And I disagree, on two issues. First, I don't see "stink" in the first place. If the budget is being cut, it's being cut. That's not stink. In fact, it's not even news of interest to almost anyone, and thus accounts for no more than a single phrase from an insignificant publication. Frankly, no one cares, outside of whoever is specifically affected. If they cut $100k here, and $100k there, there are at least two people affected. Maybe, just maybe, the sources are a couple of those people are actually affected. Note, by the way, that Albin was NOT affected; they were going to give him a raise.

Second, I am appalled by the rush to condemnation, despite the fact that the news is insignificant, and no one cares, and despite the fact that the footballscoop claimed that the news came from multiple sources. Sure, there is no evidence, but we don't need evidence. Sure, there is no damage, but who cares about that? Albin left, so let's find reasons to trash him.

I will agree, however, that the sources may not have been from Ohio at all. One possibility mentioned about is that whoever gave the news came from an Ohio competitor or competitors who somehow got wind of it. As an example of that, when Albin left, someone broke the story. Who? We don't know, and don't care, but per Mike, it was someone in North Carolina using an email account affiliated with another AAU school (Appy St? ECU?). Or, perhaps the news came, not from an employer, but a supplier. Say Ohio had been planing to replace the urinals, but told the supplier "we're tightening our belt this year. Maybe we can buy those urinals next year." Or, say, Ohio told the uniform supplier "we're cutting back, so we will make due with one less specialty retro uniform this year".

The one thing that it seems we do all agree on, is that the budget probably is being cut, at least in some places. But, does anyone really care? I don't. There are a lot more important things to worry about, like who is in the portal. But, hey, Albin is a public figure, so it's fine to accuse him of whatever, just so long as you don't have actual evidence that whatever you are saying is false.

Not going to try to top that. Such a deep cut reference.

I’ve been debating whether to share this because I don’t want to over-share or project that I know more than what I do, but there have been plenty of cryptic/anonymous posts on this board claiming to have inside knowledge of the Albin leaving/Smith getting hired without and supporting evidence so why not.

Over Christmas I got to talking to some extended family members. It turns out that one of my family members graduated from high school with one of our current players. My relatives mom knows and still talks to the players mom fairly often, last time being after the MAC title game but before the bowl game.

We got to talking about Football and OU and recent events there. Long story short, my relative was told by this player’s mom something to the effect of “yeah, the players weren’t super upset about the old coach leaving, and they were super excited to play for the new one.”

Take that information how you will. It’s far from a first hand source, but said player has been around multiple years and has played in a decent amount of games for us, and definitely went to the same high school as said family.

I do think that lots of things that have happened support this information - 100% participation in the bowl game, relatively low transfer portal entries still, low amount of assistants following Albin, etc.

Albin starting to get some of our guys, I understand it was to be expected but still rubs me the wrong way.

Are we still waiting for find out who the linebacker coach will be?