(08-17-2020 10:42 AM)JMUNation Wrote: You have to have strong financial support to be successful in FBS. Many of the schools you list don’t have it. Boise St. and App. do. App does so at the expense of the rest of their athletics programs. I know for a fact that Ga. Southern and UMass had major money issues while still FCS. This is one of the reasons their transition to FBS has been filled with losses though GSU did do well the first year in the Sunbelt.
UConn going back to the Big East speaks volumes about their lack of commitment to football. Being the first FBS program to scrap the season does too. While every good G5 program and JMU would fall all over themselves for membership to the AAC, UConn left. At best, UConn and UMass will return to FCS in the very near future. They could easily get rid of football altogether. They will continue to suck for the foreseeable future.
JMUNation, been supporting the Gridiron club since going FBS and say you are dead wrong on all three points about UMass.
First financial support has never been greater these past few years and since going FBS. Well I'm a bit envious of your stadium renovation, we have spent 50 Million on a variety of projects. There was the 36.5 million for the Performance Center for grade A support of the players and includes the Hunt Hospitality Suite and viewing terrace. There is the Press and Skybox. Then there are a few 100% donor paid for projects as the full IPF and the new Video boards, sound system etc. There have been ADA improvements to the stadium, new bathroom facilities and a south end terrace area.
Second is we will never go back to fcs.
Third the reason we have performed poorly and the hole is deep but finances is not the major issue but all the prior head coaches mistakes and previous AD and his scheduling. There was a poor inside promotion of Morris when Don Brown left in 2006. We went from an elite fcs team to mediocre at best as you witnessed before us moving up. Molnar was terrible having duels as a line man against a quarter back that he did not like. The transfers started when we need to go up in scholarships. Then a private donation bought out Molnar's contract and Whipple was hired. He is great on offense, but was lazy with recruiting, did nothing on defensive side and took juco's so our scholarship situation was poor. Some said the coaching staff had favorites and more transfer outs.
Walt Bell knew how bad things were and none else wanted the job. We started the year with high 50 in scholarships and where dressing around 52 scholarship players. Bell took in 25 recruits and is a positive start but we have a long way to go and did loss some to graduation and some transfers. We are so young and inexperience, so will take a few years for some positive results.
Whether you go Indy FBS or stay where you are is your decision, but the numbers should support the move.
These pictures should show some changes since you guys last visited and would never happened if we stayed fcs.
The North end/top shows the a bit of the Performance Center and the tents is the south end terrace. Top left also shows one of the new bathrooms and you get a sense of how large the IPF is compared to the stadium.
The front of the Press and Skybox and you can see the hand railings in the aisle.
IPF
Yes nothing like JMU but should disprove the lack of financial support at UMass.