FOOTBALL What Needs to be Said

[MTOleBlue]

First of all, a major ‘job well done’ to the guys on the team for exceeding expectations this year and giving us some happiness (though temporary) for once. We appreciate Brent’s time as QB and I believe he is the best we have ever had. He will be greatly missed. That said... this program is in trouble. There are still a vocal minority of the blind following the blind, on Twitter and other places, claiming that nothing is wrong and we don’t need to make a change. How ignorant they are. How “Little Middle” they are. How problematic they are.

Let me put this out there: how is a program like ours, competing in arguably the worst FBS conference, expected to even stay competitive both locally and nationally, with mediocre results, horrible recruiting, an angry fan base, and uncaring alumni? I’ve said it before but this is unsustainable. Our recruiting has been some of the worst in the country over the last few years. How is this possible? Our HC has a record barely above .500 over NEARLY TWO DECADES. How is this acceptable? Our fan base (which was small to begin with) has given up on this team as evidenced by a less than half full stadium for a championship game which made us once again the laughingstock of CUSA. How is this brushed off? Our alumni - who many complain about not being involved - haven’t been given anything to be prideful about except one divisional championship, followed up by a bad loss in a bowl game. How is this okay?

There needs to be change and it needs to happen immediately. Otherwise our program is done for good. Who can we even compare ourselves to anymore? Eastern Michigan? At least they were competitive in their bowl game against a Sun Belt team yesterday. It’s so sad to see the collapse happening right before our own eyes and MT’s leadership either unknowing to it, or unwilling/unable to do anything about it. There comes a point where things just are a total storm of bad circumstances and situations, heading for complete disaster. We are now fully at that point. I hope Rick Stockstill realizes that this needs to stop and does the right thing by stepping down. We have achieved good things with him, like our first bowl win and our first divisional championship. But those firsts can’t do anything to stop the downward spiral. Please. Otherwise he can put himself down in MT history as the man who killed Blue Raider football.

 

[RaiderDoug]

Many have been saying this on this board.

I didn't even bother to watch the bowl game - i knew what was going to happen. I went to weenie dog races at a local minor league hockey game. Judging by the highlights of the bowl, I had a much better time.

Here's the heart of the problem:

The AD doesn't care about having a great program. They simply want Stock to graduate his players, and go to bowls. That's it.

There won't be any changes, or demands, or ultimatums because the AD views this year as a major success. Extensions all around!

The AD doesn't care, so the coaches don't care. If the coaches don't care, the team plays like it doesn't care. The question is, other than the tug of loyalty thanks to the paper hanging on my wall, why does anyone else care anymore?

 

[MTOleBlue]

Many have been saying this on this board.

I didn't even bother to watch the bowl game - i knew what was going to happen. I went to weenie dog races at a local minor league hockey game. Judging by the highlights of the bowl, I had a much better time.

Here's the heart of the problem:

The AD doesn't care about having a great program. They simply want Stock to graduate his players, and go to bowls. That's it.

There won't be any changes, or demands, or ultimatums because the AD views this year as a major success. Extensions all around!

The AD doesn't care, so the coaches don't care. If the coaches don't care, the team plays like it doesn't care. The question is, other than the tug of loyalty thanks to the paper hanging on my wall, why does anyone else care anymore?

Acceptable mediocrity and a coach happy with 6-6, etc. seasons... bad combination. Massaro is a major problem as well. How can he be okay with this? Our recruiting failures? Our money suck of a program? Coach needs to be addressed immediately but this is what I was getting at with the rhetorical questions.

 

[RaiderDoug]

Acceptable mediocrity and a coach happy with 6-6, etc. seasons... bad combination. Massaro is a major problem as well. How can he be okay with this? Our recruiting failures? Our money suck of a program? Coach needs to be addressed immediately but this is what I was getting at with the rhetorical questions.

It goes right up the chain.

I know we have David Blackburn on campus. From what I know of him from UTC and back to his Knoxville days, we would be much better off giving a rolex to both Stock and Massaro and handing the reins over to Blackburn.

Never going to happen though.

 

[Sommy]

Until the mindset changes that a .500 season and getting blow out in a lower tier bowl was a major success, it’s more of the same.

It all starts at the top. That person sets the culture. Massaro is the problem.

 

[MTOleBlue]

Until the mindset changes that a .500 season and getting blow out in a lower tier bowl was a major success, it’s more of the same.

It all starts at the top. That person sets the culture. Massaro is the problem.

True. At least Massaro would have the opportunity to make a cutting edge hire if Stockstill retired. It’s hard to believe he doesn’t recognize the dumpster fire of a program, especially since we can’t be making much money at all...

 

[Raiderclyde]

Many have been saying this on this board.

Here's the heart of the problem:

The AD doesn't care about having a great program. They simply want Stock to graduate his players, and go to bowls. That's it.

There won't be any changes, or demands, or ultimatums because the AD views this year as a major success. Extensions all around!

The AD doesn't care, so the coaches don't care. If the coaches don't care, the team plays like it doesn't care. The question is, other than the tug of loyalty thanks to the paper hanging on my wall, why does anyone else care anymore?

