excitement and energy into the program is not based in reality. The team might actually rally around the fact that the administration that we aren't going to accept being a loser and they are going to support the players in a way that proves to them they are going to give them keys to being a successful program. There are so many examples of these types of mid-season decisions infusing energy and something to rally around. I was thinking of what happened with Jake Lamb after he got released by the Diamondbacks. He was hitting .116 with an .380 OPS. He gets released, signed by the A's and leads the A's in hitting down the final two weeks of the season with an .882 OPS for Oakland. It doesn't mean it would happen, but certainly just from a perception/alum/fan base perspective who have significantly positive benefits. But let's say that doesn't happen. Let's say we make the change and go on to only win one game or even none. It doesn't matter, because frankly this season is already lost. There is no point waiting to pull the plug (if we can). But frankly I believe we've now reached the point where we can't afford to figure out a way. We're going to continue losing money, because things are not going to get better. How can we continue to afford funding a program without donations and without gate? Because people aren't giving and people aren't going to start coming again until there is change. Message needs to be sent. Needed to be sent a long time ago before we got to this point. Anyone who didn't see this coming wasn't really paying attention.
I appreciate the time you took to post this and even if we disagree on small points I don’t think we’re far off on our conclusions.

I know the fear you all long term fans feel because I felt it growing up a UT fan.

The fear that, if given enough rope, Stock will find a way to right the ship and keep his job. That’s ultimately why you all want the decision to be made as soon as possible and I certainly understand it. I wanted Dooley and Butch blasted out of there the moment it was clear they were in over their heads - and they both got two additional years afterward. It’s frustrating!

I remember Fulmer got a contract extension after going 8-4 one season and we were all irate - and we were giddy when he was fired in 2008 - no matter what people will tell you now that he’s back as AD. The fanbase got very ugly with him, calling him Fat Phil and other derogatory names. I haven’t seen MT fans get to that level with Stock yet, thankfully.

This team and these players love Stock. Say what you want, but the only reason 95% of them are here is because of him. I’m sure they’ve grown to love the school and program in the process - but we talk to these players. Almost unanimously we hear “I want to play for Stock. I know his reputation.” If he is fired mid season, this team will tank.

Many of you don’t like it, but this program is synonymous with Rick Stockstill. It’s hard to know where he stops and the program begins. Everything about it is built to his specifications. We don’t know what it can be without him, but at some point we’re going to get the chance to see it.

It’s my opinion, and I’m fine to be on an island with it, that after 15 years of hard work and service to a university, that the man deserves the chance to figure it out. The recent results have not been good enough - especially the last two seasons. I would be silly to argue otherwise.

But you know what? Stock and his staff know it too. The losses don’t come due to lack of effort or inability to work. Sometimes things just come unglued.

As I said, if things don’t turn around, I fully expect there to be some major changes at the end of the year.

I don’t want to say I think Stock will be fired or will resign because if I post something like that I should know it as fact - that’s my job.

I don’t know it. But it’s what I believe
 
Tyler, the fact that this football team is sitting here at 0-4 and you are suggesting we should lower our expectations to just beat a remaining bunch of CUSA bottom feeders is exactly why the whole house needs to be cleaned. Unreal.
I’m not asking you to lower your expectations. I don’t have a super clear understanding of what reasonable expectations are for this program - but anyone would say the last two years have not been good enough.

All I’m saying is, if this team goes on a bit of a winning streak, bowl eligibility is within reach and the conversation changes.

You all might argue that is still not good enough and the body of evidence outweighs a couple of good weeks. And I’m not even saying I disagree with that - we could get to the end of the year, MT sits at 3-4 wins, and Stock still decides to step down. I don’t know. Anything is possible.

All I know is, despite what people want, there will not be a decision made this early in the year.
 
Let's be honest for just a moment. You say the team will tank if Stock is fired. How exactly would that look different than the first four games of this season or the last 18 games for that matter?

I think we can all agree that we all appreciate and love CRS as the man. We couldn't have had a more honorable person to run this program. I appreciate those qualities but at some point you also have to look at performance given the amount of money this university is paying him. And the truth is it's just not there.

But with that said, he has brought some of this on himself as well with some of the nepotism in hiring friends instead of finding the best coaches for the job. The West hiring (and refusal to remove in spite of season after season of under performance from that position) is just one example. These things cannot be swept under the rug, because the players love the man.
 
Let's be honest for just a moment. You say the team will tank if Stock is fired. How exactly would that look different than the first four games of this season or the last 18 games for that matter?
That’s fair. So I guess my question would be, if the results are pre-determined, i.e., this team is going to play poorly and not get invited to a bowl regardless; and the ultimate decision on Stock’s job stability is predetermined - either it’s time to move on or it isn’t, why does it matter whether he is fired mid season or allowed to go out in a more respectable fashion?
 
