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FOOTBALL Staff Predictions for MT/UTSA

Rick does better in conference games so the Raiders might make a game of it.

I'm thinking:

UTSA 28
MT 21
 
I listened to last night’s Stockstill Live replay at lunch today. Stock said, “in order to win in college football these days you have to be able to score points. We avg’d 26 per game last year and need to be in the 30’s.”

Draw your own conclusions but I’m thinking
48-10.......Roadrunners
 
I'm calling for a full blown shellacing. End of 1st and it's 7-7. We think oh. Yes. Halftime we are up 14-10. Then they make adjustments. We don't per usual.

31-14 final.

At this point I am sadly hoping for 0 wins. Maybe just maybe one can dream of change then.
 
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I think we improve this week because it’s a C-USA game, and UTSA isn’t that strong given competition they have played to date. Will it be enough? Perhaps, IF we quit turning the ball over and play basic football and be at least +1 on turnovers. We compete! However, If we don’t win this one it will be a very long season; not saying we will be winless, but a 2-3 win season is likely. I’m going with a tight game and we cover spread. Prove me wrong Blue Raiders and it will be a pleasant weekend for me!

MT Blue Raiders - 24
UTSA Road Runners (beep-beep) - 27
 
There is an interesting dynamic to this game that's not being brought up a whole lot.

Tyrone Nix.

Who knows his system and how to prepare for it better than MT? If this offense was going to explode, this would be the game to do so.

On the flip side, who's more motivated than Nix to stick it to Rick and shut MT down?

Somethings gotta give here, and unfortunately I think it's MT.

42-17 UTSA.
 
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I listened to last night’s Stockstill Live replay at lunch today. Stock said, “in order to win in college football these days you have to be able to score points. We avg’d 26 per game last year and need to be in the 30’s.”

Draw your own conclusions but I’m thinking
48-10.......Roadrunners
Have to be in the 30's? Well, even if we had been at 39 in the first two games we still would have lost.
 
There is an interesting dynamic to this game that's not being brought up a whole lot.

Tyrone Nix.

Who knows his system and how to prepare for it better than MT? If this offense was going to explode, this would be the game to do so.

On the flip side, who's more motivated than Nix to stick it to Rick and shut MT down?

Somethings gotta give here, and unfortunately I think it's MT.

42-17 UTSA.

If we get beat 42-17 with Nix on the other sideline, it would make a strong case that he was the wrong coach to be fired.
 
Back to back losses to inferior opponents will be the kiss of death. Massaro's whole argument has been slow and steady as she goes. Last year was a one off because we had to replace one of the most successful quarterbacks in program history. Today he has nothing except the emotional effects of having to deal with the virus. Other teams seem to have dealt with it fine.

In the background Massaro has a contract issue. The only way to get out of it is to shut down the football program. Re-start in a year with a clean slate. UAB has given us the roadmap. This is the nuclear option but I am at the point to where considering it is not out of the question anymore. I love Stock as a person and our program is squeaky clean but at the end of the day it is obvious that our talent level has taken a noticeable turn for the worse which is exactly what happened when Spurrier left S. Carolina. Spurriers last two classes were not good and he knew it. He at least had the balls to admit it and move on....
 
Back to back losses to inferior opponents will be the kiss of death. Massaro's whole argument has been slow and steady as she goes. Last year was a one off because we had to replace one of the most successful quarterbacks in program history. Today he has nothing except the emotional effects of having to deal with the virus. Other teams seem to have dealt with it fine.

In the background Massaro has a contract issue. The only way to get out of it is to shut down the football program. Re-start in a year with a clean slate. UAB has given us the roadmap. This is the nuclear option but I am at the point to where considering it is not out of the question anymore. I love Stock as a person and our program is squeaky clean but at the end of the day it is obvious that our talent level has taken a noticeable turn for the worse which is exactly what happened when Spurrier left S. Carolina. Spurriers last two classes were not good and he knew it. He at least had the balls to admit it and move on....

We can't even get a decent radio station and some of you think they would know how to shut down the program? And let me be clear. If anyone thinks shutting down the program at MT would somehow magically bring it back stronger you are fooling yourself. UAB is one of the top 200 academic institutions in the nation. It has professional programs and its own medical hospital. They have corporate donors, people with big pockets, and some built in community pride even if 99% of the state is either worried about Auburn or Alabama. I'm not even sure we have 1% of this state. If MT shut down its program the community and the rest of the state would be like. Hmm, that's interesting. What a shame. Ok back to Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

The only thing we actually have going in our favor is that there is so much incompetence they wouldn't even know how to successfully shut the program down. It would take a new president and a new AD to come in to say this program isn't salvageable and do away with it.
 
