For us in FCS, the playoff run last year is the absolute best we could hope for outside of hosting the semifinal. I think we would have comparable excitement for a good regular season FBS home schedule with natural rivals.
So for me, the tipping point is that there is a chance at some post-season success IN ADDITION to the regular season games in FBS. For us in FCS, last year is the best it can be. Not that it wasn't good, but the ceiling is just lower.
Why do folks continually relegate us to the SB or CUSA indefintely? ODU is already being brought up as a future candidate for AAC. So many of you sell us short, probably because you know no better.
Each year we play one FBS team and it's always an away game. This year ODU has UNC at home and VT on the road, and App St has Wake Forest at home and UGA on the road. If we worked up to something similar, had an FCS matchup with W&M, RU, Delaware, etc... and then a home and home with ODU, App St, etc depending on our conference I almost don't care what conference we play in. Then 10 or 20 years from now maybe we're in a conference with some AAC teams and playing in a filled 40k+ stadium.
As for the playoffs, yes it's been very exciting. But is it really any more exciting than a DII or DIII team winning their playoffs and championship when our subdivision is full of schools we've outgrown? We're going to face competition and battle no matter what level we play at, I for one rather compete with our peers and get national coverage. I'd rather shoot for a Top 25 ranking than another FCS championship.
What probably frustrates me most is that if we were already FBS we wouldn't be waiting for a phone call from a new regional conference- we'd be among the schools leading the damn thing and helping to decide who gets the phone call.
It was pointed out the VT fan base doesn't get overly excited today when looking at ECU on their schedule. That series began when both teams were G5 and that's no longer the case. Tech moved up. This is now a lopsided series that I equate to our playing a Southern Conference or Patriot team. Both are a perceived notch below us to the point most of our fans say, at the minimum, we should get 2 for 1 deals when playing a team from either of those conferences. I would venture to say most Tech fans probably feel ECU deals should be 2 for 1's.
I'm squarely in the corner of placing a huge importance on the regular season and against teams with similar support we give to our Dukes. I liked our run last year in the post season, but got very little out of the games that got us there. Furthermore, I don't put nearly the emphasis on having home games as I do the overall schedule of teams we will compete against whether it be in BFS or as the guest of another team.
I want our boys playing in front of 20K plus every weekend of the season. They deserve it and ask anyone of them if that's important and you'll get 100% resounding yes. I work with a young man who played for the Dukes. He was on the field at Duke, in College Park, in Blacksburg, and Chapel Hill (2011). Without reservation those four games were the highlight each season. Often he comes to work sporting something JMU, though not as avid of a fan as most of us, he does go to a couple games each season and was in Frisco. I asked him what games he's going to go to this season and Homecoming was the only one mentioned. Then I said what about ECU. Response with a huge smile, "I didn't know they were on the schedule and for sure he'd make that game."
JMU Nation deserves better than playing half our games in front of less than 8K and "that's all I got to say about that".
(07-14-2017 03:00 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote: [ -> ]JMU Nation deserves better than playing half our games in front of less than 8K and "that's all I got to say about that".
https://youtu.be/NcOTZeZ3_40?t=138
(07-14-2017 11:18 AM)HyperDuke Wrote: [ -> ]For us in FCS, the playoff run last year is the absolute best we could hope for outside of hosting the semifinal. I think we would have comparable excitement for a good regular season FBS home schedule with natural rivals.
So for me, the tipping point is that there is a chance at some post-season success IN ADDITION to the regular season games in FBS. For us in FCS, last year is the best it can be. Not that it wasn't good, but the ceiling is just lower.
Well said.
Also, I don't know if the "in-state rivals" of W&M/UR mean as much to those of us who aren't sitting in-state, or who have never lived in state other than to go to JMU. People typically "hate" the other teams because they're living/working around fans of the other teams.
Regional versus National.
(07-14-2017 11:18 AM)HyperDuke Wrote: [ -> ]For us in FCS, the playoff run last year is the absolute best we could hope for outside of hosting the semifinal. I think we would have comparable excitement for a good regular season FBS home schedule with natural rivals.
