FOOTBALL Middle Tennessee (3-7, 2-4)vs ODU (1-9, 0-6), 3:30PM, Saturday, November 23, 2019

[SpaceRaider]

game thread, a work in progress:

Old Dominion University
Location: 5115 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23529
Founded: 1930 Enrollment: 24,932 Undergrad 19,612 Postgrad 5,058
Acceptance rate: 81.9%
Colors: Slate Blue, Silver, and Light Blue Nickname: Monarchs Fight song: ODU Fight Song
Series: MT leads 3-0
Stadium: S.B. Ballard (20,118)
Head Coach: Bobby Wilder (Maine, 1987) Record at ODU: 76-45 (11th) Overall: Same
2018 Record: 4-8 (2-6) 2018 Bowl: None
Starters Ret./Lost: 12/13 Lettermen R/L: 32/23

Weather Forecast: Cloudy 48°, 15% Precip, 84% humidity, W 13 mph

Where: Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium/Horace Jones Field, 1500 Greenland Dr, Murfreesboro, TN 37130

Stadium Policies: Clear Bag/stadium seat/cushion policy,


Television: ESPN3, Jake Rose, Alex Myers, Kaitlyn Runion

Radio: PxP: Chip Walters, Analyst: Wes Counts, Murfreesboro – WGNS 1450 AM/100.5 FM/101.9 FM; Lynchburg – WDUC 93.9 FM; Nashville – The Game 102.5 FM/97.5 FM; TuneIn

Streaming: LISTEN, Video

Live Stats: LIVE STATS

Newspapers: The Virginian-Pilot, The Daily Press, ,

Message Boards: The Lions Den,

Blogs: ,

Athletic site: odusports.com, goblueraiders.com

Media Guides: ODU, Middle Tennessee

Preseason Previews: , , , Middle Tennessee (Orlando Sentinel #99), 2019 SBNation MT Preview

Game Notes: ODU Notes, MT GAME NOTES

Roster: Monarchs, Blue Raiders

Game Previews: ,, Middle Tennessee vs. Old Dominion Fearless Prediction, Game Preview, Looking ahead to MT and ODU

Twitter: @ODUSports, @ODUFootball, @ODUCoachWilder, @Harry_MiniumODU, @TedAlexanderodu, , , , , , , , @PlantersBowl,

Hashtags: #ODUFB , #ODUSports, #DeepBlueODU, #aimhigh, #PlantersBowl , #MTvsODU, #BlueRaiders, , , ,

Facebook: ODUSports, ODUFootball, ,

Youtube: ODUSports, ,, ,

Instagram: ODUSports, , ,

 

[SpaceRaider]

MT favored by 14

https://www.vegasinsider.com/colleg...on-@-middle-tennessee-state.cfm/date/11-23-19

 

[MTLynn]

MT favored by 14

Boy, that's the kiss of death

 

[blueraiderJT]

I'm taking ODU. Without question.

 

[MT01]

Unless they just quit on the season, I still expect us to thump ODU and get boat raced by the Goats.

Of course I thought we would pull out a closer than the experts think win over Rice as well. Just didn't realize no one was going to show up in the first half.

 

[RaiderDawg78]

Their message board looks remarkably like ours. Complaints about the broadcast, stadium issues and a long fire the coach thread.

Looks like their HC has been at ODU almost as long as Stock here. Of course he had better success early compared to Stock, albeit in FCS, and worse results in FBS overall.

I wonder who gets fired first.**

 

[SpaceRaider]

Their message board looks remarkably like ours. Complaints about the broadcast, stadium issues and a long fire the coach thread.

Looks like their HC has been at ODU almost as long as Stock here. Of course he had better success early compared to Stock, albeit in FCS, and worse results in FBS overall.

I wonder who gets fired first.**

Poor Bobby Wilder...

 

[SpaceRaider]

83.9%

https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401114316

 

[FranklinRaider315]

Senior Day crowd will probably look like a closed scrimmage (except for band and family).

 

[SpaceRaider]

Middle Tennessee has never lost to Old Dominion. But then the last two opponents we had never lost to. I wonder, outside of P5 opponents, if we have ever lost three straight games to opponents we've never lost to before?

 

[MTLynn]

Middle Tennessee has never lost to Old Dominion. But then the last two opponents we had never lost to. I wonder, outside of P5 opponents, if we have ever lost three straight games to opponents we've never lost to before?

Hey, Stuckstill is taking the program to places it has never been before...

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

goblueraiders.com:



MT vs. ODU presser

 

[blueraiderJT]

I think Stuckstill is gonna be on the next season of Fear the Walking Dead. He's basically a corpse with a microphone.

 

[SpaceRaider]

They're not making excuses or anything ( ) but according to the dnj article (excerpt):

"...Of the 84 scholarship players on the roster, 29 are out this week with an injury. That list includes safety Reed Blankenship, running back Chaton Mobley, wide receivers Zack Dobson and CJ Windham as well as linebacker Brett Shepherd, who all suffered season-ending injuries earlier in the season....."

