[thepostman]

I agree nothing will happen except maybe the d coordinator will be replaced only to be forced to play the same exact defensive system that clearly does not work.

I would love for the AD to grow a set and be a real DI AD and make the tough decisions. Sometimes you must fire friends.

[jcmanson]

2005: 1-10
Then Rocco comes in:
2006: 6-5 best turnaround in the country
2007: 8-3 still moving forward, one win from playoffs
2008: 10-2 still moving forward, one win from playoffs, "stupid hose"
2009: 8-3 a bit of a rebuilding year, one win from playoffs
2010: 8-3 first year that really underperformed, one win from playoffs, BSC had autobid
2011: 7-4 vastly underperformed, one win from playoffs, BSC had autobid

We've plateaued. 5 years in a row of being one win from the playoffs is unacceptable. Where do we go from here? Barber this call is on you.

[d22 c49]

Football is about coaching and players making plays. If the coaches give the players the correct information and the players make the plays you win the game. But when the coaches make adjustments and the players don't make the plays, then you need new players . I can't count the number of times yesterday we sent blitzes into the back field sent defenders into gaps on defense with our players there arms out, heads down, and end up on there hands and knees with ball carriers running by. This is terrible defensive football! And its not like we didn't know Stony Brook was going to run the football. We were to slow to the point of attack countless times, its just been very unnerving watching the middle of our defense go to make tackles with your arms out, yourface to the ground surely not being able to see the ball carrier. Dive and miss the ball carrier completely. A season full of that you have a ton of miss tackles, and a long plane flight home, scratching your head wondering why.

[LUconn]

Would you feel better if it had been a more gradual improvement instead of it being so instantaneous if we were still in the same spot we are now?

[jcmanson]

Would you feel better if it had been a more gradual improvement instead of it being so instantaneous if we were still in the same spot we are now?

It's hard to really say because that's not the situation we are in. If we show continual improvement year to year, then I see no reason to make a change in the head coach. IMO, we haven't seen any improvement in 3 years. We may have actually regressed.

[jcmanson]

Football is about coaching and players making plays. If the coaches give the players the correct information and the players make the plays you win the game. But when the coaches make adjustments and the players don't make the plays, then you need new players . I can't count the number of times yesterday we sent blitzes into the back field sent defenders into gaps on defense with our players there arms out, heads down, and end up on there hands and knees with ball carriers running by. This is terrible defensive football! And its not like we didn't know Stony Brook was going to run the football. We were to slow to the point of attack countless times, its just been very unnerving watching the middle of our defense go to make tackles with your arms out, yourface to the ground surely not being able to see the ball carrier. Dive and miss the ball carrier completely. A season full of that you have a ton of miss tackles, and a long plane flight home, scratching your head wondering why.

I don't understand what you're trying to say? Are you saying the players didn't make the plays and thus it's not Rocco's fault it's the players? If so, my response is Rocco's been here 6 years. All of these players he brought here.

[LUconn]

I do agree that there were a lack of tackling and pursuit fundamentals.

[jbock13]

Its all simple. All these kids want to make the hit that gets on sportscenter. None of these kids want to make the boring, old-fashioned, repetitive tackle.

however, hits don't win games. Tackling does.

[RVAparks]

Our kick coverage was embarrassing all year, almost as embarrassing as the way Rocco dresses (unless you like the Joe Pesci, Home Alone look). It's tough for a defense to be productive when they have to start at mid-field every play. Sucking on kick coverage is just very undisciplined and is a direct reflection of coaching. It's agonizing that adjustments were not made over the course of the year. I mean really? We were pooch kicking yesterday? To cover up our crappy coverage team? Stay in your lane and make a tackle, I don't get why it's so hard.

Another direct reflection on coaching are all the stupid penalties we get as a team. Asa killed in the first half with a stupid personal foul, and I even go back to the JMU game where one of our players cloths lined a JMU player on our sideline.

