Mount Rushmore of Coaches by Conference

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Since we're in the season of coaching changes I was wondering who people would place and their conference's FCS/1-AA Coaching Mount Rushmore. For the PL I'm only looking at things from 1986 onward since that was the first year of play under the old Colonial name (same conference). I used the 1-AA Era for the Ivy League

Patriot League
Dick Biddle (Colgate), Mark Duffner (Holy Cross), Kevin Higgins (Lehigh), Dave Clawson (Fordham)

Ivy League
Tim Murphy (Harvard), Al Bagnoli (Penn/Columbia), Buddy Teevens (Dartmouth), Bob Surace (Princeton): of note, Cozza's success came while Yale was still 1-A

Not sure how to do the A10/CAA and Gateway/MVFC....

[FUBeAR]

Since we're in the season of coaching changes I was wondering who people would place and their conference's FCS/1-AA Coaching Mount Rushmore. For the PL I'm only looking at things from 1986 onward since that was the first year of play under the old Colonial name (same conference). I used the 1-AA Era for the Ivy League

Patriot League
Dick Biddle (Colgate), Mark Duffner (Holy Cross), Kevin Higgins (Lehigh), Dave Clawson (Fordham)

Ivy League
Tim Murphy (Harvard), Al Bagnoli (Penn/Columbia), Buddy Teevens (Dartmouth), Bob Surace (Princeton): of note, Cozza's success came while Yale was still 1-A

Not sure how to do the A10/CAA and Gateway/MVFC....

SoCon - Dick Sheridan (Furman), Bobby Johnson (Furman), Mike Ayers (Wofford), Erk Russell (GaSou)

If we need to not allow the last one cuz they are no longer SoCon - that's cool - replace him with Joe Morrison (Chatt)

[wcugrad95]

I’d have Jerry Moore on that list for SOCON coaches. 3 natties (first team to ever 3-peat at the 1AA/FCS level), and only 1 losing season in his 24 years in Boone. He is in both the SOCON and College Football Hall of Fame. At App he was 215-87 overall and 146-40 in league play.

[ST_Lawson]

For the MVFC, are we talking just the MVFC years or back to the original Gateway Conference days?

I know that most of his coaching years were before the Gateway was founded, but I'd have to put Darrell Mudra up there. He went 24-6 with NDSU, 39-13 with WIU, 47-15-1 with EIU (they were Gateway members from '85-'95), and 43-16-1 with UNI. 153-50-2 total record with 4 different teams that are or were conference members. Is in the Athletics Hall of Fame at all four schools:
https://gobison.com/honors/bison-athletic-hall-of-fame/darrell-mudra/153
https://goleathernecks.com/honors/hall-of-fame/darrell-mudra/167
https://unipanthers.com/honors/hall-of-fame/dr-darrell-mudra/84
(EIU's HOF site sucks, I'm not linking to that)

Beyond that, I'd have to go with Mark Farley...23 years at UNI, the winningest coach in conference history, has a record of 179–101 (.639) in that time...essentially an "average" of 7-4 every year and 13 I-AA/FCS playoff appearances.

Next up, probably John Stiegelmeier. 26 seasons at the helm of South Dakota State with a 199–112 total record, 131-61 over 15 years in the MVFC. Took a decent DII school up to the FCS and eventually to the MVFC, where, in 15 seasons, they had only two under .500, with 12 playoff appearances, appearing in two championship games, and going out on top with a championship win in his final year.

The 4th would probably be Craig Bohl...104–32 in 11 years at NDSU and in 6 years in the MVFC had 1 under .500 season, 4 FCS playoff appearances, winning the championships in three of them, and kicking off the Bison Dynasty that is only now starting to show a few cracks.

Honorable mentions of:
Terry Allen - 75-26 in 8 years at UNI with 7 playoff appearances, plus 37-64 in 9 seasons at MSU
Randy Ball - 64-41-1 in 9 years at WIU with 4 playoff appearances, plus 34-42 in 7 seasons at MSU (what is it with MSU taking good coaches running them into the ground?)
Chris Klieman - 69-6 in 5 years at NDSU through the height of their dynasty. Is 6th all-time in wins by Gateway/MVFC coaches despite only being there for 5 years. Won 4 championships and "only" made it to the semifinals in the only year they didn't. On the conference all-time wins list, the fewest number of years that anyone ahead of Klieman has is 14 (Spack at ILSU).

