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Post by BearDownMU on Sept 28, 2017 11:49:12 GMT -5
I was wondering how long it would be before you turned up calling for coach's heads. Well after 3 years of losing a lot of leads in the 4th quarter then it may just be that time. MU should of been in the playoffs the last 2 years if not for late losses. BL a good football coach, sure he is, but there is something missing with the ability to close games out and it is costing this program big time now. Programs are evaluated on the W's and at getting to the playoffs. MU has made progress each year from 1, 2 to 4 SOCON wins....but this year was suppose to the the break out year as MU highly ranked in the SOCON pre-season and now lost 2 more BIG 4th quarter leads to now sit at 0-2. Do you not think BL should be on the hot seat? Aight, let's break this down. Highly ranked in the pre-season? We were picked to finish 5th in both the coaches and media polls. Out of 9 teams. Not sure how bottom 50% is "highly ranked", but OK. Now that I've built a spreadsheet on scoring, let's take a look at "losing a lot of leads in the 4th quarter". We are 17-5 when entering the 4th Quarter with a lead, since 2014 (I did not include PFL Year 1). Two blown leads in 2015 (Tennessee Tech -lost a 1 point lead, and Western Carolina - Lost an 11 point lead). One blown lead in 2016 (Citadel - lost a 2 point lead). And two so far in 2017 (Wofford - lost a 7 point lead, and ETSU - Lost a 10 point lead) Is that a lot? It's 1.25 blown leads entering the 4th quarter per season. clearly these losses hurt, and I like there to be zero of them. Is that realistic? I don't know. I haven't even looked this deeply at metrics like this. Ideal? No. Hit the road you aren't good enough in Year 4 of scholarship conference play? Not so sure. Beyond that, you mentioned the trend, 1 to 2 to 4 conference wins in each SoCon season. That seems like a good trend to me. I guess if you're in the stable of "the minute you have a down year, you're fired" well, I guess that's a possibility. HOWEVER, WE'VE PLAYED 4 GAMES! I understand being frustrated, but everyone understands this could still end as an up-trending year, right? Having watched pretty much every SoCon team play this year, there is a lot of parity. And we have 6 conference games remaining. Could we go 6-0, 5-1, 4-2 in the remaining games? Of course we could. And that conference win "trend" would remain either flat, or still pointed up. And we could certainly still meet the "highly ranked" expectation of the polls and finish 5th in the league. lol. Also, mind you, in all this, we have a freshman QB, which is kinda relevant to the offense. What bothers me most about these kinds of attitudes isn't so much the fans wanting championships or whatever, it's how quickly everyone wants to turn on each other. I got people climbing up my rear end on this message board because I don't want to throw all the coaches under the bus and act like they're the worst playcallers in the world, I got people saying we should fire our coaches 4 GAMES into a season, I got football player's parents running around on Twitter taking shots at people inside the organization and acting like effin' spoiled brats. I mean, damn... Does that help? The game is hard enough, but now we gotta battle everyone in the other uniforms AND our own folks?! I have no problem with criticism and discussion about what happened and all that. That's what this platform is for. And there are legitimate gripes. Are we too conservative on offense? Are we playing not to lose instead of playing to win? Fair questions. But I can tell you what isn't changing. Those kids that are on the roster right now are the kids that will be playing the next 7 games (or more). There won't be any trades at the deadline or free agent pickups. lol. Those are our guys. And that coaching staff is going to be the coaching staff for the rest of the season. Period. Maybe my attitude is different having been on teams my whole life, but all those players and coaches are in the fox hole together, and no help is coming. And, at the moment, they are dodging bullets from the other side AND their own side. Not a fun place to be. So, the short answer is, no, I don't think CBL is on the hot seat. Might be at the end of the year, but maybe we ought to see how the rest of the year plays out? I know, crazy idea. And, if there happen to be players or coaches that read this, this is my only advice to you: Your best bet is to throw down a few more sandbags and realize that you are all playing for each other, and no one else. You best tune out ya mamas and ya daddies, and your high school friends, and people at the school that ain't football players, an the newspapers, and the message boards, and anyone else that gets in the way of what you are trying to accomplish as a team. Because none of those people are going to throw a block for you, or pick you up on the sideline, or try and coach you up in practice all week. If you don't stay together on the inside, there is nothing anyone on the outside can do that keep this season from really getting sideways. And, trust me on this because I speak from experience, you only get four seasons of this stuff and then you'll never get to play another college game again. Best make the most of every one of them. |
