New Head Coach - Eliah Drinkwitz

[Futfibal]

No Comeback, I’m much more than a fan. I’M A HALL OF FAMER. ENSHRINED FOREVER. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO BY THE ATHLETICS FACILITY AND ADMIRE MY PLAQUE. I’LL EVEN ESCORT YOU PERSONALLY...

[Futfibal]

Butch I appreciate the compliment. It’s more complicated then you can ever imagine...

[ComebackShack]

No Comeback, I’m much more than a fan. I’M A HALL OF FAMER. ENSHRINED FOREVER. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO BY THE ATHLETICS FACILITY AND ADMIRE MY PLAQUE. I’LL EVEN ESCORT YOU PERSONALLY...

I would enjoy that, actually. Nothing against you personally. I just don’t think the way you are going about this is helpful at all. Speak to DG if you are so concerned. This is just a message board man.

[Rekdiver]

No Comeback, I’m much more than a fan. I’M A HALL OF FAMER. ENSHRINED FOREVER. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO BY THE ATHLETICS FACILITY AND ADMIRE MY PLAQUE. I’LL EVEN ESCORT YOU PERSONALLY...

A Hall of Famer having to tell us he’s a Hall of Famer. Son, grow the hell up.

[Rekdiver]

First and foremost this will be my last response on this issue. I respect everyone’s opinion. But unless you are an insider to the App State Football Program as I am as a proud ASU Hall of Famer you don’t really know what’s going on within our football program right now. Don’t be blinded by the winning. ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD!!! AD Gillin has lost the support of many of us who helped build the App State program to what it is today. It’s not about black or white. It’s about the most qualified candidates. And it just so happens that during this search there were at least 6 coaches with App State ties who are 5 times more qualified then the coach we hired. Two of them just happened to be African-American. AD Gillin is the same person who told this Hall of Famer that he heard that before his arrival 3yrs ago we Mountaineers tailgated out of one car and one parking space??? I guess thats what he envisioned us Hill Billy’s doing in Boone, NC when he arrived from Missouri Of course I had to set him straight AND remind him that my teammates and I brought the first championship jewelry to Boone in 1986 and then again in 1987. Of course he was clueless to that history lesson. We will always appreciate the fans but you will NEVER understand what those of us who battled in Kidd Brewer Stadium did to make the Mountaineer Football Program the national story that it is today. Only when you walk in our shoes will you understand that I’m speaking for many of our former players who have disconnected with our program today. We will ALWAYS LOVE OUR UNIVERSITY, BUT WE DONT HAVE TO LOVE THE AD WHOS DIVIDING OUR FOOTBALL ALUM. AND I WILL CALL HIM OUT AS LONG AS NEEDED...SOMEONE HAS TOO...

I reread your post. You need help.

[mgsouth]

No Comeback, I’m much more than a fan. I’M A HALL OF FAMER. ENSHRINED FOREVER. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO BY THE ATHLETICS FACILITY AND ADMIRE MY PLAQUE. I’LL EVEN ESCORT YOU PERSONALLY...

And to top off your unrivaled football talent and knowledge you are just so wonderfully humble about it all.

[hotrod2001]

As a ASU Football Hall of Famer this hire is EMBARRASSING when you consider the multiple coaches out there with App State Connections who were more qualified than this guy. Johnn Settles, greatest RB in App State history and currently coaching at Wisconsin. Has coached on every level. Ruffin McNeil, former head coach at ECU and now Assistant Head Coach at Oklahoma. Those two were the most qualified and also happen to be African-American. It’s time for us to diversify our football program. Over the past 30yrs I don’t think we’ve had more than 2 full-time minority Assistant Football Coaches on our staff at any one time. Go look at all the Power 5 Conferences and look at the makeup of their Assistant Football Coaches. But the real problem is that we now have an AD in Doug Gillin who doesn’t respect the winning culture that has been built over the last 30yrs at App State. Yes, we are still winning, but those of us who Built the Rock are loosing faith and pulling our support for an AD who clearly doesn’t understand the history of App State Football... Dwayne “Hollywood” Pelham

Maybe the other guys said no or couldn't come to terms? I would think Drinkwitz wasn't the only person interviewed for the job.

Ruffin and Gattis are both two games away from a FBS National Championship and they might enjoy being with the Sooners and the Crimson Tide more than a podunk Sunbelt school. Yeah it's a pay raise but maybe they're either happy where they're at or think they can get a better paying gig at another program should the opportunity arise and they'll just stick with being at a top five school until it does...especially if you're a Saban disciple.

[87ASUgrad]

For those that thought Ledford was the first choice, we just hired his boss.

WOW! Sorry all, I have been driving all day getting to New Orleans and just now getting caught up on my reading. This is a great post Saint3333 and thanks for pointing out the obvious here. My head has been spinning too much lately to realize and put that together. Welcome Coach Drinkwitz!

[appgrad]

No Comeback, I’m much more than a fan. I’M A HALL OF FAMER. ENSHRINED FOREVER. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO BY THE ATHLETICS FACILITY AND ADMIRE MY PLAQUE. I’LL EVEN ESCORT YOU PERSONALLY...

A Hall of Famer having to tell us he’s a Hall of Famer. Son, grow the hell up.

