For some perspective, we've played and lost to:

1. Colorado - last year's Pac12 runner-up/South Champ (3rd in Pac12 preseason poll)
2. App St - last year's SBC co-champ (1st in SBC preseason poll)
3. Wyoming - last year's MWC runner-up/Mtn Division Champ (4th in MWC preseason poll).

We've looked competitive for the first half vs Colorado, the entire game vs App, and the first quarter and a half vs Wyoming.

(09-30-2017 09:45 PM)_x_ Wrote:  #1 recruiting class in the Sun Belt in 2017 despite finishing in dead last in the Sun Belt in 2016.

We're making progress. Withers blew the entire thing up when he got here. In hindsight, maybe not the best decision. But if there are dividends paid off from it, it won't be until 2018 at the earliest. We are one of the youngest teams in the country this year, if not the youngest. And still playing at a double-digit scholarship disadvantage from all the players he ran off.

Cool. I'd love to see you guys winning the Sun Belt. I want a Texas team winning every conference possible each year. :)

(09-30-2017 09:58 PM)tx.state Wrote:  Withers is building to win...just going to take a little longer than some of our stupid fanbase is willing to give him. There's a big difference in the type of recruit that Withers is bringing in vs Fran. I'm not talking about 247 or Rivals ratings either. Fran signed so many guys that didn't pass the eyeball test. There's no way in hell anyone who saw these kids would ever predict they'd turn into an FBS football player. We still have a few of them left on the roster.

Our success in the next few years is more important to Withers than any fan/alumni/AD/etc. He's knows that if he fails here, he'll probably be a coordinator the rest of his career. If he wins here, he can move on to bigger and better.

Fran never had that kind of pressure. He just did enough work to exist here. His whole goal was to do the last amount of work possible to not end up on another screenshot like this:

It was his only motivation...

As part of the "stupid fanbase," Withers is taking a strange path to "building to win." Since when is dropping to the depths of despair a winning strategy? Coach Fran had the team bowl eligible twice. Does this current Bobcat football team look close to winning a game in conference?

(10-02-2017 09:59 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  Does this current Bobcat football team look close to winning a game in conference?

Yes. Did you watch the App game against the team picked to win the conference?

(10-02-2017 09:59 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(09-30-2017 09:58 PM)tx.state Wrote:  Withers is building to win...just going to take a little longer than some of our stupid fanbase is willing to give him. There's a big difference in the type of recruit that Withers is bringing in vs Fran. I'm not talking about 247 or Rivals ratings either. Fran signed so many guys that didn't pass the eyeball test. There's no way in hell anyone who saw these kids would ever predict they'd turn into an FBS football player. We still have a few of them left on the roster.

Our success in the next few years is more important to Withers than any fan/alumni/AD/etc. He's knows that if he fails here, he'll probably be a coordinator the rest of his career. If he wins here, he can move on to bigger and better.

Fran never had that kind of pressure. He just did enough work to exist here. His whole goal was to do the last amount of work possible to not end up on another screenshot like this:

It was his only motivation...

As part of the "stupid fanbase," Withers is taking a strange path to "building to win." Since when is dropping to the depths of despair a winning strategy? Coach Fran had the team bowl eligible twice. Does this current Bobcat football team look close to winning a game in conference?

Fran went 6-6 playing mostly FCS teams, then 4-8 in the depleted WAC before splashing down in the SBC with another 6-6 year, then 7-5. Lost the team and went 2-10. (25-35)
Yeah, he was Frantastic.
Withers took over that 2-10 team, lost 47 players off the roster, has the youngest (arguably) team in FBS this year and you want miracles. We've played 1 conference game ...let the season play out for cripes sake.

Fran brought in a lot of JUCO guys and had one win against a team with a winning record in 5 years. That's not a way to build a program for long-term success. Despite the 6-6 and 7-5 seasons, we were not a good football team. We didn't recruit well. We never developed players. Can you name one player under Fran who got consistently better every year? We were a bad program.

We still are...but at least Withers is doing something different. He's doing it the right way even if it means losses in the short term.

By the way, the one win was against Arkansas State in 2014, and they had like 9 starters out with injury (stAte fans feel free to back me up).

We went 3-9 in 2015.

(10-02-2017 12:08 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  We went 3-9 in 2015.

Yes, we went 3-9 in 2015 and Coach Fran was let go/retired. The same thing happened at UTSA. They went 3-9 in 2015 and their coach was let go/retired. Last season UTSA won six games and went to a bowl. This season they are 3-0, with a victory at Baylor and their blowout win at San Marcos. Why can't we do what they are doing at UTSA? Why do we always set the bar at mediocrity?

