FormerPokeCenter

In 2002, we had one regular season loss, to Nebraska...I can't get to your 2002 results page, so I don't know if we had a common opponent or not.... I know we had a common opponent in 2003, Nicholls State, whom you guys came back and beat in the 4th Quarter, 27-17. We beat them 63 to 28 the same year... I don't think you would have beaten us in 2002, though it's a moot point now. You definitely beat us this year ; ) There are parts of the game that leave me optimistic, if we can build upon them. This game was exactly what we needed in several ways and I suspect you guys feel the same way about it....

Two years ago, we took one of our worst teams to FIU and beat them....They may be much improved, but still, it was the year from hell for us..... We've played UCF before and beat them, back when they had Daunte Culpepper, but nothing in the recent past... Timing in these sorts of games between I-A and I-AA is everything. Usually, we (McNeese) peak on a 5 year cycle. I can't speak for any other programs, but I suspect it's probably the same. It's hard to develop consistency with 63 scholarships. Right now, we're on an upswing after last peaking in 2002/2003. We bottomed out in 2004. Look for us to be stronger in 2007/2008. We'll have an off year in 2009, and then reload... We went to the National Finals in 2002, 1997 and the semis in 1995. Intersperced were several other two game trips into the playoffs and a couple of one and dones. I thought Saturday's game was good for both teams. Had we had a 1997 or 2002 type peak team, I think the outcoming would more than likely have been different. We had several pros off of those teams. After the 2004 nightmare and the 2005 Hurricane season, we're pleased with last Saturday because we saw flashes of what we're used to, but it was by no means a perfect game for us nor cause for celebration, just like we assume it was no cause for celebration for you. The first 2.5 quarters were a suitable starting point for us, just as I assume the game was a suitable starting point for you guys... Having said that, thanks for the game, keep us in mind for next year

Zook's problems at Florida began the moment he hired Ed Zaunbrecher to be the offensive coordinatr. While Zaunbrecher is a great guy, he's no offensive genius, having previously served as the head coach at University of Louisiana - Monroe, whose only claim to fame under Zaunbrecher, was being featured on a 60 Minutes Segment about terrible college football teams who were prostituting themselves for large paychecks...

I'll agree with you that mistakes and penalties stopped you in the first two and a half quarters. The holding penalties on the offensive line, for instance. However, I can tell you from experience that an offensive lineman generally doesn't hold unless he's getting his ass whipped The illegal formation penalties were a typical first game penalty, though....

The guy who said "classless" is a Nicholls State fan, not a McNeese fan. I think there's still some ill towards you guys from Nicholls. The same guy complained before the game about the fans at RayJay....

Well, if I were a queen, I probably would be....However, I look terrible in a tiara....I didn't check the TV thread. Lemme mosey back over there and weigh in....

Congrats USF. Nice start to the season. I believe our players delivered on our promise to show up, with chin straps buckled and play the game. We're thin at defensive tackle and we have some special teams work to do, obviously, but I'm pretty satisfied that we've made huge strides since last season. We're not what we would consider a good team, yet, but I think we're all satisfied that we're not the same uncharacteristically snake-bit team we were over the last two years... I wonder.....Do you think we have anybody who could start for you now?

I'll probably drop in from time to time And, I went to our board and looked at the post. He didn't say "classless" he said it was "mild case" of running up the score and questioned why the ball wasn't kneeled with less than 20 seconds remaining.... That's a far cry from saying "classless." Personally, I still think a straight hand off at the end of the game is fine, we still need to make the tackle, whether we're tired and out of depth or not. It's pretty obvious Leavitt was trying to run out the clock...

I don't think you guys were classless on that play. I think your running back did what any player would do in the same situation. I think the play calling late in the fourth was obviously conservative and was as a result of Leavitt being mindful of the fact that we don't have much in the way of depth....

I see, so a nice opposing fan is one who doesn't take exception to slight and one who doesn't correct your misconceptions? Gotcha, well....I don't think I'm going to have much success as a "nice" I-AA fan. I don't recall if we've ever played Hofstra, but we've handled Ga. Southern relatively well. Yes, they do like to talk smack. It would be fun if they were good at it I recall your 27-17 win over Nicholls. Despite being 5-6 that year, they did give some people fits with the option. We had trouble with them in the first quarter, too, with a final score of 63-28, the game was never really in doubt...

The point is that some of your posters have proffered the notion that there is such a huge talent gulf between a team like yours and a team like ours, that there are no players on a I-AA team that could start for a I-A team. IF the talent gulf is that large, then why is it that you only have four players in the NFL, after playing at the lofty I-A level for the last five years? During that same time frame, we've sent 5 to the NFL, including a second round draft choice, who - by the logic displayed above - apparently couldn't have been reasonably expected to even start at USF? I'm not knocking USF, just merely pointing out the ignorance about the difference between I-AA and I-A talent. Just to properly frame the question of any alleged gulf, answer this for me: Did your players get exponentially better the year you moved from I-AA to I-A, simply because you dropped a letter from your designation, or did you get superior depth because you got 22 more scholarships to offer. The answer is pretty easy.

I think a modest stipend, something along the lines of $200 a month, wouldn't be too outrageous....If a student is on a partial scholarship, the pro-rate the stipend accordingly.... If that's not acceptable, then drop the rules which limit how they can obtain income during the school year...

No living expenses are paid. They can eat on a meal plan and they get their books and tuition and fees taken care of.... That's what the whole argument is about. Besides, the whole "paid enough" argument is weak, at best. Suppose a kid whose been indentured to the football team for 4 years sustains a catastrophic career ending injury to, say, his knee. Is what he was "paid" sufficient to compensate him for this? Before you say "yes," go have a knee reconstruction or two and then tell me you feel the same way....

Again, you have a serious disconnect with reality. Your posts which suggests that the gulf of talent is so huge that none of our players could start for you is simply ignorant. If you talent level is THAT high, you should have more than 4 players in the NFL, or is your position that all your incredible talent JUST arrived at USF? I'm sure your linebackers are very good, but declaring that ALL THREE will be first day choices is more than a little optimistic...They may all three end up in the NFL, yes, but a formal declaration that all three will be first day selections? Get real. If the talent gap between I-A and I-AA is that huge, how did a little rinky dink school like us ever get any players in the Pros?

Student loans? So, you'd have them be indentured servants for four years of undergraduate work and THEN leave school with a debt? I think guaranteed student loans need a showing of need, but I could be wrong. Maybe somebody with kids currently in college could comment..