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Post by bear38 on Oct 28, 2015 17:39:36 GMT -5
The other issue that the Coaching staff has very little control over is injuries. With the "one-hand tied behind the back" scenario, Mercer has had to contend with a rash of injuries this year. I think the count is over 10 starters. When you have fewer scholarship players on the roster and only 1 1/2 scholarship recruiting classes under your belt, injuries are going to affect you more than the rest of the SoCon teams with a full scholarship allotment and 5 scholarship recruiting classes under their belt. It is an issue of depth. So, bottomline for me (and for the administration I think) is, "Give me a Break". (that is figuratively not actually since we have already had too many "breaks").  |
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MU22
Baby Bear
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Post by MU22 on Oct 28, 2015 18:47:13 GMT -5
My apologies to the board and FUBear, I did not mean to quote his post, I thought my post was standalone when I was composing it ... additionally I shouldn't have strayed off topic.
I agree with bear38's point that once Mercer has the full complement of scholarships that only then can you fully evaluate the coaching staff. Indirectly, that was my point when I mentioned Wofford's progress as they entered the league.
If you can't wait until then, the only logical conclusion to date is that Mercer has been successful and probably more so than most programs who have started football in the last five years.
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Post by clustersports on Oct 28, 2015 23:37:15 GMT -5
As a student who had ZERO expectations their first year and I saw them go 10-2 I was absolutely amazed. Then their first year in the SoCOn I predicted their record on the nose because I understood that 10-2 was not possible with the step up in competition. This year if they can win one more game then for two years in a row I will have nailed their record on the nose because I understood that this season that VMI had gotten better, Samford had gotten better and heck I am used to losing a couple close games. The Wofford game shocked me because I didn't think we had a shot, the WCU game shocked me because I didn't think we had a shot. I guess what I am trying to say is that the 10-2 record in the PFL is great and wonderful but it has made people expect that year in and year out but does not factor in the level of competition has changed. I promise you that any other guy could not do the job Bobby Lamb has done. I am friends with a good portion of the football team and I've never heard an ill word about Lamb. What I do know is that this staff got Zach Jackson a TCU transfer and a good friend of mine to come here instead of Chattanooga or Furman because he really believe that something special was building here at Mercer. Lamb has those boys believing that they building something special. Unfortunately, you can't build a powerhouse over night.
GSU is a special program but programs like APP state and Furman have a rich history in FCS football. The SoCOn is not a one-trick pony. You have great teams from top to bottom and Lamb pointed that out at the beginning of the season when he said their was parity throughout the league. Any team can beat the other on any given Saturday just plain and simple. Let's not hit the panic button just yet. I think this is the best I can do in a comment, so I think this may be a topic of discussion for the podcast next week as I feel this is something that I would really like to discuss further and get Hayes take on it.
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Post by FUBeAR on Oct 29, 2015 5:27:33 GMT -5
My apologies to the board and FUBear, I did not mean to quote his post, I thought my post was standalone when I was composing it ... additionally I shouldn't have strayed off topic. I agree with bear38's point that once Mercer has the full complement of scholarships that only then can you fully evaluate the coaching staff. Indirectly, that was my point when I mentioned Wofford's progress as they entered the league. If you can't wait until then, the only logical conclusion to date is that Mercer has been successful and probably more so than most programs who have started football in the last five years. Thanks - but absolutely no need to apologize! You should do what one WCU fan did after 'engaging' with FUBeAR (and others) here...delete all prior posts, their account, and go back to the 'safety' of their own board, where they can talk uninformed, illogical 'smack' knowing they have (and have used) the ability to suspend the accounts of anyone that challenges them on their rambling drivel. JUST KIDDING!  Your post, as is the one above, was great and a highly edifying contribution to anyone reading this board. Please continue and if we have a future opportunity to emulate, in a microscopic and digital (and FUN) way, some of the classic battles that FU and GaSou waged over the years, usually with NCAA Division 1 National implications, then let's do it! PS - Straying off topic is the lifeblood of any worthwhile message board, IMHO! I love threads that start out about next weeks game, progress through team uniform choices, evolve to a discussion of avatar construction, then wend through current politics, and tie back into the upcoming game. Maybe that's just my ADHD showing. |
