(12-02-2018 10:35 AM)HMK Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 01:24 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  

(12-01-2018 10:38 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Guess we should be pissy and ***** and moan about everything then. Everything sucks, we never do anything right, we got left behind, we didn’t get enough whatever for our whocares...

Good grief. Give it a rest for 5 minutes.

Good point OJF JR. The last five years are the best consecutive five in JMU history and by a wide margin. I remember the days when we just hoped to make the playoffs. Then we prayed for just one playoff win. JMU has at least 9 wins in every year over the last five seasons. That is an incredible run. The only team with a better run is NDSU.

The anger and whiney crap some of you post is embarrassing. It’s no wonder other fan bases don’t like us. JMU will likely be in the top 12 maybe 10 in the final poll this year with almost no Seniors. If you are pissed about a second round loss, then I say you have become incredibly spoiled and need to wake the bleep up.

I am disappointed and frustrated with the loss today because it was a game we could have won. There is room for improvement but it was a good season that just came up a bit short.

Thanks, great posts! Many of us are thankful for last 5 years and expect the future to be just as exciting!

I am on the side of being thankful (especially for what Houston has done) as well. A National Championship, a runner-up finish as well as making the playoffs this season. He and his staff took a crappy E. Withers defense and with almost all the same players made them into a championship D. This was supposed to be a semi rebuilding year (especially after losing both starting stud safeties to graduation along with other defenders, Robinson's injury, losing Schor to graduation, etc. etc.). D was still stout for the most part this season. Offense had it's ups and downs. I for one am still hoping he will stay at JMU.

(12-02-2018 10:24 AM)Purple Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 08:22 AM)Potomac Wrote:  No matter what happens with our coaching situation, there has to be a QB battle in the off season. DiNucci did not earn the starting job this season with a 4 loss campaign.

Most of the losses stem back to his play being a major contributor to the losses. Two of them are solely on him (UNH and Colgate).

How the hell is UNH on Nooch. Remember, that's the game you got your wish. Nooch was yanked after like four plays and your heartthrob, Jesus Johnson, proceeded to stink up the field. And that is on Nooch? Really?

Did you seem to forget him spotting UNH a quick 14-0 lead? Think what you want, it doesn't change the fact that loss is primarily on BD. Not exclusively, primarily.

(12-02-2018 05:33 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 02:23 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  At any position:
-Who is responsible for recruiting the players?
-Who is resonsible for naming the starter?
-Who is resonsible for developing & coaching that player up enough physically, mentally & mechanics wise so they can get the job done?
-If the player can’t get the job done, who is responsible for ensuring there is someone else inserted who can?

Bottom line, shortcomings at QB this season are 100% on MH. He is responsible for recruiting, developing, and coaching the players, and resonsible for ensuring there is an assistant to do the same.

The starting current QB has enough talent neck down. The ?? is neck up. If MH is coaching next year, he & Kirkpatrick are responsible for having a QB in there that gets the job done. If that doesn’t happen, thats on the the highly paid HC, not the young student athletes.

I think the only excuses for not having a player that gets the job done is injuries, or if a coach is in his 1st 2 seasons and the players are still majority not ones he recruited. But today @ Colgate were mostly MH recruited players. I thought Madia’s wallthrough podcast said only 7 players from the 2015 playoff losss to Colgte, Wither’s last game coached, were still on the team..

Agree with all points, but I'd like to add one, every QB has strengths and weaknesses, I continue to emphasize that we did not call plays and utilize players to the strength of Nooch. He doesn't have a strong arm, yet 90% of the pass plays were 8 - 10 yards to the sideline where the ball needed to travel 20 - 25 yards in the air. I believe we'd have been much more successful staying in the center of the field for the majority of the passing. It seems we had a lot more crossing patterns against NC State than all the other games.

Yep, agreed. I forgot to add mention the playcalling has to best utilize the strengths and weaknesses.

(12-02-2018 08:22 AM)Potomac Wrote:  No matter what happens with our coaching situation, there has to be a QB battle in the off season. DiNucci did not earn the starting job this season with a 4 loss campaign.

Most of the losses stem back to his play being a major contributor to the losses. Two of them are solely on him (UNH and Colgate).

