Serious Question

[Barkman]

Ok, that is what I was looking for. I agree # 1 you should always want to be a National Champion. Let's start with a Conference Championship. 18-19 year old kids want to play. We are wide open at most positions. #2 Kids want to play in a packed house, frenzied environment.

2 things never mentioned here. We beat Fresno, but I think they had a let down because of two games they had played in front of at least 50,000 plus Washington, and K-State.

#2 We play well in games at Auburn, Tenn. early b/c our guys are pumped up b/c of the environment. Depth catches us and then we got beat.

We bring recruits in and we need to show them a rocking good time. No I do not mean hookers and gambling. A packed house. I'm starting early, Lets sell out one game next year. (Yes Iwould like all of them. but hey I am a realist) Bring your top recruits in on this weekend, Maybe about the time the new movie theatre opens up, take them out to eat to various restaraunts and have people strategicly placed at various Restaraunts etc, sell Ruston, Sell Tech, show them they can play COME HERE.
#3 STADIUM UPGRADES
STILL CURIOUS ON THE QUESTION PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF A RECRUIT

[Edward_Longshanks]

Count me as one of those who would like to see that out-of-conference schedule toned down a bit. Ole Miss instead of Auburn. Kentucky instead of Tennessee.

We can still get plenty of mileage nationwide beating the second-tier of BCS programs. Troy gained some measure of credibility beating Missouri. I watch ESPN and see a play where one of their offensive linemen scored from 40 or 50 yards out on a fumble. It doesn't seem to matter that Mizzou failed to live up to expectations. Troy State's victory still gets them far more notice than the current spankings we get playing the higher level of BCS conference programs.

There has to be a balance struck between the attitude of "playing for the money" and the need for victory. Not that hard to determine the programs
within each of the BCS conferences who, more likely than not, will continually finish outside the elite. I'd rather take a road contract with Missouri, Arkansas, or Georgia Tech and give myself a fighting chance to win than get paid for the kids to get stomped by powerhouse programs.

Serving as cannon fodder is never a good way to promote your program to new fans or to new players.

[Barkman]

I agree totally. If we did as you and I want us to, how much would we be in the hole? The payoff might be less, but the bowl we go to would offset a little.

[dawg80]

Several years ago a survey was done nationally of men and women athletes, in every sport and was said to include responses from every Division I school. Of course, as with all voluntary surveys, the response rate depends on the participants' willingness. But, I believe it met the standards of a scientific study.

Anyway, and this is from my failing memory, so it may be a little off, but the top 5 reasons athletes chose the school they did:

1. the headcoach and the coaching staff
2. the liklihood that the coaches would stay for all four years
3. playing on national TV (and regional TV)
4. chance to win the conference every year
5. the reputation of the school in that sport

The survey, as I recall, actually listed the top 15 reasons, and further down the list were things like perks, such as the facilities, etc....

But, what stuck with me were the top 2 reasons. It appears, for recruits, that coaches are the biggest influence. So, it is still all about having good coaches.

The bottom line could not be simpler.

[CHAMP9901]

Several years ago a survey was done nationally of men and women athletes, in every sport and was said to include responses from every Division I school. Of course, as with all voluntary surveys, the response rate depends on the participants' willingness. But, I believe it met the standards of a scientific study.

Anyway, and this is from my failing memory, so it may be a little off, but the top 5 reasons athletes chose the school they did:

1. the headcoach and the coaching staff
2. the liklihood that the coaches would stay for all four years
3. playing on national TV (and regional TV)
4. chance to win the conference every year
5. the reputation of the school in that sport

The survey, as I recall, actually listed the top 15 reasons, and further down the list were things like perks, such as the facilities, etc....

But, what stuck with me were the top 2 reasons. It appears, for recruits, that coaches are the biggest influence. So, it is still all about having good coaches.

The bottom line could not be simpler.

You are exactly right about that, but the elite head coaches will not come here for $175,000-225,000$ that we pay our coaches. Most BCS conference elite caches have coordinators that make more than that. These good coaches are businessmen and they want 7 figures! We can't come close! By the way we pay our assistant coaches what most high school coaches make! Of coarse they will leave if they get the chance and that is the bottom line!

[Barkman]

That is right. Any coach we have that finishes 8-3, maybe even 7-4 is going to get looks and then they are gone. We are very similar to Tulsa basketball. They settled on Phillips who told them he wasn't going anywhere else. He didn't lie. He resigned last week. I know that everyone at sometime or another wants a coaching change but I honestly think next year will be it for Jack, good or bad, then who do you hire, a proven coach with some type of scandal that brought him down. Paying coaches is like beef. You cant eat the ribeye. when your broke ass paid for a Krystal burger.

[Edward_Longshanks]

Might be best to look for the guy in his 50s who has developed capable programs only to be fired because of unrealistic expectations of boosters or one error in judgement. Price was a great hire for UTEP. Solich will be a fine coach for Ohio. A guy like Donnan or Cutcliffe would do the business for Tech for a good 7-10 year run...but we would have to show commitment to attract that kind of coach.

[Barkman]

I like your choices, but realisticlly Donnan is not going to leave TV land for 200,000 and Cutcliffe was close to a million a year at Ole Piss so realisticly we do not have the cabbage for either of those two

[RXDAWG]

Neuheisel is still waiting for an interview. Slocum is still hanging out in TX. There is a good defensive coach at SLU in Woodenhoffer (sp?). Hell, there are lots of choices, we just don't have the balls to ask if they want to coach!

[Barkman]

Woody Woffenhiemer was great, got the most out of Vandy, he is a great choice, rx same as rph I almost went to pharmacy school, read some of your earlier post you lived in T-town?

[CHAMP9901]

Woody Woffenhiemer was great, got the most out of Vandy, he is a great choice, rx same as rph I almost went to pharmacy school, read some of your earlier post you lived in T-town?

R.C. Slocum would be a fantastic choice! He went to McNeese for college, and he has good Louisiana and Texas Ties! I hope we will pursue him. Woody Wodenhiemer is going to NMSU with Hal Mumme. It Went Down yesterday. Slocum is going to have to really want to get back into coaching for what we can pay!

[Cool Hand Clyde]

R.C. Slocum would be a fantastic choice! He went to McNeese for college, and he has good Louisiana and Texas Ties! I hope we will pursue him. Woody Wodenhiemer is going to NMSU with Hal Mumme. It Went Down yesterday. Slocum is going to have to really want to get back into coaching for what we can pay!

Slocum interviewed for the job in Baton Rouge.

[RXDAWG]

Yes,I am a pharmacist. RX is the abbreviation for prescription. RPH was already taken, so I went with RX. My wife graduated with her Doctorate from Alabama. I lived in T-town for 5 years before moving back to Ruston. If you want to know how a college town is supposed to be, go to Tuscaloosa! If it weren't for family, I'd still be there!

[Barkman]

Been there,the best part of Tuscaloosa is Dreamland, they do have a nice Jr. College, though. I like that cow college in East Alabama better.