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Post by jackal on Oct 29, 2015 8:13:21 GMT -5
As a student who had ZERO expectations their first year and I saw them go 10-2 I was absolutely amazed. Then their first year in the SoCOn I predicted their record on the nose because I understood that 10-2 was not possible with the step up in competition. This year if they can win one more game then for two years in a row I will have nailed their record on the nose because I understood that this season that VMI had gotten better, Samford had gotten better and heck I am used to losing a couple close games. The Wofford game shocked me because I didn't think we had a shot, the WCU game shocked me because I didn't think we had a shot. I guess what I am trying to say is that the 10-2 record in the PFL is great and wonderful but it has made people expect that year in and year out but does not factor in the level of competition has changed. I promise you that any other guy could not do the job Bobby Lamb has done. I am friends with a good portion of the football team and I've never heard an ill word about Lamb. What I do know is that this staff got Zach Jackson a TCU transfer and a good friend of mine to come here instead of Chattanooga or Furman because he really believe that something special was building here at Mercer. Lamb has those boys believing that they building something special. Unfortunately, you can't build a powerhouse over night. GSU is a special program but programs like APP state and Furman have a rich history in FCS football. The SoCOn is not a one-trick pony. You have great teams from top to bottom and Lamb pointed that out at the beginning of the season when he said their was parity throughout the league. Any team can beat the other on any given Saturday just plain and simple. Let's not hit the panic button just yet. I think this is the best I can do in a comment, so I think this may be a topic of discussion for the podcast next week as I feel this is something that I would really like to discuss further and get Hayes take on it. SoCon has changed a lot over the years. 10-15 years ago, there were three power teams that thumped just about everyone and split games between one another. I'm not sure any current team in the SoCon would stay within shouting distance of those early-mid 2000s Furman, GSU, and App State teams. I do think the conference is deeper now. The top of the conference is not as good as it was (in my opinion), but the bottom of the conference is not as bad. Fun to watch a conference where anyone can beat anyone. |
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Post by chez23 on Oct 29, 2015 8:16:44 GMT -5
MU is 1-9 is SOCON play....if they end up 1-13 then what..same old mind set and planning for 2016? Changes need to be made if they go 0-7 this year. Maybe not HC, but mayeb HC needs better assistance and a OC? or maybe HC moves on as well.....but if 1-13 heading into 2016 then I would beleive HC last year to make waves in the SOCON. I'm trying to understand your point, but....? Mercer has had 2 scholarship recruiting classes and about 1/2 of the last class is redshirted. So you are expecting what exactly with 1 1/2 of scholarship recruiting classes versus other SoCon teams with at least 4 and arguably 5 scholarship recruiting classes? I would agree that there have been some issues with play calling and issues with time out management, but until you can compare apples with apples, you are just barking up the wrong tree. And like the yipping little lap dog, you won't stop. I guess it is a free country and all that, but listen to some of the experience on this site and give it a break. Just the fact that Mercer has been in these games is an amazing testimony to the progress of Coach Lamb and the program. Once they have the same advantages of the other SoCon teams and are on equal footing, I think your issues (if they were still occurring) would have merit. But you're expecting Mercer to win with one hand tied behind its back. Just my two cents. |
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Post by chez23 on Oct 29, 2015 8:29:56 GMT -5
I am not expecting MU to win all there SOCON games this year....but I would hope MU could win 1 or 2? The reason I keep asking all these questions is because I am a new MU fan and dont know anything about Lamb or the SOCON.....maybe that is a good thing and allows me to be fully objective with things? Listen, from what I read on here it seems like Lamb is the right coach for what MU is trying to build and that's great... but I guesss my point is that MU cant keep losing conference games or the program because soon enough the excuse of being only 2 years of schoalrships vanishes and then its all about winning. I guess as I look at these close losses and wonder is it coaching, game planning, preperation? Something is missing on this team to get them over the top on these close losses. The stigma of not be able to win the close conference games is building. If they win all those games where they had the win on their hands ( WCU, Wofford and VMI) then they are 3-0 and battling Citadel this weekend for playoff implications.....but they lost ALL 3 of them in an ugly fashion....that to me is a big concern. Obvioulsy, despite the injuries and depth are in these games.....yes that is good coaching, but in the end MU lost and right or wrong the staff needs to be accountable. So let me ask you then and eveyone one else on this board.....
