Messages

286

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Another rough November for Wolford (from this morning's Vindicator)

« on: November 18, 2014, 10:12:36 AM »

  All coaching jobs come with certain expectations.   The expectation at YSU when it comes to football is make the playoffs on a consistent basis. If a potential coach can't handle that, we don't want him.   All the resources are here to be a perennial playoff team.

Great tradition, excellent facilities, and a strong recruiting base.  Neither Heacock or Wolford could meet those expecations.  Heacock was only given 9 years because he was Tressel's guy and everyone liked him.  If we hire a new coach and he goes 7-5 every year and doesn't make the playoffs, he too will be fired.

Do you think 7-5 would be good enough at Alabama, Ohio State, USC??  Then why should it be good enough here.  7-5 is great at Indiana State, not Youngstown State.

If we lose Saturday, Wolford has no shot to survive.  Not only are we not making the playoffs, we have lost much of our fan base.   Wolford came in talking national titles, he hasn't delivered, bottom line.

287

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Kirk Herbstreit is a tool

« on: November 12, 2014, 02:24:53 PM »

  YSU yet to prove they belong in the FCS playoffs, need to get there before we start thinking they could beat a Big 10 team.  Illinois looked flat and turned it on in the 4th quarter to beat us going away.

 This is YSU board, not Ohio State, but the Buckeyes are getting better, that was obvious Saturday, that is a sign of a well coached team that improves as the season goes along.   YSU under Eric Wolford yet to show that kind of progress.

 That being said, I have a feeling they will play their best games of the year against Indiana State.    That should lock up a playoff berth.   Only way I see they get shutout is if they get blown out at North Dakota State, and even then 5 wins in our conference should be enough.

  Really only game that got away was Western Illinois.  I think Illinois State was just better than YSU. 

288

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: YSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

« on: October 16, 2014, 02:21:52 PM »

 Penguin power said it best:  "How about start winning big games.  Get into the playoffs.   Win a few National Championships, become relevant again and the fans will fill the stands and the money will flow."

YSU football no longer relevant on a local or regional level.   Most of the kids being recruited today were infants the last time YSU played in the title game in 1999.   Our program is just "ok", nothing more.

Bottom line is Jon Heacock and Eric Wolford cannot win the big games.  Heacock 0-9 against Northern Iowa.  Wolford 2-10 combined against Northern Iowa, SD State, and ND State, enough said.

289

YSU Penguin Athletics / FUTURE OF YSU FOOTBALL

« on: October 13, 2014, 01:04:31 PM »

 Yes, Saturday's loss was disappointing, but far too early to give up on the season.  We need to grind out 8 wins to make the playoffs.  If we don't then we begin the discussion on the future.

 A few thoughts though, currently YSU is not in good shape financially, the faculty is considering a strike vote because of health care issues.   There have also been layoffs.    So, if we indeed decided at the end of the year to change coaches, can we really pay $250 thousand plus for a coach?   I would more like $150-200 at best.   I read in some other posts about Mark Snyder or Pat Narduzzi.   Both are coordinators at high profile programs, likely making at least a half million dollars a year, we have no shot to get either of them.

  YSU would need to get lucky and higher an up and coming coach who has a desire to be a head coach, or former player now coaching who would want to coach here.   Pete Rekstis is one name I keep hearing.  He is the defensive coordinator at Rhode Island, a former defensive back for Jim Tressel and teammate of Ron Strollo.

 He can't be making much money.  The problem with Rekstis is he was involved in a scandal at Florida Atlantic, not sure he would be the right hire.

 I started attending YSU games in 1990, but I had a long time fan tell me at the game the other night that during the first few years of the Tressel era we were getting crowds of less than 5000 on a regular basis.  Now we have less population than 20 years ago, so the crowds we are getting are normal until we begin winning again on a consistent level, and that means making the playoffs.

290

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: How good is the MVFC

« on: October 02, 2014, 04:33:21 AM »

 In 2011 YSU didn't make the playoffs because they lost to the worst team in the league at home in the season finale, didn't deserve to make the playoffs.  Last year lost to an injury depleted Northern Iowa team, they lost the final two games at home by a combined 47 points!!!  Does that sound like a playoff team to you?

There is no conspiracy or dislike for YSU.  Also add to the fact that if YSU keeps playing three scrimmages in September and not playing quality competition they are not going to get in as a bubble team.  Northern Iowa at 7-5 was more worthy last year.  Two of their losses to FBS teams, and they beat YSU.

