Letter from the AD, Cumbie to Return in 2025 - latechsports.com

[DallasDog]

How many times have when been told that one of the main goals is to grow the student population to 15000+ undergrads, only to not have active recruiting in even the closest large markets DFW/Houston. Like everything else there are lots of factors, but the biggest factor is our lack of vision and ability to actually physically do what's necessary. I spent my entire career in education. 23 years in HS classrooms in Richardson and Frisco, and currently here at UT. I see how UT Law and several of the undergrad colleges recruit, and it isn't about money a lot of its simple things Tech could achieve. I have also seen tons of universities come to the HS's and recruit and to district events and Tech is never there. I talked to the recruiter we "had" in DFW at one time, and they point blank said it was a joke.

We just hangout between 10k-12k.

Online degrees are part of the business now and will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Student fees are necessary if you want to play at this level. If you don't want the higher student fees, that's fine and understandable but quit trying to compete at the FBS level.

Other schools have achieved more being in similar situations than we have, and while there are lots of factors our biggest impediment is our own management.

[Blue Dawg]

Well we certainly aren't going to pass a fee now. What student in their right mind would put a dime towards this mess?

Especially when they see things literally falling apart on campus.

[inudesu]

The population of Orlando in 1998 was about 190K, it's about 325K today. That is about the same size, and smaller, than home towns for several MAC schools. Tulane is in New Orleans, population close to 400K. And there are other, plenty of other, schools playing football in similar-sized cities as Orlando. If your contention is the reason UCF has made it, why haven't ALL those other schools? Don't they know they all should be in the Big 12 since they have matched the ONE factor favoring UCF?

It's not the only factor, but their size and location are the biggest reason they're in the Big 12. It's a way bigger reason than any coaching hiring or firing they've made in that time period.

[DallasDog]

Well we certainly aren't going to pass a fee now. What student in their right mind would put a dime towards this mess?

Especially when they see things literally falling apart on campus.

Oh I agree, that there is no incentive for students to pass a fee and there are better places that money could be used.

If we are broke and there isn't enough desire from the whales and most of the alumni, then the logical business move would be to stop throwing good money after bad. If we can't compete at this level sustainably then we shouldn't be there anymore. While I love Tech and college sports as a while over professional, I have always had a problem with the money diverted from academics to sports at every level. I also played every sport my HS has except football, so I love sports in general as well.

[Blue Dawg]

Oh I agree, that there is no incentive for students to pass a fee and there are better places that money could be used.

If we are broke and there isn't enough desire from the whales and most of the alumni, then the logical business move would be to stop throwing good money after bad. If we can't compete at this level sustainably then we shouldn't be there anymore. While I love Tech and college sports as a while over professional, I have always had a problem with the money diverted from academics to sports at every level. I also played every sport my HS has except football, so I love sports in general as well.

There are several Div I schools that either dropped all sports entirely or to Div III. No FBS teams have done so but if the people in charge aren't going to care I really don't see the point in continuing. Just a waste of resources (the problem being of course that they mismanage it no matter where it's applied)

[inudesu]

I'm in the minority I know, but I think this is our best hope for a winning record in 2025. I'm rooting for the momentum from the end of the season to carry over.

We also have a current commit from my hometown and alma mater. A surer sign of pending success you'll never find! Things are about to turn around y'all!

[inudesu]

No FBS teams have done so but if the people in charge aren't going to care I really don't see the point in continuing.

If the point of college sports was just wins/losses/championships then a lot more schools would have dropped down a long time ago.

It's important. It's (largely) the point for fans. But it's not necessarily the only point of it all. Even just from a financial perspective. Just look at the (second) UAB report about football. If the standard was "4 losing seasons in a row and you drop the sport" then FBS would be a lot smaller (already).

[CARTEK]

Our biggest problem is 30+ years of piss poor leadership at the highest levels. Intelligent men, but no business acumen and little common sense...just what you'd expect from career government employees!

[Blue Dawg]

If the point of college sports was just wins/losses/championships then a lot more schools would have dropped down a long time ago.

It's important. It's (largely) the point for fans. But it's not necessarily the only point of it all. Even just from a financial perspective. Just look at the (second) UAB report about football. If the standard was "4 losing seasons in a row and you drop the sport" then FBS would be a lot smaller (already).

I don't disagree.

Is Jech sports providing that intangible?

Let's see. We've been kicked in the balls for 30 years and are a running joke in every sport. We have no money. Tailgating has been effectively neutered. We have no plan to improve and it might not even be possible to do so.

I'm not saying we ought to drop. I'm saying we need to have a comprehensive reason as to why not.

[inudesu]

I don't disagree.

Is Jech sports providing that intangible?

Let's see. We've been kicked in the balls for 30 years and are a running joke in every sport. We have no money. Tailgating has been effectively neutered. We have no plan to improve and it might not even be possible to do so.

