When this team wins most of the people on this board think we are going to win the MAC championship and when this team loses its a complete meltdown and the team is the worst in the history of college football. Here is the truth, from the beginning of the season this was expected to be a 5 win team and that is if they played well.
EMU won 0 games two years ago and 2 last year. When Genyk left this team was in disaray. The program had several transfers and the defense was terrible. For the last 15 years EMU has been incapable of recruiting defensive players which always resulted in the team being ranking in the bottom ten in the country on defense. Ron English has started to change that, players like Cudworth, Kurtz, Poole, Thomas and Pollard are a step in the right direction but guess what we aren't there yet.
The biggest mistake anyone has made was to think that after a 2-0 start against FCS teams that we were a MAC contender. The second biggest mistake was thinking that this program would be rebuilt in year 3. I enjoy watching this team, I support our coaching staff and I know this team is headed in the right direction because of the recruits that are committing to EMU, the strength and conditioning program and because the atmosphere has changed since Genyk left.
This is a division 1 BCS program now, but guess what 20 years of losing doesn't change over night. We have the players to win 4-6 games, next year perhaps 6-7 and them maybe we can contend for a mac championship. In the meantime, support these kids, these coaches and EMU because I honestly wonder if some of you ever played or watched football before this year. Our depth isn't where it should be to compete with teams like Toledo and top tier MAC programs, but it will be and I look forward to that season. Until then Go Eagles.
Dear emdypo,
I certainly did not believe we would be contending for the MAC championship this year, and I didn't think we would beat Toledo this year, however, you have to remember that even though we lost to U-M, and Pennsylvania State, most of us thought Eastern competed rather well, so the blow-out at Toledo was a shock.
Maybe some of us are judging the team and the coaching staff, to a higher standard, but that is also, what most of us expected, especially as the season started to unfold.
I've said it before, I do not expect that Eastern should win every game they play, however, I do expect them to be competitive. By that, I mean no blow-outs, play calling that let's us have a chance at winning, and coaches that know what needs to be accomplished.
(10-10-2011 11:15 AM)emdypo Wrote: [ -> ]When this team wins most of the people on this board think we are going to win the MAC championship and when this team loses its a complete meltdown and the team is the worst in the history of college football. Here is the truth, from the beginning of the season this was expected to be a 5 win team and that is if they played well.
EMU won 0 games two years ago and 2 last year. When Genyk left this team was in disaray. The program had several transfers and the defense was terrible. For the last 15 years EMU has been incapable of recruiting defensive players which always resulted in the team being ranking in the bottom ten in the country on defense. Ron English has started to change that, players like Cudworth, Kurtz, Poole, Thomas and Pollard are a step in the right direction but guess what we aren't there yet.
The biggest mistake anyone has made was to think that after a 2-0 start against FCS teams that we were a MAC contender. The second biggest mistake was thinking that this program would be rebuilt in year 3. I enjoy watching this team, I support our coaching staff and I know this team is headed in the right direction because of the recruits that are committing to EMU, the strength and conditioning program and because the atmosphere has changed since Genyk left.
This is a division 1 BCS program now, but guess what 20 years of losing doesn't change over night. We have the players to win 4-6 games, next year perhaps 6-7 and them maybe we can contend for a mac championship. In the meantime, support these kids, these coaches and EMU because I honestly wonder if some of you ever played or watched football before this year. Our depth isn't where it should be to compete with teams like Toledo and top tier MAC programs, but it will be and I look forward to that season. Until then Go Eagles.
When this team wins most of the people on this board think we are going to win the MAC championship and when this team loses its a complete meltdown and the team is the worst in the history of college football.
But is this not what fans does who love their team? I really enjoy when fans voices their thoughts, concerns, and ideas, it’s healthy for the football-soul 
. Do we want this thread to be the type of threads where everyone just sit back and not share their thoughts and views?
This is the internet version or sitting at the sport bar (with beers) and debating a game and what we would do. Ask any sport fan who love their team and I am sure they are doing the same things that we are doing. 