The UNH and Colgate losses are 100% on MH. For an HC in his 3rd season he is responsible for:
-recruiting the QBs,
-coaching & developing them (hiring the assistants to do the same)
-instaling a QB as the starter.
-calling plays that play to the QB’s strengths & minimize his weaknesses.

If the QB fails facing equal to lesser talent,, that’s the HC’s fault for either not coaching & developing him better, or not having someone better to put in his place.

Bad QB play yesterday is 100% MH’s fault.

(12-02-2018 05:30 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 10:24 AM)Purple Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 08:22 AM)Potomac Wrote:  No matter what happens with our coaching situation, there has to be a QB battle in the off season. DiNucci did not earn the starting job this season with a 4 loss campaign.

Most of the losses stem back to his play being a major contributor to the losses. Two of them are solely on him (UNH and Colgate).

How the hell is UNH on Nooch. Remember, that's the game you got your wish. Nooch was yanked after like four plays and your heartthrob, Jesus Johnson, proceeded to stink up the field. And that is on Nooch? Really?

Did you seem to forget him spotting UNH a quick 14-0 lead? Think what you want, it doesn't change the fact that loss is primarily on BD. Not exclusively, primarily.

No, the loss is 100% on MH. See above.

(12-02-2018 05:53 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 05:30 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 10:24 AM)Purple Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 08:22 AM)Potomac Wrote:  No matter what happens with our coaching situation, there has to be a QB battle in the off season. DiNucci did not earn the starting job this season with a 4 loss campaign.

Most of the losses stem back to his play being a major contributor to the losses. Two of them are solely on him (UNH and Colgate).

How the hell is UNH on Nooch. Remember, that's the game you got your wish. Nooch was yanked after like four plays and your heartthrob, Jesus Johnson, proceeded to stink up the field. And that is on Nooch? Really?

Did you seem to forget him spotting UNH a quick 14-0 lead? Think what you want, it doesn't change the fact that loss is primarily on BD. Not exclusively, primarily.

No, the loss is 100% on MH. See above.

He spotted them 7. The Defense gave up a 40 yard drive for the first TD

(12-02-2018 05:47 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 05:33 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 02:23 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  At any position:
-Who is responsible for recruiting the players?
-Who is resonsible for naming the starter?
-Who is resonsible for developing & coaching that player up enough physically, mentally & mechanics wise so they can get the job done?
-If the player can’t get the job done, who is responsible for ensuring there is someone else inserted who can?

Bottom line, shortcomings at QB this season are 100% on MH. He is responsible for recruiting, developing, and coaching the players, and resonsible for ensuring there is an assistant to do the same.

The starting current QB has enough talent neck down. The ?? is neck up. If MH is coaching next year, he & Kirkpatrick are responsible for having a QB in there that gets the job done. If that doesn’t happen, thats on the the highly paid HC, not the young student athletes.

I think the only excuses for not having a player that gets the job done is injuries, or if a coach is in his 1st 2 seasons and the players are still majority not ones he recruited. But today @ Colgate were mostly MH recruited players. I thought Madia’s wallthrough podcast said only 7 players from the 2015 playoff losss to Colgte, Wither’s last game coached, were still on the team..

Agree with all points, but I'd like to add one, every QB has strengths and weaknesses, I continue to emphasize that we did not call plays and utilize players to the strength of Nooch. He doesn't have a strong arm, yet 90% of the pass plays were 8 - 10 yards to the sideline where the ball needed to travel 20 - 25 yards in the air. I believe we'd have been much more successful staying in the center of the field for the majority of the passing. It seems we had a lot more crossing patterns against NC State than all the other games.

Yep, agreed. I forgot to add mention the playcalling has to best utilize the strengths and weaknesses.

Agree....it seemed like for large portions of the season our coaches tried to shove a square peg into a round hole with some odd play calling. The play calling and games management at Colgate were very odd at times.

It was a very weird vibe watching the players on the sideline at Colgate. They were for sure giving 100% effort not questioning that whatsoever. I cannot blame players for this one given the circus type atmosphere surrounding the team as they prepared for this game. That is 100% on MH.

Players can rally around each other and an interim coach if a coach is fired or leaves.....but you cannot rally with a lame-duck HC with one foot already out the door.

