YSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

[YSUFANSINCE1990]

 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?

[HappyPenguin]

I'm with you I'd rather see a good game. I've heard from a couple people the AD schedules in this way to get 3 "gimme" D1 wins, thinking there's a magic number of those needed to get a playoff berth.

Actual attendance be damned, the big-money tickets are already sold for the most part. Why would they care about walk-ups they practically give those away with BOGO's and Giant Eagle days lol

Look how much advertising is around the stadium and in the program. Thats the focus.

[guinpen]

People complained when we played a D2 game, that was why we did not make the playoffs, so they said. So we scheduled 1-AA schools albeit not upper tier, and guess what, people still complain about the schedule. Seems people just like to complain. Say what you want but I believe that Butler made the playoffs last year and we did not. The Dukes gave 1A Buffalo all they could handle.

Maybe I am preaching to the choir on this board but I do not go to YSU games to see Butler, WIU SIU or anyone else on the schedule. I GO TO WATCH THE PENGUINS! I do not know if people out there are lazy, spoiled or what, but this lack of attendance is ridicules. Those players bust their butts and to come out and see that many fans in the stands is sad very sad.

Wolf will not be here forever, do you really think we will attract  a top notch coach when they look at butts in the seats. Same thing with the top notch players.

spend less time looking for excuses and get to the games people.

[Wick250]

If you have been around long enough, you remember that YSU was a basketball school thirty years ago.  Unless there was real bad weather, we drew around 3,000 on weekdays and 5,000 on weekends.  YSU basketball was an important community event.  What happened?  We starting to stink and stink and stink some more.  Whole generations lost interest.  Basketball is now so irrelevant that even the two center sections in the gym, reserved for high paying Penguin club members, are often over half empty.  If we draw over 2,000 to a game several times a year, some people get excited.

I have been afraid that the same process would happen to football, and it has.  A decade and a half of losing and bad football has created massive indifference among casual fans.  The failures of Heacock and Wofford over fourteen years have cultivated that apathy.  That is compounded by every major power being on tv each week.  Of course those who read and post here are not impacted by any of this, but we are too few to fill up that stadium.  Would an attractive home schedule help?  I really don't know, but playing three junk games will not poke a hole in the climate of apathy that now surrounds this program.  (One such game is fine to balance off the money game.)

[guinpen]

Wick, I have been going to both BB and FB for 40 or so years now and you may be right.

[ELPENGUIN]

Wickman I do think you have hit it.  Scheduling opponents who may be of equal footing with us will never happen.  What team would give up a home game to play here.  Surely not a MAC school or a Conference USA school.  Maybe a 3 or 4 for 1 but not a 1 for 1.  Move YSU up is the answer except where is the money going to come from?  Maybe we need some oil/gas money to start cultivating such a move. 

[Lets_Talk]

When I think of schools on equal footing as YSU, I DO NOT think of schools from the MAC or CUSA in football. Last I checked, these are FBS Conferences, and YSU is in FCS. So, it is correct that schools from the MAC and CUSA will not agree to home-home with YSU. But, there are plenty of FCS schools that would agree to home-home. Delaware, Villanova, JMU, EKU, Towson, Cal-Poly, Southern Utah, Liberty, Maine, Wofford. These are schools I can recall YSU having played home-home against back when YSU was much better in football than they are at the current time. YSU was also able to schedule home-home with Georgia Southern, FAU, and Buffalo before they moved up to FBS, along with Northeastern before they dropped football.

I understand the desire to have as many home games as possible. I understand the importance of the revenue generated by the loges. But, isn't it better to have only 5 or 6 regular season games each year along with at least 1 home playoff game, than having 6 or 7 home games and no playoff games, home or away?

Seems to me, the issue is YSU wanting 6-7 home games every year, and also wanting EASY games due to now playing a $$$$$$$ game. The problem is, this model is not working as far as tickets distributed(official attendance), actual attendance, or making the playoffs. Of the 11 playoff seasons, only 3 were years that YSU had 3 losses. In 87, they finished 8-3, but won the OVC auto bid, and there were NO D2 teams on the schedule..... In 89, YSU was 8-3 with 2 wins over D2 teams. But, they also beat Akron at home, CMU on the road and played at EMU. And, they went 7-1 in the final 8 games of the season, including winning the final 3 games in a row.

