4 Games in 18 Days !!!

[WVAPPeer]

Our administrators need to make sure this doesn't happen again in scheduling!!! - We all have seen the great shape our guys have shown this season - this kind of crazy scheduling for the sake of TV leads to exactly what we saw - injuries, exhaustion - both physical and mental and minimal preparation time for coaches ---

It's not worth it !!! - I won't take the time to look it up but if anyone knows of another school who has played 4 games in 18 days (or similar) please let us know ---

I feel for all our guys and the entire coaching/training/support staff ---

[MountainMan24]

I totally agree. These past few games have been way too close together. Although, I must say that our guys had ample time to prepare for Troy. That shouldn't have been close. But the amount of time between Troy and ARST was not enough, especially after a tough game like Troy. They should have scheduled that better and there is no excuse for it. It doesn't matter who you play, 5 days between games isn't enough at that level of play, especially when the opponent is fairly good. Hopefully nothing like this happens in the future because thanks to the terrible scheduling, this may have cost us a conference championship because not only are we out of the lead, but that makes it easier for ARST to gain on us. From now on, we're having to fight for our lives just to stay eligible!

[Budman2154]

I agree that is a lot to expect from any team, however, I don't recall anyone thinking Troy was going to be that tough of a game and we had adequate time to prepare for them. On a positive note, I don't think we need to worry about what our Defense should be named and I think we can expect our coaching staff to be here a little longer before we begin to see defections. Time to tighten the belts, get off our high horses and put the nose to the grind. I am sure they watch film in Moscow too and there are copy cats out there.

[moehler]

I don't want to take anything away from Ark St, I still think one of the main reasons we lost last night was our coaches failure to make adjustments in the second half, that's happened In the last 2 ball games. But there was no doubt our players looked exhausted in the second half, they looked slow, alot of arm tackling, and on offense, Lamb was being caught from behind the entire game, something that didn't happen in the first half of the season, the backs also seem slow, and were not able to break tackles for extra yds. We are really thin on the Ol, even when healthy, we didn't have much room for error, if we are going to take the next step, the freshman and redshirt freshman, have got to be ready to play next year, and somehow, we have to find a capable replacement for Blair, and depth on the DL. I agree, this schedule sucked, I don't know how much say our administration had in the scheduling, remember ESPN dictates alot of when we play, but, no one can disagree that this was one of the worst schedules we have ever had. I guess its the price of being on tv and playing FBS football.

[bigdaddyg]

All this talk about film study and exposing us is absolutely legit. My question is, do we do film study on our opponents? Surely Ark State didn't come into last night with a completely different approach and game plan. How we could completely come unglued in the third quarter is beyond words. Handing them the ball on the 8 yard line then again deep in our territory was a recipe for disaster. I completely agree with the scheduling thing. We have beaten the Troy thing in the ground. Troy is probably a little better than their record indicated and they came in ready to play. Injuries and a really good, physical opponent got us last night. I have to believe that mentally we were just zapped last night. The huge win over Stink got us those dreaded votes. We undoubtedly began believing we just had to show up from here on out. Ark State is legitimately good. We have to get bigger on the D Ends. I love the play of Stringer but you just don't see many 5'11" 200lb linebackers in this level of football. There seems to be general lack of communication routinely in our defensive backfield. There are way too may guys running wide ass open and against a quality opponent the 4 man rush ain't getting it.

[ASUTodd]

I really did feel bad for the defense last night. You could see that they just wanted to get the game over with . They played tough but when youre physically drained, there isnt much you can do.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

One of the perks of being in the Sun Belt. Week day games. Would anyone be complaining if we won convincingly against Troy, and last night? Probably not. Injuries can occur in any game. We knew this would happen before we moved to the lowest FBS conference. It's something that is not going to change, because ESPN needs fillers during the week. ESPN loves coming to Boone, however after last night's crowd, they might reconsider.

I had a prediction of 11-1 weeks ago, but I suppose I was not considering the fact our opponents to that point had not been strong. I now think 9-3 or 8-4 are more likely. I see us beating Idaho, simply because of our skill level. The last two games worry me. ULL and USA have the talent to compete, and if they watch last night's game film, they have the formula.

[EastHallApp]

It was actually four games in 20 days, which is two fewer days than any team that plays four straight Saturdays would have. The Southern game was also our fourth game in a 20-day span, and nobody complained about it then.

[The Rock]

I think we all knew we got hosed as soon as the schedule was released. The 3 biggest conference foes on 2 Thursday nights and the Saturday after thanksgiving. I'm also a little mad that Georgia southern has yet to play either of the 2 recent powerhouses of this conference.
Unfortunately that Is the way it is and we can't change it. We just have to hope we can win the rest of the games with our best available players and the coaches can adjust to the new schemes being used against us.

[nomadb]

It's really too much on the athletes. I'm not using it as an excuse for the loss, but I do think it puts too much stress on their bodies without sufficient recovery. It will certainly not help with injuries.

[EastHallApp]

What I wish they'd do is try to, whenever possible, give teams a bye week before a Thursday night game. Have read the same for the NFL - that four days between games leads to sloppy play and more injuries.

