So...7-5...Thoughts on the Season?

[C-Bow]

A few weeks ago I posted a thread asking how you guys would feel if MT got on some sort of run and finished the year on a high note and how you would feel about it from a success standpoint.

So...now that we're here - MT rattled off 4 in a row to close the year, beat a solid Marshall team, and is heading to the Bahamas Bowl - how do you rate this season?

Regardless of what happens in the bowl game, I think it's safe to say that expectations next year will be through the roof.

 

[TrueBlue147]

Let's see...We beat one team with a winning record, got blown out by La tech and Western, choked away winnable games at Illinois and Vanderbilt, did not play for the conference championship. and beat up on a bunch of horrible teams to get to 7 wins. Sounds just like a typical Stockstill team. That being said, I am glad we won Seven games, possibly Eight with a bowl win, which will hopefully given us some momentum for next year.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

This season hinges on us winning the bowl game. While I am happy that we finished well I would not put us in the upper level of our conference. We are the best of the rest. We need a bowl victory in the worst way, only then will I be happy about the season.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

This season hinges on us winning the bowl game. While I am happy that we finished well I would not put us in the upper level of our conference. We are the best of the rest. We need a bowl victory in the worst way, only then will I be happy about the season.

I just wanted to add that I thought we would win 7 games. I think what hard to accept are the two blowouts, we were never a threat in our biggest games and then our opportunity games against the P5 teams we blew them. There is such a fine line between winning 6 game and 9 games. I just don't think our program will grow until we win 9-10 games per year for a few seasons.

All that said, they are making the most of the season, proud of the 4 wins in a row.

 

[Brew_Raider]

This was a typical Stockstill season at MT. Not a championship team, but it could be worse.

I agree with Mike. We need a bowl win to see this as anything other than another ho-hum season. Can we compete with a decent or better MAC school? Or are we just the best crappy team in C-USA?

 

[Raiderclyde]

I'm happy tonight. Have to respect the effort that our team has demonstrated. Can't quite call the season a success yet, that comes with a bowl victory. 7-5 holds serve, 7-6 reflects mild disappointment, and 8-5 holds promise for 2016. Last week, mentioned that 5 of our 7 wins had a combined record of (then) 10-39; it's hard to garner strong confidence as to quality given who we've played. Nobody, including WKU, is a top 25 program in our conference---maybe if WKU wins out in the bowl, they will sneak in at 24 or 25. So we have to be guarded as to how good we are. Improving is the watchword.

 

[C-Bow]

I think winning the bowl game is an absolute MUST. You win that game and you have all (or most) of the lost fan support back in your corner heading into next season. Not to mention the potential bump in recruiting.

Lot on the line with the Bahamas Bowl...

 

[blueraiderJT]

I for one admire the comeback. We could have sunk but we floated and got back on track. Our team is a much better team now than it was. It took all season but we have finally gelled with an identity. Say what you will but last year, we never had one. Brent is the true QB and a real leader. Our defense has improved drastically since the bye week. The last 2 games, we have score 83 points and have allowed 7. UTSA put 31 up on LaTech and beat Rice last week.

We've grown up and have a winning season. It could have been a lot worse.

 

[crclarke55]

Great way to finish the season but we lose our 2 best players on defense. We could be better on offense next year but take a step back defensively. If we have any receivers to go with James we could be scary good on offense.

 

[SmithO1906]

In a vacuum 7-5 isn't anything to get excited about but considering we were 3-5 at one point and relying on a few freshmen in the last part of the season and still rattling off 4 straight is a good thing

 

[MTsumner92]

I concur with Raiderclyde's answer. Stock saved face going 5-1 but that is it. Win a bowl game and I will be satisfied. This gives us momentum into recruiting and next season. Our offense will be the best in the Stockstill era and maybe ever. It's a good thing because we take heavy losses on the defense.

 

[MTBig Blue]

After the LA Tech game, I didn't think we could beat anyone else on our schedule...I thought we were that bad. This team showed heart and did what it had to do the rest of the year, albeit against very weak competition.

We are in a bowl which most of us thought we weren't going to be in 2 months ago. Win the bowl game and this is a good year. Lose it and we have another very average year with many missed opportunities

 

[BlueRaider95]

Pre-season looking at our schedule I figured 7-5, 8-4 at best. Here we are at 7-5. Only difference in what I expected vs what happened was I thought we would win vs either vandy or Illinois and lose to one of the F_U's.

Need to win the bowl now to keep this momentum going into next season.

On another note I'll be happy if I never see those ugly grey jerseys again.

 

[AustinLewis]

Pros: MT finished the season strong (5-1 in the last 6 games), finished with a 7-5 overall record, and received an invitation to the Bahamas Bowl

Cons: MT let two potential wins (Illinois and Vanderbilt) slip away and failed to compete against WKU and LaTech. The annual in-conference beatdowns and disappointments out of conference have stagnated the fanbase, IMO.

On a side note, I'm loving the new jerseys and jersey combinations

 

[MT Glenn]

Cons: Blowout losses to La Tech and the Goattoppers. We should never be that outmatched in a conference game.

Pros: Stockstill-James combo. P5 schools can have have really good seasons with an ordinary QB, but it seems that the only G5 schools that have greast seasons are teams that have great QBs. It looks like we may have one.

