Sunday Morning (Afternoon) QB ---

[YesAppCan]

We didn't get where we are overnight. We won't get back to where we want to be overnight.

AppinVA

Statement of the week!

[AppState89]

We didn't get where we are overnight. We won't get back to where we want to be overnight.

AppinVA

Statement of the week!

Statement of the year!

[bigdaddyg]

One thing that really puts our program in proper perspective is the situation with the O-line. At the beginning of the season (and at the beginnning of the Michigan and I believe the USM games) it was noted that App's O-line had more combined starts than any other FBS program in the country. That was enough for me to have hope of a decent running game (considering the success that Cox had last season) and hopes for a decent passing game (considering the fact that we seemed to have good QB's to start the season). I do recall reading many comments a few years ago pointing out that our lack of recruiting few if any O-linemen would come back to bite us soon. Well I guess we are now feeling the bite. The "experienced" senior ladened O-line must have been really bad in regards to being able to compete at this higher level. When the depth charts began coming out I saw linebackers at the 6' low 200 lb range- that worried me. Those kids are just too small to hang with FBS competition. It is just really disturbing that we didn't recruit enough to compete better with what I see are crappy FBS teams. How the heck can a South Alabama team get this much better in what, six years?

[HappyHippie]

Enrollment at Excuses State University is booming.

[ASUMountaineer]

My personal breakdown.....

1. Wasn't a big fan of the Woody hire and he continues to prove me right. In a 3-4 you need BIG DE's as they replace the 4-3 DT's in the running game and you have to have BIG ILB. We have neither, so the 3-4 is a terrible fit. We have quick DE's and quick LB's hence we fit a 4-3 so much better, to add to that 99% of high school kids play in a 4-3 so the transition is so much easier. It is easy to look at the DB's and say they suck but when you cant stop the run or get pressure on the passer I dont care id you have Richard Sherman and Darrel Revis out there, eventually someone will get open.
2. The rugby style punt is inexplicable and I can't think of any reason we used it to the short side of the field with a punter that has never done it.
3. Why is Bobo still fielding kicks/punts....he has now 2 muffs on the season and is more than likely our SLOWEST receiver.....put Sumler or another 4.4 guy back there.
4. Lamb was OFF. He looked good coming into this game but missed 3 wide open 20+ yard plays.
5. I HATE THE WE NEED TO GROW INTO FBS EXCUSES. YOU GUYS EVER HEARD OF A LITTLE SCHOOL NAMED GEORGIA SOUTHERN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Georgia Southern was in a different situation than us. They are an upperclassmen loaded team that has the experience and continuity in it's strength and conditioning program. While you are judging us to them on the short term, we are setting up for a better long term success.

And a HC with 2 decades worth of experience. Big time factor.

[WVAPPeer]

One thing that really puts our program in proper perspective is the situation with the O-line. At the beginning of the season (and at the beginnning of the Michigan and I believe the USM games) it was noted that App's O-line had more combined starts than any other FBS program in the country. That was enough for me to have hope of a decent running game (considering the success that Cox had last season) and hopes for a decent passing game (considering the fact that we seemed to have good QB's to start the season). I do recall reading many comments a few years ago pointing out that our lack of recruiting few if any O-linemen would come back to bite us soon. Well I guess we are now feeling the bite. The "experienced" senior ladened O-line must have been really bad in regards to being able to compete at this higher level. When the depth charts began coming out I saw linebackers at the 6' low 200 lb range- that worried me. Those kids are just too small to hang with FBS competition. It is just really disturbing that we didn't recruit enough to compete better with what I see are crappy FBS teams. How the heck can a South Alabama team get this much better in what, six years?

All that initially meant is we had OL who had to play right off the bat as freshmen and doesn't translate into quality - 3 of our experienced starters are no longer starting now as the younger guys have beaten them out - this is good because we now have experienced depth and with the red-shirt freshmen getting bigger and stronger the OL will continue to improve --- Big outside LBs in the 3-4 are not necessarily better - they have to be able to rush and cover in pass defense so quickness and speed are very important as well - With the ILB, size is important - We know John Law can play and Fr ILB Eric Boggs is 6' 3" - 235 lbs - I don't see So Alabama as a crappy team - they were picked in the top 3 in the SB and as has been noted several times by AppGrad78 they have 34 transfer players ---

[The Rock]

Here is what I don't understand. We say we are playing kids who weren't recruited as FBS talent, and that is the reason we aren't competing at FBS level, then at the same time say the reason Georgia Southern is competitive now is because they are playing JUCO transfers. If these transfers were FBS talent , why were they not already playing FBS? Does playing 2 years at a JUCO school better prepare you than 2 years at an FCS school like the existing players at App?
I know we have some talent redshirting and had a good recruiting class, but I don't see why the gap between app and ga southern grew so much in the past 2 years. We said last year was a lame duck year and had nothing to play for, but how is it that ga southern, being in the same boat as us, went 7-4 overall to our 4-8? I am not saying the coaching staff should be fired, and may well build a great team over the next several years, but I do think they have had a definite part it our struggles, and not only due to who is playing on the field.

