Info Flow/Fan Excitement

[Rekdiver]

This may be the least excited I’ve been for a very long time. NIL, the Portal and not knowing anything about anything have dampened my enthusiasm and expectations. I’m hoping what I see on the field at BofA Stadium gives me a positive jolt.

[MAD Doctor]

Back after the coaching hire, I spoke with a knowledgeable Gamecock supporter. He said he believed Loggains would do a good job in the long run but he’d be a slow starter. I don’t know what that opinion was based on, and I don’t give him any more credibility than anyone else. That’s just what he said, and I hope to God he’s wrong, if it includes Game 1.

[asumba95]

If this is a Drink situation that means we've been very successful and the defense has improved dramatically.

DJ Smith would be the new head coach if he works that miracle. I'm fine with that.

Agreed that it means we had a huge year and that is fine with me.

Has Gillin or Loggains said DJ is HC in waiting if this goes well or just what people are assuming? Reason I ask is that after what happened with Clark I could see Gillin going for another P4 coordinator with no App ties since it would mean it has worked out very well twice.

Pure speculation, but if a DC can take what we had last year with the personnel losses and turn them into a top G5 defense they will have my attention!

I agree. What if our defense is bottom of SBC though? I just want to see how we look before projecting anything like that. I’m pulling hard for DJ. I just don’t want to put pressure on him.

He's a D-1 D.C. Pressure comes with the job.

[ASUTodd]

Focus on the team and getting the job done.... PR can come once we get rolling. They all need to apply their attention to making this ship float.

[hapapp]

He's walking a fine line between trying to generate interest in the season and raising expectations too high.

[AppStFan1]

If this is a Drink situation that means we've been very successful and the defense has improved dramatically.

DJ Smith would be the new head coach if he works that miracle. I'm fine with that.

Agreed that it means we had a huge year and that is fine with me.

Has Gillin or Loggains said DJ is HC in waiting if this goes well or just what people are assuming? Reason I ask is that after what happened with Clark I could see Gillin going for another P4 coordinator with no App ties since it would mean it has worked out very well twice.

Pure speculation, but if a DC can take what we had last year with the personnel losses and turn them into a top G5 defense they will have my attention!

I agree. What if our defense is bottom of SBC though? I just want to see how we look before projecting anything like that. I’m pulling hard for DJ. I just don’t want to put pressure on him.

He's a D-1 D.C. Pressure comes with the job.

Always going to be some but does not mean we should add to it. Also, Gillin listened to the players and certain boosters to go with Clark instead of a real search and we see how that went. I would want DJ to be a candidate but earn it with a better plan than other strong candidates. I don't want to just give it to an alumni again. We also have to remember there is no opening and Loggains could be gone at end of this year or he could be here for several years. I will worry about this when Loggains is gone. I'm not going to speculate or push someone out the door who is a Mountaineer and wants to be here until there is enough evidence to show we need a change.

[Yosef10]

Agreed that it means we had a huge year and that is fine with me.

Has Gillin or Loggains said DJ is HC in waiting if this goes well or just what people are assuming? Reason I ask is that after what happened with Clark I could see Gillin going for another P4 coordinator with no App ties since it would mean it has worked out very well twice.

Pure speculation, but if a DC can take what we had last year with the personnel losses and turn them into a top G5 defense they will have my attention!

I agree. What if our defense is bottom of SBC though? I just want to see how we look before projecting anything like that. I’m pulling hard for DJ. I just don’t want to put pressure on him.

He's a D-1 D.C. Pressure comes with the job.

Always going to be some but does not mean we should add to it. Also, Gillin listened to the players and certain boosters to go with Clark instead of a real search and we see how that went. I would want DJ to be a candidate but earn it with a better plan than other strong candidates. I don't want to just give it to an alumni again. We also have to remember there is no opening and Loggains could be gone at end of this year or he could be here for several years. I will worry about this when Loggains is gone. I'm not going to speculate or push someone out the door who is a Mountaineer and wants to be here until there is enough evidence to show we need a change.

Yeah I don’t have any interest in taking about who a next coach would be, but I will say that I hope we never go the alumni route again.

[AppStFan1]

Pure speculation, but if a DC can take what we had last year with the personnel losses and turn them into a top G5 defense they will have my attention!

I agree. What if our defense is bottom of SBC though? I just want to see how we look before projecting anything like that. I’m pulling hard for DJ. I just don’t want to put pressure on him.

He's a D-1 D.C. Pressure comes with the job.

Always going to be some but does not mean we should add to it. Also, Gillin listened to the players and certain boosters to go with Clark instead of a real search and we see how that went. I would want DJ to be a candidate but earn it with a better plan than other strong candidates. I don't want to just give it to an alumni again. We also have to remember there is no opening and Loggains could be gone at end of this year or he could be here for several years. I will worry about this when Loggains is gone. I'm not going to speculate or push someone out the door who is a Mountaineer and wants to be here until there is enough evidence to show we need a change.