 

[MT01]

They're not making excuses or anything ( ) but according to the dnj article (excerpt):

"...Of the 84 scholarship players on the roster, 29 are out this week with an injury. That list includes safety Reed Blankenship, running back Chaton Mobley, wide receivers Zack Dobson and CJ Windham as well as linebacker Brett Shepherd, who all suffered season-ending injuries earlier in the season....."

Everybody has injuries. The problem is the depth and degree of injuries at MT that's abnormal. If you googled it you could find a similar article written a year ago about all the injuries. And the year before that. What's happening is the norm not the anomaly. And it's not just that we happen to be more unlucky. This is a product of at least two things.

1) Recruiting I-AA level players and trying to not only have them compete a full season at the I-A level but also trying to force them up in positions. I was just SMH when they were talking about how Brooks had moved from corner to eventually linebacker. I mean - what a perfect example. You can't take a DB's body and have him consistently take the punishment a LB body requires. Nor can you take a LB's body and turn that into a defensive linemen. But that's what CRS and this staff constantly do to try to fill out their roster. Why? Because recruiting is failing.

2) There is also obviously something wrong with our training, off season workout program, nutrition, etc. Hell, no more than some players like Dobson touch the ball there is no reason why they should be hurt so easily.

This "injury" issue is just another example of the failed coaching staff and the failed leadership of the athletic department. But I guess you have to live 700 miles away to see it.

 

[FranklinRaider315]

They're not making excuses or anything ( ) but according to the dnj article (excerpt):

"...Of the 84 scholarship players on the roster, 29 are out this week with an injury. That list includes safety Reed Blankenship, running back Chaton Mobley, wide receivers Zack Dobson and CJ Windham as well as linebacker Brett Shepherd, who all suffered season-ending injuries earlier in the season....."

Every team has injuries at this point in the season.

 

[AustinLewis]

They're not making excuses or anything ( ) but according to the dnj article (excerpt):

"...Of the 84 scholarship players on the roster, 29 are out this week with an injury. That list includes safety Reed Blankenship, running back Chaton Mobley, wide receivers Zack Dobson and CJ Windham as well as linebacker Brett Shepherd, who all suffered season-ending injuries earlier in the season....."

Not making excuses ... proceeds to make excuse

 

[FranklinRaider315]

Not making excuses ... proceeds to make excuse

I would love to see a spreadsheet or a screen shot of current and past recruiting boards by position coach, who they targeted and, the final decision the kids made on signing day. Then compare it to travel logs and expenses submitted by position coach.

 

[SpaceRaider]

ICYMI...

wgns:

PODCAST: 11.18.19 Rick Stockstill Live Radio Show

 

[FranklinRaider315]

I haven’t clicked it yet to listen but I’m hoping that Wiley called in. LOL

I also wonder what the chatter was like on the Florida St Former Players Facebook Group this weekend.

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[AustinLewis]

I would love to see a spreadsheet or a screen shot of current and past recruiting boards by position coach, who they targeted and, the final decision the kids made on signing day. Then compare it to travel logs and expenses submitted by position coach.

I worked football operations and recruiting for a Division I program and one of my jobs was handling travel logs, expenses, and compliance paperwork.

It's something you want to read through.

Second, travel logs / expenses may not reflect the quality of the recruiter. Coaches who recruit south GA and Florida will naturally spend more than coaches who have TN recruiting territories.

 

[sWiley]

I haven’t clicked it yet to listen but I’m hoping that Wiley called in. LOL

I just don't care anymore. I'm 100% checked out with this program. It's not even worth calling/complaining any longer.

There is no accountability anywhere at any level throughout the university. From McPhee to Massaro to Stockstill. What coaches have ever been fired for doing a poor job? Only one I can think of is the OC who was here for a year that previously was at Illinois that Stock fired. Willie Simmons had to be fired for choking his wife out. Everyone else either quit, took a lateral job, or rarely were hired away to a better gig (Only Manny Diaz comes to mind).

Massaro knows he has a bad contract with Stock, but he obviously cannot come out and publicly admit that. At this point, he just has to hope for the best to try and save face. Problem is, the program is already dead. It's too late, but he can't buy him out either because he gave him a golden, unfireable contract. So now we all get to suffer because of Massaro's terrible decision....and there's no accountabilty whatsoever. Meanwhile, coaches are publicly lobbying for Stock to get the FSU job. You cannot make this $hit up.

I've said it a million times. Sometimes you just need fresh blood for the sake of having fresh blood. New faces, new hope for the program etc. Stockstill has been ~15 years and has never fielded the best team in the conference. He's had his opportunities. The fan base is tired of always hovering around the "middle" of the conference or being the second best team at best. It's boring, uninspiring, and hopeless. Disinterest in the program is at levels I've never even seen before.

