What will it take to drive game attendance up?

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Originally Posted by PawDawg

Who was your pick? Seriously? I favored SC because of his offensive history. I would have favored the rehire of Jack Bicknell over another year of Holtz.

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Very fair question. I would have hired Rich Rodriguez. RichRod is a much better coach. He has a much better track record than anything Cumbie has ever even dreamed about. Not to mention the 3-star and less talent that became stars under RichRod’s offense. He took guys like QB Pat White (3-star DB), RB Steve Slaten (3-star), FB Owen Schmitt (D-3 transfer), WR Darius Reynaud (3-star) and built a top 10 program that went 33-5 in his last three years at WVU. Doing this with a much smaller budget than teams he competed against. Let’s see 3-star and less talent and a much smaller budget than teams he competed against. Wow that sounds very much like our situation. WVU was just a couple of Pat McAfee missed chip shot field goals from a shot at a national championship. BTW those missed chip shots allowed Les Miles to back door LSU into a national championship.

How is Rodriguez doing this year? He is 7-2, scoring 35.1 ppg (17th in FCS), 413.4 total offense (35th).

Sagarin rankings through October 29, 2022.
74. Liberty
86. WKU
117. MTSU
141. Jacksonville State
143. Louisiana Tech
144. UTEP
146. SHSU
167. NMSU
169. FIU
185. Kennesaw State

He is still doing more with less. Imagine how much better he will be after he has an FBS roster. We really need RR and Freeze to get new jobs this off season.

Now what from Sonny’s resume has you so excited?

Of course none of this matters Sonny is the guy, hopefully it will just take time for him to figure it out.

Tech was NEVER going to hire ULM’s OC as the new HC.

SC’s two predecessors took over programs that had seen a P5 come in and hire our coach. Both of them (one of whom is killing it at TCU right now) had losing seasons in their first years.

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Originally Posted by johnnylightnin

Tech was NEVER going to hire ULM’s OC as the new HC.

SC’s two predecessors took over programs that had seen a P5 come in and hire our coach. Both of them (one of whom is killing it at TCU right now) had losing seasons in their first years.

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You are probably right about not hiring ULM’s OC, but that doesn't mean that was the right call. And, I certainly wouldn't recommend hiring him based of his efforts there.

It will be interesting to see how TCU finishes. They have been the kings of great comebacks. And, I agree SC has time to figure it out. I hope he does. He just wouldn't have been my first choice.

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Originally Posted by Dowty

I can do this too.

Notre Dame and Oklahoma are both 5-3 after going 11-2 last year. OU lost 49-0 to Texas. ND lost to Marshall and still has USC and Clemson on the schedule. Think either of those schools lack talent and resources like we do?

Virginia is 3-5 after going 6-6 last year.

Virginia Tech is 2-6 after going 6-7 last year.

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Huh? Johnny had said all first-time head coaches are in over their head. I disagreed and gave him three examples of first-time head coaches who are not in over their head.

Good smartass comment though, but you are confused again. Nobody was saying every team does better in the first year with a first-time head coach. You keep trying though, you will come up with a good take some time. Like Bone_afide_dawg said you just need to work on that reading comprehension.

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Originally Posted by Bulldog Tom

Huh? Johnny had said all first-time head coaches are in over their head. I disagreed and gave him three examples of first-time head coaches who are not in over their head.

Good smartass comment though, but you are confused again. Nobody was saying every team does better in the first year with a first-time head coach. You keep trying though, you will come up with a good take some time. Like Bone_afide_dawg said you just need to work on that reading comprehension.

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I understood what you meant. I think I’m still right though. If you’ve never done the job before, you’re in over your head…at least in some ways. I think a LOT goes into a teams record with a first time head coach. In fact, I’d argue that the coach’s skill is one of the smallest factors in year one.

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Originally Posted by johnnylightnin

I understood what you meant. I think I’m still right though. If you’ve never done the job before, you’re in over your head…at least in some ways. I think a LOT goes into a teams record with a first time head coach. In fact, I’d argue that the coach’s skill is one of the smallest factors in year one.