[ysubigred]

For the MVFC, are we talking just the MVFC years or back to the original Gateway Conference days?

I know that most of his coaching years were before the Gateway was founded, but I'd have to put Darrell Mudra up there. He went 24-6 with NDSU, 39-13 with WIU, 47-15-1 with EIU (they were Gateway members from '85-'95), and 43-16-1 with UNI. 153-50-2 total record with 4 different teams that are or were conference members. Is in the Athletics Hall of Fame at all four schools:
https://gobison.com/honors/bison-athletic-hall-of-fame/darrell-mudra/153
https://goleathernecks.com/honors/hall-of-fame/darrell-mudra/167
https://unipanthers.com/honors/hall-of-fame/dr-darrell-mudra/84
(EIU's HOF site sucks, I'm not linking to that)

Beyond that, I'd have to go with Mark Farley...23 years at UNI, the winningest coach in conference history, has a record of 179–101 (.639) in that time...essentially an "average" of 7-4 every year and 13 I-AA/FCS playoff appearances.

Next up, probably John Stiegelmeier. 26 seasons at the helm of South Dakota State with a 199–112 total record, 131-61 over 15 years in the MVFC. Took a decent DII school up to the FCS and eventually to the MVFC, where, in 15 seasons, they had only two under .500, with 12 playoff appearances, appearing in two championship games, and going out on top with a championship win in his final year.

The 4th would probably be Craig Bohl...104–32 in 11 years at NDSU and in 6 years in the MVFC had 1 under .500 season, 4 FCS playoff appearances, winning the championships in three of them, and kicking off the Bison Dynasty that is only now starting to show a few cracks.

Honorable mentions of:
Terry Allen - 75-26 in 8 years at UNI with 7 playoff appearances, plus 37-64 in 9 seasons at MSU
Randy Ball - 64-41-1 in 9 years at WIU with 4 playoff appearances, plus 34-42 in 7 seasons at MSU (what is it with MSU taking good coaches running them into the ground?)
Chris Klieman - 69-6 in 5 years at NDSU through the height of their dynasty. Is 6th all-time in wins by Gateway/MVFC coaches despite only being there for 5 years. Won 4 championships and "only" made it to the semifinals in the only year they didn't. On the conference all-time wins list, the fewest number of years that anyone ahead of Klieman has is 14 (Spack at ILSU).Great group of coaches..^^

Jim Tressel YSU didn't have enough time in the conference. Did make an impact on the Gateway. YSU has pretty much been non-existent since his departure - the 2016/17 season.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

[Go...gate]

Since we're in the season of coaching changes I was wondering who people would place and their conference's FCS/1-AA Coaching Mount Rushmore. For the PL I'm only looking at things from 1986 onward since that was the first year of play under the old Colonial name (same conference). I used the 1-AA Era for the Ivy League

Patriot League
Dick Biddle (Colgate), Mark Duffner (Holy Cross), Kevin Higgins (Lehigh), Dave Clawson (Fordham)

Ivy League
Tim Murphy (Harvard), Al Bagnoli (Penn/Columbia), Buddy Teevens (Dartmouth), Bob Surace (Princeton): of note, Cozza's success came while Yale was still 1-A

Not sure how to do the A10/CAA and Gateway/MVFC....

Might want to at least consider Steve Tosches at Princeton.

[ST_Lawson]

Great group of coaches..^^

Jim Tressel YSU didn't have enough time in the conference. Did make an impact on the Gateway. YSU has pretty much been non-existent since his departure - the 2016/17 season.

If I include guys like Mudra, Stieg, and Bohl, who spent much of their time coaching outside the conference, I think Tressel deserves an honorable mention.
135-57-2 in his 15 years at YSU. He was in the Gateway his last four years, with a 40-13 record. In those four years, they made the playoffs three times, made the championship game twice, and won it once. He won the I-AA championship three other times, but that was before joining the GFC.

He also returned as the university president from May 2014 to February 2023.

[crusader11]

SoCon - Dick Sheridan (Furman), Bobby Johnson (Furman), Mike Ayers (Wofford), Erk Russell (GaSou)

If we need to not allow the last one cuz they are no longer SoCon - that's cool - replace him with Joe Morrison (Chatt)

No Paul Johnson?

His five year run at Georgia Southern was pretty damn good.

[FUBeAR]

No Paul Johnson?

