The bottom was yanked-up a little last year. UAB will not be as bad as SMU was. This isn't the SWC. FIU and FAU will improve. I'm certain of it.
Marshall goes as Litton goes. WKU would be a mess if they lost White. If Stockstill is going to do it, it's this season and next. Hope he finds a defense.

(07-29-2017 10:35 AM)HogDawg Wrote:  

(07-29-2017 10:28 AM)jcduncan13 Wrote:  

(07-29-2017 10:26 AM)HogDawg Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 03:50 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I am going to go a little ways out on a limb and predict that UAB does significantly better than most believe, with no less than five wins -- coming from Alabama A&M, North Texas, Rice, UTEP and a team to be named later.

No way. I live in Dallas, and I watched SMU struggle for 2 decades to try to come back from a 2-yr death penalty (one year by the NCAA and one year self imposed). And SMU had a lot going for it that UAB simply does not.

In addition to being academically superior to UAB, SMU had big time supporters with a lot of money & political clout. I dare say much more than UAB's small number of supporters. SMU also had a very long football tradition of winning 3 national championships, 11 SWC championships and numerous BIG TIME bowl games (Cotton Bowls, Rose Bowls, etc...). SMU competed at the very highest Div 1A level.

During their comeback, SMU also invested in BRAND new facilities, and hired some of the best coaches in the world, such as Forrest Gregg from the Green Bay Packers.

And despite all of these "advantages", SMU still only managed to win 2 games (UCONN & UNT) in their first year back (in 1989). The next year -in 1990-- SMU won only 1 game, over Vanderbilt. In year 3, the Mustangs won 1 game (over Tulane). And so it went.......

Essentially, UAB is attempting to come back from a self imposed "death penalty", but without most --if not all-- of these advantages. Make no mistake, it's likely going to be much tougher than most UAB fans realize at this point.

SMU played all freshmen...

Mostly true. According to this article, 73 of the 89 were freshmen.

http://www.smumustangs.com/news/2009/9/1...t_5th.aspx

But how good can most of UAB's players be after sitting out 2 years?

If they were merely sitting... Not very good at all.

(07-29-2017 10:26 AM)HogDawg Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 03:50 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I am going to go a little ways out on a limb and predict that UAB does significantly better than most believe, with no less than five wins -- coming from Alabama A&M, North Texas, Rice, UTEP and a team to be named later.

No way. I live in Dallas, and I watched SMU struggle for 2 decades to try to come back from a 2-yr death penalty (one year by the NCAA and one year self imposed). And SMU had a lot going for it that UAB simply does not.

In addition to being academically superior to UAB, SMU had big time supporters with a lot of money & political clout. I dare say much more than UAB's small number of supporters. SMU also had a very long football tradition of winning 3 national championships, 11 SWC championships and numerous BIG TIME bowl games (Cotton Bowls, Rose Bowls, etc...). SMU competed at the very highest Div 1A level.

During their comeback, SMU also invested in BRAND new facilities, and hired some of the best coaches in the world, such as Forrest Gregg from the Green Bay Packers.

And despite all of these "advantages", SMU still only managed to win 2 games (UCONN & UNT) in their first year back (in 1989). The next year -in 1990-- SMU won only 1 game, over Vanderbilt. In year 3, the Mustangs won 1 game (over Tulane). And so it went.......

Essentially, UAB is attempting to come back from a self imposed "death penalty", but without most --if not all-- of these advantages. While it's true that UAB's schedule might not be as tough as SMU's was back in the day, make no mistake, it's likely going to be much tougher than most UAB fans realize at this point.

Good post and info on SMU but there is one big difference between UAB and SMU losing their programs for a while - SMU was cheating and UAB just got in way of the Tide machine in Bama. I will be pulling for UAB to get better sooner rather than later and pulling for them in all games except against the Dawgs of course. The Bama program is everything that is wrong with college football.

(07-29-2017 11:17 AM)nastybunch Wrote:  Yes, with the recruiting advantages UAB has had, ...

I see someone has their excuses already lined up.

(07-27-2017 02:34 PM)Old Dominion Wrote:  All that while carrying F_U dead wood.

I like them fighting words from a 3-year FBS program. ODU's record against the "dead wood"? 4-2.

BTW, on that cross-divisional "smack talk"...

FAU's 2016 record against C-USA East? 0-6. FAU's 2016 record against C-USA West? 2-0.

(07-31-2017 12:49 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  BTW, on that cross-divisional "smack talk"...

FAU's 2016 record against C-USA East? 0-6. FAU's 2016 record against C-USA West? 2-0.

You played Rice and UTEP. Next?

Anyone that wants the same "recruiting advantages" are more than welcome to shut their program down for two years and pay the millions UAB fans had to cover those costs.

Be my guest.

(07-31-2017 01:46 PM)techdawg28 Wrote:  

(07-31-2017 12:49 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  BTW, on that cross-divisional "smack talk"...

