Protocol for Practice

[champion110]

To follow up on your post Champ, in DD's three years home attendance increased from 14,600, NCAA 2006 statistics, to 21000, Tech 2009 statistics. That is a 44% increase. If SD does as well we will run out of stadium capacity in his third year. DR brought in DD and BVDV who together laid the foundation then brought in SD. DR should get some credit for a masterfull job. If 10 is a good year, better start the stadium expansion project.

I agree..... It took D.R. WAY too long to get in the game, but he did get in it and deserves some credit for doing so.

[DQDawg]

I agree..... It took D.R. WAY too long to get in the game, but he did get in it and deserves some credit for doing so.

I agree totally with the "long time to get in...", but I think he finally realized that the cheapest, quickest way to get to 15K students was to showcase athletics. And to his credit, he's doing it in tough economic times.

[hookdown]

I agree totally with the "long time to get in...", but I think he finally realized that the cheapest, quickest way to get to 15K students was to showcase athletics. And to his credit, he's doing it in tough economic times.

I thought he wanted to keep the attendance around 12K total? I would love to see us get to around 18K undergrad, but that is a long time off, if ever.

[DQDawg]

Hook, I'm hearing that 15K would support all the research and faculty work needed to maintain a very high level of academic respectability. Not sure where that came from

[Snapdawg]

I have been told that the new goal is 15K raised from the old 12K number being used last year. For the reasons DQ listed.

[hookdown]

Hook, I'm hearing that 15K would support all the research and faculty work needed to maintain a very high level of academic respectability. Not sure where that came from

Cool! What would be the proposed grad/undergrad split?

[RealityCheck]

To follow up on your post Champ, in DD's three years home attendance increased from 14,600, NCAA 2006 statistics, to 21000, Tech 2009 statistics. That is a 44% increase.

Tech's 2009 average was 20,000 and not 21,000. That's still a 37% increase over 2006. And another 15-25% increase to the 23K-25K range is well within reach in 2010.

[FishingBack]

It will be difficult because our fanbase generally attends every game. When you have 7 games, there's more opportunity for folks here and there to miss some. It's harder for us to maintain an average over more games.

[RealityCheck]

It will be difficult because our fanbase generally attends every game. When you have 7 games, there's more opportunity for folks here and there to miss some. It's harder for us to maintain an average over more games.

If weather holds up, I think a 22K average next year could be on the low end if these turn out to be what I hope are conservative estimates.

Navy 26K
USM 28K
USU 21K
Idaho (HC) 23K
Fresno 21K
Nevada 15K

That's 134K for 6 games, so you could lose 2K and still have a 22K average.

[champion110]

If weather holds up, I think a 22K average next year could be on the low end if these turn out to be what I hope are conservative estimates.

Navy 26K
USM 28K
USU 21K
Idaho (HC) 23K
Fresno 21K
Nevada 15K

That's 134K for 6 games, so you could lose 2K and still have a 22K average.

It depends on winning. If we are winning and have a chance at a decent bowl, that Nevada number should jump through the roof - possibly even beating the USM # (and I know the USM number takes into account the USM crowd).

[rustydawg]

I have no doubt the on-the-field product will be much better under Dykes, and this will ultimately lead to much more off-the-field support from alumni and boosters. Dooley did a great job getting the ball rolling on a lot of off-the-field initiatives, but never fielded a product that people outside of the die-hards would support. When we add the groundwork Dooley laid off-the-field to the product we're about to see from Dykes in the coming seasons, we should see some amazing things in Ruston. At any rate, I'm doubling down on that prospect.

In regard to Dooley's actions in Knoxville, he was on a short leash to start with. A place like Tennessee with its traditions and endless line of high-profile boosters will not tolerate this type of perceived disrespect for long without some serious results on the field. I know he wants to be like Saban, but without the National Championships under his belt he'd better win quick at UT. I have a feeling if they go any worse than 7-5 next year, his ass will be strapped to one of the barges outside the stadium and sent down the river.

Mil, I usually agree with you, but when you look at the average attendance before dooley got here and what it was last year with a 4-8 record I think you will see that much more than the die-hards are onboard. Now we just have to see if it will continue to improve!

[mildawg]

Mil, I usually agree with you, but when you look at the average attendance before dooley got here and what it was last year with a 4-8 record I think you will see that much more than the die-hards are onboard. Now we just have to see if it will continue to improve!

Dooley did a great job getting us moving in the right direction, but I don't personally believe we would have ever reached our full potential on the field under him. And the only way we'll ever double LTAC giving and have sell out crowds in Ruston is to WIN consistently over time. Other than the die-hards, Ruston and the surrounding area is filled with apathetic fans that are looking to jump on someone's bandwagon.

If you're old enough, think back to the TAC during the days of Malone and the crowds they used to pack in there. Look at it today. As far as football, we've not even sniffed the same sort of success. String together several winning seasons and bowl games, possibly even a BCS game, and there's no telling what could happen in Ruston.

Even though Dooley did a remarkable job in moving us forward on attendance (to include student involvement) and LTAC, I personally don't believe we'd have ever achieved the necessary success on the field under Dooley. Just one person's opinion, though.

[Dawgmatic]

http://georgia.scout.com/2/955921.html

"The phrase, "This Aint Kansas Toto," aptly fits by inserting a Louisiana Tech name change concerning the Volunteers level of media coverage. As many was one fourth were not present on Wednesday."

[1L_dawg]

One of the biggest unknowns is how the casual tech fan and/or grad (i.e. one who rarely if ever attends tech games but has some interest in tech) will respond if we put together 4-5 winning seasons and bowl games. Will they get on board and make the committment to attending games, buying seasons tix, giving to LTAC, etc.???

Since moving to D1A, i don't think that we have ever won CONSISTENTLY. Even during the Rattay "golden" years, it was a winning season followed by a medicore/poor season. plus, being independent kept us out of bowl games, etc. which only accelerates momentum.

[NavyBulldog1]

I think it is funny that there are 167 Tennessee posts on this story. One of my favorite posts is:

"This just in, interview with Coach Dooley...
Coach: Hello
Media(Hooker): I have a question
Coach: Go ahead
Media (Hooker): Why did you interrupt me?
Coach: I'm sorry, did you ask your question? (puzzled look on face)
Media (Hooker): There you go again, interrupting me, and why do you have that puzzled look? are you getting all shook up about my questions? Are you here to kill this program?
Coach: Excuse me? (Puzzled expression, has now changed to totally mystified look of talking to a crazy person)
Media (Hooker): I knew it! Your here to destroy the program, wait till I write my article about you buster!"