His five year run at Georgia Southern was pretty damn good.
Coach Sheridan & Coach Johnson won NCAA National Coach of the Year at the highest level and took a 2k+ student itty bitty academically-intensive private school (playing w/55 scholarships for Coach Sheridan vs. 95 for almost all opponents in ‘85), playing against FAR SUPERIOR TALENT, every single week, to the I-AA Nat’l Championship Game & Coach Sheridan is in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Y’all can do whatever you want with the other 2, FBDGAF

[dbackjon]

Big Sky - will throw out a couple names: Bobby Hauck (Montana) and Jerome Souers (NAU)

[MRuler]

Since we're in the season of coaching changes I was wondering who people would place and their conference's FCS/1-AA Coaching Mount Rushmore. For the PL I'm only looking at things from 1986 onward since that was the first year of play under the old Colonial name (same conference). I used the 1-AA Era for the Ivy League

Patriot League
Dick Biddle (Colgate), Mark Duffner (Holy Cross), Kevin Higgins (Lehigh), Dave Clawson (Fordham)

Ivy League
Tim Murphy (Harvard), Al Bagnoli (Penn/Columbia), Buddy Teevens (Dartmouth), Bob Surace (Princeton): of note, Cozza's success came while Yale was still 1-A

Not sure how to do the A10/CAA and Gateway/MVFC....


Gotta have Bob Ford from Albany on that mountain for certain. I believe his winning percentage was around 65% through all Divisions. He won more games with less talent than most coaches. If he had Albany's current facilities when he was in his prime he would have won a National Championship. Led UA from Club to the CAA. Besides most of these coaches began their careers under Fordie!!! How he is not in the NCAA College Football Coaching HOF is beyond me. I imagine his induction is coming.

[Silenoz]

Big Sky - will throw out a couple names: Bobby Hauck (Montana) and Jerome Souers (NAU)
I think for UM it would have to be Don Read. And then throw in Baldwin from EWU. And then someone older than me can talk about the 1980s of Boise State, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana State.

[dbackjon]

I think for UM it would have to be Don Read. And then throw in Baldwin from EWU. And then someone older than me can talk about the 1980s of Boise State, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana State.

No reason not to consider both Montana coaches. Read was the one that put the Griz on the football map though.

Chris Ault with Nevada would be up there

Idaho never had a coach last more than 5/6 years in the Big Sky era - good coaches like Dennis Erickson, John L Smith, Keith Gilbertson, but they all moved on.

John L Smith was the most successful - 6 years, 2 Conf Champ, 5 Playoffs

[CrunchGriz]

Bobby Hauck is now 127-35 in the FCS, which is the most wins in Big Sky history. He won 7 straight Big Sky crowns (and went to the playoffs all 7 years [and now sits at 8 total Big Sky championships and 11/12 seasons in the playoffs]).

[JALMOND]

I think for UM it would have to be Don Read. And then throw in Baldwin from EWU. And then someone older than me can talk about the 1980s of Boise State, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana State.

As a relatively old timer of the conference, I think you would have to look at Sonny Holland from Montana State. He led the Bobcats to the 1976 National Championship.

If you want a true Mount Rushmore (top 4) of the Big Sky Coaches, I would go with Holland, Read, Ault and probably Hauck.

[aceinthehole]

NEC:

Joe Walton (RMU), Bob Ford (Albany), and Kevin Callahan (Monmouth)

[JSUSoutherner]

For the OVC there are two choices.

As much as it pains me to admit, John Grass.

And Roy Kidd.

[Gil Dobie]

Kleiman was at NDSU 8 years, 5 as HC, 4 titles. His recruits won 2 more after he left.

[SeattleCat]

Big Sky - will throw out a couple names: Bobby Hauck (Montana) and Jerome Souers (NAU)

Rob Ash's Khaki's. Boom.

[clenz]

Kleiman was at NDSU 8 years, 5 as HC, 4 titles. His recruits won 2 more after he left.
Farley - winning coach in Valley history
TA - was winningest before Farley took it away and still has the most conference titles as a HC
Kleiman - He was key at UNI and then is the reason Bohl didn't get canned and got NDSU all of those titles and the success post him being gone with what he built
Stig - what he built at SDSU and transformed them into to and getting a title in his last year is worthy

Mudra had a massive impact all over the Valley....but he didn't do it in the Valley/Gateway for most of it.