Here's what sticks out to me: as horrific as the QB turnovers were, we only lost by 3 in the last few seconds of the game. Normally a few turnovers would be game over, but having 4+ (1 was at the half, so not really a back breaker) and still in position to win was really incredible.
That being said, I do blame MH for not pulling the plug on DiNucci earlier. He clearly was making some poor decisions and weren't getting better. Even if he had no intentions of benching him so soon, I would have benched him after one or maybe two and told him after a drive on the bench if he turned the ball over he was done for the day. I didn't think he deserved the long leash he was given.

(12-03-2018 11:30 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  Here's what sticks out to me: as horrific as the QB turnovers were, we only lost by 3 in the last few seconds of the game. Normally a few turnovers would be game over, but having 4+ (1 was at the half, so not really a back breaker) and still in position to win was really incredible.
That being said, I do blame MH for not pulling the plug on DiNucci earlier. He clearly was making some poor decisions and weren't getting better. Even if he had no intentions of benching him so soon, I would have benched him after one or maybe two and told him after a drive on the bench if he turned the ball over he was done for the day. I didn't think he deserved the long leash he was given.

I thought the most bizarre coaching decision all game was when they decided to put Gage in the game. I thought putting him in with our worst field position of the day, with our back against the goal line was a terrible idea. I wished they would've waited until the next drive with better field position. Put BD in for that drive and run the ball three times and punt. Putting a freshman in the game, cold, after standing on the sidelines, into the biggest game of the year with the ball at the 8 yard line was odd. Then they completely bailed on him after seeing him throw the ball away to avoid an interception deep on our end of the field.

Since so many agree that most of the responsibility of that ugly lose is on MH, the coach that everyone knew was leaving after our next loss; shouldn't that responsability be shared with the people or person that allowed him to travel with the team?

(12-04-2018 12:53 PM)RamDawg Wrote:  Since so many agree that most of the responsibility of that ugly lose is on MH, the coach that everyone knew was leaving after our next loss; shouldn't that responsability be shared with the people or person that allowed him to travel with the team?

Agree...in hind-sight Bourne should have named an interim coach (Trott/DK) to coach mid-last week and asked MH to leave early in the best interest of the student-athletes. I don't think MH wanted this to all become public but once it did he should have left when it was apparent he was leaving after the Colgate game win or lose.

Bourne wouldn't do that. He loves Mike Houston to death. Never would've happened. I do agree it might have been best for the team, but don't really think Houston deserved that. Houston made it clear with Charlotte he didn't want it getting out & they leaked it because they were scared JMU would be playing through 12/8 at least & they might miss having him for early signing day. Charlotte wanted it to move faster, but didn't have the nuts to do it professionally. Our anger should be directed at someone in the Charlotte athletics office who has no integrity.

(12-04-2018 01:22 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Bourne wouldn't do that. He loves Mike Houston to death. Never would've happened. I do agree it might have been best for the team, but don't really think Houston deserved that. Houston made it clear with Charlotte he didn't want it getting out & they leaked it because they were scared JMU would be playing through 12/8 at least & they might miss having him for early signing day. Charlotte wanted it to move faster, but didn't have the nuts to do it professionally. Our anger should be directed at someone in the Charlotte athletics office who has no integrity.

No anger and perhaps it was Charlotte's fault.....perhaps it was someone on MH's team/agent that really wanted to the ECU job and just used Charlotte to force ECU's hand....will never know the truth there.

But if did happen and at that point MH should have stepped up and stepped aside to avoid the distraction and Bourne should not have had to do it. And I don't give a darn how much Bourne love's MH, just as MH said this is all business at this point and it is Bourne's job to do what is best for his student-athlete's NOT what is best for Mike Houston (or that Mike did not deserve that) when it is crystal clear he is a lame-duck, with one foot out the door somewhere.

Oh, I'm not advocating that what happened was in the best interest of our team, just that Bourne loves Houston. It's quite obvious in the way they've allowed him to transition.

Not saying it's right. Just no way Bourne would have gotten rid of him.

(12-04-2018 03:35 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Oh, I'm not advocating that what happened was in the best interest of our team, just that Bourne loves Houston. It's quite obvious in the way they've allowed him to transition.

Not saying it's right. Just no way Bourne would have gotten rid of him.