1. How many years will it take for MU to be in the discussion of being one of the better SOCON football programs?
2. Can MU be a power house program
3. Will MU begin to attract 2-3 star recruits? (I guess I need to know do any FCS programs get any 3 stars)
4. What are your expectation for time period for big time success for this program?
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Post by chez23 on Oct 29, 2015 8:37:59 GMT -5
As a student who had ZERO expectations their first year and I saw them go 10-2 I was absolutely amazed. Then their first year in the SoCOn I predicted their record on the nose because I understood that 10-2 was not possible with the step up in competition. This year if they can win one more game then for two years in a row I will have nailed their record on the nose because I understood that this season that VMI had gotten better, Samford had gotten better and heck I am used to losing a couple close games. The Wofford game shocked me because I didn't think we had a shot, the WCU game shocked me because I didn't think we had a shot. I guess what I am trying to say is that the 10-2 record in the PFL is great and wonderful but it has made people expect that year in and year out but does not factor in the level of competition has changed. I promise you that any other guy could not do the job Bobby Lamb has done. I am friends with a good portion of the football team and I've never heard an ill word about Lamb. What I do know is that this staff got Zach Jackson a TCU transfer and a good friend of mine to come here instead of Chattanooga or Furman because he really believe that something special was building here at Mercer. Lamb has those boys believing that they building something special. Unfortunately, you can't build a powerhouse over night. GSU is a special program but programs like APP state and Furman have a rich history in FCS football. The SoCOn is not a one-trick pony. You have great teams from top to bottom and Lamb pointed that out at the beginning of the season when he said their was parity throughout the league. Any team can beat the other on any given Saturday just plain and simple. Let's not hit the panic button just yet. I think this is the best I can do in a comment, so I think this may be a topic of discussion for the podcast next week as I feel this is something that I would really like to discuss further and get Hayes take on it. Well said. I am learinng more each day about MU football and SOCON football. I know I started this thread about the "IF": Mu would comsider a new HC and that got a lot of attention, which my purpose so I can learn more and get good feedback, which I have. I am exciting for MU football and I know I am all in for this to successful. I dont seem to have much patience because in today sports world its all about what is happening today and not 3 years from now....where as MU has to build this and it will take time....I just hope it really developes a lot in 2016 and beyond. |
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Post by jackal on Oct 29, 2015 10:16:12 GMT -5
I am not expecting MU to win all there SOCON games this year....but I would hope MU could win 1 or 2? The reason I keep asking all these questions is because I am a new MU fan and dont know anything about Lamb or the SOCON.....maybe that is a good thing and allows me to be fully objective with things? Listen, from what I read on here it seems like Lamb is the right coach for what MU is trying to build and that's great... but I guesss my point is that MU cant keep losing conference games or the program because soon enough the excuse of being only 2 years of schoalrships vanishes and then its all about winning. I guess as I look at these close losses and wonder is it coaching, game planning, preperation? Something is missing on this team to get them over the top on these close losses. The stigma of not be able to win the close conference games is building. If they win all those games where they had the win on their hands ( WCU, Wofford and VMI) then they are 3-0 and battling Citadel this weekend for playoff implications.....but they lost ALL 3 of them in an ugly fashion....that to me is a big concern. Obvioulsy, despite the injuries and depth are in these games.....yes that is good coaching, but in the end MU lost and right or wrong the staff needs to be accountable. So let me ask you then and eveyone one else on this board..... 1. How many years will it take for MU to be in the discussion of being one of the better SOCON football programs? 