If he’s willing to retire on his own at the end of the season then that’s fine. If he’s going to continue trying into suck every penny from this university with these results then it makes a big difference to negotiate a settlement now, start preparing for the hiring process now in the offseason, and send a message to players, alumni, and prospective recruits that we have higher expectations here. That said if, say Shafer is installed as interim, he may do things differently that has an impact on current players who will return next year that benefits them. And then if he becomes the permanent then you’re already that much further ahead than we will be come January trying to sort it out with everyone else at the same time. We just don’t know but there certainly isn’t some sort of mystical advantage to waiting. Like I said if he’s willing to retire at the end of the year then that’s a different calculus.
 
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We did the same crap with McCollum. We had back-to-back 4-8 seasons (which incredibly is better than Stockill's last 18 games). I remember this vividly and got the internet version of lynching after telling people following the 8-3 season that McCollum's recruiting philosophy was going to kill the program. No one believed me. Not even after the first 4-8 season. Clearly, the same culture in place the administration didn't see it.

Then 5-6 season. Three straight losing seasons and it was clear it wasn't going to get better. Yet, no change and 4-7 the next season. Had it not been for APR not sure the change would have been made then, because MT doesn't demand excellence. That! Has to change.

The point to all this is there isn't some magic bullet coming that's going to fix this again. MT is not likely to ever have another winning season with CRS at the helm. So, why wait? Figure out the finances and make the move. There is literally no reason to believe this is going to get better. None. Just look at where our recruiting rankings sit over the past few years.

So you are the “original” Slappy? 😂😂
 
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That’s fair. So I guess my question would be, if the results are pre-determined, i.e., this team is going to play poorly and not get invited to a bowl regardless; and the ultimate decision on Stock’s job stability is predetermined - either it’s time to move on or it isn’t, why does it matter whether he is fired mid season or allowed to go out in a more respectable fashion?

To me it’s about signaling our administration gives a damn.

For the past 5-10 years, Massaro and McPhee have shown they do not care about fan opinions or competing for championships at the conference level. Allowing a .500 coach with zero championships 15 seasons is unacceptable. If our expectations are win 50% of your games, with a decent APR & no NCAA violations, then why are we “competing” at FBS and subsidizing this program with student fees to do it? If that’s it, let drop to FCS, play Instate teams, and cut student costs.

My expectations are simple, win your division at least once every 3/4 years or win the conference every 5 or 6 years. If Stock was a .500 coach with 2 or 3 conference championships and another division or 2 spread out over this time then honestly last year would have been the beginning of my complaints.

But Stock has zero championships and only 1 division in 15 years plus multiple chokes when he had the chance. He doesn’t have the collateral built up to cover 4-8 and there is no excuse for being as terrible as they are now.

Instead Stock is a multimillionaire, soon to be sub .500 coach with a terrible team and zero championships to show for it.

Stock should have been fired 6-8 years ago
 
So you are the “original” Slappy? 😂😂

The slappy movement came a bit later. There are a lot of similarities in the situations though the one big difference is CRS - of course - takes APR more seriously than winning games.

I liked McCollum a lot. Got to know him in a way I don’t know CRS personally. He too was a good dude. Just really down to earth - very approachable but I couldn’t figure what the hell he was doing. He would sign classes and then the following summer in some seasons half the class would never make it to campus. It’s like he was caught up in the appearance of how the class looked on paper regardless of whether they ever had a chance of taking a snap and then for every “recruiting loss” from the year before he would sign a JUCO the next year for that slot. Back then I called it a ponzi recruiting scheme because at some point you’re literally going to run out of players. That’s why when CRS was hired we still didn’t have 85 scholarships on the team in spite of McCollum being here seven years. After that third recruiting class I was like something’s not right here.
 
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The slappy movement came a bit later. There are a lot of similarities in the situations though the one big difference is CRS - of course - takes APR more seriously than winning games.

I liked McCollum a lot. Got to know him in a way I don’t know CRS personally. He too was a good dude. Just really down to earth - very approachable but I couldn’t figure what the hell he was doing. He would sign classes and then the following summer in some seasons half the class would never make it to campus. It’s like he was caught up in the appearance of how the class looked on paper regardless of whether they ever had a chance of taking a snap and then for every “recruiting loss” from the year before he would sign a JUCO the next year for that slot. Back then I called it a ponzi recruiting scheme because at some point you’re literally going to run out of players. That’s why when CRS was hired we still didn’t have 85 scholarships on the team in spite of McCollum being here seven years. After that third recruiting class I was like something’s not right here.
Sounds a lot like the way West left Memphis.
 