Gotcha and I agree that is obvious. JMU and Bourne did not have to be jerks about the transition.....but it seems as if Bourne and the athletic dept bent over backward to be fair to Mike Houston. That is NOT their job he is an employee, nothing more as MH made crystal clear......the commitment should have been toward what was in the best interest of the student athletes period.

(12-02-2018 11:04 AM)formerjmusprinter84 Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 10:35 AM)HMK Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 01:24 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  

(12-01-2018 10:38 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Guess we should be pissy and ***** and moan about everything then. Everything sucks, we never do anything right, we got left behind, we didn’t get enough whatever for our whocares...

Good grief. Give it a rest for 5 minutes.

Good point OJF JR. The last five years are the best consecutive five in JMU history and by a wide margin. I remember the days when we just hoped to make the playoffs. Then we prayed for just one playoff win. JMU has at least 9 wins in every year over the last five seasons. That is an incredible run. The only team with a better run is NDSU.

The anger and whiney crap some of you post is embarrassing. It’s no wonder other fan bases don’t like us. JMU will likely be in the top 12 maybe 10 in the final poll this year with almost no Seniors. If you are pissed about a second round loss, then I say you have become incredibly spoiled and need to wake the bleep up.

I am disappointed and frustrated with the loss today because it was a game we could have won. There is room for improvement but it was a good season that just came up a bit short.

Thanks, great posts! Many of us are thankful for last 5 years and expect the future to be just as exciting!

I am on the side of being thankful (especially for what Houston has done) as well. A National Championship, a runner-up finish as well as making the playoffs this season. He and his staff took a crappy E. Withers defense and with almost all the same players made them into a championship D. This was supposed to be a semi rebuilding year (especially after losing both starting stud safeties to graduation along with other defenders, Robinson's injury, losing Schor to graduation, etc. etc.). D was still stout for the most part this season. Offense had it's ups and downs. I for one am still hoping he will stay at JMU.

I am too. And I'm extremely appreciative of what Houston brought to JMU. I've been shocked by the hostility towards Houston this last week, and even from friends I respect on here....... I just don't get the anger. We all knew he was going to leave. And with the early signing period this will be an issue with all top FCS coaches in the playoffs.

Nobody or coach is perfect, but Houston did a lot of right things. I've loved his pregame motivations.

(12-04-2018 04:11 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(12-04-2018 03:35 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Oh, I'm not advocating that what happened was in the best interest of our team, just that Bourne loves Houston. It's quite obvious in the way they've allowed him to transition.

Not saying it's right. Just no way Bourne would have gotten rid of him.

Gotcha and I agree that is obvious. JMU and Bourne did not have to be jerks about the transition.....but it seems as if Bourne and the athletic dept bent over backward to be fair to Mike Houston. That is NOT their job he is an employee, nothing more as MH made crystal clear......the commitment should have been toward what was in the best interest of the student athletes period.

But Shady - what is in the best interest of the student athletes is subjective. I and I suspect many others thought having Mike coach was in each's best interest. There's probably rights and wrongs on both sides, but I don't think Bourne made a decision, thinking it was not in the best interest of the players. The team I saw Saturday really looked like they came to play. They did not come out looking flat, and distracted. If not for the turnovers, it probably would not of even been a game.

(12-04-2018 04:42 PM)Dukester Wrote:  

(12-04-2018 04:11 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(12-04-2018 03:35 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Oh, I'm not advocating that what happened was in the best interest of our team, just that Bourne loves Houston. It's quite obvious in the way they've allowed him to transition.

Not saying it's right. Just no way Bourne would have gotten rid of him.

Gotcha and I agree that is obvious. JMU and Bourne did not have to be jerks about the transition.....but it seems as if Bourne and the athletic dept bent over backward to be fair to Mike Houston. That is NOT their job he is an employee, nothing more as MH made crystal clear......the commitment should have been toward what was in the best interest of the student athletes period.

But Shady - what is in the best interest of the student athletes is subjective. I and I suspect many others thought having Mike coach was in each's best interest. There's probably rights and wrongs on both sides, but I don't think Bourne made a decision, thinking it was not in the best interest of the players. The team I saw Saturday really looked like they came to play. They did not come out looking flat, and distracted. If not for the turnovers, it probably would not of even been a game.

