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Topic: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Topic: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

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Buckeye to Bobcat
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What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/13/2017 4:48:06 PM

I am tired of reading through the MAC Championship thread and figured this would be a great spot to actually discuss this. At this point, might be good to use this as a festivus complaining channel, or for that matter for the silly and absurd.

For instance, if you think we need to ensure we are stocked on coffee on cold nights, I can allow that.

If you think we need to tear down/renovate Peden, have at it. I went through some of the issues with our football program on the other thread but if someone wants to regurgitate those they can have at it.

TWT
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Location: Alexandria, VA
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/13/2017 8:33:07 PM

The next step not only in football but for the university as a whole is to try and bring a marquee hotel down to Athens that would serve SEO. Think the market isn't there? Hotels these days don't need to be in a high traffic corridor so long as show up on travel search engines. Hilton Garden Inn for Athens, a king hotel for SEO with facilities for wedding receptions, conferences ect. The football program needs to get more fans down to the stadium. If Athens had a Westin, Sheraton, et. all it would change the image of the community to be thought of as a more significant college town.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

OhioCatFan
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Location: Athens, OH
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/13/2017 9:29:13 PM

Uncle Wes wrote:

Of course, with the current Athens City Council, zoning board, etc., the hotel would have to be built outside the city limits, as it could not be more than three stories high in Athens so as not to upset anyone's "viewshed." Perhaps, it could be located in Nelsonville, or The Plains! :-)

Last Edited: 12/13/2017 9:29:40 PM by OhioCatFan

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

RSBobcat
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 12:48:26 AM

Not choke in November

RS Bobcat

bshot44
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 1:23:02 AM

RSBobcat wrote:

Not choke in November

Sam bobcat wrote:

The constant negativity from some of you (you know who you are) is just as repetitive and lame as the football you claim we play. You say you are just passionate Bobcat fans, but it seems you are only fans of winning. Not football, or Ohio football. It seems only winning championships and rolling over our competition is acceptable. All else is underachieving and deserving of our condemnation. If we can't find enjoyment or positivity in anything other than first place, it says more about ourselves than it does the program.

Just thought I'd do him a favor ...

Last Edited: 12/14/2017 1:24:03 AM by bshot44

allen
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 9:28:04 AM

Bring Dion Byrum, Tevell Jones and TJ Wright back as graduate assistants to help with our db's, win in the living room and stop making excuses, hold assistant coaches accountable and stop melting down at the end of the season.

Nobody despises to lose more than I do. That's got me into trouble over the years, but it also made a man of mediocre ability into a pretty good coach. Woody Hayes

Mark Lembright '85
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 9:34:45 AM

Let me pose this question: does Ohio University as an institution want to take the next step in football?

I ask because while most of us on BA would like to see it (since we're football junkies) I'm not sure Ohio University as an institution does.

Presumably the title of this thread implies that the next level is not to compete every year for a MACC (that Ohio already does) but to become a major major G5 player, one that is able to compete yearly for the G5 spot in the New Years Day bowl. Question is, does Ohio want to spend the $ to get to that spot, and if it does, will it be sacrificing some of the small school charm that we've all come to love? I truly don't know the answer; I just pose the question to ponder.

Buckeye to Bobcat
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 9:42:31 AM

Mark Lembright '85 wrote:

A very valid question here and in my opinion a great quesion. That is the biggest X factor in if a program makes the jump with university commitment or has to do it to spite them. I will say with McDavis we were able to do a lot as an athletic department. With Nellis, I will be intrigued to see how he feels about athletics and where it plays in the university plans.

I think with winning the charm would be enhanced. We have talked on here for a long time that this campus shouldn't be hard to sell to prospective students and such. I think in time it will become a question that comes to a head.

I will also agree that having a hotel downtown of larger name recognition would help in putting Athens on the map larger. Though as everyone has stated, our zoning restrictions put a quell to that in a hurry. To which I have to ask, does the town want successful collegiate athletics? That in itself is a million dollar question.

bshot44
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 9:48:33 AM

Mark Lembright '85 wrote:

I think that's a fair question. The school/donors have stepped up by adding the IPF and the Academic Center ... but I think it's a pipe dream to think they are going to invest to the degree that we'll be paying OUr next head coach >$1M or build a brand new Infocision-type stadium.

To me ... the next level isn't necessarily Boise State. It's more what NIU did during that 6-8 year stretch where they were consistently winning the MAC West and winning MAC titles.

I don't think it's too far of a stretch that Ohio can get to that. They're on the doorstep of that now. Frank & Co. has just not, for whatever reason, been able to get this program over that hump.

They have taken Ohio from a doormat 3-9 program to a consistent bowl eligible program which is a helluva accomplishment. Unfortunately they are stuck in that gear and can't upshift to becoming an elite MAC program that wins championships.