Yeah I don’t have any interest in taking about who a next coach would be, but I will say that I hope we never go the alumni route again.

I won't say that I hope we never do but I don't want us to intentionally go that route only. If the person is the best candidate I am okay with it. I do understand your feeling on it after seeing how many could not be objective with Clark because he is one of ours.

[Bootsy]

Alum or not, any coaching candidate should be evaluated solely on their merits.

If they’re a high-potential coach with a strong background and happen to be an alum, I’m OK with that. Just look at Vandy: Clark Lea was a great HC prospect, regardless of his Alma mater.

But App’s due diligence wasn’t at the same level when SC was hired. The good news is that lessons were learned after our last rodeo.

[AppStFan1]

Alum or not, any coaching candidate should be evaluated solely on their merits.

If they’re a high-potential coach with a strong background and happen to be an alum, I’m OK with that. Just look at Vandy: Clark Lea was a great HC prospect, regardless of his Alma mater.

But App’s due diligence wasn’t at the same level when SC was hired. The good news is that lessons were learned after our last rodeo.

I'm pretty sure they were learned as well. That is my hope at least. That is why the comment that DJ would be our next head coach surprised me.

[AppinATL]

I’m more concerned right now with lack of important information from our athletic department regarding this weekend. Did i miss it? Have they sent out anything recently regarding fan fest? What time foes it start? What time and exactly where will the surplus sale be? Some of you guys mentioned getting to see a scrimmage? What time does THAT start? Those of us that live off the mountain need a little more info than just “ hey guys! fan fest this weekend!”

[Saint3333]

Pure speculation, but if a DC can take what we had last year with the personnel losses and turn them into a top G5 defense they will have my attention!

I agree. What if our defense is bottom of SBC though? I just want to see how we look before projecting anything like that. I’m pulling hard for DJ. I just don’t want to put pressure on him.

He's a D-1 D.C. Pressure comes with the job.

Always going to be some but does not mean we should add to it. Also, Gillin listened to the players and certain boosters to go with Clark instead of a real search and we see how that went. I would want DJ to be a candidate but earn it with a better plan than other strong candidates. I don't want to just give it to an alumni again. We also have to remember there is no opening and Loggains could be gone at end of this year or he could be here for several years. I will worry about this when Loggains is gone. I'm not going to speculate or push someone out the door who is a Mountaineer and wants to be here until there is enough evidence to show we need a change.

Yeah I don’t have any interest in taking about who a next coach would be, but I will say that I hope we never go the alumni route again.

Hire the best guy, in some cases that may be an alum.

An alum led us to the best transition any FCS ever saw and set up an amazing run in 2019.

[AppStFan1]

I agree. What if our defense is bottom of SBC though? I just want to see how we look before projecting anything like that. I’m pulling hard for DJ. I just don’t want to put pressure on him.

He's a D-1 D.C. Pressure comes with the job.

Always going to be some but does not mean we should add to it. Also, Gillin listened to the players and certain boosters to go with Clark instead of a real search and we see how that went. I would want DJ to be a candidate but earn it with a better plan than other strong candidates. I don't want to just give it to an alumni again. We also have to remember there is no opening and Loggains could be gone at end of this year or he could be here for several years. I will worry about this when Loggains is gone. I'm not going to speculate or push someone out the door who is a Mountaineer and wants to be here until there is enough evidence to show we need a change.

Yeah I don’t have any interest in taking about who a next coach would be, but I will say that I hope we never go the alumni route again.

Hire the best guy, in some cases that may be an alum.

An alum led us to the best transition any FCS ever saw and set up an amazing run in 2019.

Agreed. It shouldn’t be automatic but if an alumni is best then hire them. Always do due diligence. I just don’t want an emotional decision because those rarely work out.

[T-Dog]

Listening to David Jackson's Chamber podcast this week, he said Dowell has been hitting all the local speaking engagements "minus a few kids birthday parties" and commends him for that. Drinkwitz was also out and about a lot in Spring 2019.

I think part of the lack of info comes from the lack of constantly pushing for it. There's no beat reporter anymore. There's a local Watauga sports reporter who does App State and local high school and middle school sports and everything in between. When push comes to shove, you can live off ASU press releases while high schools don't have sports information people sending out press releases.

Obviously the W-S Journal stopped covering App State regularly. They did Ethan Joyce dirty in making him cover Wake and App in his last year as a beat reporter. There's a larger story about how certain companies are buying newspaper groups and slashing newsrooms while not investing in them, seeing 4% profits while they projected 8% profits and then slash again, as an example. But that leads to the media coverage vacuum around App State, combining not being in a major city, being two hours away from any major city and not being media-friendly. It's admirable that WLOS makes the drive from Asheville for those Monday morning pressers.

I think a Zoom/Teams format, while too pandemic-looking, could be a door opener for media.