I'm not saying we ought to drop. I'm saying we need to have a comprehensive reason as to why not.

It can feel this way, but we haven't been a running joke for 30 years in every sport. WBB was in the national championship game in '97. And wasn't a joke until, what, like 2011 or 2012? And even now, we're not good, but they're only embarrassing compared to what we used to be. MBB hasn't been the big dance in forever, but they're not a running joke (might have been for a minute in that time period, but mostly hasn't been). Football has been bad for 4-5 years but ran off a decade with just one losing record. Baseball hasn't been a joke for a long time. Volleyball? Yeah, maybe.

We feel every loss and every regular season title team that doesn't win the conference tournament as fans. But nobody thinks Tech sports are a joke. Nationally most people probably don't think about us at all, but at worst we're just lumped in with all the other G5/6 or "mid-majors" or "small schools" or something. And locally it feels really bad because sometimes the fans of other schools (or that one other school in particular) will have a vague general sense of how we're doing overall and might currently know we're on a bad run in football.

You can't really evaluate the worth of being FBS or Div I. Whatever you think of our branding or (student) recruiting now, would it be better without sports? Probably not. And every student is about to be a big deal with the enrollment cliff coming.

[dawg80]

It's not the only factor, but their size and location are the biggest reason they're in the Big 12. It's a way bigger reason than any coaching hiring or firing they've made in that time period.

There was another key factor, one that trumps their location (although that does afford them an advantage over other schools, yes). UCF had a very aggressive/focused leadership team, led by their AD and their president. I mentioned UCF in particular, not so much because I think we enjoy the exact same assets, but because, as it happened, we were in the exact same boat in 1998. UCF had a marketing team (firm) leading the charge and its management (administration) was VERY active seeking something better for UCF athletics. Their success did not happen by accident, nor is it the result of being near Disney World.

[inudesu]

There was another key factor, one that trumps their location (although that does afford them an advantage over other schools, yes). UCF had a very aggressive/focused leadership team, led by their AD and their president. I mentioned UCF in particular, not so much because I think we enjoy the exact same assets, but because, as it happened, we were in the exact same boat in 1998. UCF had a marketing team (firm) leading the charge and its management (administration) was VERY active seeking something better for UCF athletics. Their success did not happen by accident, nor is it the result of being near Disney World.

Put that same leadership at Tech in 1998 and you might have more wins now. We might be in the Sunbelt or even the AAC now (although I doubt it).

We wouldn't be in the Big 12.

[dawg80]

And this little tidbit...

last night I attended a Christmas party, one of those "who's who" events. Seated at a round table enjoying some very fine cuisine, with doctors, lawyers, politicians...and all huge LSU types. One of them was discussing her travel plans, lots of world travel, and mentioned several planned trips for next September. One at the table asked if she (and her husband) had checked LSU's September schedule. They all hold LSU football season tickets and are members of some Tiger Club, whatever. The traveler remarked, oh yes, LSU is playing nothing but cupcakes at home in September, not worth seeing. Who? She and her husband replied, Louisiana Tech, Southeastern, and some other cupcake school. Do we play at LSU next September? Whether we do or not, we are considered as a cupcake. I just sat quietly...but did ask the waitress to bring me a stronger adult beverage.

[inudesu]

And this little tidbit...

last night I attended a Christmas party, one of those "who's who" events. Seated at a round table enjoying some very fine cuisine, with doctors, lawyers, politicians...and all huge LSU types. One of them was discussing her travel plans, lots of world travel, and mentioned several planned trips for next September. One at the table asked if she (and her husband) had checked LSU's September schedule. They all hold LSU football season tickets and are members of some Tiger Club, whatever. The traveler remarked, oh yes, LSU is playing nothing but cupcakes at home in September, not worth seeing. Who? She and her husband replied, Louisiana Tech, Southeastern, and some other cupcake school. Do we play at LSU next September? Whether we do or not, we are considered as a cupcake. I just sat quietly...but did ask the waitress to bring me a stronger adult beverage.

I hate this, but how is it different from any time in the past? If you're not getting a return game and are just playing for a paycheck, you're a "cupcake." If you're in a G6 conference, you're a "cupcake." In a given year, an educated college football fan might know when a Tech or Fresno or Memphis or UNLV or Tulane or SDSU is up or not and might be scary (or even favored, if it's a weaker P4). But short of Boise State, we're all cupcakes to an SEC fan (even the times they lose to us). Thus it has ever been.

[inudesu]

We also have a current commit from my hometown and alma mater. A surer sign of pending success you'll never find! Things are about to turn around y'all!

Starting to wonder about this now. Hasn't signed yet, I wonder if we backed off?

I always want more Arkansans at Tech, but I'm still holding out hope that we can be good with or without another Sylvan Hills Bear.