You don’t have to even ask. He’ll walk up to your tailgate wearing his ridiculous leather jacket. If you are too young to have known him, he’ll make sure you get the whole story.

This all to try and make sure people still care about what he did 30 years ago. Also is why he wants coaches from around his time...even if he can’t spell their name right.

[appstatealum]

Look, I’m a younger fan, I only graduated in Spring of ‘06 after our first NC. I’ve had the pleasure to have multiple friends and acquaintances that played for the team dating back to 2000, family that worked for the team, and friends that played and worked for the team in the 90’s. I respect our rich history and the culture that Jerry and his players built. But, with all due respect, your blood, sweat, and tears are a drop in the bucket as far as I’m concerned. Many of us gave it our all to earn the right to attend ASU, gave it our all to work part time while at App to pay our way through school, gave it our all to graduate with two business degrees, gave it our all to get a good job and turn around and give back to the school financially through tickets and Yosef Club. I drive my family up that mountain each week and to road games as much as possible to support my program that I am so proud of. That’s giving it your all. And I did this so we could transition to FBS (which I bet you Legacy guys were wishing we stayed FCS), hire a big time AD to grow our program, catapult our student athletes to the NFL, catapult our coach to a higher level, have countless coaches be interested in our vacancy because of the level this program has grown to and the support of its Alumni and fans. This isn’t a desirable job because we went undefeated in the ‘90s or had a couple of good teams in the ‘80s. It’s a body of work, get over yourself and support the direction this program is going!

Sorry for the late post, I just got into Auburn and I’m exhausted. See everyone in NO tomorrow!

[goapps93]

Sounds to me that it's not DG that's being divisive.

[hapapp]

For those that thought Ledford was the first choice, we just hired his boss.

WOW! Sorry all, I have been driving all day getting to New Orleans and just now getting caught up on my reading. This is a great post Saint3333 and thanks for pointing out the obvious here. My head has been spinning too much lately to realize and put that together. Welcome Coach Drinkwitz!

Because we hired Drinkwitz doesn't mean Ledford wasn't a preferred choice. Though, I'm happy we got who we got.

[HkyMtneer]

No Comeback, I’m much more than a fan. I’M A HALL OF FAMER. ENSHRINED FOREVER. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO BY THE ATHLETICS FACILITY AND ADMIRE MY PLAQUE. I’LL EVEN ESCORT YOU PERSONALLY...

And to top off your unrivaled football talent and knowledge you are just so wonderfully humble about it all.

No joke! I bet his back is pretty sore from all the patting. I appreciate his contributions to App Football but no one is going to beg a single individual to continue his support of the program. If he doesn't like the direction of something internally, and has voiced his opinion to DG and TPTB, and those in charge are staying the course and not seeing the problems to which he speaks - then it appears he has a personal choice to make. Deal with it and keep supporting his alma mater on the field and off, while maintaining an acknowledged bit of a grudge, or take a walk. It's all about the greater good and the greater good looks pretty damn good right now. Until we see real and substantial evidence of otherwise, in Gillin & Co. I trust.

[Gonzo]

Let’s be honest. Kaepernick should have been hired.

[89gradX2]

Thank you for your contribution to our football history. It is meaningful no doubt. I thought it interesting that UoL posters were taking a wait and see attitude with Satt. I do not want to be that fan. I say let's jump in and support this guy! AND how long do we have to wait to get back to the Rock? Football is too far away right now! Go App!

[PhillyApp1]

Nicely done Gonzo
This should really move forward...lol

[GregPercussion]

So anyway. Do we know when the press conference is going to be with Drinkwitz?

[AppStateMtneer]

So anyway. Do we know when the press conference is going to be with Drinkwitz?

Monday

[hotrod2001]

This is getting off topic but someone please explain to me how our AD is dividing the fan base? He crowd-sourced a huge new scoreboard within a matter of months, the stadium is about to get a major overhaul, we have big-named P5 programs actually coming TO Boone to play, the football program is back-to-back-to-back conference champions, our attendance is the best in the conference again and on top of that I've seen him on more than one occasion walking around the tailgating areas mingling with the fans and getting feedback, including at an away game in Atlanta.

So unless you are one of those people living in 1996 and think we should be still back in the SoCon taking on the likes of VMI and Western while getting our asses handed to us by the likes of Kansas and Wyoming, I don't see how that's anywhere near being divisive or splitting up the fan base.

Charlie Cobb WAS divisive. He fired Jerry Moore, and essentially came out and told the fanbase that their opinions weren't really important with his infamous "people that matter" comment, not to mention after everything bolting over to Georgia State to play with a bigger sandbox of funding in a major metropolitan area. There was undoubtedly a rift in his tenure and I don't think anybody was really sad to see him go. (I know I personally love it when we hang 30 on the Panthers in their own stadium just to stick it to him)

DG I just don't see it. I see a man who sees the potential growth in an relatively young FBS program and is methodically grooming it into a top G5 team. If he can get us an AAC invite, I'll have to substantially up my Yosef Club contributions and will consider App finally making it to the promised land.

And for what it's worth, I'm enshrined on a Wall of Fame at my Alma Mater too...but just because I kicked ass in track and cross country for four years doesn't make me an expert in day-to-day operations of a multi-million dollar NCAA-level athletics program.

[Black Saturday]

Let’s be honest. Kaepernick should have been hired.

Where is the thumb's down button?