I hate the uniform combinations. Nike just gave us a generic copy of Memphis and Kentucky uniform.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

Brent Stockstill, a bowl game, and the late season run against a decent Marshall team and bottom rung CUSA teams made this season just a touch more than ho hum. I liked the tenacity of the Defense late in the season.

We really blew it with the fan base with LTU and WKU. We really blew it with the Rutherford and Middle Tennessee population with the Vandy loss. Even though that we are heading to a bowl game, most people know why...our November stretch had winnable games. But hey, that is how UT went to the Citrus bowl many times...November games.

Personally, I am not happy with the contract that Massaro wrote up for our football program. I didn't know the agreement was that bad until this year. So now...The fans of MT football are stuck. Enjoy the product or don't because we can't change it due to the contract. From this point forward, I will critique Stock heavily year in and year out since he is one of the highest paid coaches in CUSA. For that, we got Popeyes?

Anyhow, I am happy the boys bounced back from the ropes but I don't like being cornered as a fan to be married to a coach the next 5+ years regardless of his record.

 

[BRaiderDave]

JDB sums up my feelings perfectly.

 

[T2Tool]

I thought between 5-7 and 8-4 going into the season so 7-5 is not a disappointment for me.

With young offensive skill players, I'm excited for them to get the additional practice time that comes with a bowl. Win or lose in the Bahamas the extra reps can make a huge difference in 2016.

 

[RaiderDoug]

I give it a B-. I expected a bowl type season, and that's what we have, so we've technically met expectations.

But I mentioned in another post that not all games are equal. While we had a nice little run to end the year against the dregs of the conference (sans Marshall), the fact is, the overwhelming memory of 2015 is going to be non-competitive blowouts to WKU, LaTech, the failure to beat a bad Vandy team and the inability to capitalize against Illinois.

We MUST win the bowl game. The next step for this program is to start winning games that people will notice. North Texas and UTSA in late November barely counts.

 

[Raiderclyde]

I give it a B-. I expected a bowl type season, and that's what we have, so we've technically met expectations.

But I mentioned in another post that not all games are equal. While we had a nice little run to end the year against the dregs of the conference (sans Marshall), the fact is, the overwhelming memory of 2015 is going to be non-competitive blowouts to WKU, LaTech, the failure to beat a bad Vandy team and the inability to capitalize against Illinois.

We MUST win the bowl game. The next step for this program is to start winning games that people will notice. North Texas and UTSA in late November barely counts.

Looking at the football regular season, at face value, my grade is a solid "C". Am happy about yesterday and the November schedule. The defensive team effort and Brent's and James' play has been positive of late. Pleased to see the improvement. Remember, we did not play Southern Miss, so our favorable schedule helped us get to seven wins. La Tech's loss yesterday was filled with turnovers and the result was similar to our WKU loss. The proof of improvement will be in winning the bowl. Should we fail to do so, grade could drop to a C-; if we win convincingly, a solid "B" could be in the cards and springboard into 2016.

 

[dukewayne]

Going into the bye week, I wasn't giving the team too many chances to get to 7 wins. I don't like the idea of backing into a bowl game at 6-6, especially if there are late season ugly losses. As it turned out, the team pulled together to fight to get a little win streak going. I've got to like that for the players if nothing else.

I'm one of the people that thinks my overall view of the season is now heavily weighted on the outcome of the bowl game. It's just not enough anymore to be bowl eligible or get to a bowl. My view thus far is disappointment with the Vandy loss, blown opportunity at Illinois, and not even being competitive vs WKU & LaTech. Considering those facts, it hasn't been a great season.

Getting to 7 wins was an accomplishment for this team considering how things looked at midseason. I don't see this season as doing much in helping to build fan support. Closing out the season like MT did combined with a bowl win has good potential for the team to build upon for the next season. Not necessarily returning crowds, but improved recruiting and the team to hopefully improve more next season. If MT can get that sort of improvement and success, I think MT just might have a decent chance at continuing to improve to where at least a few more fans might start to take notice and return the following season. Of course, a breakout season with OOC P5 win or wins and a legit run at C-USA championship just might speed up that process of fans returning.

All in all, I think losing the bowl game hurts that momentum. Winning the bowl game would seem to provide at least some momentum for the program going into the off season and next year. If MT wins bowl game, acceptable season that hopefully MT will improve upon. Bowl loss and 7-6 would likely be considered by me a disappointment of a season. IMO, the measure of seasons is about how it will effect attendance and general fan support.

 

[Hop45]

As mentioned, we HAVE to win the bowl game. Had we held on against vandy and Illinois and not been blown out by WKU and La Tech, we'd be talking about one of the best seasons ever for Middle. Those 2 losses and not even being remotely competitive in the 2 blowouts CANNOT happen to a good team. This is a good team and expectations will be much higher next season.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

This game is a must win. Period.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

Yeah, but aren't they all must wins?

This game is a must win. Period.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

Yeah, but this one is extra musty.

Yeah, but aren't they all must wins?

 

[bigbadjohn45]

Let's see...We beat one team with a winning record, got blown out by La tech and Western, choked away winnable games at Illinois and Vanderbilt, did not play for the conference championship. and beat up on a bunch of horrible teams to get to 7 wins. Sounds just like a typical Stockstill team. That being said, I am glad we won Seven games, possibly Eight with a bowl win, which will hopefully given us some momentum for next year.

About sums it up very nicely (and accurately). Couldn't have said it any better myself. Good post.