FB at No. 24 JMU, 3:30 p.m., ESPN+

[Mjohn1988]

What are the odds we see a clean break with Dowell? Looking at him with Chesney last night, with his kid on the sideline, and the post game presser, he certainly looks checked out.

I realize he would be leaving money on the table probably.

Zero. Unless you will pony up $4 million for the buyout

I read the contract, I don’t see anything remotely close to a 4 million buy out. I could be completely wrong. Show me.

It was my bad. Agreed. It is over $2.0 million.. would we pay that or even $1.5 million after just one year?
If we pay this out, how does that restrict the compensation to a new coach and/or overall funding for the program. I am not advocating for or against the idea...just thinking about this from a financial perspective. How deep are the pockets of our rich donors that fund these types of ideas.
At the end of the day, the overall athletic department needs App St. football to be successful to a certain degree I would believe.

I don’t realistically see us paying out more than $600,000. The buy out gives him his base salary, $600,000 for the remainder of the contract but it requires him to make a good faith effort to find another job and what he gets paid from that job offsets the buy out. He made 1mil as a position coach at USC. I don’t see him sitting around collecting $600k from us when he could be making more coaching. He’s only 44, if he screws around and sits out of football for 4 years in a spiteful way to collect our money he’s done. At best after tax he keeps $300k per year or $1.2mil over 4 years. That want set anybody up for life. He’s going to get another job.

[311neers]

North Texas ranked in the Tol 25 for the first time since 1956.
I know it was 3 years ago, but Cam Peoples ran for 250 yards on them in our Bowl win.

If they can do it, why can’t we?

[Saint3333]

That is the part that stings the most. These other programs don’t have some magical access to an abundance of resources we don’t have.

Or are we not spending our donations and ticket revenues on areas that are producing results.

[Seattleapp]

I totally understand how frustrating this season is. It is tough to watch a problem that we've made emotional and financial investments in look this bad. But to talk about firing a coach after year one makes us look as irrational as Auburn, and not even they pull the trigger this fast.

Also, I didn't think his post game comments were that bad. He mentioned that talent disparity several times. We don't look like a good team because we're not. His job is to fix that. That's going to take a few years. This season is worse than I expected, but any coach would need some time to fix these problems. Problems that have been there for several years.

A few years you say?

[appgrad95&97]

I totally understand how frustrating this season is. It is tough to watch a problem that we've made emotional and financial investments in look this bad. But to talk about firing a coach after year one makes us look as irrational as Auburn, and not even they pull the trigger this fast.

Also, I didn't think his post game comments were that bad. He mentioned that talent disparity several times. We don't look like a good team because we're not. His job is to fix that. That's going to take a few years. This season is worse than I expected, but any coach would need some time to fix these problems. Problems that have been there for several years.

A few years you say?

Sparky Wood was 4-7 in 1984.

[BambooRdApp]

Someone not wanting to be in a certain location is not a recipe to tank at your job. There are only so many HC, OC jobs. Great way to hurt your reputation and prospects by tanking.
I would think he would want to do the opposite.
Win your way to next opportunity.. just my opinion

[WataugaMan]

Did DL do a post game interview? Can't find it.

"They are great, I was impresses with how they played, they recruit really well. And, we need to get better......blah blah blah"

[Seattleapp]

Someone not wanting to be in a certain location is not a recipe to tank at your job. There are only so many HC, OC jobs. Great way to hurt your reputation and prospects by tanking.
I would think he would want to do the opposite.
Win your way to next opportunity.. just my opinion

Arkansas is gonna need an oc

[BUTCH1991]

Wish we had some media presence that would ask questions like:

- what were you thinking on the fake punt
- why did you stay with an obviously injured Swann
- TOP really hindered a defense that performed ok to start, was that discussed in the game plan during the week?
- Which areas of the game would you say this team has improved in?

Put those questions in the live stream of tomorrow's press conference and see if they get asked. Those are all legit and good questions.

Can you submit them ahead of time?

Probably not

[WataugaMan]

Enough of this negativity. How about those Watauga Pioneers! 8 straight conference football championships and not lost a conference game in three years. Currently ranked #1 in the new State 6A conference football system.

[AppSt91]

North Texas ranked in the Tol 25 for the first time since 1956.
I know it was 3 years ago, but Cam Peoples ran for 250 yards on them in our Bowl win.

If they can do it, why can’t we?

Because we have Doug Gillin, Tommy Sofield and Mark Ricks hiring football coaches.

[AppStFan1]

I said this a month or so ago and I'll say it again. This team lacks talent. This is particularly true on the offensive line. I don't know enough about football to know how you can effectively play call around an o-line that can't pass or run block. This is just a bad Appalachian football team. And I would argue that we have completely lost the "brand" we had a few years ago.