We have lost 14 straight FBS games. We are getting blown out of games. We play one close game to App State at home and there are people that think we are making progress. I think there are Bobcat fans that would want to give Withers an extension if he wins a game or two in conference.

I am not advocating for Withers being fired, but let's not act like this is the norm, that Withers has to hit rock bottom before he can turn it around. UTSA has proven that to be untrue.

(10-02-2017 08:40 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 12:08 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  We went 3-9 in 2015.

Yes, we went 3-9 in 2015 and Coach Fran was let go/retired. The same thing happened at UTSA. They went 3-9 in 2015 and their coach was let go/retired. Last season UTSA won six games and went to a bowl. This season they are 3-0, with a victory at Baylor and their blowout win at San Marcos. Why can't we do what they are doing at UTSA? Why do we always set the bar at mediocrity?

We have lost 14 straight FBS games. We are getting blown out of games. We play one close game to App State at home and there are people that think we are making progress. I think there are Bobcat fans that would want to give Withers an extension if he wins a game or two in conference.

I am not advocating for Withers being fired, but let's not act like this is the norm, that Withers has to hit rock bottom before he can turn it around. UTSA has proven that to be untrue.

I get your point but TXSTs seniors quit. It didn't help that Withers disowned guys that weren't his recruits. UTSA has a senior heavy team this year we are the youngest team in the country. If rumors are true that during the 3-9, players were out drinking and partying instead of caring about playing, then the team was truly lost.

(10-02-2017 08:40 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 12:08 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  We went 3-9 in 2015.

Yes, we went 3-9 in 2015 and Coach Fran was let go/retired. The same thing happened at UTSA. They went 3-9 in 2015 and their coach was let go/retired. Last season UTSA won six games and went to a bowl. This season they are 3-0, with a victory at Baylor and their blowout win at San Marcos. Why can't we do what they are doing at UTSA? Why do we always set the bar at mediocrity?

We have lost 14 straight FBS games. We are getting blown out of games. We play one close game to App State at home and there are people that think we are making progress. I think there are Bobcat fans that would want to give Withers an extension if he wins a game or two in conference.

I am not advocating for Withers being fired, but let's not act like this is the norm, that Withers has to hit rock bottom before he can turn it around. UTSA has proven that to be untrue.

Most new coaches come in and attempt to "build on the talent" left from the previous HC (which is what UTSA did). Sometimes, a coach comes in and proclaims the "cubbard bare." Withers came in, proclaimed the cubbard bare and proceeded to break all the remaining China with his "My way or the Highway" philosophy.

I don't dispute that there were problems under Fran. I don't dispute that Withers faced issues with players and the program that needed to be addressed. I do think it's fair to question the extent to which he went "Scorched Earth" with the program.

I think it's fair to say that Withers set us back further than was necessary, and by doing so, it will take us even longer to get back to where we were (2013, 2014).

Would any "new" coach have struggled with our program coming in after Fran? No doubt. Would they have struggled to this extent? That I believe is debatable.
We are where we are now due to Withers taking the most extreme method of rebuilding. He owns that. That doesn't mean that as fans we necessarily want him fired yet, nor does it mean we're not pulling for his eventual success. But it also doesn't mean we're blind to what's in front of us, and that we have to accept this as "the only way" cause Withers says so . . . .

. . I would also point out that UNT is also winning this year with a relatively new coach.

(10-02-2017 09:00 PM)slycat Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 08:40 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 12:08 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  We went 3-9 in 2015.

Yes, we went 3-9 in 2015 and Coach Fran was let go/retired. The same thing happened at UTSA. They went 3-9 in 2015 and their coach was let go/retired. Last season UTSA won six games and went to a bowl. This season they are 3-0, with a victory at Baylor and their blowout win at San Marcos. Why can't we do what they are doing at UTSA? Why do we always set the bar at mediocrity?

We have lost 14 straight FBS games. We are getting blown out of games. We play one close game to App State at home and there are people that think we are making progress. I think there are Bobcat fans that would want to give Withers an extension if he wins a game or two in conference.

I am not advocating for Withers being fired, but let's not act like this is the norm, that Withers has to hit rock bottom before he can turn it around. UTSA has proven that to be untrue.

I get your point but TXSTs seniors quit. It didn't help that Withers disowned guys that weren't his recruits. UTSA has a senior heavy team this year we are the youngest team in the country. If rumors are true that during the 3-9, players were out drinking and partying instead of caring about playing, then the team was truly lost.

