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FOOTBALL The Day After Rundown

It’s understandable that former players stick up for their coach but they cannot be objective. Arkansas St had 15 players out for contract tracing reasons when they beat Kansas St last weekend. Covid isn’t to blame for missed tackles, false start and illegal participation penalties or poor clock management.

Charlotte and UAB have revived their programs in less than 3 years. We are in Year 15.

We have a staff where half of them are on autopilot until retirement.
Our Director of Football Operations was busted (by our radio color guy) for posting on social media publicly cheerleading for our Head Coach to Florida St (his college roommate/teammate) before last season was even over.

You can’t make up this stuff. It’s nuts.
 
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I agree with some of your take, with a few exceptions.

1. I have read the interactions with players and I haven’t seen anyone attacking them. Disagree, yes. However, I think you are incorrect in saying fans attacked former players.

2. I also disagree with the take to not voice your disapproval. Every fan base in the country does this. Withholding money, attendance & voicing concerns are our tools to affect change. At this point, I don’t want Stock to have a slightly better recruiting class to climb back up to .500 by beating bad teams. I want him gone and a new coaching staff recruiting. Look at the product 15 years in. Your argument is what people said at Mississippi State when Sly Croom was the coach before we got a new AD, canned Sly and brought in Dan Mullen. If by complaining I hurt Stock’s 2021 recruiting class, but it helps get a new coach (which helps long-term), then I will continue to complain.
 
I agree with some of your take, with a few exceptions.

1. I have read the interactions with players and I haven’t seen anyone attacking them. Disagree, yes. However, I think you are incorrect in saying fans attacked former players.

2. I also disagree with the take to not voice your disapproval. Every fan base in the country does this. Withholding money, attendance & voicing concerns are our tools to affect change. At this point, I don’t want Stock to have a slightly better recruiting class to climb back up to .500 by beating bad teams. I want him gone and a new coaching staff recruiting. Look at the product 15 years in. Your argument is what people said at Mississippi State when Sly Croom was the coach before we got a new AD, canned Sly and brought in Dan Mullen. If by complaining I hurt Stock’s 2021 recruiting class, but it helps get a new coach (which helps long-term), then I will continue to complain.
I understand the complaints and agree with a lot of them but my point is that I think a lot of folks are over the top with it because they think nothing will be done so they’re basically shouting into an empty void.

I don’t think that’s true for one. I’ve talked to some folks in the program and they absolutely hear it.

But two, it’s too early in the season for any decision to be made. Let’s get to the back half of the year - if nothing has changed on the field, I’d almost guarantee there will be changes made off of it.
 
I understand the complaints and agree with a lot of them but my point is that I think a lot of folks are over the top with it because they think nothing will be done so they’re basically shouting into an empty void.

I don’t think that’s true for one. I’ve talked to some folks in the program and they absolutely hear it.

But two, it’s too early in the season for any decision to be made. Let’s get to the back half of the year - if nothing has changed on the field, I’d almost guarantee there will be changes made off of it.
I was told one on one to my face by the AD in November last year that “changes would be made but right at that moment his focus was to support the team to try and still get bowl eligible.”

Still waiting...........
 
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I'd almost guarantee there will be changes made off of it.


First, I want to thank you for doing a thankless job. Everybody on the site I know appreciates the fact that we still have some coverage and some place to talk about our school. I like the direction things are going with the site.

I disagree with your assessment that changes will be made. We've heard that song and dance for YEARS whether it was new facilities, upgrades in the program, master plan, attendance issues, or anything else. Massaro has promised "changes" for years, but its the same status quo since I graduated many years ago.

If people don't complain through social media, emails, and phone calls, what else can they do? Trust this administration that gave Stockstill the equivalent of a federal judgeship (appointed for life) contract?

Trust them who hired a lousy baseball coach? Volleyball coach? Possibly lousy basketball coach? Let the one of the two great coaches leave and not have a contingency plan in place? The other contingency plan (for Insell) fell into their lap you know...Insell's son who Rick himself hired.