We can't even get a decent radio station and some of you think they would know how to shut down the program? And let me be clear. If anyone thinks shutting down the program at MT would somehow magically bring it back stronger you are fooling yourself. UAB is one of the top 200 academic institutions in the nation. It has professional programs and its own medical hospital. They have corporate donors, people with big pockets, and some built in community pride even if 99% of the state is either worried about Auburn or Alabama. I'm not even sure we have 1% of this state. If MT shut down its program the community and the rest of the state would be like. Hmm, that's interesting. What a shame. Ok back to Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

The only thing we actually have going in our favor is that there is so much incompetence they wouldn't even know how to successfully shut the program down. It would take a new president and a new AD to come in to say this program isn't salvageable and do away with it.
The idea of shutting the program down is WILD.
 
The idea of shutting the program down is WILD.

I agree.

I see us moving back to the OVC before that. Honestly at this point, we would be better off in a lot of ways. If you are not going to try to be a real FBS program, then go back where you belong.
 
I can’t see Massaro shutting it down because
1) It would be career suicide to admit that kind of failure although true and
2) it would amount to the equivalent of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to void Stock’s contract which, would still be up for legal interpretation that the program is insolvent since they have taken student fee money year after year to offset MT Athletics shortfalls. Any attorneys in here??? Your thoughts??
 
I agree.

I see us moving back to the OVC before that. Honestly at this point, we would be better off in a lot of ways. If you are not going to try to be a real FBS program, then go back where you belong.
Yeah, it’s just not practical and I can’t believe anyone is advocating for it (not saying the poster above was).

It does show the frustration though - people legitimately think it’s so unlikely there will be a coaching change that they allow themselves to believe shutting down the program would be more likely.
 
When does curling season start? Looking for something more exciting than MT athletics.
 
7 wood is here to kill the athletic department and strengthen the undergrad offerings.

You keep saying that, and I'm not stating any opposition to the point. But I would like to know what evidence you have to support this continued stated position?
 
I would like to know what evidence you have to support this continued stated position?
First, no MBB or FB on 89.5 - kill off listening audience.

2nd - baseball dried up once the new stadium was completed. Peterson should have done BETTER once that happened, but as we know, baseball became mediocre.

3rd - Stockstill, in his 14th year, had won 7 or more games 8 times, won only 4 games and he may win less this year. That is strange. It is reminiscent of Peterson - forgot how to recruit and coach?

4th - WBB was a great program with Rick going to 8 NCAA's but now, with perhaps the most talented teams he has had, the WNIT is the best he can do?

5th - Kermit had the program rolling. His last game was a crash and burn and I think he left because he wanted to continue to win instead of going the Peterson route. I believe Nick is being paid for mediocre results.

Since the mid 1980's, when MT and TSU became "sister schools", MT has been primarily allowed to strengthen ties to TSU, Fisk and Meharry, and improve undergraduate courses.

I expect Murfreesboro to become the undergraduate campus for TSU with Nashville providing postgraduate. I believe Kentucky merged their HBCU with another University years ago. Kentucky State, maybe?

We know that TSU hands out degrees like participation trophies, and the school has been a monetary sinkhole, so what better way for the state to rectify the issue than a merger in Murfreesboro.

Most people don't care.
 
First, no MBB or FB on 89.5 - kill off listening audience.

2nd - baseball dried up once the new stadium was completed. Peterson should have done BETTER once that happened, but as we know, baseball became mediocre.

3rd - Stockstill, in his 14th year, had won 7 or more games 8 times, won only 4 games and he may win less this year. That is strange. It is reminiscent of Peterson - forgot how to recruit and coach?

4th - WBB was a great program with Rick going to 8 NCAA's but now, with perhaps the most talented teams he has had, the WNIT is the best he can do?

5th - Kermit had the program rolling. His last game was a crash and burn and I think he left because he wanted to continue to win instead of going the Peterson route. I believe Nick is being paid for mediocre results.

Since the mid 1980's, when MT and TSU became "sister schools", MT has been primarily allowed to strengthen ties to TSU, Fisk and Meharry, and improve undergraduate courses.

