....for taking the Texas State job, giving Mike Houston the opportunity to blow the doors off of every FCS opponent we faced this season.

I know things are not going so great down there is San Marcos. I mean, c'mon, you lose to 3-9 New Mexico State, which is basically a high school, 50-10, and you gots problems.

I hope you will accept my undying gratitude as some consolation, however small, for your incredibly poor decision.

I thank you, my children thank you, and their children thank you!

Go, Dukes!

In fairness to his non coaching contributions, he did modernize our program. Alpha Dogs, use of social media and I believe he ushered in the Video Coordinator position as well.

(01-11-2017 11:30 PM)olddawg Wrote:  In fairness to his non coaching contributions, he did modernize our program. Alpha Dogs, use of social media and I believe he ushered in the Video Coordinator position as well.

Points taken. However, Withers would NEVER have brought a national championship to JMU in 2017. NEVER!

(01-11-2017 11:48 PM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(01-11-2017 11:30 PM)olddawg Wrote:  In fairness to his non coaching contributions, he did modernize our program. Alpha Dogs, use of social media and I believe he ushered in the Video Coordinator position as well.

Points taken. However, Withers would NEVER have brought a national championship to JMU in 2017. NEVER!

Never as in we will never know...let it go dude.
Withers did a lot for JMU, just let it go.

(01-12-2017 03:11 AM)Jmubarkers Wrote:  

(01-11-2017 11:48 PM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(01-11-2017 11:30 PM)olddawg Wrote:  In fairness to his non coaching contributions, he did modernize our program. Alpha Dogs, use of social media and I believe he ushered in the Video Coordinator position as well.

Points taken. However, Withers would NEVER have brought a national championship to JMU in 2017. NEVER!

Never as in we will never know...let it go dude.
Withers did a lot for JMU, just let it go.

As in did a lot to turn our defense into the laughing stock of football.

In all seriousness, he brought some good energy to the program, improved our offensive system, and brought in some good recruits and transfers, but it's baffling to me how bad our defense was under his leadership with all the talent we had. That and the first round playoff exits against Liberty and Colgate....

(01-12-2017 07:04 AM)atljmualum Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 03:11 AM)Jmubarkers Wrote:  

(01-11-2017 11:48 PM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(01-11-2017 11:30 PM)olddawg Wrote:  In fairness to his non coaching contributions, he did modernize our program. Alpha Dogs, use of social media and I believe he ushered in the Video Coordinator position as well.

Points taken. However, Withers would NEVER have brought a national championship to JMU in 2017. NEVER!

Never as in we will never know...let it go dude.
Withers did a lot for JMU, just let it go.

As in did a lot to turn our defense into the laughing stock of football.

In all seriousness, he brought some good energy to the program, improved our offensive system, and brought in some good recruits and transfers, but it's baffling to me how bad our defense was under his leadership with all the talent we had. That and the first round playoff exits against Liberty and Colgate....

It wasn't baffling when you take a closer look at the youth and inexperience Withers brought in as Assistant Coaches, and how he treated MM's recruits. For example, I recall that during his first season Withers buried Gage Steele on the depth chart. Withers, and Withers alone, was responsible for turning a potentially stout D into a complete and total mess...one which Mike Houston recognized as a major problem primarily because it had begun to create a divided locker room of O vs. D. Had Withers stayed, that division alone would have blown up this season and would have kept the team from realizing it's true potential.

Withers does not have favorable things to say about the administration at JMU; that is something that I wish could be changed.

Withers will long be the brunt of many jokes and lots of JMU people will dislike him for the way he left us under the veil of night on Jan 6 2016. When Houston bolts for greater pastures, everyone in the JMU nation will praise him and thank him for his time here.... you know... assuming he's here for at least as much time as EW was. It'll be interesting to see the dynamic I think.

(01-12-2017 08:29 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Withers will long be the brunt of many jokes and lots of JMU people will dislike him for the way he left us under the veil of night on Jan 6 2016. When Houston bolts for greater pastures, everyone in the JMU nation will praise him and thank him for his time here.... you know... assuming he's here for at least as much time as EW was. It'll be interesting to see the dynamic I think.

Winning a National Championship has that effect.

(01-12-2017 08:35 AM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:29 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Withers will long be the brunt of many jokes and lots of JMU people will dislike him for the way he left us under the veil of night on Jan 6 2016. When Houston bolts for greater pastures, everyone in the JMU nation will praise him and thank him for his time here.... you know... assuming he's here for at least as much time as EW was. It'll be interesting to see the dynamic I think.

Winning a National Championship has that effect.

True. Had we lost to NDSU or YSU, I wonder if it would have been the same thing though? I think it's just the attitude, and a deep playoff run that have done wonders... the feeling that he's done more in less time. I'm sour over the way Withers left, but he did us a LOT of good while he was here. We're much better off because of having him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsPq9mzFNGY

Everything's that's broke, Leave it to the breeze

(Ironically our Breeze has already covered what was broke...!)

(01-12-2017 08:07 AM)Dukeman2 Wrote:  Withers does not have favorable things to say about the administration at JMU; that is something that I wish could be changed.

What were his gripes? Aside from the big one where he probably had the FBS carrot dangled in front of him, seemed like he got everything he wanted. But if that were his sole reason for coming here, I hardly blame him for leaving. Turned out great for us.