I'm sorry. I don't believe a word anyone says over there. OF course they are going to tell you in the media that. What else are they going to say? We are just going to do nothing...and collect checks. Because that's exactly what they've done. If we didn't get so mad about this who would? We want it for the school, alumni, and ourselves.

Cutting off money support clearly doesn't move the needle. We have no other recourse to voice our frustration.
 
I don’t think that’s true for one. I’ve talked to some folks in the program and they absolutely hear it.....

Unless the change is Stock AND Massaro, then it won’t be enough. I suspect Stock will sacrifice assistants to save his job. And Massaro should be fired for structure of Stock’s contract. Literally friends at P5 schools called him an idiot for that contract given our finances.
 
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And as a side note, if the people inside the program hear us, then why do they not address it publicly? Why not take the difficult phone calls on the call in show?

Being an alumnus of other schools, they address things mid-season publicly. They make changes mid-season. If they want to build just a tiny bit of trust, then come out and say that you hear fans. Say that you are evaluating the program week to week and any changes will be made after the season. Something, anything is better than what McPhee and Massaro et al do. They need to be better.
 
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I'm sorry. I don't believe a word anyone says over there.

Neither do I. The lack of credibility didn't happen overnight but years of saying things that fans took to be promises that still have not come to fruition. The main culprits are just the big three. I don't expect the radio guys, position coaches, and the players to be critical/honest, but I do expect it from McPhee, Massaro, and Stockstill. It's sad that there is little to no accountability or transparency over there.
 
I understand the complaints and agree with a lot of them but my point is that I think a lot of folks are over the top with it because they think nothing will be done so they’re basically shouting into an empty void.

I don’t think that’s true for one. I’ve talked to some folks in the program and they absolutely hear it.

But two, it’s too early in the season for any decision to be made. Let’s get to the back half of the year - if nothing has changed on the field, I’d almost guarantee there will be changes made off of it.

Too early in the season? Uhm, no it’s not. USM packed up their coach after week one, but they actually adhere to expectations there.

After 15 years of this, it’s a bit much to say too soon. This ain’t going to get any better. This year or next. All you have to do is look at the lack of talent, the declining recruiting, the declining development. Rick Stockstill will never again have a winning season at MT. It’s not too soon. The question is whether it’s already too late.
 
There should have been a press conference called this morning. There is no reason to continue hoping this situation is going to get better. Stock needs to resign or be removed with Shafer installed as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season while we conduct a search.
 
There should have been a press conference called this morning. There is no reason to continue hoping this situation is going to get better. Stock needs to resign or be removed with Shafer installed as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season while we conduct a search.

100% for this move.

Stock should at least give TF the mid-season firing Tuberville gave him at Auburn and take over playcalling. Something needs to change.
 
One other thing about this facilities debate. If it were so damn important, then that should have been more of a focus for Stockstill years ago when he negotiated this absurd contract he had. If his intent was to stay here long term, then he could have structured his contract in a way to take a little off the top that would have instead gone into a fund for facilities development. Instead, he took the cash. We made him the highest paid coach in Sun Belt Conference. There was a time he was the highest paid coach in C-USA. He also has had one of the largest pools of cash for assistant coaches. We’ve been paying coordinators $300K for years well before other G5 programs were doing that (especially outside of the AAC). Instead of focusing on the program’s future, he ensured his pockets and his buddy assistant’s pockets were taken care of. So, I don’t want to hear another damn thing about facilities. Stock knows we are a G5. He knows resources are limited and if you don’t win at a high level those donations and funding for other things like facilities aren’t going to come. Just by himself CRS has probably earned somewhere in the neighborhood north of $10 million in his MT tenure and not a single damn conference title to show for it. Just think about this. At schools like Northern Illinois and Western Michigan which have made BCS and Access Bowls, it would take those schools 20 to 25 years to match what we have paid Stockstill. Think about that. And just think how much more he’s going to receive from the state in pension money once he does retire given his number of years and his salary calculus.

