Bicknell's job

[T_Won]

I am one of the more friendly posters for our coaching situation. I stayed pro-Bicknell until the Tulsa game last year. Then, the Rice game seemed to punctuate a need for a change.

This year, much like the last 3 years, we started out well. We are at a point in the season where two things could happen: 1) We can win 3 more and go bowling or 2) We can lose all 4 and finish 4-8.

From past experience, I tend to think the second is closer to what will happen with this team. I'm not trying to be a pesimist, because I really think we have a chance to win 3 of the last 4 and possibly all 4 and have a really nice season. But, my point is that I think Bicknell should be judged by these final four games.

I want some feedback on what the consensus thinks is a REALISTIC goal for Bicknell to achieve in the final 4 games: AT Hawaii, Tulsa, AT Boise St, and AT Rice. To me, any of these 4 games could go either way. It is hard to win in Hawaii in most years, Tulsa has beaten Bicknell teams 2 out of 4 times, Boise State never loses at home, and Rice has crushed us for the last 10 quarters we've played them.

Is 2 wins enough for another year? Is 1 win enough? Personally, I think Mr. Oakes should hold a meeting with coach B. on Monday and explain to him that this is the situation -- 3 wins and you're our coach next year; 2 wins or fewer and we have to look in a new direction. It is now time for Coach Bicknell to prove that he can lead a team to good season. Come on coach, I'm pulling for you!

[RealityCheck]

Agreed with your 3-win assessment. Plain and simple based on how Tech's opponents have performed on the field this season, anything less than a 7-5 record should be totally unacceptable.

And if Tech somehow manages to back into a bowl game at 6-6, winning the bowl game should then be the determining factor as a 6-7 record shouldn't be rewarded.

[rockdog]

I personally don't want to have too many discussions on coaching...especially this early...but I want to respond to your post because I feel it was classy and not looking to stir the pot.

I think we "can" win the next four games. No doubt about it. I think we are more talented than Rice, Hawaii, and Tulsa. I think we match up pretty evenly with Boise. The difference with Boise is that Hawkins and the rest of the staff expect to win every game. They go out with that attitude and play to win. They kicked an onside kick in the first half against Hawaii when they were up by two scores. They want to win...and do what it takes to win. So going into Boise on the infamous blue turf will be hard.

For me personally anything less than 3-1 down the stretch is a let down. I said at the start of the year if Bicknell goes 6-6 with this schedule...he should not be fired. But after seeing this team play for the first couple of weeks, we are talented enough to go 8-4. For me 6-6 isn't good enough anymore-some WAC teams have been let downs this season...Tulsa is not a .500 team anymore, Hawaii is struggling big time, and Rice is very incosistent. Those are three games Bicknell has to win...that were toss-ups at the beginning of the year. Most people projected us at 5-7.

So...if he goes 2-2 I think the outcome is up in the air on whether he goes or stays.. With the games we played this year 6-6 is respectable... but anything less has to bring about change. I won't be thrilled if he stays after going 2-2. I think he has learned some this year. But losing two of these last four games will be horrible for his case to stay in Ruston. I like Bicknell, and I am rooting for him to go 4-0...but I don't think I can deal with mediocrity for another season. So after my long ramble...he needs to go 3-1.

[HogDawg]

Personally, I think Mr. Oakes should hold a meeting with coach B. on Monday and explain to him that this is the situation -- 3 wins and you're our coach next year; 2 wins or fewer and we have to look in a new direction.

I agree 100%.

It's VERY realistic for Bicknell and the Bulldogs to finish 3-1 down the stretch, for a 7-5 overall record. This is a down year for Hawaii, Tulsa AND Rice. If Bick can't win those 3 games, we need somebody new at the helm.

Of course, in typical Bicknell fashion, I wouldn't be surprised to see Tech WIN at Boise and lose to Hawaii, Tulsa and Rice. That's what so "frustrating" with Bicknell, nothing he does makes sense.

HD

[Gooddawg]

Agreed with your 3-win assessment. Plain and simple based on how Tech's opponents have performed on the field this season, anything less than a 7-5 record should be totally unacceptable.

And if Tech somehow manages to back into a bowl game at 6-6, winning the bowl game should then be the determining factor as a 6-7 record shouldn't be rewarded.

There is NO WAY the WAC will put Tech in a bowl game at 6-6 and probably NO WAY we go at 7-5 either. We don't deserve to go at 6-6 either.

Bicknell has no wiggle room, he should have been fired last year. But I doubt he will be fired regardless what happens in the last 4 games. Would losing the last 4 be any worse than what happenned last year with the most experienced Tech team in years and a NFL QB? I don't think so.

Hawaii is terrible, they have lost to a team that ULM beat and a D1AA team both at home. IFwe lose this game I am afraid it will be a sign of things to come for the last 3.

BSU is overrated at #15, but they are a good team and well coached, everybody can see that and they would love to beat you 69-3 which I love and you can bet they will be out to beat us 70-0. This game is winnable though if we play well and that is JBs job to get us to play up to our abilities.This should be a good game, is it on tv? I hope so.

Tulsa and Rice are games we should win. I don't care how "good" Tulsa was last year or that they almost beat BSU this year. These teams are bottom feeders in the WAC and we do not want to be associated with them by losing to them every year, that is unacceptable. Wait a minute, didn't we lose to both teams last year by embarrasing margins and what was done about it?
My point exactly we have accepted what has been on the field the last 2 years.

[HogDawg]

GoodDawg, I agree with you. I think Louisiana Tech has to run the table the rest of the way and finish with an 8-4 record in order to go bowling. I don't think we go bowling at 7-5 and I KNOW we won't go bowling at 6-6.