So for me, the tipping point is that there is a chance at some post-season success IN ADDITION to the regular season games in FBS. For us in FCS, last year is the best it can be. Not that it wasn't good, but the ceiling is just lower.
Agreed except would state:
"For us in FCS, the playoff run last year is the absolute best we could hope for outside of hosting better OOC than CCSU & Morehead and/or playing @ a powerhouse I-AA or 2 I-A (esp 12 game season) and hosting the semifinal."
While JMU has been ready, and should have already, moved up to G5, we could hope for more while still in I-AA besides hosting the semis. Some examples: UD is @ NDSU 2018 and hosting 2019. Montana and EWU have had a home and home with NDSU (NDSU @ EWU this season). YSU is in driving distance, etc, etc..
(07-14-2017 07:47 PM)HyperDuke Wrote: [ -> ]I agree BDK
I hate this, I agree also
(07-14-2017 05:13 PM)BDKJMU Wrote: [ -> ] (07-14-2017 11:18 AM)HyperDuke Wrote: [ -> ]For us in FCS, the playoff run last year is the absolute best we could hope for outside of hosting the semifinal. I think we would have comparable excitement for a good regular season FBS home schedule with natural rivals.
So for me, the tipping point is that there is a chance at some post-season success IN ADDITION to the regular season games in FBS. For us in FCS, last year is the best it can be. Not that it wasn't good, but the ceiling is just lower.
Agreed except would state:
"For us in FCS, the playoff run last year is the absolute best we could hope for outside of hosting better OOC than CCSU & Morehead and/or playing @ a powerhouse I-AA or 2 I-A (esp 12 game season) and hosting the semifinal."
While JMU has been ready, and should have already, moved up to G5, we could hope for more while still in I-AA besides hosting the semis. Some examples: UD is @ NDSU 2018 and hosting 2019. Montana and EWU have had a home and home with NDSU (NDSU @ EWU this season). YSU is in driving distance, etc, etc..
+ as far as this season:
-chance at a #1 or #2 seed.
-chance to become back to back national champs.
-chance to become the 1st JMU football team to go undefeated 15-0.
-chance to become the only 4th I-AA ever to go 15-0 (others were 89' GSU, 96' Marshall, 2013 NDSU).
-chance to become the 1st I-AA team ever to go 15-0 vs an All Div I schedule. The 3 above all played a Div 2, (+ GSU and Marshall didn't play a I-A).
Bottom line is JMU can accomplish a lot more next season than just hosting the semis..
Sure, but as a fan, those stat accomplishments don't juice me up more than playing games vs. FBS natural rivals.
"FCS is for students, FBS is for alumni", Ronald Carrier circa 1998
(07-15-2017 05:57 AM)Dukeman2 Wrote: [ -> ]"FCS is for students, FBS is for alumni", Ronald Carrier circa 1998
Uncle Ron really was forward thinking, given the terms "FCS" and "FBS" weren't used until 2006.
"I frequently lie in my daily life."
-Dukeman2
(07-13-2017 08:17 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote: [ -> ] (07-13-2017 07:46 PM)AppManDG Wrote: [ -> ]I pushed for a move back to 1A/ FBS since we were kicked down in 1982. The folks I know think it was the best thing that has ever happened to App. You never hear the SoCon mentioned any more and most couldn't tell you who won it last year. There was a lot of brainwashing done by the Borkowski/Laney administration. Thei8r main fear factor points were we would have to cut sports, which we haven't. Would have to raise student fees excessively, hasn't happened. Most importantly would have to sacrifice academics in order to attract the talent to play FBS. Just the opposite has been true. 2016 class ave GPA was 3.53 & 2017 was 3.47. Jerry Moore pushed anti-moveup rhetoric out of selfish reasons of wanting to keep his job. When he was shown the door it split fan base. It was a rocky start and a lot of "I told you so's" were being tossed around. However, since half way through the '15 season we're 28-5 with 3 coming to National Runner up Clemson, # 9 Tennessee (in OT) & #25 Miami. These days the naysayers are nowhere to be found. Without question it's the best thing we've ever done.
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But, have you been successful?
If you believe App St is not successful, what would App St have to accomplish to be successful? Of course they have been successful.