dis·pute (verb): argue about (something); discuss heatedly.

no one (pronoun): no person; not a single person.

Let's start with baby steps Monroe. This is a test:

All I have to do to make the second quoted sentence invalid is argue about the fact you point out. I already argued with you about this fact. I am a person.

Can you even admit that you are WRONG about this sentence specifically? Someone can dispute the fact you pointed out.

The post was simply to point out that unlike other teams in the MAC, we tend to have games decided by a wide margin. Case in point, 2013 when 7 of our 8 MAC games were decided by 17 or more (4 wins, 3 losses). Still waiting for insight as to why that would be…rather than the obvious yik-yak response that the losses mean Frank must go.

As I said in my original post “conclude what you wish.” My purpose was to simply provide information for thought, not try to convince someone from the SFB (a handful of 4-6 people) to migrate to the Yik-Yak side (Monroe/Allen and a few others) – or vis-versa. The rest of us RIBS (Rational and Intelligent Bobcat Supports) will continue to converse and exchange thoughts and information, while the extremes can remain obsessed with trying to convince others how “blind” they are about something non of us control – the fate of Ohio football and Frank Solich.


CC-Cat
Cory Hughes
Proud Member of RIBS since 1983 (I wasn’t real rational…or intelligent as a student)

I dug a little further into the experience level of Ohio the last four seasons.

What I found was (to me, at least) is that we shouldn't have been in "rebuild" mode any of the last four years. We returned over 50% of our starters every year during that stretch and in 2015 we returned 20 starters and over 50 letterman....still there were inexplicable blowout losses in the MAC.

LET ME CLARIFY: THIS IS NOT A "FIRE FRANK SOLICH POST"

But even the most loyal Ohio supporter has to be left scratching their head trying to figure out why we can win 8 MAC games by 17+ and also lose 9 MAC games by 17+ the last four years? It's just something good programs don't do. Somewhere along the line the wheels have begun to wobble on Ohio as a program. I hope 2016 is the year they can steady things and return to being a consistent title contender like they were from 2009-2011. Or maybe that was just the best it will get. And that's fine. If those were the glory years of Ohio football and they've passed, I can live with that and just begin to enjoy 7-5, 8-4 bowl seasons for what they are and expect nothing more. Fine by me....I still get to drink beers in TailGreat Park and enjoy some fall weekends in Athens.

2012
15 starters returning
10 starters lost

48 letterman returning
19 letterman lost

2013
16 starters returning
10 starters lost

49 letterman returning
22 letterman lost

2014
15 starters returning
12 starters lost

45 letterman returning
20 letterman lost

2015
20 starters returning
6 starters lost

54 letterman returning
17 letterman lost

Final Tidbits:

Frank's Record vs. MAC
53-38 (47-37 if you take out Temple, UMass)

vs. current East: 34-21 (40-22 with Temple, UMass)
vs. current West: 13-16

Akron, Kent, EMU, Miami, UMass, UB
37-14 (35-14 if take out UMass)

BG, NIU, UT, WMU, CMU, Ball, Temple
16-24 (12-23 if you take out Temple)

During that 2009-2011 run
vs. MAC 19-7 (two MACC losses)
vs. East 15-3 (three wins vs. Temple)
vs. West 4-4 (two MACC losses)

Minus that 2009-2011 run
vs. MAC 34-31 (31-30 minus Temple, UMass)
vs. East 25-19 (22-18 minus Temple, UMass)
vs. West 9-12

We are a helluva lot better program now than we were pre-2005.....but I'm starting to think that 2009-11 was a flash-in-the-pan of sorts? It was a great run....but more of a blip than the norm. The norm appears to be we are an average to above-average MAC program. I'll take it over what we were before 2005 when we were a cellar-dweller. Might just need to temper my personal expectations of playing for league championships and accept what we've been the last few years as the norm.

As I said, I really hope 2016 blows all this up and begins another run to the top of the league (and one that has more staying power up there)

P.S. Only 197 days until I can have another beer at TailGreat Park in prep for Texas State

Interesting factoids...I guess one can say thank god we are in the East. The West (and BG) pretty much own us! And, we are a nice middle of the pack to lower/upper level of the MAC team (some years). I'm with you, the way things are now 7-5 or 8-4 with an early December Bowl are what we are. It could be worse (Miami or EMU).

I hope some year real soon they prove me wrong...but after 11 fun filled years I am still waiting!

I'm just going to take this moment to apologize to any and all posters (except Monroe Slavin) for being overly-critical of their numbers and their opinions. It was never my intent to suppress opinions or make anyone feel like I think my opinions are somehow better than another (unless explictly stated). FWIW my genuine intent through these repeating threads has been to critique approach.

At the end of the day we come here for enjoyment and it hasn't been that enjoyable lately. I'm partly to blame.

Roll d.mn Bobcats!

And what makes you think we can, or will, go to the next level? We're in the MAC and we'll have ups and downs from now until the end of time. I'll bet money we do not go to some 'next level', whether it be under Frank or any other coach. More likely is that we'll continue to have a decent team after Frank is gone due to him building the program up to what it is today.

Good info, thanks for doing the digging. It (losing 9 MAC games by 17+) is not something good programs do. Nor is it (winning 8 MAC games by 17+) something bad programs do. I'm with you - its a head scratcher. Love to hear from ExCat and others that played the game how teams can be so Jekyll and Hyde.

Every question I ask you is answered with (at best) a question of your own.

I'm sorry I can't read minds. I'd just be guessing at places where you grew up, the dynamics of your childhood, how travel dog bags you've sold...