The truth of the matter is MT leadership - regardless of how you feel about them and his lifetime contract - ponied up the cash to produce a championship program. If Stockstill wanted to ensure that money went to other means that he felt was necessary to win he’s had every opportunity to negotiate that. Instead, he looked out for #1 first and foremost, his buddies second, and program last out of those three. This is why there is no reason to feel sorry for Stock and this mess they have all created, which is why I have no problem calling for him to be fired (something I have never ever taken lightly). For those of you who know me you know that I would never call for someone’s career to be affected like this if we weren’t on the brink of disaster with no lifeboat in sight. In spite of seeing this coming for years, yesterday was the first time I sent Massaro a message about needing to go in a different direction.
 
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There are plenty of G5 with outstanding facilities and we are competing against for the same type of recruits. Look at Boise State, Cincinnati, App State, southern miss, just to name a few.
I follow FCS closely and many of those programs have facilities more modern than MTSU and we are many times competing with those schools for recruits.

Question: what improvements have been done in regards to football facilities in the past 10 years?

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, my local D2 school at least has an indoor practice facility.
 
I follow FCS closely and many of those programs have facilities more modern than MTSU and we are many times competing with those schools for recruits.

Question: what improvements have been done in regards to football facilities in the past 10 years?

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, my local D2 school at least has an indoor practice facility.
This speaks volumes as to 7 woods interest (lack thereof) in a winning football program.

The MT athletic department is in a orchestrated death spiral
 
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One other thing about this facilities debate. If it were so damn important, then that should have been more of a focus for Stockstill years ago when he negotiated this absurd contract he had. If his intent was to stay here long term, then he could have structured his contract in a way to take a little off the top that would have instead gone into a fund for facilities development. Instead, he took the cash. We made him the highest paid coach in Sun Belt Conference. There was a time he was the highest paid coach in C-USA. He also has had one of the largest pools of cash for assistant coaches. We’ve been paying coordinators $300K for years well before other G5 programs were doing that (especially outside of the AAC). Instead of focusing on the program’s future, he ensured his pockets and his buddy assistant’s pockets were taken care of. So, I don’t want to hear another damn thing about facilities. Stock knows we are a G5. He knows resources are limited and if you don’t win at a high level those donations and funding for other things like facilities aren’t going to come. Just by himself CRS has probably earned somewhere in the neighborhood north of $10 million in his MT tenure and not a single damn conference title to show for it. Just think about this. At schools like Northern Illinois and Western Michigan which have made BCS and Access Bowls, it would take those schools 20 to 25 years to match what we have paid Stockstill. Think about that. And just think how much more he’s going to receive from the state in pension money once he does retire given his number of years and his salary calculus.

The truth of the matter is MT leadership - regardless of how you feel about them and his lifetime contract - ponied up the cash to produce a championship program. If Stockstill wanted to ensure that money went to other means that he felt was necessary to win he’s had every opportunity to negotiate that. Instead, he looked out for #1 first and foremost, his buddies second, and program last out of those three. This is why there is no reason to feel sorry for Stock and this mess they have all created, which is why I have no problem calling for him to be fired (something I have never ever taken lightly). For those of you who know me you know that I would never call for someone’s career to be affected like this if we weren’t on the brink of disaster with no lifeboat in sight. In spite of seeing this coming for years, yesterday was the first time I sent Massaro a message about needing to go in a different direction.

"And just think how much more he's going to receive from the state in pension money once he does retire given his number of years and his salary calculus."

Not picking on you, MT01, but this is not the first time I've seen the erroneous implication that somehow taxpayers will be "on the hook" for our coaching staff's retirement once they retire.
Yes, because of their income level their retirement from the TCRS (Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System) will be substantial but that's because their mandatory contribution from their salary has been significant. They may or may not get all (could get more) they have paid into the TCRS depending upon how long they live in retirement. Basically, if I understand insurance, a lifetime annuity.
The TCRS is annually rated as one of the best funded and managed state retirement programs and one of the best pension plans nationally. It is highly unlikely that any state funds will be needed to supplement the plan in the foreseeable future.
 
"And just think how much more he's going to receive from the state in pension money once he does retire given his number of years and his salary calculus."

