Listen to today's Around the Mountain-9-24-14

[bigdaddyg]

I agree with some of the others- kind of a letdown. But I guess we need to be honest and realize that we are not getting a home and home with any ACC school other than maybe Wake. Doesn't a lot come down to $$? How much would VA Tech take home? The 2016 schedule still looks pretty good. Much better than Lenor Rhyne or Campbell. I would rather see more competitive games with higher caliber teams versus blowouts of crap programs.

[T-Dog]

While the Apps press release says the 2017 return trip is in Amherst, UMass says it has not been determined which games in the future are at McGuirk (their on-campus stadium in Amherst) or at Gillette (their home away from home in Foxboro, home of the New England Patriots). They now have three home games at each site every year. When UMass went FBS they had to renovate and update McGuirk so the Kraft family let UMass use Gillette rent-free for a % of ticket sales and concessions. The last two years all of their home games were at Gillette, but McGuirk is finished. I expect the game to be in Amherst though, but just FYI.

Foxboro is a 2-hour drive from Amherst so it's basically like if App plays home games at BoA Stadium.

[T-Dog]

Ok let me add this too.... I think Rick Beasley hurts himself when he says "this is another attractive FBS opponent". REALLY!!! He would have been better leaving that quote out.

Almost every press release for schools announcing UMass games today (Troy, BYU, Hawaii, Army, ODU, etc) used the same phrasing.

[mtnjax]

Good game to help expand the recruiting footprint

[ASUDieHard]

Definitely a big let down. I wish our athletic department would take a course on how to set expectations of fans. Remember at the beginning of the year when it was "leaked" that a huge announcement was coming the next day. We all got excited about it, only it was to announce that some of our recruits had enrolled early. Certainly not bad news, but not worthy of having everyone on pins and needles. Then today, while not anything great by any means, this news would have been ok if it was just simply announced. However, after "leaking" a schedule announcement, it's definitely disappointing.

[YesAppCan]

Guys, I don't think any of us didn't hope for a Wake or ECU... However, we have to walk before we run. I'm OK with UMass in that regard.

[PhillyApp1]

Yeah, it's better than Campbell but probably the lowest regarded FBS team on our future schedules ---

I think our opinion of u mass will change in the next two years with their new coach

[WVAPPeer]

Yeah, it's better than Campbell but probably the lowest regarded FBS team on our future schedules ---

I think our opinion of u mass will change in the next two years with their new coach

Philly - you are probably right but my point was more not that it WAS UMass but more so who it WASN'T ---

[PhillyApp1]

if I were a regional acc team with a small student body I would not want to play at state in 2016 or 2017

[EastHallApp]

Good game to help expand the recruiting footprint

I'm not sure about that. You can't recruit everywhere, and there's not all that much talent in New England. If we are looking to expand our footprint, I would think the first priority would be Texas, followed by maybe Ohio and Pennsylvania. However, I think our bigger priority might be expanding our presence in certain areas of our existing footprint, such as Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama. And of course our own state as well.

[NewApp]

At least U Mass is the flagship university of a state. Hopes of getting Georgia Tech, NC State, Clemson, Virginia Tech or the like to play in a stadium of our size is not much of a probability, unfortunately.

[Yosef]

I admit I'm selfishly thrilled! I just moved to Hartford CT (30 minutes away). While I would have loved a power 5 home and home, this will work well to get me to another App game that year!

[AppState89]

After thinking about it over night. I still don't like the fact we are playing UMASS, instead of Wake or ECU. But, these are just the growing pains we will have for a while since we just moved to FBS. It will be easier to get mid major teams to come to Boone, than a P5 team, even Wake. They will come in time, but it's just going to take a while. Hope I'm wrong, but ECU had the same issues years ago we are now with getting teams like UNC, NCSU, VT, WVU to play us at home. We will have to go there for a while.

At least it isn't Eloans or Western Carolina teams anymore.

Go Apps!!!! Kick some Ga Southern butt tonight.

[Saint3333]

Let's put this is perspective.