Dukester --- I was at the game on Saturday, close enough behind the defensive huddle you could clearly hear players and coaches. There was a very weird vibe on the sideline and it was crystal clear the players were focused and tuned into their position coaches - coordinators.........but when Houston came over they immediately kind of 'glassed over' and were not interested in anything he had to say.....and when he left focused back it.

I am not saying Houston is a bad guy or good guy (not making that judgement) he just is NOT my guy anymore so I really could care less about him moving forward or once it was clear he was no longer 'all-in' with JMU. It is impossible to be running down to Charlotte and and dealing with contract discussions all the way back to Tuesday and be fully engaged in game prep for the playoffs. And if you don't think players sense this and know when things are no longer 'real' I don't know what to tell you. I am not saying the players did not like Houston anymore or respect him, but they were kind of over him mid-week last week. It is business and that is cool, but Houston had already moved on. It is not about being mad or unprofessional......there are many interim coaches each year during bowl season for this very reason. Put it this way, had JMU won on Saturday, ECU would have still announced Houston as new coach on Monday, b/c it is a business and they had too........and JMU would have then had to name an interim coach. ECU was simply not gonna let Houston hang out in Harrisonburg until the playoffs were and that is reasonable.

Put it this way if you are working at a company and it is common knowledge you are 'out the door', I don't think they are gonna pull you in on key proposals or contract discussions at that point.

Here is what is really perplexing to me the same folks that were all pissed off about EW leaving after 2 years for an FBS opportunity and big pay bump (who also kept his business out of the public during the playoffs) are all good about MH leaving and creating a media circus around the team during playoff prep.

It must be b/c folks like MH so it is 'ok' whereas folks did not like EW. I thought EW was kind of ass and poor with the media, but he handled this far better.

(12-04-2018 04:53 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(12-04-2018 04:42 PM)Dukester Wrote:  

(12-04-2018 04:11 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  

(12-04-2018 03:35 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Oh, I'm not advocating that what happened was in the best interest of our team, just that Bourne loves Houston. It's quite obvious in the way they've allowed him to transition.

Not saying it's right. Just no way Bourne would have gotten rid of him.

Gotcha and I agree that is obvious. JMU and Bourne did not have to be jerks about the transition.....but it seems as if Bourne and the athletic dept bent over backward to be fair to Mike Houston. That is NOT their job he is an employee, nothing more as MH made crystal clear......the commitment should have been toward what was in the best interest of the student athletes period.

But Shady - what is in the best interest of the student athletes is subjective. I and I suspect many others thought having Mike coach was in each's best interest. There's probably rights and wrongs on both sides, but I don't think Bourne made a decision, thinking it was not in the best interest of the players. The team I saw Saturday really looked like they came to play. They did not come out looking flat, and distracted. If not for the turnovers, it probably would not of even been a game.

Dukester --- I was at the game on Saturday, close enough behind the defensive huddle you could clearly hear players and coaches. There was a very weird vibe on the sideline and it was crystal clear the players were focused and tuned into their position coaches - coordinators.........but when Houston came over they immediately kind of 'glassed over' and were not interested in anything he had to say.....and when he left focused back it.

I am not saying Houston is a bad guy or good guy (not making that judgement) he just is NOT my guy anymore so I really could care less about him moving forward or once it was clear he was no longer 'all-in' with JMU. It is impossible to be running down to Charlotte and and dealing with contract discussions all the way back to Tuesday and be fully engaged in game prep for the playoffs. And if you don't think players sense this and know when things are no longer 'real' I don't know what to tell you. I am not saying the players did not like Houston anymore or respect him, but they were kind of over him mid-week last week. It is business and that is cool, but Houston had already moved on. It is not about being mad or unprofessional......there are many interim coaches each year during bowl season for this very reason. Put it this way, had JMU won on Saturday, ECU would have still announced Houston as new coach on Monday, b/c it is a business and they had too........and JMU would have then had to name an interim coach. ECU was simply not gonna let Houston hang out in Harrisonburg until the playoffs were and that is reasonable.

Put it this way if you are working at a company and it is common knowledge you are 'out the door', I don't think they are gonna pull you in on key proposals or contract discussions at that point.

I agree with this. Coach always preached do your job and focus on the next game. Well he did not do his job vs Colgate and was focused southward and not where his players needed him to be focused. I can still appreciate the great overall job he did AND let it be known that he handled his last week poorly and managed another game poorly.