There's one pay site reporter, David Ware, and he's been a visiting game sideline reporter, so there's not going to be certain info shared. Ware cultivates his thoughts after a game and will frame questions to back up his opinions. He's doesn't ask tough questions the fans want answered.

David Rogers is a Blowing Rock blogger who had a cup of coffee with the local newspaper. He also asks long questions. Like Ware, he made his money outside of journalism and does this as a hobby. He's the one who asked every Anderson Castle question the last several years. He also doesn't ask tough questions.

The student reporters do OK. I remember Adam Witten post-Clark firing talking about how Clark would coach up the student reporters, with Witten framing it as showing how a nice guy Clark was. I'm not knocking Witten: to me, that comes across as Clark trying to control the narrative and I would advise those reporters to keep their edge in asking questions and not listen to the head coach on that.. I think the student reporters could be more biting in their coverage when needed.

Josh Graham asks the softest of softball questions for his radio show. Clark was in a win or be fired situation last year and Graham would ask Clark about BBQ techniques.

I know a radio personality who had Clark cancel a radio hit on him last season and never got a call about rescheduling.

Another factor this year, even though no one will admit it, is that a lot of the college football oxygen in North Carolina since December has been sucked up by the Belichick circus. I know someone who went to ACC Media Day and said Bill had by far the largest press conference attendance of any ACC coach, and it wasn't close.

[Yosef10]

I agree. What if our defense is bottom of SBC though? I just want to see how we look before projecting anything like that. I’m pulling hard for DJ. I just don’t want to put pressure on him.

He's a D-1 D.C. Pressure comes with the job.

Always going to be some but does not mean we should add to it. Also, Gillin listened to the players and certain boosters to go with Clark instead of a real search and we see how that went. I would want DJ to be a candidate but earn it with a better plan than other strong candidates. I don't want to just give it to an alumni again. We also have to remember there is no opening and Loggains could be gone at end of this year or he could be here for several years. I will worry about this when Loggains is gone. I'm not going to speculate or push someone out the door who is a Mountaineer and wants to be here until there is enough evidence to show we need a change.

Yeah I don’t have any interest in taking about who a next coach would be, but I will say that I hope we never go the alumni route again.

Hire the best guy, in some cases that may be an alum.

An alum led us to the best transition any FCS ever saw and set up an amazing run in 2019.

He did, but more often than not the alum fails and you have a fractured fan base at the end of it.

[Yosef10]

I agree. What if our defense is bottom of SBC though? I just want to see how we look before projecting anything like that. I’m pulling hard for DJ. I just don’t want to put pressure on him.

He's a D-1 D.C. Pressure comes with the job.

Always going to be some but does not mean we should add to it. Also, Gillin listened to the players and certain boosters to go with Clark instead of a real search and we see how that went. I would want DJ to be a candidate but earn it with a better plan than other strong candidates. I don't want to just give it to an alumni again. We also have to remember there is no opening and Loggains could be gone at end of this year or he could be here for several years. I will worry about this when Loggains is gone. I'm not going to speculate or push someone out the door who is a Mountaineer and wants to be here until there is enough evidence to show we need a change.

Yeah I don’t have any interest in taking about who a next coach would be, but I will say that I hope we never go the alumni route again.

I won't say that I hope we never do but I don't want us to intentionally go that route only. If the person is the best candidate I am okay with it. I do understand your feeling on it after seeing how many could not be objective with Clark because he is one of ours.

Yeah there were caveats that I was too lazy to mention, but in general I just don’t think it’s typically a great move.

[Saint3333]

Going into any an employment decision discounted someone because of X if a good way to screw up a hire.

Meritocracy is back and I’m here for it.

[BambooRdApp]

It does not matter if alumni or not. It's about having a great due diligence process.
Fulmer, Spurrier, Stallings (I believe), Roy Williams, etc. did okay in respective sports.
I am fine that a candidate is alumni if the best person for the job. Not a negative. Actually see it as a positive as they can sell the sell the school as they have a passion for it. If all things are equal between two coaches (identified in a good due diligence process), I am fine if that is the tie breaker.

[Bootsy]

Re: Fan Fest, I live up here and I hadn’t heard anything about it until a fellow YC’er mentioned it in passing on Thursday.

I didn’t see anything in the App State Brew emails this past week. So, I’m not sure what promotion was done. But a bunch of people were over there today, so they must’ve gotten the word out.

[appstate24]

I don’t complain or gripe about our athletic department like a lot on here do…

but..

It blows my mind that there was not a desk right at the entrance today to sign people up for the Yosef Club. What a missed opportunity.

I was trying to sign my 1 year old up for the Junior Mountaineer Kids Club, walked around the entire field looking for a table…nothing. Seems like an event geared towards families and kids would at least have a table for JMKC.

Tons of new families on the mountain, a great opportunity to grow these groups. We should be making it as easy as possible.

Anyways, fired up for the season. GO APPS!!