.
Do you ever get the feeling that Ohio will put together a run like that? If not, then what is holding them back? Why can't Ohio have success like that? What is it about NIU that allows them to do that .... but not Ohio? That's an honest question.
I think you mistake my unveiling of facts as me hating this program or hating Frank Solich. Couldn't be further from the truth.
Lots of people have answered that question. Recruiting location, historical significance, isolated from metropolitan ares, facilities, all impact the quality of the teams you can build. I think we are improving year by year. Which is how a program at the bottom works it way to the top. But I understand we will have to listen to naysayers, doubters, and those just unhappy with anything other than a MACC until we get there. I just find it hard to believe that those complaining the most claim they would be fine with being an embarrassment again as long as we win one MACC. Which is essentially what you are saying isn't it? Get a MACC even if it would mean hitting rock bottom again? You envy Buffalo and Akron? Wish you were a part of their lucky fan base instead? I want to win a MACC too! And I think we will by 2019. And we can do it without then falling back to the bottom of the dumpster fire like Buffalo and Akron.
I challenge you to go back and read thru every post I've ever made here and find one that says I'd rather have one MACC and be a pile of garbage the rest of the time.
You are totally twisting my words into whatever you want to hear.
I'm not saying it's MACC or bust.
What I'm saying is at some point, during a 13-year run, Ohio should have risen to the top of this league and had a stay there for more than a second.
Top of the league ... doesn't necessarily mean a MACC every year.
I would classify Toledo as a "top of the league" program and they haven't won a MACC since they've instituted a championship game.
Toledo rarely, if ever, loses games like Ohio lost last Saturday.
Since 2010, Toledo's worst year is 5-3 in the MAC ... other than that it's 6-2, 7-1 every year. Yes, I know they've not played in a MAC title game during that frame ... and that's because NIU has been in their way.
(For reference, Ohio has had three 4-4 seasons during that time frame)
And speaking of NIU ... you really think their run of success is based on location, facilities, etc?!?!
Dekalb is 64 miles from Chicago ...
Athens is 74 miles from Columbus ...
Oh ... let me guess. Because Chicago is bigger than Columbus, than Dekalb is better off than Athens.
NIU Stadium seats less than Peden (24,000 < 27,000)***. Yes, they have a planned renovation ... but why do you think NIU is planning upgrades? Maybe because they got good at football?
Hmmm ... how the hell did they manage that playing in a stadium that was as small as Peden all these years?
*** CORRECTION: PEDEN IS 24K RIGHT NOW, 27K WITH STUDENT CENTER UPGRADE/VICTORY HILL. Sorry for confusion
It wasn't the facilities or location that made NIU the class of the MAC .... it had to do more with Joe Novak, Jerry Kill, Dave Doeren and Rod Carey ... and the players they recruited.
Winning does amazing things for your program.
Ohio has an indoor practice facility ... arguably the nicest campus in all the MAC. It's an hour drive from a major metropolitan city. Quit acting like it's on the moon and we play football on a cow pasture that lacks indoor plumbing.
Yes ... Peden isn't ideal. But they're adding the student center and making improvements.
But do you think that improving the facilities will suddenly make this team leap from perennial 7-5, 8-4 seasons to back-to-back-to-back-to-back MAC East champs and 9-3, 10-2 seasons?
That's nuts.
Did Akron suddenly get good when they built InfoCision Stadium? That's a great place ... but the team and program suck.
Excuses, excuses, excuses .... that's all I hear from people when it comes to why Ohio is where they are. Location, facilities, etc ....
Why not look at the product on the field and the constant that is there ... bad losses to bad teams almost every year ... some years, blowout losses to MAC teams. Basically the same inability to make in-game adjustments when teams like CMU expose you and take advantage of bad game plans. Execution in key situations by both players and coaches.
These are not isolated incidents. They've been happening almost every year during the last 13 years ... and there is no reason to believe they won't continue.
Allow me to state this once again ... I truly appreciate what Frank has done for Ohio football and will forever be grateful ... and I'm not saying that Jim Schaus needs to call a press conference and unceremoniously fire him. But at some point, the excuses this fan base continues to conjure up have to stop. They're laughable.
We are who we are. An above average football program in a below-average league. And that will not change with the current system in place. I have no reason to believe it will. It's not like at 74 years old, Frank is going to suddenly reinvent himself.
I've accepted that. But that doesn't mean I can't get frustrated at performances like I saw last Saturday. It just kills me that people defend it ... instead of just admitting the obvious.
All I want is for Ohio football to take the step from competitive to dominant like NIU and Toledo have been for long stretches. You would think with a coaching staff in place for 13 years, that isn't too much to ask? Right? What's stopping them?
And what's wrong with that as an expectation? We have it in basketball? Do we not expect Ohio to be the best hoops program in the MAC .... and not winning the MAC tournament is kind of considered a disappointment? Why is that attitude acceptable for basketball, who has had four different head coaches during the last 13 years ... but for football, if you think like that then you are a traitor?!
There's a big difference in hating Frank Solich and wishing the program would be better. Quit lumping them together because it's convenient.
Last Edited: 10/11/2017 1:22:38 PM by bshot44