[mainejeff]

CAA:

Tubby Raymond - Delaware
Bill Bowes - UNH
Andy Talley - Villanova
Jimmye Laycock - William & Mary

[MR. CHICKEN]

CAA:

Tubby Raymond - Delaware
Bill Bowes - UNH
Andy Talley - Villanova
Jimmye Laycock - William & Mary

.....GOT IT........EGG-ZAKLY RIGHT JEFFY! xnodx

[Go...gate]

CAA:

Tubby Raymond - Delaware
Bill Bowes - UNH
Andy Talley - Villanova
Jimmye Laycock - William & Mary

Well said.

[CrunchGriz]

Bobby Hauck is now in the semis for the 5th time in 12 seasons.

He needs to bring home the one thing that has eluded him--the title.

[JALMOND]

Bobby Hauck is now in the semis for the 5th time in 12 seasons.

He needs to bring home the one thing that has eluded him--the title.

That would be ironic in that at the beginning of the year, most of Griz nation wanted him fired. :D

[ST_Lawson]

That would be ironic in that at the beginning of the year, most of Griz nation wanted him fired. :D

Similar situation to Nielson at USD. Didn't get them to the semifinals, but still an incredibly impressive turnaround from last year to this year.

[Go Green]

Ivy League
Tim Murphy (Harvard), Al Bagnoli (Penn/Columbia), Buddy Teevens (Dartmouth), Bob Surace (Princeton): of note, Cozza's success came while Yale was still 1-A



Murphy and Bagnoli--sure.

Teevens for his contributions to the game--definitely.

But it's hard to include Surace if you're not also going to include Reno. Their Ivy records are pretty much the same...

[OhioHen]

CAA:

Tubby Raymond - Delaware
Bill Bowes - UNH
Andy Talley - Villanova
Jimmye Laycock - William & Mary
Any other list for this conference is superfluous, unless you want to debate the order of Bowes, Talley, and Laycock as 2-4. My personal order would be exactly opposite the one listed, but I would have difficulty arguing against reasonable justifications for any order among those three.

[dinontherun]

SoCon - Dick Sheridan (Furman), Bobby Johnson (Furman), Mike Ayers (Wofford), Erk Russell (GaSou)

If we need to not allow the last one cuz they are no longer SoCon - that's cool - replace him with Joe Morrison (Chatt)

Dick Sheridan (Furman)
Jerry Moore (App State)
Mike Ayers (Wofford)

Although it pains me to say it, hard to exclude Jim Donnan (Marshall) and Paul Johnson (GSU), unless you think their 6 and 5 years, respectively, isn't enough. Johnson won 62 games (2 NCs) in 5 seasons, and Donnan (1 NC) won 64 games in 6 seasons.

*Erk Russell never coached in the SoCon.

[GAD]

SWAC I would have to go with
Billy Nicks- Prairie View
Arnett Mumford- Southern
Eddie Robinson- Grambling
and either WC Gordon- Jackson State or Marino Casem- Alcorn/Southern can't decide

[ngineer]

Gotta have Bob Ford from Albany on that mountain for certain. I believe his winning percentage was around 65% through all Divisions. He won more games with less talent than most coaches. If he had Albany's current facilities when he was in his prime he would have won a National Championship. Led UA from Club to the CAA. Besides most of these coaches began their careers under Fordie!!! How he is not in the NCAA College Football Coaching HOF is beyond me. I imagine his induction is coming.

Absolutely. Absolutely weird that he is not in the HOF

[BisonFan02]

Farley - winning coach in Valley history
TA - was winningest before Farley took it away and still has the most conference titles as a HC
Kleiman - He was key at UNI and then is the reason Bohl didn't get canned and got NDSU all of those titles and the success post him being gone with what he built
Stig - what he built at SDSU and transformed them into to and getting a title in his last year is worthy

Mudra had a massive impact all over the Valley....but he didn't do it in the Valley/Gateway for most of it.

Oh bull. Only thing Farley has is longevity since he wasn't ever good enough to be poached....had a cakewalk to the post season Pre-NDSU in the Gateway and never won anything. Hell....couldn't even win with Klieman on staff!...probably kept the wrong guy huh? xlolx

Klieman didn't join NDSU till 2011....the 2010 Bison under Bohl were already turning the corner and were a year older in 2011....