If on March 27, 2013 when we announced the move someone told you we'd sign the following deals within 18 months:

H & H w/ S. Miss., ODU, UNCC, Arkon, Wyoming, and UMass

and @ Clemson, UGA, and UT-k

would you have taken that deal?

If I EVER need cheering up about our schedule I go here:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/tea ... d-terriers

[Goapps15]

Let's put this is perspective.

If on March 27, 2013 when we announced the move someone told you we'd sign the following deals within 18 months:

H & H w/ S. Miss., ODU, UNCC, Arkon, Wyoming, and UMass

and @ Clemson, UGA, and UT-k

would you have taken that deal?

If I EVER need cheering up about our schedule I go here:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/tea ... d-terriers

Saint,

That puts it perfectly in perspective.

It beats Georgia Southern's schedule this year as well. They only have 3 Saturday home games.

[EastHallApp]

Let's put this is perspective.

If on March 27, 2013 when we announced the move someone told you we'd sign the following deals within 18 months:

H & H w/ S. Miss., ODU, UNCC, Arkon, Wyoming, and UMass

and @ Clemson, UGA, and UT-k

would you have taken that deal?

No.

Southern Miss and UNCC are solid, if not spectacular. The rest of the H&H are just filler IMO. And the money games are the same types that we've been playing for years.

[Saint3333]

So UNCC is solid if not spectacular in your opinion, but you are disappointed in the scheduling to date????

I don't agree with either of those two statements individually and taken collectively I'm down right confused.

All three money games are within driving distance of our fanbase, that is a big difference. I challenge you to find a three year stretch in which that was been the case since the Wake days.

[appbio91]

Let's put this is perspective.

If on March 27, 2013 when we announced the move someone told you we'd sign the following deals within 18 months:

H & H w/ S. Miss., ODU, UNCC, Arkon, Wyoming, and UMass

and @ Clemson, UGA, and UT-k

would you have taken that deal?

No.

Southern Miss and UNCC are solid, if not spectacular. The rest of the H&H are just filler IMO. And the money games are the same types that we've been playing for years.

Changing a C to a B is not going to make people automatically beat the gates of KBS down. In fact I will go ahead and tell you that UNCC will have an easier time getting big names to come to their place. Just like ODU is getting big names. There is no incentive right now. We will have to prove ourselves first. Then teams will schedule us as a winnable FBS matchup that strengthens their schedule. We don't have the market or recruiting bait that others have.

[Gonzo]

Let's put this is perspective.

If on March 27, 2013 when we announced the move someone told you we'd sign the following deals within 18 months:

H & H w/ S. Miss., ODU, UNCC, Arkon, Wyoming, and UMass

and @ Clemson, UGA, and UT-k

would you have taken that deal?

No.

Southern Miss and UNCC are solid, if not spectacular. The rest of the H&H are just filler IMO. And the money games are the same types that we've been playing for years.

I hope travel considerations are your only basis for saying that.

[EastHallApp]

So UNCC is solid if not spectacular in your opinion, but you are disappointed in the scheduling to date????

I don't agree with either of those two statements individually and taken collectively I'm down right confused.

All three money games are within driving distance of our fanbase, that is a big difference. I challenge you to find a three year stretch in which that was been the case since the Wake days.

I rate UNCC higher than other fans might, because of non-football factors like media interest, recruiting benefit, playing a road game that's a reasonable day trip for in-state alumni, possibly developing a regional rivalry, etc. Certainly on-field, they are the weakest of the six teams at the moment and may well still be when we play them. But also, that would make it a near-certain FBS win, which isn't a bad thing either.

Having the money games within driving distance is nice. I just personally don't care who the money game is against unless and until we have a reasonable chance of winning or at least being competitive. If we're going to get blown out, it doesn't matter to me whether it's by Clemson, UGa, Michigan or LSU.

Bottom line, three of the six teams either moved to FBS or started from scratch within the past few years, while two others have little to no winning tradition in FBS. I have a hard time imagining many people in March 2013 saying, "Man, I wonder if this means we'll finally get to play Akron!"