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Post by FUBeAR on Sept 28, 2017 14:35:11 GMT -5
And, if there happen to be players or coaches that read this, this is my only advice to you: Your best bet is to throw down a few more sandbags and realize that you are all playing for each other, and no one else. You best tune out ya mamas and ya daddies, and your high school friends, and people at the school that ain't football players, an the newspapers, and the message boards, and anyone else that gets in the way of what you are trying to accomplish as a team. Because none of those people are going to throw a block for you, or pick you up on the sideline, or try and coach you up in practice all week. If you don't stay together on the inside, there is nothing anyone on the outside can do that keep this season from really getting sideways. And, trust me on this because I speak from experience, you only get four seasons of this stuff and then you'll never get to play another college game again. Best make the most of every one of them.  |
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Ghost
Baby Bear
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Post by Ghost on Sept 28, 2017 16:40:04 GMT -5
oh boy, I knew i wouldn't be disappointed coming back and reading this thread... I'll withhold my comments for now and wait to see further results for the rest of the season. but lets just say the natives are a bit restless.
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Post by Uncle Bo on Sept 29, 2017 11:48:15 GMT -5
BearDownMU...."weve got football players parents on twitter takings shots at people inside our organization"
Did anyone inside the organization have one of the three Personal Fouls which one player was ejected, have two false starts or two defensive off sides, a pass interference, a missed PAT, or bounce a snap to the holder, or put the rock on the carpet for a 50yrd return?
just taking my shots at the tweeties...thanks i fell better.
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Post by chez23 on Oct 2, 2017 20:54:04 GMT -5
Let's re-visit. I said it "might" be time to start thinking about the future. I say that because like you said CBL could be in the hot seat after this season if things dont end up better than years before. I agree with a lot of what you said......but in the ends "W's" and conference wins are what pays the bills....not just hope anymore. 4 years in a program is enough time and this it year 4. Yes it was a a re-start to a program and CBL has done a nice job....but there is those late come from behind losses that matter a lot and they are all key losses. It a stigma that is following this coach and let's see how the rest of the year goes. Playoffs or bust? How much time will MU allow for mediocre? With your SOCON knowledge will MU be favorite in all remaining conference games?
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Post by jackal on Oct 2, 2017 22:10:35 GMT -5
Let's re-visit. I said it "might" be time to start thinking about the future. I say that because like you said CBL could be in the hot seat after this season if things dont end up better than years before. I agree with a lot of what you said......but in the ends "W's" and conference wins are what pays the bills....not just hope anymore. 4 years in a program is enough time and this it year 4. Yes it was a a re-start to a program and CBL has done a nice job....but there is those late come from behind losses that matter a lot and they are all key losses. It a stigma that is following this coach and let's see how the rest of the year goes. Playoffs or bust? How much time will MU allow for mediocre? With your SOCON knowledge will MU be favorite in all remaining conference games? 1. The way I look at it, Mercer has to win every SoCon game here on out for an outside shot at the post season. They will in all likelihood lose to Alabama, which means best case scenario is 7-4. One of the risks you run in scheduling two FBS schools is leaving very little margin for error in conference play. 2. Mercer will not be the favorite in their remaining SoCon games. As it stands currently, they'll likely only be favored against UTC. Of course, that's all subject to change. Mercer's talented enough to win all the remaining SoCon games, but so are their opponents. |
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Post by FUBeAR on Oct 2, 2017 23:54:05 GMT -5
Let's re-visit. I said it "might" be time to start thinking about the future. I say that because like you said CBL could be in the hot seat after this season if things dont end up better than years before. I agree with a lot of what you said......but in the ends "W's" and conference wins are what pays the bills....not just hope anymore. 4 years in a program is enough time and this it year 4. Yes it was a a re-start to a program and CBL has done a nice job....but there is those late come from behind losses that matter a lot and they are all key losses. It a stigma that is following this coach and let's see how the rest of the year goes. Playoffs or bust? How much time will MU allow for mediocre? With your SOCON knowledge will MU be favorite in all remaining conference games? 