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I agree with this. Can you come in and get the tram to believe in you as a person? That’s number one… really for any job where your title involves leading a group of people. After they buy into YOU as a leader, they’ll likely follow you anywhere you want to take it. If you’re doing things with the best interests of the organization and it’s success, the right ones will “get on the bus”… the wrong ones will push back, disagree and either quit or leave. And those are the people you wish the best to, and let the door hit them in the arse on the way out.

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Originally Posted by johnnylightnin

I understood what you meant. I think I’m still right though. If you’ve never done the job before, you’re in over your head…at least in some ways. I think a LOT goes into a teams record with a first time head coach. In fact, I’d argue that the coach’s skill is one of the smallest factors in year one.

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Total disagreement here. Absolutely, totally wrong! In fact, that is a dumb statement. So dumb, I am not even sure how to respond to it.

Let me say this, there have been great coaches of them it was said:

He can beat you with his players, and he can beat you with your players.

Meaning, of course, he will out-coach you regardless who his players are. That is a slight exaggeration, but points to the coaching being the #1 factor affecting how well a team does.

Good coaches make an instant difference, from day one of practice. Long before the first game is played, and during that first season good coaches have made a HUGE difference. Now, if his roster is sub-par then the team might struggle to a losing record, but his coaching has made a difference. Maybe they finish 4-8 when the talent level was 2-10 or 1-11. It's all about creating a winning culture, a can-do attitude. Getting players to improve and play beyond their abilities.

Hate to do this, but I experienced this... I took over the U19 soccer team at Natchitoches. The coach before me was knowledgeable in developing players and he was a super nice guy. His team would have records like 2-16. I took over, moved a couple of players to new positions, made my offense more aggressive applying high pressure, and took that team to the Pelican Cup state championship game, compiling a record of 20-2-2. Same players, with just two additions to the roster. At the very first practice I told my players, "You guys are good! You can play this game and losing is unacceptable." Their eyes lit up and every practice was constructive and intense.

Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have said "dumb." But good coaches are good coaches and don't stop being a good coach just because it is their first year somewhere.

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Originally Posted by Bulldog Tom

Huh? Johnny had said all first-time head coaches are in over their head. I disagreed and gave him three examples of first-time head coaches who are not in over their head.

Good smartass comment though, but you are confused again. Nobody was saying every team does better in the first year with a first-time head coach. You keep trying though, you will come up with a good take some time. Like Bone_afide_dawg said you just need to work on that reading comprehension.

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You cherry-picked first-time head coaches that are having some success. I cherry-picked coaches that aren't.

Just because you can find a random sampling of something to support your position doesn't mean you're right.

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Originally Posted by johnnylightnin

I understood what you meant. I think I’m still right though. If you’ve never done the job before, you’re in over your head…at least in some ways. I think a LOT goes into a teams record with a first time head coach. In fact, I’d argue that the coach’s skill is one of the smallest factors in year one.

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Well we agree Sonny is in over his head. Hopefully he figures it out sooner than later. Should be easier with the changes coming up in cusa. But we will have to disagree about all first time head coaches being over their head. BTW Duke became bowl eligible tonight, wish Sonny was in over his head as much as Elko. ;)

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Originally Posted by Bulldog Tom

Well we agree Sonny is in over his head. Hopefully he figures it out sooner than later. Should be easier with the changes coming up in cusa. But we will have to disagree about all first time head coaches being over their head. BTW Duke became bowl eligible tonight, wish Sonny was in over his head as much as Elko. ;)

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I bet Sonny wishes he had Duke’s budget.

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Originally Posted by johnnylightnin

I bet Sonny wishes he had Duke’s budget.

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I bet Duke wishes they had Sonny's very easy schedule.

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Originally Posted by Bulldog Tom

I bet Duke wishes they had Sonny's very easy schedule.

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Bam!

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Originally Posted by Bulldog Tom

I bet Duke wishes they had Sonny's very easy schedule.

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I’d gladly make that double trade. Duke hasn’t played the strength of their ACC schedule yet.

Everything that’s already been said and then there not be an SEC on TV or a hunting season. From here out attendance is going to dwindle.

When one of our players pulls off his helmet KNOWING that he is costing the team 15 yards we have a problem. We had the same problems with Holtz teams.

I'm not burning $10 worth of gas to drive over and watch this crap even if they are giving away tickets.