We did the same crap with McCollum. We had back-to-back 4-8 seasons (which incredibly is better than Stockill's last 18 games). I remember this vividly and got the internet version of lynching after telling people following the 8-3 season that McCollum's recruiting philosophy was going to kill the program. No one believed me. Not even after the first 4-8 season.
Most people wanted Andy gone after the Temple loss in 2003. The team quit winning once Wickline and Fedora left.

When Boots tried to fire Andy, 7 wood fired Boots instead.

https://goblueraiders.com/sports/football/schedule/2003
 
Most people wanted Andy gone after the Temple loss in 2003. The team quit winning once Wickline and Fedora left.

When Boots tried to fire Andy, 7 wood fired Boots instead.

https://goblueraiders.com/sports/football/schedule/2003

Well, even when andy was fired after four losing seasons, there were still some andy 'fluffers' still upset. It was unbelievable to me how people could still defend that crap then.
 
I appreciate the time you took to post this and even if we disagree on small points I don’t think we’re far off on our conclusions.

I know the fear you all long term fans feel because I felt it growing up a UT fan.

The fear that, if given enough rope, Stock will find a way to right the ship and keep his job. That’s ultimately why you all want the decision to be made as soon as possible and I certainly understand it. I wanted Dooley and Butch blasted out of there the moment it was clear they were in over their heads - and they both got two additional years afterward. It’s frustrating!

I remember Fulmer got a contract extension after going 8-4 one season and we were all irate - and we were giddy when he was fired in 2008 - no matter what people will tell you now that he’s back as AD. The fanbase got very ugly with him, calling him Fat Phil and other derogatory names. I haven’t seen MT fans get to that level with Stock yet, thankfully.

This team and these players love Stock. Say what you want, but the only reason 95% of them are here is because of him. I’m sure they’ve grown to love the school and program in the process - but we talk to these players. Almost unanimously we hear “I want to play for Stock. I know his reputation.” If he is fired mid season, this team will tank.

Many of you don’t like it, but this program is synonymous with Rick Stockstill. It’s hard to know where he stops and the program begins. Everything about it is built to his specifications. We don’t know what it can be without him, but at some point we’re going to get the chance to see it.

It’s my opinion, and I’m fine to be on an island with it, that after 15 years of hard work and service to a university, that the man deserves the chance to figure it out. The recent results have not been good enough - especially the last two seasons. I would be silly to argue otherwise.

But you know what? Stock and his staff know it too. The losses don’t come due to lack of effort or inability to work. Sometimes things just come unglued.

As I said, if things don’t turn around, I fully expect there to be some major changes at the end of the year.

I don’t want to say I think Stock will be fired or will resign because if I post something like that I should know it as fact - that’s my job.

I don’t know it. But it’s what I believe

This isn't a normal end of coaching regime type situation that you would see at any other program.

In fact, looking around college football, I cannot find a single, similar situation where the rot has been creeping in for so long with nothing being done. If you go and look at the top 10 college football coaches by longevity - one of them clearly stands out as not like the others when it comes to success on the field.

The fact is there's not another coach or situation where a coach can go that long with almost no real success, and not get fired. The parallel simply doesn't exist.

So, now that we've established that we're in the twilight zone, you may see why there's so much angst from the few fans that are left, and so much apathy from the one's who split long ago.

You say that Stock deserves as chance to "right the ship". What does "right the ship" look like?

Because 15 years of success looks like bare smidge over .500, the infamous "bowl eligibility", and a blowout bowl loss. That may be success to Stock/Massaro/McPhee, but it's not success to perhaps anyone but them.

You're right in the fact that firing Stock on Oct 5th vs Nov 5th won't make much of a difference.

I'm going to be honest with you and draw the clearest parallel as you have some UT fan in your background (me too, i live in Knoxville and went to UT before transferring to MT). You saw the incompetence at the end of the Dooley regime, and the implosion at the end of the Jones era.

Imagine if Dooley or Butch Jones got 15! years. 15! And where the fan base and where you would be as a fan at that point.

The losses don’t come due to lack of effort or inability to work. Sometimes things just come unglued.



I'm sorry, but i'm going to ask what evidence do you have of this?

I guess if you spot him walking in from the parking lot at 7:30am everyday, that can be considered effort.

But there's nothing on the field, in recruiting, or in any of the outside aspects of being the head of a major college football program (marketing, buzz, relations, etc) that would indicate that there's anything more than the absolute bare minimum 0.01% of effort being given.
 
Has this administration ever flat out said what the expectations are? I mean I know contract wise and longevity wise it is stated but I mean flat out said "this is what we expect." Thats the problem. CM or McPhee or Stock or anyone have no expectations. None. You can't improve when you have no idea what to shoot for. Every other AD in the country will gladly tell you what the expectations are and none of them are .500 with a whopping losing bowl record.