Know I'm preaching to the choir, but it can be summed up in a word known as "CULTURE": MT have precious little. Our fair city is 138,000 and 317,000 in Rutherford County and our outreach is either poorly designed or poorly executed. Always wonder about my hometown as to where would we be without our fine university? We have some good people and good ideas, but so many artificial roadblocks obscures all that we do and stand for. Our university does a lot for us in terms of attracting jobs and promoting individual opportunity, but that angle is probably best discussion suited for another thread.

I see our motto instead of being "Our Town, Our Team" it is "We Try to Compete".

Lethargic school spirit was evident in town yesterday on the business marquees. It was even somewhat muted atmosphere at the "watch party location" of Toots, too. Watched all I could stand munching over pickles, BBQ wings (which were delicious, BTW), and sweet tea. Movie theater 100 yards down the parking lot seemed to have plenty of business and many of other restaurants looked as they should on the next to last Saturday before Christmas. While driving to Toots, listened to our mighty flagship station of Blue Raider Athletics and post game show for Basketball was still airing and bowl game did not preempt. Car clock was showing 7:56 as I drove across the Stones River Bridge 0.3 miles away. When I arrived at Toots, the game had kicked off 40 seconds into the game; don't know when switch was thrown to New Orleans on radio, but don't think a NCAA Division II school would make that same programming decision. It's little things add up to why things are the way they and it makes it quite difficult to care if you're Jack and Dianne Fan. If I'm having these difficulties of staying engaged being born and raised around the university from the 1970's and have a degree, what do you think about the health of school spirit and sense of loyalty in the community at large? Well, we are not telling a good story. Each bad loss we sustain in a national audience just makes the job of relevance all that much harder to sell.

Sadly, MTSU Blue Raiders is losing their relevance in 37130, 29, 28, 27 and any other Rutherford County address and we are slowly withering away from a FBS level program and maybe not even a top tier FCS program like a North Dakota State or a James Madison.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

In 2015, I started looking at our records and style of conservative play and began to get really frustrated and concerned as a fan. You can go search my history during the 15 year where I would start threads about Rick's record hovering around .500 being a concern.

Where we are with this lame duck overpaid coach.

Career Record: 13 Years, 87-78, .527 Win%

Bowl Record: 8 Games, 2-6, .250 Win%

IF YOU REMOVE FCS/1-AA schools as wins from our record we are: 78 - 78 .500 WIN%.

I kept our two losses from WKU when they were yet FBS and our loss to McNeese because we should never lose to a fcs school.

.500 COACH. Don't ask me for money. Don't criticize attendance.

Then you have jackasses like this news reporter coming down on the fanbase for demanding more.





This coach should be fired or retire. Get out now.

 

[cipman2000]

Good season, bowl game, no big wins against SEC opponents, we competed, great kids on the team, High APR, & solid coach. Just haven’t seen much fire or fund raising skill.

We need a visionary leader from the AD level all the way thru the system. If you want to be big time then go big time. Little daily effort will equal small results. I’m still an alumni and fan but I am disappointed in the results over the last 5 years. There are over 100,000 alumni in the Middle Tennessee area.. Get them excited and they will be involved.

I’m not sure what next year looks like but I believe it will look like this years basketball results so far.

What a great Saturday.. A blow out at Toledo and a blow out in the bowl game..

 

[sWiley]

Fire Massaro, Promote Blackburn, get a new football coach.

Grow a pair McPhee.

 

[stuckinthemiddle2]

Maybe it's time to stop pretending the current "C-USA" is equal to the C-USA that used to have Florida State, Cincinnati, TCU, Louisville, etc. People can see through that charade and stopped buying into it. Being in a conference with rivals (other than WKU) might restart interest. If that means dropping down to FCS and playing Tennessee Tech... is that really so bad?

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

Yes. It is. #1. Your a Vandy troll. #2. That solves nothing. This isn’t a opponent problem. This is a leadership problem that starts with the head man. Besides...who is saying that CUSA isn’t what it is? Go back to your cave.

Maybe it's time to stop pretending the current "C-USA" is equal to the C-USA that used to have Florida State, Cincinnati, TCU, Louisville, etc. People can see through that charade and stopped buying into it. Being in a conference with rivals (other than WKU) might restart interest. If that means dropping down to FCS and playing Tennessee Tech... is that really so bad?

 

[MidTennMtneer]

I don’t care what conference we are in. That’s not up to the coach. It’s up to the coach to do three things.
1. Beat whoever is in your conference
2. Beat those outside of your conference that you should win.
3. At least sometimes beat those outside of your conference that you shouldn’t win. (Should be always but I’m ok losing to the 3rd ranked team in the country).

Stock has done one of those things. And not 100% either. (McNeese anyone?)

I respect the man and what he has done. His kids stay out of trouble, great grades and graduation rate. He’s a good man. But it’s time. I’m to the point now that not even staff changes are gonna cut it.

We need someone who is salesman of the program not just to recruits but to the Middle Tennessee region as well. (Hell. I’d settle for just Ruthorford). And that goes for the AD as well.