While I'd love to see Ohio compete for NY6 bowl games ... I know those opportunities are very, very rare. I'd be more than satisfied if this program would start running off back-to-back MAC East titles and winning a few MAC championships .... which in turn will lead to some potential better bowl match-ups (although, the MAC tie-ins hurt those opportunities most years) ... and some bowl wins would be nice too.

Right now, there is really nothing to differentiate Ohio from most other middle-of-the-road MAC programs. To see Ohio rise about that middle ground is the next level for me.

Bobcat1996
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 9:48:48 AM

"Presumably the title of this thread implies that the next level is not to compete every year for a MACC (that Ohio already does) but to become a major major G5 player, one that is able to compete yearly for the G5 spot in the New Years Day bowl. Question is, does Ohio want to spend the $ to get to that spot, and if it does, will it be sacrificing some of the small school charm that we've all come to love? I truly don't know the answer; I just pose the question to ponder."

I don't think that Ohio wants to fork out "the cash to get to that spot." Can't blame them. To become a Boise State it takes $$$. This university isn't willing to even pay UCF kind of money. Take a look at Scott Frost's asst. coaches salaries at Central Florida and then look at what they are now being paid in Nebraska. It is mind boggling. Salaries are only a small part of the equation. Locker room facilities, weight room ,stadium, etc. It is all very costly. I really don't know how the Kent's and Eastern Michigan's can hang on for very much longer.

Sam bobcat
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 11:20:04 AM

bshot44 wrote:

RSBobcat wrote:

Not choke in November

Sam bobcat wrote:

Just thought I'd do him a favor ...

Thank you, but I don't consider RSBobcat in your league when it comes to constant negativity. You stand alone.

bshot44
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 11:34:43 AM

Sam bobcat wrote:

bshot44 wrote:

RSBobcat wrote:

Not choke in November

Sam bobcat wrote:

Just thought I'd do him a favor ...

Thank you, but I don't consider RSBobcat in your league when it comes to constant negativity. You stand alone.

A badge I'll wear with honor ... thanks, bud ;-)

spongeBOB CATpants
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 2:32:10 PM

schedule and beat the buckeyes every season

D.A.
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 2:55:35 PM

If we have 500 posters, you will get 500 different definitions for "legitimate next steps", so you need to either ask people to define their baseline and then address those, or you need to define what you feel are "legitimate next steps" and have people address those.

The Few, The Proud, The Bobcats!

And for the record, I hate tOSU, and Ricordati and Torgerson are DB's.

"This isn't just another walkover from the MAC." Kirk Herbstreit, another DB, on College Football Gameday

Bobcat1996
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 3:20:38 PM

"Legitimate next steps." It means different things to different people. The majority of us agree that winning a league championship is one of those steps. Earning 9-10 wins on a regular basis and winning bowl games is also one of those steps. However, matchups in bowl games play a big part in Ohio's chances for a win or loss. Ohio has not played Boise in Boise, but that wouldn't be a good matchup. Akron traveling to FAU to play them in bowl is not a good situation for the Zips. I would also add that beating rivals Miami and Marshall on a regular basis is something I personally enjoy. I'm sure I left out a few steps, but those are a few.

bshot44
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 4:07:11 PM

Bobcat1996 wrote:

Stop the presses! I agree with about 95% of this.

I joke!!!!

But seriously, I know playing Boise at Boise and playing FAU at FAU might not be ideal ... but those would both be quality wins for Ohio if they were so fortunate.

I hate the idea of playing bowls on team's home fields ... especially for the home team. What the hell kind of reward is that?!?! Congrats FAU ... you earn a bowl bid and you get to go nowhere!!!

One of 10,000 things wrong with bowl setup.

But anyway ... an Ohio win over Boise at Boise would be a bigger feather in their cap than beating ULM in the Independence Bowl.

Bobcat1996
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 4:46:46 PM

Not that they will ever play, but I'd go a step further and say beating Boise at Boise would go down as one of Ohio's biggest wins in the past 30 seasons. I'd rank it close with the win in Happy Valley. The win at PSU was big, but a Boise win a Boise wouldn't exactly be a consolation prize.

Alan Swank
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 6:59:40 PM

As I was going through some old VHS tapes converting family stuff to digital I came across A Field of Dreams. Hotel in downtown Athens - build it and they will come. Has Ohio already made recreational pot legal? :)

Ohio69
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 8:22:21 PM

The legitimate next step would likely be dropping to FCS or lower and investing more in basketball or soccer. Or nothing else - just reduce spending.

Last Edited: 12/14/2017 8:24:05 PM by Ohio69

Can somebody hit a pull up jumper for me?.....