One big thing you can do is move the line and start with the QB rolling out of the pocket and throw a lot of quick passes. You can also put a tight end inline or keep a running back in the backfield to provide extra protection. Those things really hamstring the playbook and make it a lot harder to have the game plan we would ideally want though.

[AppBox]

Would this be a good time to set down on an over/under of how long it takes before App fans start calling him Frodo?

I'd have gone with Patton Oswalt. They could definitely be brothers.

[appgrad95&97]

I said this a month or so ago and I'll say it again. This team lacks talent. This is particularly true on the offensive line. I don't know enough about football to know how you can effectively play call around an o-line that can't pass or run block. This is just a bad Appalachian football team. And I would argue that we have completely lost the "brand" we had a few years ago.

One big thing you can do is move the line and start with the QB rolling out of the pocket and throw a lot of quick passes. You can also put a tight end inline or keep a running back in the backfield to provide extra protection. Those things really hamstring the playbook and make it a lot harder to have the game plan we would ideally want though.

These are excellent points. Personally, and I am no expert, I don't think the line is athletic enough to produce a moving pocket. Quick passes would be great if our receivers would hold on to the ball. And for a few years, our backs have been pretty useless in pass protection.

[BambooRdApp]

I said this a month or so ago and I'll say it again. This team lacks talent. This is particularly true on the offensive line. I don't know enough about football to know how you can effectively play call around an o-line that can't pass or run block. This is just a bad Appalachian football team. And I would argue that we have completely lost the "brand" we had a few years ago.

One big thing you can do is move the line and start with the QB rolling out of the pocket and throw a lot of quick passes. You can also put a tight end inline or keep a running back in the backfield to provide extra protection. Those things really hamstring the playbook and make it a lot harder to have the game plan we would ideally want though.

DLo has done those things. Both 85 and 7 have been in on pass protection. On the one QB roll in first half on Saturday, Swan was off target. Not sure that is his or JJ's strengths. JJ seems to be better at it, however, he holds onto the ball too long waiting for the TE or WR to get actually open..
One play that actually did do well which was an pitch to 7 that was a run outside the tackle. Got the lineman moving lateral so not taking on Dline in direct stance. Went for like 9 yards. Did not see it again in the first half. I have been saying to our seat mates at games that we need to try running some outside to keep Dline and LBs off balance.

[appgrad95&97]

That is the part that stings the most. These other programs don’t have some magical access to an abundance of resources we don’t have.

Or are we not spending our donations and ticket revenues on areas that are producing results.

The current regime has not been good steward of our resources. We have a lot more debt than the average G6 school, and they're still talking about a completely unfunded East side project.

[appdaze]

Enough of this negativity. How about those Watauga Pioneers! 8 straight conference football championships and not lost a conference game in three years. Currently ranked #1 in the new State 6A conference football system.

The new playoff system/divisions are a watered down joke. Football teams with 2 wins making the playoffs. Tennis teams 0-15 making the playoffs. Volleyball had similar things happen. Its now the YMCA playoffs. So many slaughters in the 1st and 2nd rounds with a lot of unnecessary travel. If they are going to stick with 8 divisions than they need to lower the number of teams that make the playoffs.

[AppSt94]

North Texas ranked in the Tol 25 for the first time since 1956.
I know it was 3 years ago, but Cam Peoples ran for 250 yards on them in our Bowl win.

If they can do it, why can’t we?

Because we have Doug Gillin, Tommy Sofield and Mark Ricks hiring football coaches.

There were other involved in the hiring process.

[mountaineerman]

If we get blown out at home next weekend it will be the final straw . I’ll be in attendance again sitting through this misery. I honestly am at the point where I expect it that’s sad!

[t4pizza]

I totally understand how frustrating this season is. It is tough to watch a problem that we've made emotional and financial investments in look this bad. But to talk about firing a coach after year one makes us look as irrational as Auburn, and not even they pull the trigger this fast.

Also, I didn't think his post game comments were that bad. He mentioned that talent disparity several times. We don't look like a good team because we're not. His job is to fix that. That's going to take a few years. This season is worse than I expected, but any coach would need some time to fix these problems. Problems that have been there for several years.

There are plenty of examples the suggest that good coaches don't need time. Cig took over at Indiana who has the MOST LOSES in NCAA history. In his first year he was in the playoffs and will be again this year. With the portal, good coaches can hit the ground running even if they have to bring in 64 guys like Chesney did last year and JMU was 9-4. The guy just can't coach well even to be the head guy.