I respect Mr. Stockstill. I no longer respect Coach Stockstill.

 

[MarJac23]

I respect the man and what he has done. His kids stay out of trouble, great grades and graduation rate. He’s a good man. But it’s time. I’m to the point now that not even staff changes are gonna cut it.

We need someone who is salesman of the program not just to recruits but to the Middle Tennessee region as well. (Hell. I’d settle for just Ruthorford). And that goes for the AD as well.
----------------------------------------------------
It is Time!
I've been a big Stock fan for just the reasons you stated above. Believe he was the right hire at the time
But it is time-It's Old, Stale and Tired. Both he and CM. Just listen to the both of them. How can anyone get excited about this program ?
Was listening to the Coaches show Friday night on my way home . Chip announced that "Next up we have Middle Tennnese Athletic Director Chris Massaro". I just poked myself in the eye with an ice pick and switched stations to Christmas music.

 

[Predarat]

Maybe it's time to stop pretending the current "C-USA" is equal to the C-USA that used to have Florida State, Cincinnati, TCU, Louisville, etc. People can see through that charade and stopped buying into it. Being in a conference with rivals (other than WKU) might restart interest. If that means dropping down to FCS and playing Tennessee Tech... is that really so bad?

MT could drop to the NAIA and Stock would still bottle some games.

 

[MT01]

Know I'm preaching to the choir, but it can be summed up in a word known as "CULTURE": MT have precious little. Our fair city is 138,000 and 317,000 in Rutherford County and our outreach is either poorly designed or poorly executed. Always wonder about my hometown as to where would we be without our fine university? We have some good people and good ideas, but so many artificial roadblocks obscures all that we do and stand for. Our university does a lot for us in terms of attracting jobs and promoting individual opportunity, but that angle is probably best discussion suited for another thread.

I see our motto instead of being "Our Town, Our Team" it is "We Try to Compete".

Lethargic school spirit was evident in town yesterday on the business marquees. It was even somewhat muted atmosphere at the "watch party location" of Toots, too. Watched all I could stand munching over pickles, BBQ wings (which were delicious, BTW), and sweet tea. Movie theater 100 yards down the parking lot seemed to have plenty of business and many of other restaurants looked as they should on the next to last Saturday before Christmas. While driving to Toots, listened to our mighty flagship station of Blue Raider Athletics and post game show for Basketball was still airing and bowl game did not preempt. Car clock was showing 7:56 as I drove across the Stones River Bridge 0.3 miles away. When I arrived at Toots, the game had kicked off 40 seconds into the game; don't know when switch was thrown to New Orleans on radio, but don't think a NCAA Division II school would make that same programming decision. It's little things add up to why things are the way they and it makes it quite difficult to care if you're Jack and Dianne Fan. If I'm having these difficulties of staying engaged being born and raised around the university from the 1970's and have a degree, what do you think about the health of school spirit and sense of loyalty in the community at large? Well, we are not telling a good story. Each bad loss we sustain in a national audience just makes the job of relevance all that much harder to sell.

Sadly, MTSU Blue Raiders is losing their relevance in 37130, 29, 28, 27 and any other Rutherford County address and we are slowly withering away from a FBS level program and maybe not even a top tier FCS program like a North Dakota State or a James Madison.

This is hitting the nail on the head. The key word is culture. App St is the one team I did not want to play. The reason is simple. The biggest difference between App and MT is App has a culture that is predicated on winning. MT has a culture of making sure small time things remain small time so that people who do the things they do can always do the things they do. Even if those things don’t equal success. App doesn’t care about basketball on grass, Air RAID, a 3-4 or a 4-3. They don’t box themselves into well this is the way we’ve always done it so we must keep doing. That’s “Idocracy” but that’s how MT operates. Instead of functioning that way App operates its program to do one thing. To win. And because they predicate their culture on winning instead of other ridiculous factors like we do they probably have the best chance to replicate in the east what Boise has done in the West.

Culture is the number one problem at MT. And with a just get by president getting another five years you can expect your schools academic and athletic achievement contributing to do just enough to get by as well. Because that’s what our culture is.

 

[BRaiderDave]

"Culture is the number one problem at MT. And with a just get by president getting another five years you can expect your schools academic and athletic achievement contributing to do just enough to get by as well. Because that’s what our culture is."

And that is the reason they'll never get another dollar from me or any further attendance. That is my only voice.

 

[sWiley]

At the end of the day there is only 2 things that we as fans can do to either support or reject this administration.

Give money or withhold it.

Attend games or stay at home.

Make your decisions accordingly.

 

[dukewayne]

Some good points in this thread.

It seems McPhee has been motivated with the new board to get a nice pay raise. Maybe it's time the board members start hearing from alumni?

 

[SpaceRaider]

Culture is the number one problem at MT. And with a just get by president getting another five years you can expect your schools academic and athletic achievement contributing to do just enough to get by as well. Because that’s what our culture is.

There's an old saying (maybe a Chinese proverb, which in McPhee's case would be appropriate) "a fish rots from the head down"