Who will get above .500 first?

[89Hen]

This is NOT a smack thread, please do not turn it into one. I honestly hate seeing teams be down for so long, but we have a few in I-AA that have been. I also am curious as to why these teams have been down for so long. We've seen teams move up from DII and have some success (xDSU's, PSU, Hampton, etc...), we've seen teams start new programs and have some success (CCU, FAU, etc...), we've seen teams who were down for many years make the playoffs recently (SIU, DSU, UT-M, etc...). Why have those teams been able to do it, when others haven't?

So the question is, which of these teams do you think will have a winning season first?...

- Sacramento State (7 losing seasons in a row and only 2 winning seasons in last 15)

- VMI (last winning season 1981)

- Rhode Island (6 losing seasons in a row and only 2 winning in last 22)

- Indiana State (1-32 last three and only 2 winning seasons in the last 23)

- Savannah State (8 losing seasons (11-72) since moving up to I-AA)

- Columbia (11 seasons without a winning one and only 2 since I-AA formed)

- Morgan State (2 winning seasons since I-AA formed)

- St. Francis (hasn't won more than 3 games since 1992)

- Georgetown (8 losing seasons since leaving the MAAC)

- Chattanooga (2 winning seasons in last 16)

* BTW, these are just in alphabetical order by conference

[Cleets]

Sac State has a chance..!!! xoopsx

[dbackjon]

Little Rhody....

[Mountaineer]

Go go Mocs.

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/5380/choochooweb1do9.jpg

I think I can I think I can I think I can....

[dbackjon]

Go go Mocs.

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/5380/choochooweb1do9.jpg

I think I can I think I can I think I can....


Are you sure, when they reach .500 by beating ASU? xconfusedx

[dgreco]

Rhody Rams

[Mountaineer]

Are you sure, when they reach .500 by beating ASU? xconfusedx

Let's be realistic here, jon. ;)

[89Hen]

Let's be realistic here, jon. ;)
Hey, you were one of their two wins in 2004. Perhaps they were the kick in the pants App needed to threepeat. xeyebrowx xsmiley_wix

[AshevilleApp2]

VMI with new head coach Sparky Woods.

[AshevilleApp2]

Hey, you were one of their two wins in 2004. Perhaps they were the kick in the pants App needed to threepeat. xeyebrowx xsmiley_wix

That and a loss to Western the following week.

[The Cats]

This is NOT a smack thread, please do not turn it into one.

Since you did not list Western Carolina on your poll, you either assume we have no chance of getting to .500 or it's a given we make it this year. I assume it's the former.

[redflash2]

St. Francis and they'll stop off right with a season opening win over VMI!!!!! xnodx xthumbsupx

[redflash2]

St. Francis and they'll start off right with a season opening win over VMI!!!!! xnodx xthumbsupx

[89Hen]

Since you did not list Western Carolina on your poll, you either assume we have no chance of getting to .500 or it's a given we make it this year. I assume it's the former.
Only had room for 10 and your resume wasn't quite up to par... you've had 5 winning seasons in the last 16. xthumbsupx

[Mountaineer]

Only had room for 10 and your resume wasn't quite up to par... you've had 5 winning seasons in the last 16. xthumbsupx

xlolx xlolx

Something for these ten to aspire to. xnodx

xsmiley_wix

[813Jag]

I voted Morgan, in the MEAC it seems like a new team makes a surge every couple of years. Savannah State lost to a NAIA team, last year. A possible write in would be Texas Southern, they could get close to .500 this year.

[WileECoyote06]

I voted Morgan, in the MEAC it seems like a new team makes a surge every couple of years. Savannah State lost to a NAIA team, last year. A possible write in would be Texas Southern, they could get close to .500 this year.

Until Savannah funds their scholarship levels to more than low Division II levels, it'll never happen.

I hate to see Morgan down for so long. They were once a powerhouse football program back in the 60s-70s.

[89Hen]

I voted Morgan, in the MEAC it seems like a new team makes a surge every couple of years. Savannah State lost to a NAIA team, last year.
I was close to picking Morgan, but IMO DSU is on the right track, and even Norfolk has a jump on the Bears. Hampton and SCSt are usually going to be decent... that will make it tough for Morgan to get there. Also, they have Rutgers this year and if they continue to schedule a I-A regularly, they start the season one down.

[RabidRabbit]

Usually the CAA has teams that fluctuate quite a bit. Therefore, the Rams are the most likely to have an "up" year sooner than later.

[skinny_uncle]

Indiana State plays in a awfully tough league to ever get to .500.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

I chose Columbia for no good reason. I was debating between Morgan State and Columbia though. Someone should follow this. Then again, it may be years before we know the answer.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

On a side note, wouldn't it be great to do pool with people choosing their King of the Hill, last team with a shot of making .500 wins. Double the dollars if your team crosses the threshold!