In 91, YSU was 8-3. Not really sure they deserved to make the playoffs, as they played 2 D2 teams, and did not beat any 1A/FBS schools. But, they did end the season on a 4 game winning streak, with that streak starting at defending champion Georgia Southern....The 92 team finished 8-2-1, with 1 game against a D2 opponent. The tie was at Akron(1A/FBS). They won at OU(1A/FBS).

90,93,94,97,99,00,06 YSU won at least 9 games in the regular season.

I do not see anything wrong with ONE game against a team from the Pioneer or Northeast. The home-home schedules could be arranged such that each team hosts the other in a season when 12 games are allowed. In an 11 game season, it's hard for me to believe YSU would not be able to schedule a team like FAMU, Liberty, Morgan State, Delaware State. Other schools that come to mind are Hampton, Howard and Austin Peay, All teams YSU has played in the past, and which a playoff caliber YSU team ought to be able to beat at home.

[goodnews]

I would never defend this schedule but the Duquesne game makes sense for both schools.  I think we can all agree that Duquesne is making an effort to improve and grow their program not sure the same can be said for the next two opponents.  However, I think our AD is missing an opportunity by not negotiating a game with the Dukes in basketball because it too makes sense.  I realize it doesnt work this way but its worth a try.  Regardless of the sport, WE/THEY need all the help we can get with scheduling....... 

[HappyPenguin]

The Duquesne game does make sense for both schools. Very easy travel. A D1 win for us if we take care of business.

We increase our exposure in the Pittsburgh area, even if nothing more than a box score in the local papers.

They increase their exposure here, and their conferences SOS. A very good barometer for them as to how they will do in conference. Very well this year it would seem.

[IAA Fan]

Agreed on Duquesne and Robert Morris. I would even travel for football if it helps with MBB. Heck less than an hours drive & we can tailgate.

[Penguin Nation]

I think fan interest would be renewed only by winning and deep playoff runs.

Short of that, I think renewing the Akron and Kent rivalries would help.  I would get them on the schedule even if they would only agree to away games (away meaning a 45 minute drive).  These are winnable games that would impress the selection committee.  Travel costs would be modest.  Why not let them pay us to beat em?  No one cares about St Francis and Butler, but Akron.....absolutely.

[HappyPenguin]

I think fan interest would be renewed only by winning and deep playoff runs.

Short of that, I think renewing the Akron and Kent rivalries would help.  I would get them on the schedule even if they would only agree to away games (away meaning a 45 minute drive).  These are winnable games that would impress the selection committee.  Travel costs would be modest.  Why not let them pay us to beat em?  No one cares about St Francis and Butler, but Akron.....absolutely.

Agreed!

[ValleyTalk]

Looks like this is a hot topic in Youngstown. Note these tweets from this evening:

@DanaBalash21: @21WFMJSports  YSU Athletic director Ron Strollo says scheduling "three" lesser football opponents is a "financial necessity" decision.

@JoeScalzo1: I've been critical of YSU's non-conference football schedule. You can read YSU's side of the story in tomorrow's paper.

@21WFMJSports: YSU football schedule comes under scrutiny http://t.co/dxkOdeHzyg

[paladin]

good, we get buried in B.S. by the AD.

Same old, same old

[Penguin Nation]

The article above says:      "Strollo says each home game brings in around $200,000 thousand and those additional funds are needed to the athletic department."

An article I found that's a few years old:


"Kent State will then pay Louisiana-Lafayette $150,000 and South Alabama $250,000 for the home games on September 10 and September 24, respectively."

http://www.kentwired.com/sports/article_4b77dc60-0a08-5fb7-a198-f6eb4570e94d.html

Seems like it would at least be revenue neutral (for the University) to play at Akron or Kent.   I would replace one of the three (or one of the two in an 11 game season) cupcake games with a local MAC school.