We as Cubs/Soxs fans sometimes call this the “Only If” syndrome. “Only If” we had a better player at this position, “Only If” we had a better coach, “Only If” we had play this type of ball etc.. Please don’t read too much into this other then we want and expect better for this team and we will push the envelope sometimes.
Here is the truth, from the beginning of the season this was expected to be a 5 win team and that is if they played well.
Many people, (including myself) expected at least 6-7 wins this year. It is still doable. 
EMU won 0 games two years ago and 2 last year. When Genyk left this team was in disaray. The program had several transfers and the defense was terrible. For the last 15 years EMU has been incapable of recruiting defensive players which always resulted in the team being ranking in the bottom ten in the country on defense. Ron English has started to change that, players like Cudworth, Kurtz, Poole, Thomas and Pollard are a step in the right direction but guess what we aren't there yet.
These are great points, the reason why RE is doing such a good job is because he wants to contend now and win now and is same message he is saying to the media, saying to recruits, telling the players and saying to the fans… RE is not lowering the bar and he needs help in keeping the bar up, he arms must be getting tired of holding it up.
:ncaabbs:
The biggest mistake anyone has made was to think that after a 2-0 start against FCS teams that we were a MAC contender. The second biggest mistake was thinking that this program would be rebuilt in year 3. (Because we are fans)
I enjoy watching this team, I support our coaching staff and I know this team is headed in the right direction because of the recruits that are committing to EMU, the strength and conditioning program and because the atmosphere has changed since Genyk left.
Again great points and there are no debating the commits are there and coming, the strength and conditioning is better but the atmosphere with the fans has not changed i.e.. cheeks in the seats.
This is a division 1 BCS program now, but guess what 20 years of losing doesn't change over night. We have the players to win 4-6 games, next year perhaps 6-7 and them maybe we can contend for a mac championship. In the meantime, support these kids, these coaches and EMU because I honestly wonder if some of you ever played or watched football before this year. Our depth isn't where it should be to compete with teams like Toledo and top tier MAC programs, but it will be and I look forward to that season. Until then Go Eagles.
Again, well written and I support your thoughts, but lets not accept anything less then 6 wins this year. I think everyone support the kids and the coaches but this does not mean we have to like how they are performing.. Look at our government, we support them but we may disagree on their policies and positions on issues. Okay, I am off-my-soapbox 
Genyk did not leave this team in disarray. Firing Genyk left the program in disarray. If you want to really see what disarray and despondency look like, go back to the merciful end of the Woodruff era. That was a rebuilding project.
Truthfully, right now, I would take the Rasnick era over this.
Look, nobody here has unrealistic expectations for this program. I said earlier I had been following this program for 25 years and realize it's over 30 years ... damn I'm getting old ...but the warning signs have been here since Day 1 of the English era and this year's results have done nothing to engender significant optimism. A 14-7 win over a mid-level FCS school? A MAC win over what is probably the worst FBS program in the nation and blowout loss against an admittedly good Toledo team. But the MAC blowout losses have been too many and too frequent.
Nobody expected a MAC title this season, but this program should be further along than it is and we should not have to continually accept less-than-mediocre.
At this stage of English's program, wins are nice but more important is how the team competes against the upper tier of the conference. It is a measuring stick to see exactly where the program is.
My hopes (and expectations) prior to the season were simple:
1. Win the games you should. Mission accomplished so far.
2. Compete and play hard, don't get embarrassed vs the non-conference powers. Check. I am more than satisfied with the U-M, PSU games.
3. Compete against the upper-tier MAC teams, in-state rivals. 0 for 1 so far there.
Obviously, U-M and PSU have built in advantages and way bigger budgets than EMU, but what advantage does Toledo have? WMU or CMU? Our budgets are all in the same ballpark. We're all generally targeting the same type of recruit. We need to compete every year with those teams. No more excuses! People here have such low expectations, they're ok with a 54-16 loss to a conference rival, as long as we eek out a 2 point win against Ball State in front of 2,133 fans. That losing culture has got to change.