[MountainMan24]

It's really too much on the athletes. I'm not using it as an excuse for the loss, but I do think it puts too much stress on their bodies without sufficient recovery. It will certainly not help with injuries.

Also, being a student athlete doesn't help. Surely its hard trying to keep up with studies and be at practice and play in games. The players have got to be mentally and physically drained.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

It's really too much on the athletes. I'm not using it as an excuse for the loss, but I do think it puts too much stress on their bodies without sufficient recovery. It will certainly not help with injuries.

Also, being a student athlete doesn't help. Surely its hard trying to keep up with studies and be at practice and play in games. The players have got to be mentally and physically drained.

Unless you are an athlete at UNC.

[WVAPPeer]

I was planning on making this post at this time regardless of the outcome of any or all of the games - It serves no purpose to discuss this while it is evolving because nothing is gained but now that it is completed I feel our administrators need to do all that is possible (which might not be much since ESPN is the Dictator) to keep this from happening again. It is a recipe for injuries. Why do you think the NFL players are so adamant about not wanting to play a Thursday game after a Sunday game? - These are the best conditioned athletes in the world who play a violent sport. Also, I'm far from a math genius (took freshman algebra as a senior because I couldn't wait any longer and made a D and was the happiest guy on campus) but some of you guys math totals don't add up in my feeble brain ---

[AppinATL]

All this talk about film study and exposing us is absolutely legit. My question is, do we do film study on our opponents? Surely Ark State didn't come into last night with a completely different approach and game plan. How we could completely come unglued in the third quarter is beyond words. Handing them the ball on the 8 yard line then again deep in our territory was a recipe for disaster. I completely agree with the scheduling thing. We have beaten the Troy thing in the ground. Troy is probably a little better than their record indicated and they came in ready to play. Injuries and a really good, physical opponent got us last night. I have to believe that mentally we were just zapped last night. The huge win over Stink got us those dreaded votes. We undoubtedly began believing we just had to show up from here on out. Ark State is legitimately good. We have to get bigger on the D Ends. I love the play of Stringer but you just don't see many 5'11" 200lb linebackers in this level of football. There seems to be general lack of communication routinely in our defensive backfield. There are way too may guys running wide ass open and against a quality opponent the 4 man rush ain't getting it.

I think "coming unglued in the third quarter and the rest of the way had a lot to do with that 4 games in 18 days number. At some point you are gonna run out of gas in a stretch like that, especially as the injuries have piled up and you are playing against a darn good team. If you were there, you could clearly see how gassed our defense was . They are not superhuman! A State did a great job of taking advantage of that by cranking up the tempo and not giving us a chance to catch a breath.

It's no doubt that the Sunbelt hasn't done us any favors at all in our first two seasons with scheduling. Let's don't forget that even with all that, if we don't turn the ball over those first two times, we still win this one by 1.

we just need to rest up and heal as much as possible and finish strong these next three games and go win a bowl game.

[EastHallApp]

Begging out of Thursday games is a non-starter. If we didn't want weeknight games, we shouldn't have joined the Sun Belt (or moved up to FBS at all, for that matter).

Alternately, we could just start going 3-9 every year. That would keep the league from showcasing us in its primetime spots.

[moehler]

couple more things, when Chapman went down in the first half, you could see the offense's demeanor turn negative, Chapman and Nunn are the heart and soul of that line, having both out just killed us last night. Finally, we talk about the players exhausted, but we need to mention that because of this !#@$ up schedule, I believe are fan base is also exhausted, I realize now that the best thing about being in the FCS and the Southern Conference was because of lack of tv coverage, we only played on Saturdays, and we never had more than 2 in row away or home games. Because of that consistency, it made it so much easier for our fanbase to plan their schedules and attend ballgames. Honesty, I have been a mountaineer fan since 85, and this is the first time, that I'm tired, and looking forward to the season ending. Nothing against the team, very proud of them and what they have achieved this year, but man, keeping up with them this year is exhausting.

[Yosefus]

Tough Stretch. Tough Loss. Let's hope the team can get it back together and finish out 10-2. Even if we go 1-3 or 2-3 to finish out we will go bowling. Hope for injuries to get better and back ups fill in strong. We need to keep from starting a fire everyone and replace the whole team stuff like Satts first season.

[PhillyApp1]

If any of you were athletes you know a term called " dead legs". That is where after playing and practicing to much you physically can't move your muscles. Your mind is telling you to move but your muscles are not reacting, and when they do you have lost a ton of speed. Rest is the only way to recover.
I think our Defense hit the physical wall, and the offense with its injuries has made it worse. Add on the brutal schedule and " Dead legs" we're everywhere. It's a shame that a conference would do this to athletes. They know the players need time to recover.

[AppinATL]

Begging out of Thursday games is a non-starter. If we didn't want weeknight games, we shouldn't have joined the Sun Belt (or moved up to FBS at all, for that matter).

Alternately, we could just start going 3-9 every year. That would keep the league from showcasing us in its primetime spots.

I don't think anyone is advocating begging off Thursday games. However as has need pointed out, 4 games in 18 days is too much. If the conference wants to showcase us or anybody else for that matter with more than one midweek game in a season, at least schedule them further apart or maybe throw an off week in there somewhere so these kids can recover and be safer. This schedule was a form of athlete abuse.