Not trying to be argumentative, and I certainly respect your opinion . . . . .

But I'll just leave this here: Did the Seniors really quit in Withers? Or did Withers quit on those Serniors? And even if it's a combination of the two, that's still on Withers.

All good coaches know X's and O's . . . Great coaches also motivate and inspire. They can sell their vision of where they want the program to go . . . . They can get players to run through walls for them . . . .

Do you think that many Seniors would have quit if the coach had been named Wacker?

Again, I hope that Withers succeeds, but I don't necessarily believe that his course was the best one available to us.

From the outside looking in I don’t like Withers approach. What he did say about former player should have been said behind close doors. The former players will be here longer than Withers will be. Those guys may never come back. ULM experienced something similar like with a couple of coaches and it took Coach V to get these players back involved. We have open invitation to practice when ever we want. Spring game we had former dozens of players roaming the halls with current players .

(10-02-2017 10:01 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 09:00 PM)slycat Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 08:40 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 12:08 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  We went 3-9 in 2015.

Yes, we went 3-9 in 2015 and Coach Fran was let go/retired. The same thing happened at UTSA. They went 3-9 in 2015 and their coach was let go/retired. Last season UTSA won six games and went to a bowl. This season they are 3-0, with a victory at Baylor and their blowout win at San Marcos. Why can't we do what they are doing at UTSA? Why do we always set the bar at mediocrity?

We have lost 14 straight FBS games. We are getting blown out of games. We play one close game to App State at home and there are people that think we are making progress. I think there are Bobcat fans that would want to give Withers an extension if he wins a game or two in conference.

I am not advocating for Withers being fired, but let's not act like this is the norm, that Withers has to hit rock bottom before he can turn it around. UTSA has proven that to be untrue.

I get your point but TXSTs seniors quit. It didn't help that Withers disowned guys that weren't his recruits. UTSA has a senior heavy team this year we are the youngest team in the country. If rumors are true that during the 3-9, players were out drinking and partying instead of caring about playing, then the team was truly lost.

Not trying to be argumentative, and I certainly respect your opinion . . . . .

But I'll just leave this here: Did the Seniors really quit in Withers? Or did Withers quit on those Serniors? And even if it's a combination of the two, that's still on Withers.

All good coaches know X's and O's . . . Great coaches also motivate and inspire. They can sell their vision of where they want the program to go . . . . They can get players to run through walls for them . . . .

Do you think that many Seniors would have quit if the coach had been named Wacker?

Again, I hope that Withers succeeds, but I don't necessarily believe that his course was the best one available to us.

I think they quit on Fran and then Withers made things worse

(10-02-2017 08:40 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 12:08 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  We went 3-9 in 2015.

Yes, we went 3-9 in 2015 and Coach Fran was let go/retired. The same thing happened at UTSA. They went 3-9 in 2015 and their coach was let go/retired. Last season UTSA won six games and went to a bowl. This season they are 3-0, with a victory at Baylor and their blowout win at San Marcos. Why can't we do what they are doing at UTSA? Why do we always set the bar at mediocrity?

We have lost 14 straight FBS games. We are getting blown out of games. We play one close game to App State at home and there are people that think we are making progress. I think there are Bobcat fans that would want to give Withers an extension if he wins a game or two in conference.

I am not advocating for Withers being fired, but let's not act like this is the norm, that Withers has to hit rock bottom before he can turn it around. UTSA has proven that to be untrue.

I was just correcting Catmom. She said we went 2-10. Not making any excuses for Withers.

(10-03-2017 08:20 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 08:40 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(10-02-2017 12:08 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  We went 3-9 in 2015.

Yes, we went 3-9 in 2015 and Coach Fran was let go/retired. The same thing happened at UTSA. They went 3-9 in 2015 and their coach was let go/retired. Last season UTSA won six games and went to a bowl. This season they are 3-0, with a victory at Baylor and their blowout win at San Marcos. Why can't we do what they are doing at UTSA? Why do we always set the bar at mediocrity?

We have lost 14 straight FBS games. We are getting blown out of games. We play one close game to App State at home and there are people that think we are making progress. I think there are Bobcat fans that would want to give Withers an extension if he wins a game or two in conference.

I am not advocating for Withers being fired, but let's not act like this is the norm, that Withers has to hit rock bottom before he can turn it around. UTSA has proven that to be untrue.

I was just correcting Catmom. She said we went 2-10. Not making any excuses for Withers.

Nevertheless, you raise some valid points, particularly about his totally blowing up the program.