2. Can MU be a power house program 3. Will MU begin to attract 2-3 star recruits? (I guess I need to know do any FCS programs get any 3 stars) 4. What are your expectation for time period for big time success for this program? Let me put it bluntly. Mercer does not win SoCon games because they are not as talented as the other SoCon teams. If they were, they would win. I was shocked when Mercer hosted Furman last season. Furman was noticeably bigger, stronger, and taller at every single position. Watching warmups, I thought it was going to be a blood bath. It was anything but (granted, we weren't very good last year, but that is beside the point). Just my opinion, but Mercer is losing these football games close because of the good coaching and their talented players. You have a football team with a fraction of the scholarship players of their competition, who are outsized at most positions, have just started playing at this level (which is a huge step up from high school), and they are competitive in every single game. How on earth can anyone gripe about those results? Other teams have joined this conference (not even start up teams), and got plastered for years. Mercer has one lopsided loss in two seasons. There is no secret formula. What Bobby Lamb is doing really has not been done. He is quite literally writing the authoritative book on how to do this. I think Mercer fans, perhaps, were used to running things in the A-Sun. They won a lot in that conference, in just about every sport. This is not the A-Sun. Winning takes timing, a little luck, and years of hard work. |
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Post by BearDownMU on Oct 29, 2015 10:33:17 GMT -5
They won a lot in that conference, in just about every sport. This is not the A-Sun. Winning takes timing, a little luck, and years of hard work.Unless you're the baseball team.  |
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Post by chez23 on Oct 29, 2015 11:26:14 GMT -5
I am sold....I have been educated and understand now where this MU program is. I learned a lot in this thread (that was my intentions) and thank eveyone for their posts. MU seems to be doing all the right things the right way. Winning will come and it will take time. I just hope that time is 1-3 more years and not 10. The program has a ton going for it and if this staff can recruit then MU should be a program to make some noise in the SOCON very soon. MU needs the size and speeed to win...todays it's their heart, desire and talent that is getting them close. I am excited about watching this program grow quickly, which I think it can and simply put has to.
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Post by FUBeAR on Oct 29, 2015 12:14:57 GMT -5
I am not expecting MU to win all there SOCON games this year....but I would hope MU could win 1 or 2? The reason I keep asking all these questions is because I am a new MU fan and dont know anything about Lamb or the SOCON.....maybe that is a good thing and allows me to be fully objective with things? Listen, from what I read on here it seems like Lamb is the right coach for what MU is trying to build and that's great... but I guesss my point is that MU cant keep losing conference games or the program because soon enough the excuse of being only 2 years of schoalrships vanishes and then its all about winning. I guess as I look at these close losses and wonder is it coaching, game planning, preperation? Something is missing on this team to get them over the top on these close losses. The stigma of not be able to win the close conference games is building. If they win all those games where they had the win on their hands ( WCU, Wofford and VMI) then they are 3-0 and battling Citadel this weekend for playoff implications.....but they lost ALL 3 of them in an ugly fashion....that to me is a big concern. Obvioulsy, despite the injuries and depth are in these games.....yes that is good coaching, but in the end MU lost and right or wrong the staff needs to be accountable. So let me ask you then and eveyone one else on this board..... 1. How many years will it take for MU to be in the discussion of being one of the better SOCON football programs? 2. Can MU be a power house program 3. Will MU begin to attract 2-3 star recruits? (I guess I need to know do any FCS programs get any 3 stars) 4. What are your expectation for time period for big time success for this program? Let me put it bluntly. Mercer does not win SoCon games because they are not as talented as the other SoCon teams. If they were, they would win. I was shocked when Mercer hosted Furman last season. Furman was noticeably bigger, stronger, and taller at every single position. Watching warmups, I thought it was going to be a blood bath. It was anything but (granted, we weren't very good last year, but that is beside the point). Just my opinion, but Mercer is losing these football games close because of the good coaching and their talented players. You have a football team with a fraction of the scholarship players of their competition, who are outsized at most positions, have just started playing at this level (which is a huge step up from high school), and they are competitive in every single game. How on earth can anyone gripe about those results? Other teams have joined this conference (not even start up teams), and got plastered for years. Mercer has one lopsided loss in two seasons. There is no secret formula. What Bobby Lamb is doing really has not been done. He is quite literally writing the authoritative book on how to do this. I think Mercer fans, perhaps, were used to running things in the A-Sun. They won a lot in that conference, in just about every sport. This is not the A-Sun. Winning takes timing, a little luck, and years of hard work. I think I may agree, somewhat, with your conclusion...but, IMO, your many of your 'facks' are whack... Mercer does not