Even in McCollum's final year of ineptitude people still adamantly followed and supported the team and hoped for great things. Stockstill has simply been here too long and hasn't produced enough in that said amount of time. Massaro can sit there and point at his record against conference opponents until the cows come home, but everybody knows that record was built beating the worst teams in FBS football during our Sun Belt and CUSA years. Almost every time we face a team with a pulse under Stockstill it's a loss. Big games were almost always losses. We smoke UAB in a game that ended up being meaningless and then lose the following week when it actually mattered (12 men on the field, never forget). That's a microcosm of Stock's 15 years here. Play great in meaningless games, and always come up short in the big ones. And people are sick and tired of it. Hell, people are sick and tired of talking about how sick and tired they are of the program. That's how bad it is. And the president of the university and the AD don't seem to have a care in the world.

There is so much this program needs (a new coach, new facilities, better athletic leadership) that, for the first time ever, I wonder if it would be better to just shudder it and focus on Basketball. This suggestion has been casually mentioned in past conversations, and I used to think "no way!" - But not anymore. It is hopeless at this point and appears to be a futile effort with our current administration/leadership/head coach. McPhee, Massaro, and Stockstill are abject failures across the board.

 

[SpaceRaider]

for the second week in a row, MT faces a team in ESPN's Bottom TEN

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[MTTim]

for the second week in a row, MT faces a team in ESPN's Bottom TEN

And at best we can go .500 against the bottom feeders.

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

goblueraiders.com:

Seniors personify being True Blue

 

[FranklinRaider315]

View embedded media

I am speechless. Listening to that interview and then looking at the picture of the 2nd half crowd is like watching the Impeachment hearings.

 

[SpaceRaider]

The Virginian-Pilot:

Coming off an open week, ODU football is “a little bit healthier” heading to Middle Tennessee

 

[SpaceRaider]

goblueraiders.com:

Looking ahead to MT and ODU

 

[blueraiderJT]

Everybody has injuries. The problem is the depth and degree of injuries at MT that's abnormal. If you googled it you could find a similar article written a year ago about all the injuries. And the year before that. What's happening is the norm not the anomaly. And it's not just that we happen to be more unlucky. This is a product of at least two things.

1) Recruiting I-AA level players and trying to not only have them compete a full season at the I-A level but also trying to force them up in positions. I was just SMH when they were talking about how Brooks had moved from corner to eventually linebacker. I mean - what a perfect example. You can't take a DB's body and have him consistently take the punishment a LB body requires. Nor can you take a LB's body and turn that into a defensive linemen. But that's what CRS and this staff constantly do to try to fill out their roster. Why? Because recruiting is failing.

2) There is also obviously something wrong with our training, off season workout program, nutrition, etc. Hell, no more than some players like Dobson touch the ball there is no reason why they should be hurt so easily.

This "injury" issue is just another example of the failed coaching staff and the failed leadership of the athletic department. But I guess you have to live 700 miles away to see it.

I do agree with this assessment but how the hell does any G5 team recruit 55+ starter level talent (3 star or above)? If we are down 29, that's most of the top talent we have. There is no team in CUSA down 29 players. There is also no team that has 55-60 3 star level, can play now, ready to go players. This season is a dumpster fire with millions of issues but recruiting isn't the main issue.

 

[MTOleBlue]

Expecting a loss today. ODU is hungry for a win especially against us

 

[MT01]

I do agree with this assessment but how the hell does any G5 team recruit 55+ starter level talent (3 star or above)? If we are down 29, that's most of the top talent we have. There is no team in CUSA down 29 players. There is also no team that has 55-60 3 star level, can play now, ready to go players. This season is a dumpster fire with millions of issues but recruiting isn't the main issue.

Except that it is. If you want to know the truth about this part of the issue talk to Jason Spray.

 

[blueraiderJT]

Except that it is. If you want to know the truth about this part of the issue talk to Jason Spray.

You could have 4-5 star athletes here and this coaching staff would F it up. Guaranteed. We gotta fix the coaching first and then get the players. Getting good players in here won't cure it without major changes.

Look how they coached Dobson this year. One of the fastest dudes on the field and they couldn't design a package for him to save their lives. With him, Chissolm, Marshall and Lee, I would tear defenses up all day. No consistency in their coaching at all. Our OC stands on the freaking sideline. How the hell can you call a game on the sideline when you can't see the defensive formations and pre-snap movement? Why don't they give the QB checkdown options like Buster did Logan? It's utter bafoonery. How can the line block when the guys calling the plays can't see where the pressure is coming from? It's the worst coaching I've seen in a long time.

Is Silvoy a next level WR coach? Hell no.

Is Mallory and the other OL turd next level line coaches? Hell no.

Is Brock, West, and others good enough to get it done? No.

Is our S&C coach getting it done with 29 injuries to our starters? No.

Until we solve those problems, it won't matter who we recruit. It's a sh!tshow now.

 

[MT01]

Fair point

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

Weather at kick off: Cloudy 48°, 15% Precip, 84% humidity, W 13 mph

 

[MarJac23]

Weather at kick off: Cloudy 48°, 15% Precip, 84% humidity, W 13 mph

I've sat thru scorching heat, cold, wind and rain many times and have not missed a Sr. Day in many years. Sadly, today I won't be there in person.

Go Blue Raiders!