So, this is it for Bicknell. If he goes 3-1 down the stretch (for a 7-5 finish), he'll likely keep his job, but the team WON'T go bowling. Anything less, and he's unemployed. Anything more (4-0, 8-4 overall) and he likely goes Bowling. That makes every game from here on HUGE!

HD

[dawg80]

I think Bick should be fired, no matter what. Just like UF left no strings attached for Zook. He is gone....no matter what. It doesn't take a football genius to see that Zook ain't got what it takes to keep the UF program where they want to be.

Likewise, Bick ain't got it either. Never has had it, never will. He's a loser that drags down all those around him. So, whatever happens from here on out should not matter, Bick should be fired. Of course, as many of you have said, if he goes 7-5 he's a shoe-in to stay...and probably get a contract extension too.

Bick aside, realistically, Tech "can" finish out 3-1. Only Boise looms as an impossible task. Well, I won't say impossible, just highly improbable.

[T_Won]

GoodDawg, I agree with you. I think Louisiana Tech has to run the table the rest of the way and finish with an 8-4 record in order to go bowling. I don't think we go bowling at 7-5 and I KNOW we won't go bowling at 6-6.

So, this is it for Bicknell. If he goes 3-1 down the stretch (for a 7-5 finish), he'll likely keep his job, but the team WON'T go bowling. Anything less, and he's unemployed. Anything more (4-0, 8-4 overall) and he likely goes Bowling. That makes every game from here on HUGE!

HD

I think we can go bowling at 7-5. The WAC standings would look something like this:

Boise State (8-0)
UTEP (7-1)
TECH (6-2)
Fresno (5-3)

If Boise can get to a "better" bowl, that leaves the 3 WAC bowls open for UTEP, Tech, and Fresno. There has been some talk about Utah going to a BCS bowl and Boise filling their spot in the Liberty Bowl. If that scenario happens, we can afford to lose to Boise and still go bowling. If the WAC sends just 3 teams bowling, Tech will be left out because all the bowls are out west.

[Gooddawg]

T Won

in your scenario, FSU would go bowling over Tech b/c after the first place finisher the WAC chooses who goes where with the rest of bowl eligible teams, there was some controversy over this a couple of years ago with BSU and FSU I think in 2001 when we won the WAC.

[HogDawg]

I think we can go bowling at 7-5. The WAC standings would look something like this:

Boise State (8-0)
UTEP (7-1)
TECH (6-2)
Fresno (5-3)

If Boise can get to a "better" bowl, that leaves the 3 WAC bowls open for UTEP, Tech, and Fresno. There has been some talk about Utah going to a BCS bowl and Boise filling their spot in the Liberty Bowl. If that scenario happens, we can afford to lose to Boise and still go bowling. If the WAC sends just 3 teams bowling, Tech will be left out because all the bowls are out west.

The ONLY chance a 7-5 Louisiana Tech team has of going bowling this year is if Hawaii continues to stink it up so badly. In this scenario Tech MIGHT --I emphasize the word MIGHT-- get a shot at the Hawaii bowl. That's the only bowl we've got a legitimate shot at (at 7-5), and the Hawaii Bowl doesn't typically depend on visiting teams to bring alot of fans to fill their stadium.

Because of the long travel distance, the Hawaii Bowl depends more on the locals to attend the game than they do fans from the visiting schools. That "fan" profile works well for a visiting Louisiana Tech to represent the WAC this year.

Of course, this also means Tech must beat Hawaii next week.

HD

[T_Won]

T Won

in your scenario, FSU would go bowling over Tech b/c after the first place finisher the WAC chooses who goes where with the rest of bowl eligible teams, there was some controversy over this a couple of years ago with BSU and FSU I think in 2001 when we won the WAC.

No, in my scenario, both FSU and Tech would go bowling.

[RealityCheck]

If Boise State gets moved up to another bowl outside the WAC's three bids, the WAC needs three more teams to fill the spots. Right now two of those three are projected to be UTEP and Fresno State.

The third spot is the one that is up in the air. Hawai'i must win 3 out of 5 to get to 6-6 with Tech, at Fresno State, Idaho, Northwestern, and Michigan State left. If Hawai'i doesn't get to 6-6, then the next two best shots are Tech if it can get to at least 6-6 and Nevada possibly also finishing at 6-6.

[StrayDawg]

I think Bick should be fired, no matter what. Just like UF left no strings attached for Zook. He is gone....no matter what. It doesn't take a football genius to see that Zook ain't got what it takes to keep the UF program where they want to be.

Likewise, Bick ain't got it either. Never has had it, never will. He's a loser that drags down all those around him. So, whatever happens from here on out should not matter, Bick should be fired. Of course, as many of you have said, if he goes 7-5 he's a shoe-in to stay...and probably get a contract extension too.

Bick aside, realistically, Tech "can" finish out 3-1. Only Boise looms as an impossible task. Well, I won't say impossible, just highly improbable.

And, the choir shouted, "Amen, Brother!"

Exactly right D80. How many seasons has Bicknell been at Tech? How many of those years have we had losing records? How many losses to bad teams? How many school and NCAA records set against us by opposing teams? How many excuses? How many buzzwords?

This guy has GOT to go. If he goes 7-5, he probably will come back, even though that would be incredibly stupid. If he gets a contract extension, I'm giving up completely on the direction of Tech athletics.

[Dirtydawg]

I thought I remembered reading when the Hawaii bowl was reintroduced that the only tie in to the WAC would be if Hawaii is bowl eligible.

[RealityCheck]

I thought I remembered reading when the Hawaii bowl was reintroduced that the only tie in to the WAC would be if Hawaii is bowl eligible.

The Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl is a WAC bowl but Hawai'i is guaranteed a bid if it is bowl-eligible. Any bowl-eligible WAC team can be selected if Hawai'i isn't eligible.