I heard he was at the game Sat. I saw some of his staff there.

(01-12-2017 08:45 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:35 AM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:29 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Withers will long be the brunt of many jokes and lots of JMU people will dislike him for the way he left us under the veil of night on Jan 6 2016. When Houston bolts for greater pastures, everyone in the JMU nation will praise him and thank him for his time here.... you know... assuming he's here for at least as much time as EW was. It'll be interesting to see the dynamic I think.

Winning a National Championship has that effect.

True. Had we lost to NDSU or YSU, I wonder if it would have been the same thing though? I think it's just the attitude, and a deep playoff run that have done wonders... the feeling that he's done more in less time. I'm sour over the way Withers left, but he did us a LOT of good while he was here. We're much better off because of having him.

^ This what Deez Said above truly encompasses my feeling about EW.
He may not have provided what we got from MH this year but he added SOME aspects to our program which we as a University, a Football Team,and Fan Base have capitalized on and have now taken to the next level.
We all may not be happy with how he left or how he conducted himself in press conferences or other aspects but some of his contributions did lead to where we are today...He used us as stepping stone to greater things for him personally and we used him to some extent as a stepping stone to GREATER THINGS also.
Time to move on from EW and Build on what wonderful opportunities we have now!

(01-12-2017 11:02 AM)Flyrod Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:45 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:35 AM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:29 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Withers will long be the brunt of many jokes and lots of JMU people will dislike him for the way he left us under the veil of night on Jan 6 2016. When Houston bolts for greater pastures, everyone in the JMU nation will praise him and thank him for his time here.... you know... assuming he's here for at least as much time as EW was. It'll be interesting to see the dynamic I think.

Winning a National Championship has that effect.

True. Had we lost to NDSU or YSU, I wonder if it would have been the same thing though? I think it's just the attitude, and a deep playoff run that have done wonders... the feeling that he's done more in less time. I'm sour over the way Withers left, but he did us a LOT of good while he was here. We're much better off because of having him.

^ This what Deez Said above truly encompasses my feeling about EW.
He may not have provided what we got from MH this year but he added SOME aspects to our program which we as a University, a Football Team,and Fan Base have capitalized on and have now taken to the next level.
We all may not be happy with how he left or how he conducted himself in press conferences or other aspects but some of his contributions did lead to where we are today...He used us as stepping stone to greater things for him personally and we used him to some extent as a stepping stone to GREATER THINGS also.
Time to move on from EW and Build on what wonderful opportunities we have now!

JMU needed a breath of fresh air and EW provided it. Glad we got some better smelling air with Coach Houston now though!

(01-12-2017 11:04 AM)JMUTrippster Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 11:02 AM)Flyrod Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:45 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:35 AM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:29 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Withers will long be the brunt of many jokes and lots of JMU people will dislike him for the way he left us under the veil of night on Jan 6 2016. When Houston bolts for greater pastures, everyone in the JMU nation will praise him and thank him for his time here.... you know... assuming he's here for at least as much time as EW was. It'll be interesting to see the dynamic I think.

Winning a National Championship has that effect.

True. Had we lost to NDSU or YSU, I wonder if it would have been the same thing though? I think it's just the attitude, and a deep playoff run that have done wonders... the feeling that he's done more in less time. I'm sour over the way Withers left, but he did us a LOT of good while he was here. We're much better off because of having him.

^ This what Deez Said above truly encompasses my feeling about EW.
He may not have provided what we got from MH this year but he added SOME aspects to our program which we as a University, a Football Team,and Fan Base have capitalized on and have now taken to the next level.
We all may not be happy with how he left or how he conducted himself in press conferences or other aspects but some of his contributions did lead to where we are today...He used us as stepping stone to greater things for him personally and we used him to some extent as a stepping stone to GREATER THINGS also.
Time to move on from EW and Build on what wonderful opportunities we have now!

JMU needed a breath of fresh air and EW provided it. Glad we got some better smelling air with Coach Houston now though!

So very true my friend!

Withers brought in some great recruiting classes. Mike Houston came into a program that had the athletes to win a National Championship. Mike Houston got the most out of those athletes and Withers wasn't able to in two years. Withers help set the table for this Championship no matter how much you may dislike him.

(01-12-2017 11:08 AM)CarRamrod Wrote:  Withers brought in some great recruiting classes. Mike Houston came into a program that had the athletes to win a National Championship. Mike Houston got the most out of those athletes and Withers wasn't able to in two years. Withers help set the table for this Championship no matter how much you may dislike him.

BDK- Where are your recruiting stats? I know you have presented them (can't find them now) but less than half the starters are EW recruits right?

(01-12-2017 10:47 AM)olddawg Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 08:07 AM)Dukeman2 Wrote:  Withers does not have favorable things to say about the administration at JMU; that is something that I wish could be changed.

What were his gripes? Aside from the big one where he probably had the FBS carrot dangled in front of him, seemed like he got everything he wanted. But if that were his sole reason for coming here, I hardly blame him for leaving. Turned out great for us.

We have group short term memory. There were many of this board claiming the Withers hire was evidence that JMU was moving to a 1A.
conference.

Maybe it was...at the time. Situations like this are fluid.