[TheValleyRaider]

A couple strike me as reasonable in the near future

Rhode Island
New coach, redone offense, the usually flucuating CAA, especially in the North where only UMass and UNH have been consistently good recently, and even UNH is something of a ??? without Santos
Weaknesses: Still underfunded compared to the rest of the conference (I think) and Hofstra appears to also be on the rise

Columbia
Outside of a few good teams at the top, Ivies can be a very middling group. If the improving Lions program can steal a couple from this middle, they could breach .500
Weaknesses: Of all the egg-head campuses in the Ivy League, Columbia can be the egg-headiest as far as general student population goes. Shorter schedule also gives them smaller margin for error

Georgetown
Starting to recruit talent, and maybe the newly reconstituted AI can help them, given they previously had the highest AI in the conference. Easily the best name-cache in the Patriot League
Weaknesses: Underfunded program relative to the rest of the League, still not a lot of reason to believe administration really cares, currently lack real strength on the lines (offensive and defensive)

Chattanooga
Plenty of talent on that roster, near recruiting hotbed in Atlanta, top-notch competition in the SoCon. Really, they seem to be just a good coach away from joining Elon and The Citadel as risers in the SoCon
Weaknesses: They're still that good coach short, and now climbing over several of App. State, GSU, Furman, Wofford, The Citadel, Elon and possibly WCU (if they prove to resurrect as well)

[Go...gate]

Georgetown.

[patssle]

You forgot Texas State. 2 winning seasons in 16 years.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

URI is a program headed in the right direction

[poly51]

Sac State has 2 D-II games in the first 3 games. That should help them.

[Ivytalk]

I'll go with Chatty, the SoCon school.

[DTSpider]

Rhode Island had a top 5 ranking back around 2000 if I remember correctly so they may have the best chance to bounce back.

[MaximumBobcat]

You forgot Texas State. 2 winning seasons in 16 years.

And we were still the last decent team out of the SLC to do anything in the playoffs. xcoolx

[Seawolf97]

Rhode Island and Georgetown -like to see both move up this year.

[DFW HOYA]

Georgetown
Weaknesses: Underfunded program relative to the rest of the League, still not a lot of reason to believe administration really cares, currently lack real strength on the lines (offensive and defensive)


I'll have more on this topic tomorrow, but to your point above, what specifics are you citing in the claim that there is " not a lot of reason to believe administration really cares"?

[TheValleyRaider]

I'll have more on this topic tomorrow, but to your point above, what specifics are you citing in the claim that there is " not a lot of reason to believe administration really cares"?

Honestly, comments from you and other Hoyas. Talk about the stadium, funding for the team. Maybe they do care, maybe my perception is wrong. But Georgetown really could be so much more as a program then they currently are

They are the Patriot League's sleeping giant, and while I'm pulling for them to get on-track as a League-mate, it's also as a League-mate that they idea of Georgetown getting good scares me xnodx

[Seawolf97]

Im guessing but with Georgetowns academic standing and their financial strength they could be the Stanford of the east if they wanted.

[89Hen]

URI is a program headed in the right direction
Obviously you are not alone in this sentiment, but what makes you say they are headed in the right direction? They may be headed in the right direction, but they just fired their coach this off-season... which tells me they must not have been headed in the right direction. Rizzi is a complete unknown as an HC. He could be great, but we just don't know right now.

Unfortunately it seems URI football lives in the shadow of their men's bball program... both figuratively and literally. I know they made some improvements to Meade, but it seems it was just an appeasement and bone thrown from the Ryan Center.

Also, they are currently in the easier half of the CAA South schedule so after this year they will get JMU, UR and UD for the next two.

Ram fans, how many schollies is URI giving these days?

[g-webb1994]

It sure as hell ain't gonna be Chatty this year, with road games at Oklahoma, Florida State, Citadel, Wofford, and Furman.

[ngineer]

I have trouble seeing URI getting above .500 in the near future, and within the CAA...If they join another league, then I would agree.

[Go...gate]

Honestly, comments from you and other Hoyas. Talk about the stadium, funding for the team. Maybe they do care, maybe my perception is wrong. But Georgetown really could be so much more as a program then they currently are

They are the Patriot League's sleeping giant, and while I'm pulling for them to get on-track as a League-mate, it's also as a League-mate that they idea of Georgetown getting good scares me xnodx

Agreed, but in the long run it can only bode well for the PL. When the day comes that your ballpark is finished (too bad they named part of the hospital after Lombardi; "Lombardi Family Field at the Georgetown University Multi-Sport Complex" has a nicer ring to it) and you guys get funding anywhere within shouting distance of the other FB members, you will be poised to become perenially powerful in the conference, IMO.

[Go...gate]

Im guessing but with Georgetowns academic standing and their financial strength they could be the Stanford of the east if they wanted.

