Coach Fox begins his fifth season at App State on Tuesday evening. The yield of his first four seasons includes a return to academic excellence for App men's basketball, an experienced roster of 100% Fox recruits that includes average speed and adequate height but has been lacking in field goal and free throw accuracy, end-to-end defense and mental toughness. Then, just for the sake of discussion, throw in a four-year won-lost record of 45-78. This brings to mind the advice of ancient Greek philosophers
(well not exactly
)--when you're in a hole over your head, quit digging and send for a tall ladder! Fox has been given a season (or two) to make a significant climb. Que sera sera!
The early season schedule presents both opportunities and problems. The opportunities are for picking up wins over several P5 teams. The problems occur if/when the poor shooting, poor defense and mental mistakes of the past make an ugly reappearance.
Tuesday night's supposed cupcake at Holmes will be D-II Mars Hill. That will be followed by a roady to face Alabama in Tuscaloosa next Sunday evening. On with it!