1. The way I look at it, Mercer has to win every SoCon game here on out for an outside shot at the post season. They will in all likelihood lose to Alabama, which means best case scenario is 7-4. One of the risks you run in scheduling two FBS schools is leaving very little margin for error in conference play. 2. Mercer will not be the favorite in their remaining SoCon games. As it stands currently, they'll likely only be favored against UTC. Of course, that's all subject to change. Mercer's talented enough to win all the remaining SoCon games, but so are their opponents. Nothing Jackal said here is wrong. Margin of error in the SoCon & yes, with 2 FBS Teams on the schedule, was razor thin. Losing a 13 point lead with 8 minutes left in the game and taking a Conference loss vs. Wofford put Mercer in a very slippery position on that razor. Losing a 10 point lead and losing another Conference game in OT started a small trickle of blood flowing from the Bears' necks. If they win out their Conference games, they will make the Playoffs. If they lose any of those games, they won't. So, for Mercer, their Playoffs started last week against VMI, and, with the exception of a late-season field trip to Tuscaloosa, will continue until they play for the FCS National Championship in Frisco, TX or lose their next game. All of that said, no one should forget that this Mercer Team dominated #5 (or so) & undefeated Wofford for 52 minutes. They should also not forget that this Mercer Team kept the outcome of a game with the #12 Team in FBS in doubt for 56 minutes. It should also not be overlooked that that SEC Team has absolutely destroyed every Team on their schedule so far except the defending FBS #2 Ranked National Champion & Mercer. To my knowledge, there is not another Team in FCS Team in the country that has registered that type of performance against a highly ranked FBS Team this season. They should also not forget that Mercer's OT loss to a solid ETSU Team included playing almost the entire 2nd half without their Top Defensive Player & Captain & Playmaker, who was ejected on a completely bogus Targeting call that was rightfully overturned by the SoCon League Office. If he plays in that 2nd half, IMO, that game never gets to OT. Jackal is right that Mercer will not be favored. In fact, they are a 6 point dog to CIT this week, BUT this Team is really, really not that far from being 4-1 & ranked in the Top 10. They have the talent to beat any FCS Team remaining on their regular season schedule. Likewise, every Team on that schedule has the ability to beat them. It all comes down to 3 things...in order of importance... 1) Player Execution 2) Player "Want-To" (which includes Player Leadership) 3) Coaching |
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Post by FUBeAR on Oct 3, 2017 0:28:15 GMT -5
Let's re-visit. I said it "might" be time to start thinking about the future. I say that because like you said CBL could be in the hot seat after this season if things dont end up better than years before. I agree with a lot of what you said......but in the ends "W's" and conference wins are what pays the bills....not just hope anymore. 4 years in a program is enough time and this it year 4. Yes it was a a re-start to a program and CBL has done a nice job....but there is those late come from behind losses that matter a lot and they are all key losses. It a stigma that is following this coach and let's see how the rest of the year goes. Playoffs or bust? How much time will MU allow for mediocre? With your SOCON knowledge will MU be favorite in all remaining conference games? OY... 1) Very few, if any, FCS Teams are financially profitable for their Universities; so "paying the bills" is not really a relevant issue 2) This is Mercer Football's very 1st year of having the same number of scholarship / recruited players on their roster as their conference foes. They have now played a total of 3 SoCon games "on a level playing field." - NOT 4 years!! 3) Number 2 being said, the field is still not completely level as those other schools have the benefit of having Redshirt / 5th Year Sr.'s in those numbers. Mercer (with the single exception of Alex Lakes) does not. That matters. 4) Numbers 2 & 3 being said, it is unreasonable to assume that the 1st couple of scholarship recruiting classes were as strong as more recent ones. It takes time to establish success in recruiting in Football. It just does. 5) So, as I've always said, after the 2020 season is really about the right (fair?) time to assess where Mercer Football is & where it should go. I'm not sure President Underwood is that patient, but perhaps we won't have to find out. Lots of Football left to be played in 2017! |
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Post by chez23 on Oct 3, 2017 15:03:45 GMT -5
Good stuff. I respect your enthusiasm and knowledge. I guess my point was that they should be 3-0 in the SOCON not 1-2 and after awhile that hump to get over those 4th quarter ugly
losses take a toll on coaches, players and future recruits. If it continues then you 2020 time table for fair assessment wont look so good. Bottom line is W's. Hope they get can get to 5-3 in conference without losing another last minute game. It is getting old quicker then it seems and cant continue.