[AppSt94]

Here is what I don't understand. We say we are playing kids who weren't recruited as FBS talent, and that is the reason we aren't competing at FBS level, then at the same time say the reason Georgia Southern is competitive now is because they are playing JUCO transfers. If these transfers were FBS talent , why were they not already playing FBS? Does playing 2 years at a JUCO school better prepare you than 2 years at an FCS school like the existing players at App?
I know we have some talent redshirting and had a good recruiting class, but I don't see why the gap between app and ga southern grew so much in the past 2 years.

Well part of the talent gap is due to the fact that we abandoned a true Strength and Conditioning program in lieu of a Cross-Fit style workout. While it helps with quickness, cross fit did not help us get bigger. I would also say that GS is much better in the trenches due to the fact that they actively recruited it every year. Finally, many JUCO players were FBS caliber out of high school that went to JC instead of 1AA (err FCS) because of grades. The reason for taking that route is that they don't have to sit out a year coming from JC.

[WVAPPeer]

Here is what I don't understand. We say we are playing kids who weren't recruited as FBS talent, and that is the reason we aren't competing at FBS level, then at the same time say the reason Georgia Southern is competitive now is because they are playing JUCO transfers. If these transfers were FBS talent , why were they not already playing FBS? Does playing 2 years at a JUCO school better prepare you than 2 years at an FCS school like the existing players at App?
I know we have some talent redshirting and had a good recruiting class, but I don't see why the gap between app and ga southern grew so much in the past 2 years.

Actually that is not what I am saying - it was South Alabama who has all the transfers - the feeling by those in the know is that Georgia Southern has a more veteran team than us and have brought in a new head coach with a fantastic record of winning - he had Sam Houston State in the FCS championship game 2 years in a row - because of that and added to the type of offense they run, most feel that is why they are ahead of us right now - as for JUCO players I think it depends more on why they were at a JUCO - were they highly rated out of high school but chose to go the JUCO route for academics, whatever? --- as compared to a kid who goes to JUCO because he had no D-1 offers - (Remember Cam Newton came to Auburn from a JC) - Also guys who go JC route expect to play right off the bat so in that sense many have a good deal more experience that the guy who goes to FCS and is possibly red-shirted and/or doesn't play much because of his youth ---

[appstate2007]

My issue with the team is that they are now almost 1 1/2 years into this coaching change. There should be improvement being shown and there has been none. The team struggled last year and the excuses were we changed defenses and it will take some time to learn it. Also we aren't eligible for post season so we aren't really playing for anything (coaches didn't say this but that is what people were saying). Well it looks the same this season so far. 1-4 only win to a relatively new FCS team. Yes could have and should have won USM game but didn't. Defense is giving up way to many points and offense can't score. If something doesn't change then It is going to be a long year. Georgia Southern looks great this year. But this is the team that APP beat last year. So that tells me that it is not so much player wise (although we look like boys standing next to men for South Alabama), but that we aren't coached well. Too many flags being thrown that are killing any drives that we have. People say coaches coach but the players are the one's who play the game. Well the coach always has the option to remove those players and change it up if it is not working. If there are not any good players to put in then that is a lack of recruiting on the coaches. So all the way around it is the coaches fault. Time to call it like it is. 1-4 in same position as Georgia State, and just barley above Idaho and Troy (who are 0-5)! Come on, App is beater than this. I fear that if this doesn't get changed around soon, then that great fan base that we brag about so much is going to stop showing up and our stadium will look like much of the rest of the SBC teams with stadium half filled. Already can see that. The visitor's side of the Stadium was no where near full.

[Saint3333]

I keep hearing the team struggled last year. I saw a team improve each game last year.

I thought we might see it again this year until Saturday. We do have seven games remaining and believe GS and USA will be two of the best SBC programs we face, Ark. St. being the other.

[appstate2007]

Yes USA is a good team, they were picked preseason to finish 3rd in conference. But Geo. Southern was picked behind APP. So lets be honest, Geo. Southern is playing much better then expected, and App is under performing!

[EastHallApp]

I can't speak much to defensive philosophies. What I can say is that, regardless of "schemes", we are too small. Period. I'm not even certain our S&C is solely to blame. We need to recruit bigger, stronger guys on defense... of that, I am certain.

Fernandez, Small and Blair aren't small, regardless of scheme. Deuce has good size for a 4-3 DE but is undersized for a 3-4 (and in any case has been passed by the extremely undersized Dada).

Our linebackers are where we are really undersized for a 3-4. They are even a little small for a 4-3, but nothing that can't be fixed with a year or two of competent S&C.

It's much easier to recruit fast 200 pound LBs and put 30 lbs. on them in the weight room than to recruit slow 240 pounders and try to make them fast. And the fast 230 pounders don't usually wind up in the Sun Belt.

Also, I totally agree with your comments on Beathard.

[WVAPPeer]

Yes USA is a good team, they were picked preseason to finish 3rd in conference. But Geo. Southern was picked behind APP. So lets be honest, Geo. Southern is playing much better then expected, and App is under performing!