I expect Murfreesboro to become the undergraduate campus for TSU with Nashville providing postgraduate. I believe Kentucky merged their HBCU with another University years ago. Kentucky State, maybe?

We know that TSU hands out degrees like participation trophies, and the school has been a monetary sinkhole, so what better way for the state to rectify the issue than a merger in Murfreesboro.

Most people don't care.

The TSU alumni will not go for that...all you would get would be another Grier lawsuit from them. Ga merged Albany ST and Darton College. Louisiana talked about some years back when i lived there and that didn't happen. So i don't see that, happening. The results are a result of lack or oversight and accountability.
 
First, no MBB or FB on 89.5 - kill off listening audience.

2nd - baseball dried up once the new stadium was completed. Peterson should have done BETTER once that happened, but as we know, baseball became mediocre.

3rd - Stockstill, in his 14th year, had won 7 or more games 8 times, won only 4 games and he may win less this year. That is strange. It is reminiscent of Peterson - forgot how to recruit and coach?

4th - WBB was a great program with Rick going to 8 NCAA's but now, with perhaps the most talented teams he has had, the WNIT is the best he can do?

5th - Kermit had the program rolling. His last game was a crash and burn and I think he left because he wanted to continue to win instead of going the Peterson route. I believe Nick is being paid for mediocre results.

Since the mid 1980's, when MT and TSU became "sister schools", MT has been primarily allowed to strengthen ties to TSU, Fisk and Meharry, and improve undergraduate courses.

I expect Murfreesboro to become the undergraduate campus for TSU with Nashville providing postgraduate. I believe Kentucky merged their HBCU with another University years ago. Kentucky State, maybe?

We know that TSU hands out degrees like participation trophies, and the school has been a monetary sinkhole, so what better way for the state to rectify the issue than a merger in Murfreesboro.

Most people don't care.

I see incompetence and a yes man to a state that wants a puppet. Nothing in any of that indicates a secret underground movement led by the President to kill MT football. You'll have to do better.
 
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In the time of #metoo how in the world did the BoT slip that rubber stamp contract extension by w/o an activist picking up on it?


key sentence in article:

McPhee is basically another blemish in the mediocrity of it all.

In a sea of mediocrity, no one cares about revisiting old news. Nobody wants to make the calls that invite criticism for doing the correct thing. And nobody wants to get labeled with spurious accusations about their character for demanding accountability. Much easier to go along to get along.
 
I was a year into grad school at MTSU when all that news broke. I just kept my head down and ploughed through until the following year, walked on stage at Murphy Center, shook his hand and snatched my MBA.
 
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First, no MBB or FB on 89.5 - kill off listening audience.

2nd - baseball dried up once the new stadium was completed. Peterson should have done BETTER once that happened, but as we know, baseball became mediocre.

3rd - Stockstill, in his 14th year, had won 7 or more games 8 times, won only 4 games and he may win less this year. That is strange. It is reminiscent of Peterson - forgot how to recruit and coach?

4th - WBB was a great program with Rick going to 8 NCAA's but now, with perhaps the most talented teams he has had, the WNIT is the best he can do?

5th - Kermit had the program rolling. His last game was a crash and burn and I think he left because he wanted to continue to win instead of going the Peterson route. I believe Nick is being paid for mediocre results.

Since the mid 1980's, when MT and TSU became "sister schools", MT has been primarily allowed to strengthen ties to TSU, Fisk and Meharry, and improve undergraduate courses.

I expect Murfreesboro to become the undergraduate campus for TSU with Nashville providing postgraduate. I believe Kentucky merged their HBCU with another University years ago. Kentucky State, maybe?

We know that TSU hands out degrees like participation trophies, and the school has been a monetary sinkhole, so what better way for the state to rectify the issue than a merger in Murfreesboro.

Most people don't care.

MTLynn makes an interesting observation about the dynamics of a MT/TSU merger. It makes more logical sense now than it ever had at the state level. The consortium has existed since the 1980s and combined with the JUCO 2+2/TN Promise (drive to 55 that Haslam championed) programs that are now in effect (thanks to the Hope Scholarship paid with lottery monies). Why would anyone want pay full retail price for a freshman or sophomore year when you can get Free Tuition at a JUCO?