We should be shooting for division title every 3-4 years, which means shooting for conference as well, winning to me 2 out of 3. EVERY SINGLE recruit that comes in should know at least once what being a champion feels like. End of discussion. And that includes to be winning at least .75 of bowl games. Minimum.

I just don't understand why everyone sees this but the three amigos. I dont know if they don't see it, don't care, or what. But nothing. NOTHING, will change till they are gone. Ive fully realized that, especially after these past two years. I bleed blue. Hell. I have a MT tattoo. Permanent mark on my arm for the worls to see. And I'm to the point I don't even try to watch anymore. Sad. And it pisses me off that NO ONE in the administration even cares. Wow. Thanks for caring for my school.
 
I'm starting to suspect that this goes beyond gross incompetence; it seems that abject failure is expected and acceptable. It lets the "leaders" off the hook of responsibility and accountability if they just believe that little middle just isn't capable of anything much better. Hey, it's the fans fault. If more fans cared to attend, give, and support, then maybe this could be a championship program.

While I don't know if this is the reality at this point, it is pretty bad that it is now even a question.

While I never really thought it would be a likelihood, Chicom McPhee has about ruined or run off all the regard and affection I've had for the university. The football program is just a microcosm or one manifestation of his "leadership" of Middle Tennessee.

I'm about beyond caring. I guess I keep poking my head in to see if there are any signs that significant changes might be in the future. Surprise, surprise....nothing.

Middle Tennessee desperately needs a top to bottom house cleaning. Perhaps with good leadership, a new culture of excellence and success could return to MT. I don't even know if the state of Tennessee will allow that to happen.
 
Firing him now has NOTHING to do with this season. Nobody cares at this point. It is about starting fresh next year and starting the climb back up. The last 4-5 years under Stock have just been a steady decline. It's embarassing at this point. A change needs to be made.
 
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Let’s say in a parallel universe, Stock gets let go today. What is his buyout? Second question is, if MT were to hire an up and coming coordinator or a Will Healy type, what would be a reasonable salary at MT? Just wondering if it’ll save the athletic department money in the long term to rip the band aide now
 
Let’s say in a parallel universe, Stock gets let go today. What is his buyout? Second question is, if MT were to hire an up and coming coordinator or a Will Healy type, what would be a reasonable salary at MT? Just wondering if it’ll save the athletic department money in the long term to rip the band aide now
Not including offsets and other considerations, buyout remains north of $5.5 million for Stock himself.
Any coaching search will likely result in MT paying new HC $800k+
 
Thanks for the info Austin! That’s interesting that a new coach could make as little as $800K. I didn’t realize that was the standard now in CUSA
 
I suspect if we did have the balls to buyout Stock we’re probably looking at $500K. I would be ok with that if the compensation package is laden with additional incentives to win conference championships and other significant milestones - not a 7 win season or winning 5 conference games in one of the worst conferences in the country.
 
I suspect if we did have the balls to buyout Stock we’re probably looking at $500K. I would be ok with that if the compensation package is laden with additional incentives to win conference championships and other significant milestones - not a 7 win season or winning 5 conference games in one of the worst conferences in the country.

Tyson Helton signed a 4 year deal at $800k at WKU - now, he was on his way out at UT, so they probably got him at a discount. Willie Taggart signed for 750k for 5 years, but he's got FSU buyout $$$'s. Rickey Rahne at ODU as a same $750k per for 5.

That's the waters we'll need to be fishing in.

Helton can earn more in incentives. One of his incentives is $$$'s for hitting season ticket goals. In that way, you can structure it to pay for itself sort of. They can get creative, but that $750-800k seems to be the going rate.

The roster is void of talent and it's going to take several recruiting cycles to rebuild it, and any new coach is going to have to work double time for years on the rubber chicken circuit to win back over a fan base that's withered away. 5 wins might be success while we dig our way out. Any new coach is going to want security in $$$$'s and years, and he's not going to want an incentive laden deal.

I'm not sure of our position or finances of the AD with respect to the buyout or whatnot. But we're at the point where inaction is hurting the program more than making the change and forking over the $$$$'s. Honestly, we may have already crossed that Rubicon.
 
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We have been selling Stock short, according to USAToday, he made $901504 salary and $913,504 with bonuses in 2019.


Next HC is going to get a 5 year, $4 to 5 million contract.

The key number is assistant salary. We need to double our assistant salaries. I honestly don’t know where the money comes from.
 
We have been selling Stock short, according to USAToday, he made $901504 salary and $913,504 with bonuses in 2019.


Next HC is going to get a 5 year, $4 to 5 million contract.

The key number is assistant salary. We need to double our assistant salaries. I honestly don’t know where the money comes from.
I guess the $100,000 bonus kicked in for His 2019 based on 2018 results?
What a helluva ROI......😢
 
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