win SoCon games because they are not as talented as the other SoCon teams. - WRONG - as a general statement; not based on what I see; not at all. Now if you sharpen this statement up quite a bit to include some qualifying statements about overall depth in certain areas, experience, etc., then I MIGHT agree with you, but as written, I completely disagree. If they were, they would win. - So, the most talented teams always win is your assertion? I KNOW this to be a fallacy, so, again...WRONG. Furman was noticeably bigger, stronger, and taller at every single position - WRONG - I could post all of the numbers from the detailed analysis I did on this last year, but I don't feel like going through the trouble. FU was a small margin taller at some positions among players that contributed. Interested to know how you determined that FU's players were stronger from looking at them. That's quite a talent. Your perception was not reality. Mercer is losing these football games close because of the good coaching and their talented players - WRONG & RIGHT - What you are trying to say positive about the good Coaching and Talented Players is absolutely correct. But they have lost 4 games this year because of some combination (I would say about 1/3 of each) of: 1) Very Talented Players missing many games due to injuries - All American PR/KR, All SoCon RB, All SoCon OLman, All-SoCon WR (would be), SoCon Leading TE, and many, many others...but neither the Mercer Coaches nor Mercer Fans have been lamenting incessantly about this fact as I have seen other SoCon Coaches/Fans do this season and last, despite the fact that every player lost for each game is comparatively magnified for Mercer due to the scholarship/depth disparity that you mentioned. 2) Very Talented, but somewhat inexperienced, Players not executing in critical situations (missed kicks, missed open receivers, fumbles, dropped INT's, missed blitz pick-ups, blown coverages, etc.) 3) Excellent Coaches not making perfect decisions (as each of us do on our jobs every day...yeah, right!) in their game planning/strategy, personnel usage, and, perhaps, play calling (O&D), IMHO. Mercer, today, is talented enough to beat any team in the SoCon - they just need ALL (or most) of their Key Players to be able to play, they need to execute better in critical situations, and the Coaches need to be a little more perfect. You can perceive less talented and you can perceive too small if you like, but you are WRONG. |
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Post by jackal on Oct 29, 2015 12:43:21 GMT -5
Let me put it bluntly. Mercer does not win SoCon games because they are not as talented as the other SoCon teams. If they were, they would win. I was shocked when Mercer hosted Furman last season. Furman was noticeably bigger, stronger, and taller at every single position. Watching warmups, I thought it was going to be a blood bath. It was anything but (granted, we weren't very good last year, but that is beside the point). Just my opinion, but Mercer is losing these football games close because of the good coaching and their talented players. You have a football team with a fraction of the scholarship players of their competition, who are outsized at most positions, have just started playing at this level (which is a huge step up from high school), and they are competitive in every single game. How on earth can anyone gripe about those results? Other teams have joined this conference (not even start up teams), and got plastered for years. Mercer has one lopsided loss in two seasons. There is no secret formula. What Bobby Lamb is doing really has not been done. He is quite literally writing the authoritative book on how to do this. I think Mercer fans, perhaps, were used to running things in the A-Sun. They won a lot in that conference, in just about every sport. This is not the A-Sun. Winning takes timing, a little luck, and years of hard work. I think I may agree, somewhat, with your conclusion...but, IMO, your many of your 'facks' are whack... Mercer does not win SoCon games because they are not as talented as the other SoCon teams. - WRONG - as a general statement; not based on what I see; not at all. Now if you sharpen this statement up quite a bit to include some qualifying statements about overall depth in certain areas, experience, etc., then I MIGHT agree with you, but as written, I completely disagree. If they were, they would win. - So, the most talented teams always win is your assertion? I KNOW this to be a fallacy, so, again...WRONG. Furman was noticeably bigger, stronger, and taller at every single position - WRONG - I could post all of the numbers from the detailed analysis I did on this last year, but I don't feel like going through the trouble. FU was a small margin taller at some positions among players that contributed. Interested to know how you determined that FU's players were stronger from looking at them. That's quite a talent. Your perception was not reality. Mercer is losing these football games close because of the good coaching and their talented players - WRONG & RIGHT - What you are trying to say positive about the good Coaching and Talented Players is absolutely correct. But they have lost 4 games this year because of some combination (I would say about 1/3 of each) of: 1) Very Talented Players missing many games due to injuries - All American PR/KR, All SoCon RB, All SoCon OLman, All-SoCon WR (would be) and many, many others...but neither the Mercer Coaches nor Mercer Fans have been lamenting incessantly about this fact as I have seen other SoCon Coaches/Fans do this season and last, despite the fact that every player lost for each game is comparatively magnified for Mercer due to the scholarship/depth disparity that you mentioned. 