WCU picked 2nd by coaches, 3rd by media in SoCon poll

luvyosef · Unread post by **luvyosef** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 8:25 pm

Kudos to Coach Speir.

HeffnerIV · Unread post by **HeffnerIV** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:07 pm

Seriously incredible what he's done there. How many coaches did they go through between successful seasons.

Appstate88 · Unread post by **Appstate88** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:42 pm

Before Coach Speir, last winning record was 2005. They have had seven coaches since Bob Waters era. 7 winning seasons over past 26 years. So glad I decided to go to App State.

1989 Dale Strahm 3–7–1 1–4–1 T–6th
1990 Steve Hodgin 3–8 2–5 6th
1991 Steve Hodgin 2–9 2–5 T–6th
1992 Steve Hodgin 7–4 5–2 T–2nd
1993 Steve Hodgin 6–5 5–3 3rd
1994 Steve Hodgin 6–5 5–3 T–3rd
1995 Steve Hodgin 3–7 2–6 T–7th
1996 Steve Hodgin 4–7 1–7 9th
1997 Bill Bleil 3–8 3–5 7th
1998 Bill Bleil 6–5 5–3 3rd
1999 Bill Bleil 3–8 2–6 7th
2000 Bill Bleil 4–7 3–5 7th
2001 Bill Bleil 7–4 5–3 4th
2002 Kent Briggs 5–6 3–5 T–5th
2003 Kent Briggs 5–7 3–5 T–6th
2004 Kent Briggs 4–7 2–5 T–5th
2005 Kent Briggs 5–4 4–3 4th
2006 Kent Briggs 2–9 0–7 8th
2007 Kent Briggs 1–10 0–7 8th
2008 Dennis Wagner 3–9 1–7 8th
2009 Dennis Wagner 2–9 1–7 9th
2010 Dennis Wagner 2–9 1–7 T–8th
2011 Dennis Wagner 1–9 0–7 9th
2011 Mark Rhea 0–1 0–1 9th
2012 Mark Speir 1–10 0–8 9th
2013 Mark Speir 2–10 1–7 T-8th
2014 Mark Speir 7-5 5-2 T-2nd

AtlAppMan · Unread post by **AtlAppMan** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 12:19 am

It doesn't hurt that the two premier programs in FCS and the SoCon left in 2014. That is basically two guaranteed losses removed from their schedule.

I am using Premier programs because I heard a guy on ATL sports radio the other day talking about NDSU and Montana kickoff game this year and he said "the two Premier FCS programs, GSU and App moved up to D-1A last year"

On a similar note, I noticed that the SoCon's average attendance dropped by ~3,500 per game last year when we left. SoCon is much weaker now.

Maybe WCU can be the big fish now.

moehler · Unread post by **moehler** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 6:31 am

wow, 3,500 is alot when you consider almost all the teams average less than 12,000 a game.

Rick0714 · Unread post by **Rick0714** » Thu Jul 23, 2015 8:39 am

Very happy for Mark. I think anyone who knows him, knew he could do good things at WCU if he could get the support he needed. I'm happy they have stuck with him through the turnaround. He, like all of that core group of coaches we had in the mid-2000's, is an class guy and as intense as anyone. If you ever got to see a practice or a camp where both he and Elliott were on the field at the same time, it was almost as loud as the stadium was at game time! Saw them both at camp when we sent my team there and it was amazing to watch how intense but supportive they were with the young ones but then would ramp up with the older kids. Never negative, but always pushing. Hate he's not still at App, but he deserves the accolades!