UT-Martin- Are they legit?

[Skyhawk Nation 24]

This is a program who has never been successful at the !-AA level, but this year has started 5-1 and looks to make a push for the OVC Championship. What do you guys think about them?

[chattanoogamocs]

Remaining Schedule:

Sat, Oct 21 2:00 PM at Samford*
Sat, Oct 28 2:00 PM Eastern Illinois* Homecoming
Sat, Nov 4 6:00 PM at Southeast Missouri*
Sat, Nov 11 12:00 PM Eastern Kentucky*
Sat, Nov 18 1:00 PM at Murray State*

I think the next two weeks will tell a lot if they are legit. Get past Samford and it could be the OVC showdown against EIU (can you name a bigger home game for the UT-Martin program since going IAA? ...for homecoming no less)

Best of luck the rest of the season to coach Simpson and the Skyhawks.

[*****]

Remaining Schedule:

Sat, Oct 21 2:00 PM at Samford*
Sat, Oct 28 2:00 PM Eastern Illinois* Homecoming
Sat, Nov 4 6:00 PM at Southeast Missouri*
Sat, Nov 11 12:00 PM Eastern Kentucky*
Sat, Nov 18 1:00 PM at Murray State*

I think the next two weeks will tell a lot if they are legit. Get past Samford and it could be the OVC showdown against EIU (can you name a bigger home game for the UT-Martin program since going IAA? ...for homecoming no less)

Best of luck the rest of the season to coach Simpson and the Skyhawks.Might make a little road ralph change for that game... haven't been to the Skyhawks home yet.

[MylesKnight]

However the rest of the season turns out, this is one helluva turnaround (and that is putting it very lightly).. How similar is this to say Indiana State taking charge in the Gateway or even what I consider the ultimate, VMI moving to the top back in their SoCon days?

Kudos to the Skyhawks/Pacers!!! Hope UT-M takes the OVC!!

[griz37]

However the rest of the season turns out, this is one helluva turnaround (and that is putting it very lightly).. How similar is this to say Indiana State taking charge in the Gateway or even what I consider the ultimate, VMI moving to the top back in their SoCon days?

Kudos to the Skyhawks/Pacers!!! Hope UT-M takes the OVC!!

It's a good turn around, but lets not get carried away. The Socon & Gateway are both better conferences than the OVC.

[*****]

awww G37, jumping in with cold water! Tenn Martin has every right to get excited, we are talking OVC AQ or at-large! Big stuff and notable... they already beat Jax St so they are zooooooming towards that playoff bid...

[MylesKnight]

Griz, I do agree that the OVC is hardly in the same ballpark as the two conferences I mentioned, but you have to agree that UT-M was to put it bluntly, a laughingstock for quite some time..

[*****]

Griz, I do agree that the OVC is hardly in the same ballpark as the two conferences I mentioned, but you have to agree that UT-M was to put it bluntly, a laughingstock for quite some time..Are Skyhawk fans also USD fans? xlolx

[griz37]

awww G37, jumping in with cold water! Tenn Martin has every right to get excited, we are talking OVC AQ or at-large! Big stuff and notable... they already beat Jax St so they are zooooooming towards that playoff bid...

I don't mean to rain on the Skyhawk parade. I think its great that they have turned things around & are actually thinking playoffs. I would love to welcome them to Missoula.

[MylesKnight]

I wonder what the Murray State HC is thinking about his decision now. Do people really kick themselves?

Ralph, I love the work that you do by the way.

[Chucktown]

Tenn Martin has definately turned their program around. And as a fan of the OVC, that is very good to see. The OVC is looked down upon by many of the other conferences in the country, and they havent won a game in the playoffs in a long time, (if ever)
But on the other hand, Tenn Martin did win a big game against Jacksonville, which they deserve props for. Jax state hasnt shown too much, but great running back and good defense. That was a big win. But the other games on their schedule so far have been sub par. They havent had a good win besides Jax.
This week should be a good game, but Samford hasnt been anything but decent competition all year. They are better than tech, but dont know how much...
EIU comes to town in a week and a half, and Tenn Martin will find out how good they are... And on that topic, so will EIU. This could be a big year for the OVC if they can get 2 teams into the playoffs... Which can be easily done, but is still early. Many screwed up things can happen, (the OVC champ could've been decided by a coin flip last year if EIU hadn't gone undefeated)
So in order to answer your question, I think I will have to wait until after EIU comes to town. Looking forward to it-

[redbirdtim]

EIU is a very quality FB team. They lost to 2 I-A schools (albeit Illinois isn't good) and arguably the best I-AA school. If UT-Martin can beat EIU at home, there's a good chance for them making the playoffs.