2) Very Talented, but somewhat inexperienced, Players not executing in critical situations (missed kicks, missed open receivers, fumbles, dropped INT's, missed blitz pick-ups, blown coverages, etc.) 3) Excellent Coaches not making perfect decisions (as each of us do on our jobs every day...yeah, right!) in their game planning/strategy, personnel usage, and, perhaps, play calling (O&D), IMHO. Mercer, today, is talented enough to beat any team in the SoCon - they just need ALL (or most) of their Players to be able to play, they need to execute better in critical situations, and the Coaches need to be a little more perfect. You can perceive less talented and you can perceive too small if you like, but you are WRONG. Bill Parcells once said you are what your record says you are. I think some of it can attribute to luck or just having a good or a bad day. Maybe some players are out. Maybe that makes a difference, maybe it doesn't. I do think when you have 1 conference win in the past two years, it is probably safe to say that the other conference teams are ahead of where you are right now. Again, just my opinion. I will say the same thing about Furman. Talented players, but we keep losing conference games. I can only be left with one conclusion. Right now, the other teams are better than we are from coaches on down. Do I think UTC is four touchdowns better than we are? I don't. Do I think that if we played them 10 times they'd beat us by 28 again? I don't. On that day and at that time were they better than we were? Yes. Does anything else matter? Not really. I don't disagree Mercer is talented enough to beat anyone. No one is ever fully healthy (Furman knows that all too well), and the other teams typically deal with much of the same adversity (Wofford sure enough was). Being full speed makes a big difference at the FCS level, though. As I said at the outset this year, Mercer's depth is going to be tested like it never has. Seems like that is still true at this point in the season. |
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Post by FUBeAR on Oct 29, 2015 13:26:10 GMT -5
I think I may agree, somewhat, with your conclusion...but, IMO, your many of your 'facks' are whack... Mercer does not win SoCon games because they are not as talented as the other SoCon teams. - WRONG - as a general statement; not based on what I see; not at all. Now if you sharpen this statement up quite a bit to include some qualifying statements about overall depth in certain areas, experience, etc., then I MIGHT agree with you, but as written, I completely disagree. If they were, they would win. - So, the most talented teams always win is your assertion? I KNOW this to be a fallacy, so, again...WRONG. Furman was noticeably bigger, stronger, and taller at every single position - WRONG - I could post all of the numbers from the detailed analysis I did on this last year, but I don't feel like going through the trouble. FU was a small margin taller at some positions among players that contributed. Interested to know how you determined that FU's players were stronger from looking at them. That's quite a talent. Your perception was not reality. Mercer is losing these football games close because of the good coaching and their talented players - WRONG & RIGHT - What you are trying to say positive about the good Coaching and Talented Players is absolutely correct. But they have lost 4 games this year because of some combination (I would say about 1/3 of each) of: 1) Very Talented Players missing many games due to injuries - All American PR/KR, All SoCon RB, All SoCon OLman, All-SoCon WR (would be) and many, many others...but neither the Mercer Coaches nor Mercer Fans have been lamenting incessantly about this fact as I have seen other SoCon Coaches/Fans do this season and last, despite the fact that every player lost for each game is comparatively magnified for Mercer due to the scholarship/depth disparity that you mentioned. 