Some had some o-line talk, I don't think the o-line is a big problem and I really think this offense will benefit from a more traditional look.

[RVAparks]

Exactly jbock and LUconn who does poor tackling, undisciplined play, and a lack of fundamentals reflect on?

[sporter]

This should probably go in another section because my belief, whether accurate or not, applies to the three major sports, football, basketball, and baseball. I have only begun watching Liberty over the past two years but in that time I have seen 6 signing classes and I think that is where the underlying root of the problem is. If the sports are going to take the next step to correlate the rising money and interest in the program, the coaches have to figure out how to consistently bring in players that other programs above us are wanting as well. I am not saying we should beat out high D-1 programs such as Virginia and V Tech consistently, but there appears to way too many times that our classes have a couple of guys that programs above us want, but the vast majority of guys are not wanted by programs at or above our level (regardless of conference or Division). Basketball is probably the place it is the most glaring to me as regards the talent level but I think it applies to football as well.

Liberty is a very unique place to recruit and I am not saying it is easy and there could still be on-field coaching issues in all 3 sports, but the next steps will not be taken until they consistently get more wins during the off season.

[TH Spangler]

It's hard to really say because that's not the situation we are in. If we show continual improvement year to year, then I see no reason to make a change in the head coach. IMO, we haven't seen any improvement in 3 years. We may have actually regressed.

JC, Jim Grobe (Wake) is one of the best coaches in the nation, should he be fired?

2006 Wake Forest 11–3 1st (Atlantic) L Orange
2007 Wake Forest 9–4 T–2nd (Atlantic) W Meineke Car Care
2008 Wake Forest 8–5 T–3rd (Atlantic) W Eaglebank
2009 Wake Forest 5–7 4th (Atlantic) No Bowl
2010 Wake Forest 3–9 6th (Atlantic) No Bowl

[jbock13]

Exactly jbock and LUconn who does poor tackling, undisciplined play, and a lack of fundamentals reflect on?

We know. We agree.

[Cider Jim]

How can anyone NOT be blaming Kyle Kallander for this? Had he not admitted Stony Brook into the conference, we would still be undefeated in confererce and going to the FCS playoffs right now!

Who would admit a team in the Big SOUTH that is above the Mason-Dixon Line anyway?

[Purple Haize]

It's hard to really say because that's not the situation we are in. If we show continual improvement year to year, then I see no reason to make a change in the head coach. IMO, we haven't seen any improvement in 3 years. We may have actually regressed.

JC, Jim Grobe (Wake) is one of the best coaches in the nation, should he be fired?

2006 Wake Forest 11–3 1st (Atlantic) L Orange
2007 Wake Forest 9–4 T–2nd (Atlantic) W Meineke Car Care
2008 Wake Forest 8–5 T–3rd (Atlantic) W Eaglebank
2009 Wake Forest 5–7 4th (Atlantic) No Bowl
2010 Wake Forest 3–9 6th (Atlantic) No Bowl

Not really a good comparison because expectation and resources are vastly different within the respective divisions.

[Purple Haize]

How can anyone NOT be blaming Kyle Kallander for this? Had he not admitted Stony Brook into the conference, we would still be undefeated in confererce and going to the FCS playoffs right now!

Who would admit a team in the Big SOUTH that is above the Mason-Dixon Line anyway?

He didn't know it was in New York. He just saw the name and figured it sounded southern and signed them up.

[ToTheLeft]

It's hard to really say because that's not the situation we are in. If we show continual improvement year to year, then I see no reason to make a change in the head coach. IMO, we haven't seen any improvement in 3 years. We may have actually regressed.

JC, Jim Grobe (Wake) is one of the best coaches in the nation, should he be fired?

2006 Wake Forest 11–3 1st (Atlantic) L Orange
2007 Wake Forest 9–4 T–2nd (Atlantic) W Meineke Car Care
2008 Wake Forest 8–5 T–3rd (Atlantic) W Eaglebank
2009 Wake Forest 5–7 4th (Atlantic) No Bowl
2010 Wake Forest 3–9 6th (Atlantic) No Bowl

So going to a BCS game 6 years ago makes you one of the best coaches in the nation? Even if you've done nothing but get exponentially worse since?