As far back as Heacock's first year, there was a cry of conspiracy, yet, he lost at home to Western Kentucky with a playoff berth on the line, thats why YSU didn't make it.

We just haven't been good enough.   One more reason YSU didn't get in last year, where was there a quality win?   Maybe Southern Illinois, but they didn't beat a team that went to the playoffs.

291

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Ticket Sales/Attendance

« on: September 30, 2014, 01:21:37 PM »

  We play a very soft non-league schedule that is not appealing to the average fan, and YSU has been to the playoffs once in 13 years, thats why attendance is what it is.   The attendance will not improve until we get a team that competes for the playoffs on a regular basis.

  All of us, including me at times, think we are what we were in the 1990's.   I do find the hiring of another marketing person interesting.  YSU overall is cutting jobs, yet we hire another marketing person.  We have three full time sports information directors, several associate athletic directors, and a very high paid coaching staff for 1-AA football.

 We are old news right when it comes to power programs in 1-AA, we hang our hat on having the best stadium in 1-AA football, thats nowhere near enough.   I agree on marketing lacks creativity and really need that when you are just an average program.    Our marketing is buy one, get one free.   You can give the tickets away, people don't want to come!

292

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Night Game: St. Francis

« on: September 16, 2014, 09:19:13 AM »

St Francis in their opener allowed 52 points to Fordham!!!  You think it matters who plays  QB?  If Ricky Davis starts he will look like a star.  Don't go overboard on Hunter Wells just yet, our competion the three games leading up to Missouri State is awful.

Hunter Wells may be the real deal, but very difficult to judge his play or the entire team against this kind of competition.  One last thought on attendance, we have been an average program for more than a decade, thats why we have average or below average crowds.   

293

YSU Penguin Athletics / YSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

« on: September 08, 2014, 09:31:43 AM »

 There seems to be a lot of conversation about Saturday's lack of attendance Saturday, I heard Dan Rivers on WKBN talking about it this morning.  First, we haven't made the playoffs and won, thats the biggest reason.

But I think the other problem is the weak non-conference schedule.  I have no issue with playing Duquesne, it balances out playing an FBS school.  But we should not be playing Butler and St Francis, it does nothing for us.  Butler struggled to beat D-3 Wittenberg, fans are too smart to buy into coming to these games.   I see where Southern Illinois beat Eastern Illinois Saturday, and North Dakota State played at a solid Weber State.  Why don't we schedule home and home with the likes of Delaware, Villanova, James Madison and so on.

Our home schedule this year is so bad, especially since North Dakota State and South Dakota State are on the road.   I know some get tired of hearing about the Tressel era, but he would play one D-2, then schedule some good teams.  I remember playing Stephen F Austin home and away, Towson State home and away as well.   

My sense is YSU may be afraid to lose, but going to Missouri State at 3-1, will we really know anything about this team?

294

YSU Penguin Athletics / STATE OF YSU FOOTBALL

« on: August 07, 2014, 01:13:14 PM »

I am new to the board, and posted  few weeks ago, my post disappeared, it is possible I somehow deleted it.   I read the posts on the Top 25 Poll, and I do agree about the "strong" 8-4 comment.  I think it shows how far how our program and has fallen, and the perception by our athletic department.

I am not a YSU grad, my wife is though and I have been going to games since 1990.  YSU did not deserve to make the playoffs last year; losing to an injury depleted Northern Iowa, and blown out in back to back games at home, we looked nothing like a playoff team.

I see three major issues with Eric Wolford and his failure to reach the playoffs in his three years:
1.  2-10 combined against UNI, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State, he can't win big games.
2. YSU plays best ball early in season, they don't get better, most well coached teams improve.
3.  Defense is always below average, now on third defensive coordinator in 5 years.

My question would be, are we getting a good return on our investement in Wolford?  Salaries from Heacock era doubled, we commit a lot of money to football.  I believe Wolford thought by now he would a perennial playoff team and he would be long gone for the SEC.   My opinion, he is not a head coach, but an offensive line coach.  He does not display the qualities of a leader.

Our fan base in diminishing, but the YSU Athletic Department doesn't seem to have a sense of urgency, same old same old.    Don't get me started on basketball, we reward mediocrity in the basketball program, and to hear YSU talk Jerry Slocum is a great coach.   

Anyway, I go to most of the home games, used to go to all of them.  But you are what you pretend you are!   Football is just an average program, and I would see this year being 7-5, and that seems good enough for the powers at YSU.