I used to think the same thing, but it sounds like they don't have as much money as I always believed.

[93henfan]

If those teams were a conference, URI would be a perennial playoff team. As it is, they're still in the CAA, so the suckage will continue.

Even then, URI seems to have a good team once a decade or so, and they're in the slightly easier CAA North, so who knows? Maybe they're due.

[Tribe4SF]

URI is facing a tough transition year with the change in offense. Their line was constructed for the option, and it will take awhile to develop that area. I think their skill players will transition pretty well, and they'll need a new style QB to emerge. Two years to a possible winning season, but I think they're first in this group.

[catamount man]

xlolx xlolx

Something for these ten to aspire to. xnodx

xsmiley_wix

DAMN RIGHT!!! xlolx xthumbsupx

[Tealblood]

I'll go with VMI--unfortunately money is important and they have it---just got to learn how to spend it

[Tealblood]

a funny note about VMI though they have baeten us a grand total of 1 time--it was in our first year of playing football

yet having talked to some of CCU's player they have talked and continue to talk more crap during games of any teams we've played

[T-Dog]

I'll go with URI as I can't see UTC, Columbia, VMI or any of the other schools getting there this year.

[LBPop]

I remain a Hoya fan and I will probably see them play several times in 2008 despite LBKid's retirement. But this season I am merely hoping that they get above .100. And if I am right about their likely record in '08, I wonder if a coach can survive a total of 4 victories in 3 seasons. And if there is a change in coaching, then the cycle begins again--that makes .500+ seem like a fantasy.

There are some quality kids at Georgetown. It takes a lot of character to practice, lift, and study for an entire year knowing that you are much more likely to lose week after week than it does when you are contending for a championship. They deserve better. I hope they get it soon.xcoffeex

[DFW HOYA]

The more I think about the situation, the more complex (and in some ways, puzzling) this is.

An earlier post laid the blame at Georgetown's administration. Debt issues notwithstanding, in 2000 Georgetown committed to at least a $600,000 budget in the PL by 2003, which in hindsight sounds incongrous, yet they have put more than $1 million more in the budget to date despite a considerable lack of revenue in that spot of turf that carries the still-temporary "Multi-Sport Field" name. Does Georgetown have $4 million a year for football? No, but with a budget for 29 sports, only one sport is going to get that much. I think for the most part the administrative is behind the program and seeks it to be sucessful, but this isn't all about money.

Some lay the blame on coaching, and to this I'm not buying into it either. Yes, the Georgetown offense is very predictable and it's clear the other PL coaches do not take it seriously. Yet, this offense has worked elsewhere and to some success. But looking at Georgetown's average margin in PL games since 2001 show little improvement across the board:

2001: -22.8
2002: -22.2
2003: -14.1
2004: -20.6
2005: -16.6
2006: -14.9
2007: -26.3

The pre-season picks routinely recycle their Georgetown comments: "a young team", "looking toward the future", etc." LBPop does raise the scenario where this team could be 0-fer yet again heading into November and that is just decimating the fan base.

Which leads me to recruiting. None of the other teams in the poll above, excepting Columbia, have to recruit with one arm tied behind their back. Georgetown's average SAT puts it in a position where it is competing not against Fordham or Bucknell for kids, but Penn and Yale, assuming Richmond or Villanova hasn't picked them off first.

Yes, some will be discouraged from the facilities and others will get a better scholarship package, but a lot aren't even getting that far in the process. I think there are a lot of recruits who could be impact players for Georgetown that aren't getting past the first cut on the list because of the PL's deep-seeded psychological need to have an admissions setup just like the big brother up the road. Imagine if your son was told that no matter how good of a student or an athlete he is, if the grades and SAT's don't fit in a certain box, he can't be recruited by Georgetown....but it's OK to be recruited and signed by Fordham or Holy Cross.

And in the murkily-worded news release about a league wide floor for admissions, it doesn't address the fact that the team at the bottom of the standings and the top of the AI is not getting the talent needed to compete. How many Georgetown players could start on your team? How many would?

And so to get above .500 in 2008, Georgetown will probably need to beat three of this list: Richmond, Yale, Howard, Pennsylvania.

[Seawolf97]

I think the one -two punch of the AI and no scholarships is very difficult to overcome. Now with the NEC adding more 10 more scholarship players that will just take more talent from the PL. The NEC schools are not academic small fry by any means and can attract top caliber students who also play good football. You will also see some FBS transfers starting to show up on NEC rosters as with Duquesne and their transfer QB.
I think the PL will have to rethink their posistion over the next few seasons.

[LBPop]

When I spoke my piece about Georgetown, I forgot to 'splain my pick. I selected Morgan State over URI. Rhode Island probably has the best team among this group, but that conference makes it really tough. I like Morgan's tradition and schedule a bit more.