well we are the most northern of the southern schools, OR one could say we are the most southern of the northern schools.....just so happens that we associate more with the south.

we have a lot of kids on our team from florida and ga. i'm sure they appreciate not having to practice in the snow.

it has come in handy the most when preparing for bowl games and spring practice. bowl practice is when winter is starting to kick in around here and we get a lot of thunderstorms in the spring. can't practice with lightning. there used to be times where practice had to be moved to indoors just to get any type of practice in. this alleviates that problem.

(07-20-2015 08:41 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  There are a few places in this nation where an indoor practice field is a necessity. Charlotte, NC is not one of them. Most of the Southeast isn't either. Unfortunately, this is more about impressing 17 year-olds than practicality.

Are indoor facilities eye candy for recruits, absolutely. But in Huntington is almost a need. Come spring ball in April it can be hot and humid 85 degrees, raining or lightning. And the next day it could be 35 degrees and 6 inches of snow on the ground. Year before last Marshall had to cancel spring practice outside 7 times, spring practice can't be canceled and made up, its just a lost day.

(07-20-2015 07:57 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  Rice doesn't need an indoor practice facility being that it's located in Houston, but it is constructing an endzone facility right now. There are plans to renovate the entire stadium in "phase 2" of the project. The specifics of the project are supposed to be released by the end of the year. We're very excited down here in Houston.

The rare times we decided we did want to use an indoor facility (for whatever reason) we would all just drive a few miles down the road to the Texans' facility. It was a trip seeing a line of pickups loaded with full-gear guys going down Main Street.

(07-20-2015 08:41 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  There are a few places in this nation where an indoor practice field is a necessity. Charlotte, NC is not one of them. Most of the Southeast isn't either. Unfortunately, this is more about impressing 17 year-olds than practicality.

Right. UH has one, but they don't need it other than for the reason you suggest

It's an arms race, nothing more.

the gulf coast schools need them simply because of the weather - rain and lightning force you inside. the one memphis is building incorporates a new 2 story coaches building and athletic cafeteria. the new basketball practice facility will get all sports onto the murphy center and all sports will use that cafeteria for their meal plans.

i will tell one story as a mississippi fan told me when i asked why they were building their IPF - "its a good way to hide stuff like individual tryouts and off season workouts that we shouldnt be doing"

(07-20-2015 02:42 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  It's an arms race, nothing more.

Precisely!

I think it would hurt our conditioning. I mean, if you can get through three weeks of two-a-days in the sweltering Houston heat without dying, you're ready to play anyone.

Upgraded facilities never hurt. It's only one player, but this Middle TN prospect lists facilities as a factor.

Clarksville High’s Poydras commits to play at Memphis

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/story/sp.../30544789/

Quote:“I really liked MTSU,” Poydras said. “They showed a ton of interest in me and I really respect the coaching staff down in Murfreesboro.”

Quote:“You look at that team and how they played last year and their facilities, and it was an easy decision,” Poydras said. “They finished in the Top 25 at the end of the season and shows you that they are on the rise.”

(07-23-2015 08:55 AM)gulfcoastgal Wrote:  Upgraded facilities never hurt. It's only one player, but this Middle TN prospect lists facilities as a factor.

Clarksville High’s Poydras commits to play at Memphis

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/story/sp.../30544789/

Quote:“I really liked MTSU,” Poydras said. “They showed a ton of interest in me and I really respect the coaching staff down in Murfreesboro.”

Quote:“You look at that team and how they played last year and their facilities, and it was an easy decision,” Poydras said. “They finished in the Top 25 at the end of the season and shows you that they are on the rise.”

Facilities? You guys don't even have your own stadium.

The article mentions the IPF. If anyone cares, the LB has had a ton of money pumped into it over the last few years. The new pres. has also targeted upgrading gameday experiences and adding seat backs in the last few interviews.

I didn't attend Memphis just lived there after college for a while. Not really sure why so many get hung up on the LB being off campus. I attended a B1G school for my undergraduate degree and walked further from my dorm to the "on campus" stadium than it is from the UofM campus to the LB. The cheap rent and maintenance savings also make it workable for now...though one would think with all the upgrades and fundraising success the university has had lately that an on campus stadium would eventually become attractive.

The FAU vs Miami game was a win from one very big standpoint. 7 Million dollars were pledged on Saturday night towards our new IPF and Academic center. That brings the total donations up to 23 Million to date.

(09-15-2015 09:42 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  The FAU vs Miami game was a win from one very big standpoint. 7 Million dollars were pledged on Saturday night towards our new IPF and Academic center. That brings the total donations up to 23 Million to date.

awesome.

Was that from a collection of donors or one big donation?

Here is Marshall's Indoor Practice Facility/Track:

(09-15-2015 09:50 AM)Niner National Wrote:  awesome.

Was that from a collection of donors or one big donation?

4 Donations total

1 for 5 Million
1 for 1 Million
2 for 500K

Were very happy to see this. After the initial announcement of the facility and the 16 Million pledge by the Schmidt Family we hadnt heard a word about any other donations and were beginning to get concerned. This shows that FAU has been greaseing the wheels and wanted to make an impact.

(09-15-2015 10:40 AM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  Here is Marshall's Indoor Practice Facility/Track:

Mighty fine shed you boys have there. You can put a couple of lawn movers in that one.

Were still in the drawing board phase as far as I know but here is what the layout should look like.

(07-20-2015 08:41 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  There are a few places in this nation where an indoor practice field is a necessity. Charlotte, NC is not one of them. Most of the Southeast isn't either. Unfortunately, this is more about impressing 17 year-olds than practicality.

actually as an ole miss friend told me after they built their's, its a lot about being able to hide recruit workouts, secret off recruiting window visits and stuff like that. those things make great secret forts.

(09-15-2015 11:48 AM)tigerjeb Wrote:  

(07-20-2015 08:41 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  There are a few places in this nation where an indoor practice field is a necessity. Charlotte, NC is not one of them. Most of the Southeast isn't either. Unfortunately, this is more about impressing 17 year-olds than practicality.

actually as an ole miss friend told me after they built their's, its a lot about being able to hide recruit workouts, secret off recruiting window visits and stuff like that. those things make great secret forts.

For us being in the lightning capital of the world it will help tremendously. I cant even begin to count how many times practice was moved up, moved back, or simply cancelled due to lightning storms.

Hasn't even been discussed at USM. "Building stuff" is apparently not part of our strategy