FAU's 2016 record against C-USA East? 0-6. FAU's 2016 record against C-USA West? 2-0.

You played Rice and UTEP. Next?

Whether you like it or not, FAU is in its divisional cellar, as well as Rice and UTEP are in theirs. A very instructive match-up.

(08-01-2017 06:42 AM)goliath74 Wrote:  

(07-31-2017 01:46 PM)techdawg28 Wrote:  

(07-31-2017 12:49 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  BTW, on that cross-divisional "smack talk"...

FAU's 2016 record against C-USA East? 0-6. FAU's 2016 record against C-USA West? 2-0.

You played Rice and UTEP. Next?

Whether you like it or not, FAU is in its divisional cellar, as well as Rice and UTEP are in theirs. A very instructive match-up.

You make a good point.

We didn't shut your program down...you did this yourselves.

Please show me where I said YOU shut our program down. At least wait until you lose before you whine.

(08-01-2017 01:53 PM)nastybunch Wrote:  We didn't shut your program down...you did this yourselves.

Doubling down I see. Go ahead and say it. We know you want to. We cheated. Didn't need to cheat the last time we beat you. Don't need to cheat this time either. Although, you're going to swear we cloned Jordan Howard or brought him back as a ringer after the beat down.

Go Blazers!
It's an easy pick to go along with everybody else.
What happened at UAB has never happened before.
We have much to prove!

(07-29-2017 08:39 PM)winston70 Wrote:  

(07-29-2017 10:26 AM)HogDawg Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 03:50 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I am going to go a little ways out on a limb and predict that UAB does significantly better than most believe, with no less than five wins -- coming from Alabama A&M, North Texas, Rice, UTEP and a team to be named later.

No way. I live in Dallas, and I watched SMU struggle for 2 decades to try to come back from a 2-yr death penalty (one year by the NCAA and one year self imposed). And SMU had a lot going for it that UAB simply does not.

In addition to being academically superior to UAB, SMU had big time supporters with a lot of money & political clout. I dare say much more than UAB's small number of supporters. SMU also had a very long football tradition of winning 3 national championships, 11 SWC championships and numerous BIG TIME bowl games (Cotton Bowls, Rose Bowls, etc...). SMU competed at the very highest Div 1A level.

During their comeback, SMU also invested in BRAND new facilities, and hired some of the best coaches in the world, such as Forrest Gregg from the Green Bay Packers.

And despite all of these "advantages", SMU still only managed to win 2 games (UCONN & UNT) in their first year back (in 1989). The next year -in 1990-- SMU won only 1 game, over Vanderbilt. In year 3, the Mustangs won 1 game (over Tulane). And so it went.......

Essentially, UAB is attempting to come back from a self imposed "death penalty", but without most --if not all-- of these advantages. While it's true that UAB's schedule might not be as tough as SMU's was back in the day, make no mistake, it's likely going to be much tougher than most UAB fans realize at this point.

Good post and info on SMU but there is one big difference between UAB and SMU losing their programs for a while - SMU was cheating and UAB just got in way of the Tide machine in Bama. I will be pulling for UAB to get better sooner rather than later and pulling for them in all games except against the Dawgs of course. The Bama program is everything that is wrong with college football.

There is certainly a big difference in terms of rooting interest. The reason for the shut-down, and much more importantly, the fact that we share a conference with UAB. We should all be pulling for UAB OOC. In conference, obviously we'll all want them to lose to our teams - and past that I'm not sure why a fan of another school would much care (outside of very specific year to year situational things like division races or getting more teams in a bowl or something).

I'm rooting hard for UAB to be a functional football program as quickly as possible. And I'll be rooting for 4-0 OOC for them every year. But I don't much care whether they beat Rice or FIU or UTEP or whatever. And I always want them to lose to the Dawgs.

Well, one thing we still know, UAB still has the same 4 or 5 ******* fans they had before they put themselves to sleep a couple of years ago....lol. You boys don't ever learn do you. You guys have never gotten over the 70-14 butt whipping have you. It was especially sweet that it was your team we massacred to end our 23 game losing streak.

(08-01-2017 08:19 PM)nastybunch Wrote:  Well, one thing we still know, UAB still has the same 4 or 5 ******* fans they had before they put themselves to sleep a couple of years ago....lol. You boys don't ever learn do you. You guys have never gotten over the 70-14 butt whipping have you. It was especially sweet that it was your team we massacred to end our 23 game losing streak.

Dude...we beat you guys last game 45-24. We've also never gone 0-12.

That's nice...now, back to what we were talking about.

(08-01-2017 08:39 PM)nastybunch Wrote:  That's nice...now, back to what we were talking about.

You guys gonna beat Kentucky again? I hope you guys do.

If we have a QB that is serviceable, we will beat them again....