Not picking on you, MT01, but this is not the first time I've seen the erroneous implication that somehow taxpayers will be "on the hook" for our coaching staff's retirement once they retire.
Yes, because of their income level their retirement from the TCRS (Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System) will be substantial but that's because their mandatory contribution from their salary has been significant. They may or may not get all (could get more) they have paid into the TCRS depending upon how long they live in retirement. Basically, if I understand insurance, a lifetime annuity.
The TCRS is annually rated as one of the best funded and managed state retirement programs and one of the best pension plans nationally. It is highly unlikely that any state funds will be needed to supplement the plan in the foreseeable future.

Was just pointing out how much more he’s going to earn even in retirement from this arrangement.
 
If this year is the first year you called Stock to be fired, you are late.

I'm sure you remember that Andy Mac finished his tenure with four straight losing seasons here before he got fired. Even after that 4th straight losing season was locked in midseason, there were a number of notable boosters/andy mac fluffers who didn't want him fired even then. Unbelievable.

I wanted him fired from the Temple game in 2003 forward. Proudly have a MT Slappy t shirt in my closet to this day.
 
Stock still at MT is currently 91-88 with a .508 percentage. That is if you count FCS school wins.

if you remove his FCS opponent win (because I don’t believe in padding your stats with schools you should beat), he is 83-88 for .485 win percentage. Get his ass out tonight. He is robbing this university blind.

6-6

5-7

5-7

10-3

5-7

2-10

8-4

7-5

5-6

6-6

7-5

7-6

7-6

3-8

0-2
 
Stock still at MT is currently 91-88 with a .508 percentage. That is if you count FCS school wins.

if you remove his FCS opponent win (because I don’t believe in padding your stats with schools you should beat), he is 83-88 for .485 win percentage. Get his ass out tonight. He is robbing this university blind.

6-6

5-7

5-7

10-3

5-7

2-10

8-4

7-5

5-6

6-6

7-5

7-6

7-6

3-8

0-2

Now just vs teams with winning records

0-6

1-6

2-1

1-2

1-2

0-6

1-3

1-5

1-5

1-4

1-1

2-3

2-4

14-48
 
The fact no major corporation sponsors have stepped up to help improve athletic facilities on campus is a sign the whole program is a mess, including the BAA and Alumni Association.

This.

Our alumni association sucks.

I contacted the owner of Atlanta chapter website on Facebook last year offering to do essentially anything to help. I contacted our main number. I got nothing...nada from either. I am still waiting on the person over the Atlanta chapter to contact me back as said would happen.

At that point I realized it was pointless to attempt to work with our organizations. They are complicit in the mediocrity. Since the turnover a few years back, basically These organizations areas responsive as the juco I started out at.
 
Here's what I know to be an absolute fact: Rick Stockstill and his entire coaching staff are not happy with the current state of the team and program. And I also know everyone on campus is working hard and trying their best to right the ship. To suggest otherwise would be asinine. This matters to them far more than it matters to you, even if you don't feel like it. Losing isn't fun for anyone - especially those on the inside giving their blood, sweat and tears for it.

I don't believe this is true.

There's no evidence whatsoever that this is the case.

That would be one thing if this current funk was maybe a one-off stretch in a long lengthy successful tenure. But it's not - we've all seen this before. There's no redoubling of effort on the recruiting trail, no gameday wizardry or changes, or even pruning the dead wood off the staff that would indicate that they recognize the problems or appear to even care about fixing them.

This isn't a winning program that can struggle from time to time. This is a losing program that lucks into a short winning stretch every once in a blue moon.
 
Just a thought, but it doesn't even look like they are "competing" any longer. They have not even looked like a team in the fight in either game thus far this season.

Now it is starting to occur to me just why a couple of players refused to play this year after just transferring from other programs. If I'm not mistaken, players that have been around D1 football already for a couple/few years. Perhaps in the few weeks before the season started they saw the lack of readiness, the lack of preparation, and particularly the overall lack of quality performance as a team??

If you are a player living & breathing football for a few years particularly at other D1 programs, you would know how competence & competitiveness would look and feel.
 
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