[rhowdyram]

CAA:

Tubby Raymond - Delaware
Bill Bowes - UNH
Andy Talley - Villanova
Jimmye Laycock - William & Mary


Bowes was before my time, why him over Sean McDonnell? 14 years in a row making the playoffs is remarkable.

[DFW HOYA]

All-time Ivy, not just 1986?

Tim Murphy
Carm Cozza
----------
Al Bagnoli?
T.A.D. Jones?
Bob Blackman?

[Bill]

All-time Ivy, not just 1986?

Tim Murphy
Carm Cozza
----------
Al Bagnoli?
T.A.D. Jones?
Bob Blackman?

I don't disagree...but all time? They weren't called the Ivy's then, but didn't Gil Dobie win 3/4 titles back in the 20's?

[wmmii]

https://www.anygivensaturday.com/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by mainejeff https://www.anygivensaturday.com/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?p=3166316#post3166316)
CAA:

Tubby Raymond - Delaware
Bill Bowes - UNH
Andy Talley - Villanova
Jimmye Laycock - William & Mary



Well said.

+1

[bulldog10jw]

All-time Ivy, not just 1986?

Tim Murphy
Carm Cozza
----------
Al Bagnoli?
T.A.D. Jones?
Bob Blackman?

Walter Camp?
Percy Haughton?
Lou Little?

[DFW HOYA]

Lou Little?

Little's record at Columbia in the first five seasons: 34-9-2
Little's record at Columbia in the next 20 seasons: 76-105-8

[bulldog10jw]

Little's record at Columbia in the first five seasons: 34-9-2
Little's record at Columbia in the next 20 seasons: 76-105-8

A close to .500 record at Columbia is HOF material. Even back then.

[bulldog10jw]

Little's record at Columbia in the first five seasons: 34-9-2
Little's record at Columbia in the next 20 seasons: 76-105-8

What was his record at Georgetown?

[DFW HOYA]

What was his record at Georgetown?

41-12-3

[bulldog10jw]

41-12-3

Wow!

[DFW HOYA]

Wow!

Coaching is replete with stories about coaches that are mercenary about leaving a job (Little was accused of this) versus those who stay and their career takes a different turn.

In six years, Bob Benson was 48-22 at Georgetown and coming off consecutive nine-win seasons, all by the age of 35. He is a candidate for an Ivy League job but opts to stay. His next six years go 24-42, he's forced out in 2005 and he has never been a head coach since.

[bulldog10jw]

Coaching is replete with stories about coaches that are mercenary about leaving a job (Little was accused of this) versus those who stay and their career takes a different turn.

In six years, Bob Benson was 48-22 at Georgetown and coming off consecutive nine-win seasons, all by the age of 35. He is a candidate for an Ivy League job but opts to stay. His next six years go 24-42, he's forced out in 2005 and he has never been a head coach since.

Yale has forced out two coaches in my lifetime who had winning records. Very good records. Jordan Olivar head coach from 1952-1962 lived in California and was in CT only during football season. After two losing seasons in 1961 and 62 he was told to keep his job he would have to relocate. He refused and Yale hired John Pont. Olivar's Yale record was 61-32-6 including an undefeated season in 1960.

Jack Siedlecki was 71-48 at Yale from 1997-2008 but was considered to have lost too many big games. He was quietly asked to resign. You can't lose 7 out of 8 to Harvard and survive.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Bowes was before my time, why him over Sean McDonnell? 14 years in a row making the playoffs is remarkable.

....NO DISRESPECT.....FO' COACH SEAN........BOWES IS WINNINGEST (175-106-5) & LONGEST TENURED (27 YRS).....NEW HAMPSHIRE HEAD COACH.....IN COACHES HOF......MCDONNELL...(FORMER BOWES ASSISTANT.)......IS RIGHT BEHIND BOWES 157-104...HIS 14 YR. PLAYOFF RECORD IS SPARKLY....&.....SPAWNED SOME REALLY GOOD HEAD COACHES......FROM HIS ASSISTANT LOG.........FLIP UH COIN AH GUESS....AH GREW UP WHIFF BOWES....AH LEAN DAT WAY...........BAWK!

[ngineer]

I think Coach Cosgrove of Maine had a sterling career at Orono, and considering the difficulty of recruiting, he certainly was skilled at finding "diamonds in the rough".

[Go Green]

Yale has forced out two coaches in my lifetime who had winning records.

Tom Williams was 16-14 at Yale. before being forced out.

[bulldog10jw]

Tom Williams was 16-14 at Yale. before being forced out.

