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Was Middle Tennessee the least ready team of 2020?


the key excerpt from that lengthy catch all article:

Was Middle Tennessee the least ready team of 2020?

Navy pulled something of a magic trick over the season's opening weeks: The Midshipmen were outscored 79-3 in the first six quarters of the season ... and went 1-1. After a 55-3 throttling at the hands of BYU, Ken Niumatalolo's squad found itself trailing a fired-up Tulane 24-0 at halftime in New Orleans, then reeled off 27 straight points to win at the buzzer. That saved Navy from the ignominious distinction of being the most thoroughly disappointing team of early 2020. Allow me to nominate Rick Stockstill's Middle Tennessee for the title instead.


In terms of the difference between projections and reality, Middle Tennessee has been responsible for the second- and ninth-most disappointing performances of the season so far. SP+ projected the Blue Raiders to lose to Army by 2.8 in Week 1 (Vegas said 3.5), and they lost by 42. SP+ projected them to fall by 13.4 to Troy (Vegas said 3.5 again), and they lost by 33 on Saturday. Quarterback Asher O'Hara threw for 2,616 yards and rushed for 1,044 in 2019, but his 37 passes this season have generated just 155 yards and three picks, and Stockstill briefly benched him for backup Chase Cunningham in a desperate attempt to get something going against Troy. Cunningham went 2-for-7 with two interceptions.

Middle Tennessee started out 80th in SP+ among fall teams but has quickly dropped to 89th, ahead of only Louisiana Monroe (0-2 with a minus-51 scoring margin) and UTEP (2-1 with tight wins over two midlevel FCS teams). Stockstill has overcome funks and bad years before, but the Blue Raiders have started this tricky season in an all-caps FUNK.
 
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This does not fit the model of "Any publicity is good publicity".

That's a myth.

And you're right. It's the exact opposite. With no P5 games the first few weeks of the season for the most part, we had a chance to show the world what MT is all about. I guess you can say we've done that.
 
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Honest question: Do you forsee any changes over the next year? I would suspect any other program to have already made a change but our situation is unique with contracts and almost nepotism type leadership.

You were in beltway so to speak. I can only vent so much and at some point it is tiresome to be a part of something that causes so much frustration.

That's a myth.

And you're right. It's the exact opposite. With no P5 games the first few weeks of the season for the most part, we had a chance to show the world what MT is all about. I guess you can say we've done that.
 
Honest question: Do you forsee any changes over the next year? I would suspect any other program to have already made a change but our situation is unique with contracts and almost nepotism type leadership.

You were in beltway so to speak. I can only vent so much and at some point it is tiresome to be a part of something that causes so much frustration.

Don't know. Probably not. Fundraising has dried up like the Sahara desert. If that wasn't enough to motivate leadership it would appear that nothing ever will. Even with the chorus of criticism and near consensus state from the fan base that change is needed. But this university has already made it perfectly clear that it has not and does not give a damn about what the alumni/fans think.

Yes, in a normal place this would have been handled already by now.
 
Which is why for the first time since I attended my first game in 1998 in Champaign, IL, I will be doing something else Friday night when MT takes the field. Probably watching the Cardinals/Brewers double header. And then next Saturday - even in spite of playing our rival - I will hopefully get a nice weather day to do something outdoors with the kids. As Space said before it's clear we cared more about the wkcc game than the staff has. But those days are over. And once the withdrawal symptoms wear off, I doubt I will even bother coming here to this board.

I've said it before about the culture and the string of just stupid decisions that I can't take it anymore and where our FB program is and has been heading toward (which was obvious BTW). Plus, the complete and utter failure in the basketball coaching search (for which I have been hammered on this board for stating since day one) has all cumulatively brought me to the point of no return. It's long past time to move on.
 
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Honest question: Do you forsee any changes over the next year? I would suspect any other program to have already made a change but our situation is unique with contracts and almost nepotism type leadership.

You were in beltway so to speak. I can only vent so much and at some point it is tiresome to be a part of something that causes so much frustration.
If the slide continues - and I have every reason to believe it will - I’d be shocked if there were not staff changes.

You don’t have back-to-back losing seasons without a few folks looking for new opportunities
 
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Opportunity of a lifetime for this program. Two straight nationally televised games to start the season. What an opportunity to compete and gain some instant credibility. Sad how the Administration/Coaches/Players failed to take advantage of this.
 
Ah. The Illinois game. If I recall we went into halftime 7-6 or something. I drove up there with a friend and had a good time. I miss thinking that MT was gonna hit it big.
 
Honest question: Do you forsee any changes over the next year? I would suspect any other program to have already made a change but our situation is unique with contracts and almost nepotism type leadership.

You were in beltway so to speak. I can only vent so much and at some point it is tiresome to be a part of something that causes so much frustration.
I don’t know that this totally applies here, but a lot of programs are going to ask their high-salary, underproducing head coaches to take a reduced buyout for COVID related budgetary issues.

Now, there’s no way to say Stock will be one of those guys. But if he feels like he’s lost this team - and the on-field results reflect it with a two or fewer win season, I think it’s very possible he decides to step aside (or move to the administrative side.)
 
I don’t know that this totally applies here, but a lot of programs are going to ask their high-salary, underproducing head coaches to take a reduced buyout for COVID related budgetary issues.

Now, there’s no way to say Stock will be one of those guys. But if he feels like he’s lost this team - and the on-field results reflect it with a two or fewer win season, I think it’s very possible he decides to step aside (or move to the administrative side.)
We can hope.
 
Perhaps McPhee would make a change if Chairman Xi suggests it.

McPhee seems to have handed over much of the university to the Chicoms, why not the football program as well?
 
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What was peak year for MTSU athletics? Was is 2013 with Football going 8-4 and Mens Basketball losing in the first round of the 64? Seems like a lifetime ago
 
Listened to all sports talk this afternoon on wgns.

Monte Hale talked for few minutes after he had played Chip Walter's Blue Raider report. He pretty well listed his concerns about the football team this season. This is a summary of what he said.(I'll post the podcast of that show when wgns posts it)

Monte Hale said he doesn't think MT can play its way out of this losing streak. Bad team. Can't find a win on schedule. Can't find a positive. Everybody got better players. Not a competitive team.





 
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2013 was ok but after the 2009 seasons, football was mediocre. 2013, our 8-4 record had the big win over Western Carolina.
 
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