2) Very Talented, but somewhat inexperienced, Players not executing in critical situations (missed kicks, missed open receivers, fumbles, dropped INT's, missed blitz pick-ups, blown coverages, etc.) 3) Excellent Coaches not making perfect decisions (as each of us do on our jobs every day...yeah, right!) in their game planning/strategy, personnel usage, and, perhaps, play calling (O&D), IMHO. Mercer, today, is talented enough to beat any team in the SoCon - they just need ALL (or most) of their Players to be able to play, they need to execute better in critical situations, and the Coaches need to be a little more perfect. You can perceive less talented and you can perceive too small if you like, but you are WRONG. Bill Parcells once said you are what your record says you are. I think some of it can attribute to luck or just having a good or a bad day. Maybe some players are out. Maybe that makes a difference, maybe it doesn't. I do think when you have 1 conference win in the past two years, it is probably safe to say that the other conference teams are ahead of where you are right now. Again, just my opinion. I will say the same thing about Furman. Talented players, but we keep losing conference games. I can only be left with one conclusion. Right now, the other teams are better than we are from coaches on down. Do I think UTC is four touchdowns better than we are? I don't. Do I think that if we played them 10 times they'd beat us by 28 again? I don't. On that day and at that time were they better than we were? Yes. Does anything else matter? Not really. I don't disagree Mercer is talented enough to beat anyone. No one is ever fully healthy (Furman knows that all too well), and the other teams typically deal with much of the same adversity (Wofford sure enough was). Being full speed makes a big difference at the FCS level, though. As I said at the outset this year, Mercer's depth is going to be tested like it never has. Seems like that is still true at this point in the season. I don't think I said anything about luck or the quality of the day...IMO, Mercer has been some parts of out-executed and/or out-coached and/or 'out-healthed' by a very narrow margin in 7 of 9 SoCon losses over the past 2 years and the record accurately reflects that. The Talent (Players & Coaches), IMO, has been good enough to win those 7 games IF they executed and/or coached and/or stayed a bit more healthy by a small margin mo' better than they have in each individual game. Thinking statistically, each game is really an independent event. If there is a small margin of difference in each independent event, that margin of difference is NOT cumulative (although, granted, the season and multi-season record is). Now, if Mercer gets blown out by El Cid, Chatt, FU, AND Sammy...THEN you can say that Mercer has a long way to go to be competitive and/or is under-talented and/or under-sized and/or poorly coached and/or whatever other aspersions you care to cast toward the Bears. At this point, I think it's only fair to say that other SoCon Teams have been slightly ahead of the Bears in their execution and/or coaching and/or health on the day that they played, 7 of 9 times that they have lost. (I actually think it's 8 of 9, but I don't want to rile up the Cantamount Fans. Fighting a 2 front war has, historically, been proven to be quite a challenge). |
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Post by Hayes on Oct 29, 2015 14:32:37 GMT -5
As a student who had ZERO expectations their first year and I saw them go 10-2 I was absolutely amazed. Then their first year in the SoCOn I predicted their record on the nose because I understood that 10-2 was not possible with the step up in competition. This year if they can win one more game then for two years in a row I will have nailed their record on the nose because I understood that this season that VMI had gotten better, Samford had gotten better and heck I am used to losing a couple close games. The Wofford game shocked me because I didn't think we had a shot, the WCU game shocked me because I didn't think we had a shot. I guess what I am trying to say is that the 10-2 record in the PFL is great and wonderful but it has made people expect that year in and year out but does not factor in the level of competition has changed. I promise you that any other guy could not do the job Bobby Lamb has done. I am friends with a good portion of the football team and I've never heard an ill word about Lamb. What I do know is that this staff got Zach Jackson a TCU transfer and a good friend of mine to come here instead of Chattanooga or Furman because he really believe that something special was building here at Mercer. Lamb has those boys believing that they building something special. Unfortunately, you can't build a powerhouse over night. GSU is a special program but programs like APP state and Furman have a rich history in FCS football. The SoCOn is not a one-trick pony. You have great teams from top to bottom and Lamb pointed that out at the beginning of the season when he said their was parity throughout the league. Any team can beat the other on any given Saturday just plain and simple. Let's not hit the panic button just yet. I think this is the best I can do in a comment, so I think this may be a topic of discussion for the podcast next week as I feel this is something that I would really like to discuss further and get Hayes take on it. I think we could take that on...  ? |
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Your post, as is the one above, was great and a highly edifying contribution to anyone reading this board. Please continue and if we have a future opportunity to emulate, in a microscopic and digital (and FUN) way, some of the classic battles that FU and GaSou waged over the years, usually with NCAA Division 1 National implications, then let's do it!
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