I stand corrected.

[ElonFirefighter]

SoCon - Dick Sheridan (Furman), Bobby Johnson (Furman), Mike Ayers (Wofford), Erk Russell (GaSou)

If we need to not allow the last one cuz they are no longer SoCon - that's cool - replace him with Joe Morrison (Chatt)

I would have to drop, former members, it gets to confusing. You would need Jerry more in there and Wallace Wade of Duke or Art Lewis of WVA

[KPSUL]

....NO DISRESPECT.....FO' COACH SEAN........BOWES IS WINNINGEST (175-106-5) & LONGEST TENURED (27 YRS).....NEW HAMPSHIRE HEAD COACH.....IN COACHES HOF......MCDONNELL...(FORMER BOWES ASSISTANT.)......IS RIGHT BEHIND BOWES 157-104...HIS 14 YR. PLAYOFF RECORD IS SPARKLY....&.....SPAWNED SOME REALLY GOOD HEAD COACHES......FROM HIS ASSISTANT LOG.........FLIP UH COIN AH GUESS....AH GREW UP WHIFF BOWES....AH LEAN DAT WAY...........BAWK!

Bowes was a very young Head Coach when I got to UNH. I saw either Bowes and McDonnell as as the clear #4, but couldn't really pick between the two so didn't comment. I think Both UNH guys have less wins at UNH than Tubby Raymond, Andy Talley and Jimmye Laycock have with their Yankee Conf., Atlantic10 and CAA teams so I'd concede one of the two UNH coaches would be the 4th on MT Rushmore - I think that would make them Teddy Roosevelt? I think the MT Rushmore we're talking about is in Delaware, right?

A picture of Coach Bowes with Jerry Azumah at a home game this past season. He's looking real good for 80. He was only 29 when he got the UNH Head Coach job in 1972.

33252

[Catamount87]

SoCon - Dick Sheridan (Furman), Bobby Johnson (Furman), Mike Ayers (Wofford), Erk Russell (GaSou)

If we need to not allow the last one cuz they are no longer SoCon - that's cool - replace him with Joe Morrison (Chatt)

FUBeAR, besides a bit of humor with your analytics, it seems you do have another redeeming quality, no love for app state. ;-)

[FUBeAR]

FUBeAR, besides a bit of humor with your analytics, it seems you do have another redeeming quality, no love for app state. ;-)
This is FUBeAR’s personal experience with the Appy’s…


1977 -- W, 28-20, GREENVILLE
1978 -- W, 52-34, Boone
1979 -- W, 31-17, GREENVILLE
1980 -- W, 21-20, Boone
1981 -- W, 22-18, GREENVILLE
1982 -- W, 27-21, Boone
1983 -- W, 49-0, GREENVILLE

Whipped ‘em every single time the ball was kicked off, capped off with a 49-0 shellacking of Mack Brown’s only Appy Team. FUBeAR had several of his HS Teammates playing on those Appy Teams.

And, yet, though their Appy’s were humbled (on the scoreboard) in every encounter with FUBeAR’s Paladins, not one of them (nor any other Appy FUBeAR has ever encountered) ever demonstrated even one tiny shred of humility. The only types of things FUBeAR has ever heard from the Appys is, “Man, we just don’t have any idea how y’all beat us every time. You guys ran a high school offense and we had much better Players all over the field.”

Yeah, y’know, things like that.

Come to think of it…those Appys were/are a lot like WCU peeps.* Maybe the mountain elevation affects the ego / self-awareness the most.


*Don’t believe ol’ FUBeAR? Go read some of the posts on the WCU message board about their expected ‘easy win’ over Mercer this season - so many ‘chickens counted’ before facing a Team that they had not beaten since the Obama era AND a Team which had never even trailed WCU at any point in any game for the previous 5 years! It’s like those posters live in some parallel universe where WCU Football, despite losing (now) 8 in a row to Mercer (and never leading for even 1 second) in the past 5 games, is better than Mercer … just like those lost-7-straight Appys imagined they were better than those Furman Teams that had beaten them 7 straight.

[Baron Sardonicus]

The Pioneer's representative would be Jim Harbaugh, who took over a mediocre non-scholarship program and built a team that won the PFL "with numbing repetition."

He absolutely did not start offering football scholarships, or at least he let a successor take the blame. Jim Harbaugh does not cheat. He is as pure as Detroit snow.