How can APP be underperforming? --- One major publication had us 10th - I remember no polls which had us in the top half of the SB --- Go back and read the very first post in this thread - and others since - and it points out why knowledgeable fans cannot compare teams moving up at the same time ---

[App91]

I keep hearing the team struggled last year. I saw a team improve each game last year.

I thought we might see it again this year until Saturday. We do have seven games remaining and believe GS and USA will be two of the best SBC programs we face, Ark. St. being the other.

Saint, you have to point out where you see improvement. What is see if a very poorly coached team, for 1.5 years now. I know the staff are rookies for the most part, but they are not putting the kids in positions to win. I don't see improvement, I see regress. The kids fought at GS but mailed it in this week. Coaches are the ones responsible when the team is flat.

[EastHallApp]

My two cents:

- I have been pretty realistic with this process thus far, but I can find nothing positive to say about this game. Hope it was a blip and not a sign of more blowouts to come.

- Yes, USA is a bigger, older team. But they had the same players when they were getting blown out at home by Ga. Southern, and when they won a tough game over a terrible Kent State team. USA is pretty good by Sun Belt standards, and I can live with losing to them. But I don't think it's unreasonable to think we should have been able to at least compete with them at home.

- Re: the rugby punts - USA's punt returner is averaging 2.6 yards per return for the season. And we are allowing about 8.5 per return - not good, but not disastrous. Inexplicable.

- About the best thing I can say for Lamb's deep ball throws is that at least they weren't underthrown. The threat did seem to loosen up their defense a bit.

- As much as I would love to see a jam-packed 40,000-seat (or more) KBS one day, you simply cannot justify expansion when attendance is like this. 1st FBS game, Jerry Moore Day, clear weather... there weren't just empty seats, there were entire empty sections.

[App91]

Expansion is officially on Hold!

[EastHallApp]

Yes USA is a good team, they were picked preseason to finish 3rd in conference. But Geo. Southern was picked behind APP. So lets be honest, Geo. Southern is playing much better then expected, and App is under performing!

How can APP be underperforming? --- One major publication had us 10th - I remember no polls which had us in the top half of the SB --- Go back and read the very first post in this thread - and others since - and it points out why knowledgeable fans cannot compare teams moving up at the same time ---

We were picked 7th in the coaches' poll. Many preseason rankings had us 7th or 8th: (http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/ ... l#sun-belt)

There's still time to get there, but it is a little discouraging to see predicted bottom feeders like Ga. State, Idaho and New Mexico State at least playing tough against some of the better teams while we have yet to do so.

[JTApps1]

My issue with the team is that they are now almost 1 1/2 years into this coaching change. There should be improvement being shown and there has been none. The team struggled last year and the excuses were we changed defenses and it will take some time to learn it. Also we aren't eligible for post season so we aren't really playing for anything (coaches didn't say this but that is what people were saying). Well it looks the same this season so far. 1-4 only win to a relatively new FCS team. Yes could have and should have won USM game but didn't. Defense is giving up way to many points and offense can't score. If something doesn't change then It is going to be a long year. Georgia Southern looks great this year. But this is the team that APP beat last year. So that tells me that it is not so much player wise (although we look like boys standing next to men for South Alabama), but that we aren't coached well. Too many flags being thrown that are killing any drives that we have. People say coaches coach but the players are the one's who play the game. Well the coach always has the option to remove those players and change it up if it is not working. If there are not any good players to put in then that is a lack of recruiting on the coaches. So all the way around it is the coaches fault. Time to call it like it is. 1-4 in same position as Georgia State, and just barley above Idaho and Troy (who are 0-5)! Come on, App is beater than this. I fear that if this doesn't get changed around soon, then that great fan base that we brag about so much is going to stop showing up and our stadium will look like much of the rest of the SBC teams with stadium half filled. Already can see that. The visitor's side of the Stadium was no where near full.

The record may be the same, but the competition is much better.

[NewApp]

My two cents:

- I have been pretty realistic with this process thus far, but I can find nothing positive to say about this game. Hope it was a blip and not a sign of more blowouts to come.

- Yes, USA is a bigger, older team. But they had the same players when they were getting blown out at home by Ga. Southern, and when they won a tough game over a terrible Kent State team. USA is pretty good by Sun Belt standards, and I can live with losing to them. But I don't think it's unreasonable to think we should have been able to at least compete with them at home.

- Re: the rugby punts - USA's punt returner is averaging 2.6 yards per return for the season. And we are allowing about 8.5 per return - not good, but not disastrous. Inexplicable.

- About the best thing I can say for Lamb's deep ball throws is that at least they weren't underthrown. The threat did seem to loosen up their defense a bit.

- As much as I would love to see a jam-packed 40,000-seat (or more) KBS one day, you simply cannot justify expansion when attendance is like this. 1st FBS game, Jerry Moore Day, clear weather... there weren't just empty seats, there were entire empty sections.

I'm glad to see someone agrees that expansion plans should be put on the shelf until we demonstrate a demand for it.