[mainejeff]

Looks like Matt Griffin (now at Murray State) and his staff recruited some talent to UT-Martin. I hope that he gets some consideration if/when Maine needs a new coach.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Looks like Matt Griffin (now at Murray State) and his staff recruited some talent to UT-Martin. I hope that he gets some consideration if/when Maine needs a new coach.

I was going to bust you a little bit and ask if you realized that you were hoping that a UNH guy would come to Maine, but I did a little research and saw that Matt was a four year assistant at Maine after his playing days in Durham. I knew you'd be on top of things!!

[AppGuy04]

UT-M is a good team, but the OVC seems down this year. Combine the two and you get a 5-1 UT-M team and a top 25 ranking. The Jax St win showed they are legit, but I still believe Eastern Illinois is the conference champ

[shakdaddy3]

Might make a little road ralph change for that game... haven't been to the Skyhawks home yet.

speaking of which, what is your remaining schedule, ralph?

enjoy the SIU @ ISU game?

[PantherRob82]

Will be interesting to see if UT-M keeps it up. What was the beggining of their schedule like?

[MoreheadEagle]

I'm hoping the Skyhawks can pull it off. I think EIU is the favorite for the OVC title but it's good to have someone else come in and mix things up.

Here's hoping I can say the same about Morehead in the OVC in about 6 years.:smiley_wi

[bigbluetiger]

This is a program who has never been successful at the !-AA level, but this year has started 5-1 and looks to make a push for the OVC Championship. What do you guys think about them?


I'm just to see that UTM has fans. Welcome aboard.

[Mr. C]

I don't mean to rain on the Skyhawk parade. I think its great that they have turned things around & are actually thinking playoffs. I would love to welcome them to Missoula.
How about a Montana-UTM game in Tennessee?
:D xlolx :nod: :) :D

[Skyhawk Nation 24]

I'm just to see that UTM has fans. Welcome aboard.

Yeah, we are few and far between. A friend of mine gave me this site, so I thought I would come check it out. We got a good team this year, but the scary thing is we haven't hit full stride yet. We have two QB system going on with 2 freshmen who complement each other very well. As the season progresses they are improving. But our team is taking it one at a time. So hopefully we beat Samford this week and set-up the biggest football game to happen at UTM in a long time.

[bigbluetiger]

Good luck the rest of the season. It would be nice if TSU and UTM finished atop of the OVC.

[JaxSinfonian]

the OVC seems down this year.
What do you base that on, AppGuy? I've adressed this elsewhere, but the OVC's OOC record this year is better than it has been for the last two or three years. Not by much, but better nonetheless. EKU's meltdown notwithstanding, there have been some close OOC games against quality opponents. Jax State-Furman could easil have gone the other way, and EIU was in the game against Illinois State. I know close losses still are losses, but this conference is not the divisional basement some make it out to be.


they havent won a game in the playoffs in a long time, (if ever)

Chucktown, I can think of at least two playoff games the OVC has won: The 1979 & 1982 National Championship games taken by Eastern Kentucky. There have been plenty of other victories. Yes, it's been a while, but this conference is on its way back up.


Jax state hasnt shown too much

Huh? Dang close loss to the then-#4 team in the country, shutout of the preseason conference favorite on the road, and offensive fireworks against two league opponents ... I'd like to do the Martin & Miss. State games over again, but otherwise Jax State has shown plenty, I think.

[Chucktown]

jax state... i understand about the playoff games in 70s and 80s... i was jut sayin its been a long time. No one gives the ovc respect, and i think that they should have a lot. They are gonna open eyes... and i'm just lookin forward to it...

[JaxSinfonian]

OVC teams have won a total of 24 games in the NCAA playoffs, eight of them since 1990. The last was in 2000. Seven of those victories belong to teams who've left for I-A, including the 2000 win.

The OVC's bad post-season reputation has developed since 2002. That was the last year the conference got multiple bids, and both teams lost badly in the first round. That was followed by blowout losses by the league's lone rep in '03 and '04, and a slightly better performance by EIU last year.

The conference has shown its commitment to improving the quality of football with the recruitment of JSU and Samford, and the attempt to lure UTC from the SoCon. Many of the teams have made important strides with their programs over the last few years, with Martin being the best example. Like you, chucktown, I'm looking forward to the day when the league turns the last corner and becomes the story of the year in I-AA. The haters should pile on the OVC while they can ... that day is coming.

[hawkeye]

I don't mean to rain on the Skyhawk parade. I think its great that they have turned things around & are actually thinking playoffs. I would love to welcome them to Missoula.

:nono: Sometimes you get more than you wish for.