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Post by jackal on Oct 4, 2017 5:15:46 GMT -5
I think, as fans, we seem to lump games we "should" have won into one category. I think that sort of simplifies the issue and negates the fact that you have to execute and play for four quarters (and sometimes more).
It's easy to highlight the crippling fourth quarter losses. I can well remember a bunch while Lamb was at Furman too. But the losses seem to stick in your mind more so than the wins. You sort of forget about the wins, but the losses, for whatever reason, find more of an emotional hold in the psyche.
I will say that Mercer, playing at this level for four years, has given a very strong account of itself. Many new programs come to the FCS and struggle for years. I do think ETSU gives Mercer a pretty good benchmark, though. That's a program that restarted after Mercer and actually dove into the deep end quicker.
I, personally, don't think Mercer fans should be at a point where they start griping over championships. You've had a football team for a couple of years. Some programs go decades without a conference title.
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Post by FUBeAR on Oct 4, 2017 6:09:07 GMT -5
I do think ETSU gives Mercer a pretty good benchmark, though. That's a program that restarted after Mercer and actually dove into the deep end quicker.. Mercer & ETSU both brought in their 1st class of scholarship football players in 2014. Both programs had 1 practice year of no games. Both programs played a season of non-SoCon games before beginning to play a SoCon schedule. |
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Post by jackal on Oct 4, 2017 7:32:25 GMT -5
I do think ETSU gives Mercer a pretty good benchmark, though. That's a program that restarted after Mercer and actually dove into the deep end quicker.. Mercer & ETSU both brought in their 1st class of scholarship football players in 2014. Both programs had 1 practice year of no games. Both programs played a season of non-SoCon games before beginning to play a SoCon schedule. You know as well as I do there is a distinction between the two programs' first seasons. Mercer started in 2014 playing a schedule made up largely of new programs and nonscholarship schools. ETSU started in 2015 playing mostly scholarship programs and even some top tier FCS teams. Thus, ETSU went into the deep water quicker than Mercer did. |
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Post by FUBeAR on Oct 4, 2017 11:15:04 GMT -5
Mercer & ETSU both brought in their 1st class of scholarship football players in 2014. Both programs had 1 practice year of no games. Both programs played a season of non-SoCon games before beginning to play a SoCon schedule. You know as well as I do there is a distinction between the two programs' first seasons. Mercer started in 2014 playing a schedule made up largely of new programs and nonscholarship schools. ETSU started in 2015 playing mostly scholarship programs and even some top tier FCS teams. Thus, ETSU went into the deep water quicker than Mercer did. The info you posted above is not accurate. Is anything I posted here inaccurate? Mercer & ETSU both brought in their 1st class of scholarship football players in 2014.
Both programs had 1 practice year of no games. Both programs played a season of non-SoCon games before beginning to play a SoCon schedule. |
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Post by chez23 on Oct 5, 2017 9:22:33 GMT -5
When you have multiple crippling 4th quarter losses over the last few years then yes they will stand out. Sure everyone has a crippling loss at some point but MU is NOW known for it and that not a very good identity to have. So how to avoid it being a characteristic of a program?
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Post by BearDownMU on Oct 5, 2017 9:45:43 GMT -5
When you have multiple crippling 4th quarter losses over the last few years then yes they will stand out. Sure everyone has a crippling loss at some point but MU is NOW known for it and that not a very good identity to have. So how to avoid it being a characteristic of a program? Maybe if people stopped making a bigger deal of it than it should be on message boards would be a good start. lol |
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