I see higher education being more mobile and the need for antiquated buildings to be more liabilities instead of assets that they were once viewed. Yes, lab buildings are needed; some classrooms are needed for groups to work and for certain lectures. But, does MT need 600 acres or basically a square mile anymore for ancillary buildings, obsolete dorms, or wide open parking lots? For mostly undergraduate work that can be obtained in Shelbyville or Columbia? How are assets being used to highest and best usage? I see MT and other universities grappling with that question sometime during the next 15 years. Does FBS football that attracts 7,200 in person in a 30,788 seat stadium whose renovations are now 22 years old make economic or social sense? What is our educational mission look like in 2036 when MT turns 125? These are hard questions that should come into focus especially as we migrate in a post-COVID world. The delivery and engagement will be different because technology such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, 5G (and 6G is in the works), the IOT, and Amazon can provide services and connections that weren’t nearly as convenient or available just 4-5 years ago! For sure, students and businesses seem to not have the same affinity and loyalty in Murfreesboro as my generation growing up or my parents generation of the 1950s and 1960s.

The model is changing. Like Lee Iacocca once said, we can lead, follow, or get out of the way. That’s our choices. Our leadership is at best following and if we aren’t careful irrelevance will push us out of the way because we’ve lost our way. Ask the folks who once worked at K-Mart, Woolworth, Sears, A&P Supermarkets, and Moore’s Lumber where their jobs went. Dozens more companies fall into that category where they dominated the marketplace only to be cast into the sea of irrelevance and non existence (or unrecognizable from their original business plan). These companies I mentioned were dominant powerhouses in 1970 and 1980, and now most do not exist anymore. What MTLynn stated is very plausible because of shifting demand, state budget constraints, and the way things are now delivered in higher education. We live in the “go big or go home” world these days where the small time players have a much harder time to succeed. The law school was our big chance to stay as a top tier school like a UAB, but our esteemed leadership really ruined our opportunity for decades. I’m more upset with that single decision than the fortunes of MT Football or MBB. We simply didn’t do enough and we’re not improving as an institution no matter what puffery may be advertised on billboards or commercials.
 
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MTLynn makes an interesting observation about the dynamics of a MT/TSU merger. It makes more logical sense now than it ever had at the state level. The consortium has existed since the 1980s and combined with the JUCO 2+2/TN Promise (drive to 55 that Haslam championed) programs that are now in effect (thanks to the Hope Scholarship paid with lottery monies). Why would anyone want pay full retail price for a freshman or sophomore year when you can get Free Tuition at a JUCO?

I see higher education being more mobile and the need for antiquated buildings to be more liabilities instead of assets that they were once viewed. Yes, lab buildings are needed; some classrooms are needed for groups to work and for certain lectures. But, does MT need 600 acres or basically a square mile anymore for ancillary buildings, obsolete dorms, or wide open parking lots? For mostly undergraduate work that can be obtained in Shelbyville or Columbia? How are assets being used to highest and best usage? I see MT and other universities grappling with that question sometime during the next 15 years. Does FBS football that attracts 7,200 in person in a 30,788 seat stadium whose renovations are now 22 years old make economic or social sense? What is our educational mission look like in 2036 when MT turns 125? These are hard questions that should come into focus especially as we migrate in a post-COVID world. The delivery and engagement will be different because technology such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, 5G (and 6G is in the works), the IOT, and Amazon can provide services and connections that weren’t nearly as convenient or available just 4-5 years ago! For sure, students and businesses seem to not have the same affinity and loyalty in Murfreesboro as my generation growing up or my parents generation of the 1950s and 1960s.

The model is changing. Like Lee Iacocca once said, we can lead, follow, or get out of the way. That’s our choices. Our leadership is at best following and if we aren’t careful irrelevance will push us out of the way because we’ve lost our way. Ask the folks who once worked at K-Mart, Woolworth, Sears, A&P Supermarkets, and Moore’s Lumber where their jobs went. Dozens more companies fall into that category where they dominated the marketplace only to be cast into the sea of irrelevance and non existence (or unrecognizable from their original business plan). These companies I mentioned were dominant powerhouses in 1970 and 1980, and now most do not exist anymore. What MTLynn stated is very plausible because of shifting demand, state budget constraints, and the way things are now delivered in higher education. We live in the “go big or go home” world these days where the small time players have a much harder time to succeed. The law school was our big chance to stay as a top tier school like a UAB, but our esteemed leadership really ruined our opportunity for decades. I’m more upset with that single decision than the fortunes of MT Football or MBB. We simply didn’t do enough and we’re not improving as an institution no matter what puffery may be advertised on billboards or commercials.
A couple of points from a higher ed geek :