TWT
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 9:01:39 PM

If the university has the opportunity to make a strategic investment by expanding Peden or expanding the OU Inn, I'd take expanding the OU Inn in a heartbeat. The university should be making strategic investments to be an enabler for future support and a new OU Inn like the one in the Ridges master plan is an enabler. In addition to that I believe Athens could handle a Hilton Garden Inn and a Hyatt Place down on Richland. E.State st. development is subject to the 3 story rule height restriction but I believe that restriction does apply to the south side of the city. Three premo hotels that can be marketed for all of SE Ohio on the internet search engines. The US 33 corridor has about 500,000 people. Lancaster, Logan ect nothing but motels. Parkersburg and Marietta have historic hotels downtown but dated.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

TWT
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/14/2017 9:34:40 PM

Bobcat1996 wrote:

I don't think that Ohio wants to fork out "the cash to get to that spot." Can't blame them. To become a Boise State it takes $$$. This university isn't willing to even pay UCF kind of money. Take a look at Scott Frost's asst. coaches salaries at Central Florida and then look at what they are now being paid in Nebraska.

There are a lot of G5's paying Boise State money these days and aren't getting anywhere with it. Boise St was able to get all the WAC level recruits to play for them the only decent team in the mountains. Central Florida is located directly in a top recruiting hotbed. Ohio is not far from Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati hotbeds but not directly located in them so we aren't getting the corporate sponsorship. Western Kentucky has 17 three star recruits for next year. Bowling Green, KY must be an amazing city one would think but no its a sleepy little town. Why don't we do better recruiting at Ohio? Only 3 guys with 3 stars something is not right.

Most Memorable Bobcat Events Attended
2010 97-83 win over Georgetown in NCAA 1st round
2012 45-13 victory over ULM in the Independence Bowl
2015 34-3 drubbing of Miami @ Peden front of 25,086

ExCat21
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/15/2017 9:53:03 AM

#1 Training Tables - Eating dining hall food in the caf� is not the food OUr athletes need to stay competitive for 4 years. That's why I proposed a community program where we grow food for student-athletes (and we athletes will help manage the grow process as well). We could sell excess food to locals for a super cheap price. Win-win for the commmunity.

#2 Schedule more competitive opponents. It's nice to get wins versus Kansas but we need to pull an Akron move of playing Penn State, then LSU and a few more schools before non-conference play. Playing those types of opponents early in the season will make MAC competition seem easy towards the end of your season. Our recruiting changed instantly the night we beat PITT at home on TV. Although Cincinnati is no big time POWER 5 team, we need to crush them when we play there next year. We could win a lot of Cincy recruits after the game. Personally I would like to see us play a school like Notre Dame. They are always on ABC and they play small schools like Tulsa and Nevada, who get the opportunity to play on big time TV. We need that exposure!

#3 Every year there is a group that's behind the others. When I was there in 2006-2007 we had a kickbutt defense but our offense was not that great. We relied too much on Big Play McRae. This year we have a top offense nationally but our corners are getting beat in coverage. We need a year were all three phases are on the same page.

If we can do these three things I believe we can put OUrselves in the best position to elevate OUr program.

allen
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/15/2017 10:37:05 AM

ExCat21 wrote:

#3 Every year there is a group that's behind the others. When I was there in 2006-2007 we had a kickbutt defense but our offense was not that great. We relied too much on Big Play McRae. This year we have a top offense nationally but our corners are getting beat in coverage. We need a year were all three phases are on the same page.
So true

Nobody despises to lose more than I do. That's got me into trouble over the years, but it also made a man of mediocre ability into a pretty good coach. Woody Hayes

Maddog13
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/15/2017 11:38:42 AM

If we are consistently collapsing in November, it means one thing: our conditioning program needs to be greatly improved, especially if we are going to continue to play the kind of physical football that we have been playing. We are not just talking about weights and running, this should include stretching and improved training table style nutrition (as mentioned previously on this board).

We also need to take advantage of Ohio's improved National recognition and start recruiting everywhere, including Internationally. We have one Canadian player, why not more? I think that Ohio should create a couple of amazing football camps not just for players, but for High School and junior college coaches too. Likewise, the recruiting budget needs to be expanded tenfold, and that more could be done to build an network of Alumni with their eyes and ears on the ground thus gathering the latest info on potential players all over the country and beyond.

We also, of course, need to continue to improve our facilities, even if they are shared with the rest of the University.

OhioStunter
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RE: What can Ohio do to take legitimate next steps in football?

Posted: 12/15/2017 11:48:12 AM

D.A. wrote:

^^^This.

In the absence of agreed-upon "legitimate next steps", I do think it is feasible to try to be more like NIU. I think NIU does better in the recruiting department -- maybe because there are less schools in the area to compete with than Ohio. Otherwise, NIU's budgets, facilities and location (including good hotels) are factors that I'd not consider to be superior.

Perhaps scheduling some bigger opponents may help with that, but with Pitt, Penn St., Ohio St., Louisville over the recent years, I wouldn't say that Ohio has avoided that. And you also run the risk of blowout losses that may do more harm than good.

I would like to see more Ohio players go on to play more prominent roles in the NFL.

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