1) Traditional students will continue to seek the "on-campus" experience. Online classes - however convenient they may be - cannot replicate the campus community.
2) I think you'll see a move away from "satellite campuses" as online education continues to improve. There's little need for a standalone satellite campus with online coursework.
3) MT - and really all the state universities in TN (except Memphis, maybe) - are behind in their offerings for online degrees.
4) It's too early to tell the long-term effects of TN Promise on 4 year schools, but my guess is the JUCOs will weed out more of the marginal students.

Kids who can afford 4 years away will continue to enjoy the full 4 year experience.

I don't think you'll see a full merger between TSU and MTSU for a variety of reasons.

If MT wants to become a higher ed leader, MT needs to :
1) Get serious about a name change
2) Add professional school
3) Get serious about athletics
4) Expand online / adult education offerings
5) Expand graduate programs
6) Improve quality of research, recruitment of professors, and retention of high quality professors.
7) Aggressively expand recruitment of high-quality students in neighboring states
 
If MT wants to become a higher ed leader, MT needs to :
1) Get serious about a name change
2) Add professional school
3) Get serious about athletics
4) Expand online / adult education offerings
5) Expand graduate programs
6) Improve quality of research, recruitment of professors, and retention of high quality professors.
7) Aggressively expand recruitment of high-quality students in neighboring states
care to be on the board of trustees?
Just looked and MTSU offers just five online undergraduate and ten graduate online degrees. That really is pathetic
 
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I wish things would just go one way or the other with our football program. I don't understand how these administrators don't see that mediocrity and always being in the "middle" is a problem. It's the worst possible outcome. At least with losing big you force change and get new coaches and new blood and breath new life into the program. With winning big you also get new coaches, happy fans, etc. But with always just being in the middle....it is the death of your existence in sports. HOW DO THEY NOT UNDERSTAND THIS?????????

Either get serious about football, build the damn facilities, hire the right people......or just close the program and focus on basketball. If we are just going to be a middle of the pack Sun Belt/CUSA program for eternity then just close the shop up.

The lack of effort, the lack of progress, the lack of giving a damn about building a program and winning is ASTOUNDING. But the 3 clowns I guess really don't care as long as APR is good and we win 50% of our games.
 
care to be on the board of trustees?
Just looked and MTSU offers just five online undergraduate and ten graduate online degrees. That really is pathetic
I watch the BOT just for fun. Seriously.

And read accreditation manuals just for kicks.
 
As Raderclyde said the model for higher education is changing and the change is being exacerbated by the pandemic. There will be a "new" normal which no one can predict. I'm old enough to remember when the community college system was started in TN 5 decades ago that some academicians thought the model for state supported higher education should be: first two years for the majority of students at a community college, regional universities should be for undergraduate degrees only, and graduate level work should be at the state's "flagship" school. The thought was that the further you moved up the academic ladder the more likely you would be able to spend time away from home.
As far as athletics were concerned it was thought that the community colleges would get support at least equal to that enjoyed by the state's JUCO colleges. Didn't happen (I was at several packed house JUCO BkB games before the community college system was established and have been among the handful of fans at CSCC, Vol. State, and Motlow games so I am aware of the lack of support - and as far as the potential for the state's community colleges to have FB, how has that worked out?) Additionally; how would the state's flagship universities' college experience, not to mention athletic program, fare if most undergraduate students were removed.
Looking back we can see that this so-called well intended plan was not viable.

As for Austin Lewis' 7 point plan to help improve MT's status: All-encompassing except it fails to mention my # 1 requirement if I wished to see changes: Removal of several administrators. Problem with the list is that all require either financial and/or political support which we obviously don't have (See lack of movement on athletic complex plans & inability to secure "free" law school)

Question for you posters: Assume you are a silent billionaire who has a few million (let's say around 500 million - half a billion) you wish to give to your alma mater spread among academics, athletics, and endowment. After careful consideration would you expect any long-term ROI regardless of how you allocated the funds? I know for me, if I had that kind of disposable funds, I would probably give elsewhere regardless of how much I love "my" school.
 
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