Or am I misunderstanding you? Because I believe you feel Grobe is "one of the best" yet he'd won 8 games over 2 years and not made the postseason at a program that was proven to be a bowl eligible team, and a borderline BCS team.

I'm just not sure if you're being sarcastic or not. So I genuinely want to know if this is how you feel.

[ToTheLeft]

Just not sure how you can defend Rocco. He's taken someone else's team, brought it as far as he could, and then proven he can't use his own players to take it any further.

Maybe he needs to bring in Karcher as OC and to recruit.

[matshark]

We're too good for the conference we haven't won in 3 years, right? Can't wait to see the meaningless rings the players get this year. Ring pops anyone?

I'm tired of the facade- the inflated attendance numbers, the fake rings, the meaningless themes, the ethical loopholes and the excuses every year for why we can't reach our goals.

Changes need to be made. The type of change is debatable. I'll take a philosophy change over PR firings any day.

THIS.


one thought on "the ethical loopholes". of ALL places, there should be NO ethical loopholes. you wanna know one major reason why so many people in Lynchburg hate LU? (and yes, some of them will hate LU simply because it's a christian university) it has in large part to do with the fact that there are so many ethical loopholes and it completely destroys any credibility we have with people that MIGHT, MAYBE be reachable. we're hypocrites when it comes to athletics. if it's christian, it ought to be better. but if it's not, well, that's ok as long as they're good athletes and can help us win. yeah, thanks. I went to 1 home game this year. ONE. The JMU game. I don't expect I'll be to any next year (or any LU athletic games really) until the athletic dept (and by dept i mean leadership of that dept) can act with integrity and uphold in athletics what we say we stand for as a university. i'm a 2x alum that's been around and part of the LU community for 26 yrs (almost 27) and i'm just done with it. it's time to start acting like what we say we stand for. period.

[Chippy]

I think everyone of you have a right to be frustrated as expectations have grown over the years due to recent success. I am as frustrated but sad for the players and coaches who have been on the verge of greatness for 5 years. We WILL get over the hump and we Will beat a ranked opponent .

However, we are a good team and the team is well coached. We lost 4 games. When you think about it the reason we lost the games were all due to missed field goals and TOs - a ton of them. We have as much talent as the teams we lost to but they did not turn the ball over. Look at SB and their giveaway-takeaway stats. They have been the best in the BSC for 3 years and look where they are. I'm not sure coaching can affect missed field goals or TO's. Most are these are on MB and his big heart and tremendous desire to win. The O line let him down kinda like Big Ben and his make do O line. If we make the makeable FGs and not turnover the ball we end up 11-0. Ifs ands or buts . . . . I'm hoping Tyler Brennan protects the ball as much as Kyle Essington did this year for SB. If he does we win. Coach Rocco is the right coach for this team

I agree we did not show a lot of imagination either on D or on O. We failed to pressure the Qback and did little on O to keep the opposition guessing. No HB options no wildcat, etc. That's all for now.

[Purple Haize]

I think everyone of you have a right to be frustrated as expectations have grown over the years due to recent success. I am as frustrated but sad for the players and coaches who have been on the verge of greatness for 5 years. We WILL get over the hump and we Will beat a ranked opponent .

However, we are a good team and the team is well coached. We lost 4 games. When you think about it the reason we lost the games were all due to missed field goals and TOs - a ton of them. We have as much talent as the teams we lost to but they did not turn the ball over. Look at SB and their giveaway-takeaway stats. They have been the best in the BSC for 3 years and look where they are. I'm not sure coaching can affect missed field goals or TO's. Most are these are on MB and his big heart and tremendous desire to win. The O line let him down kinda like Big Ben and his make do O line. If we make the makeable FGs and not turnover the ball we end up 11-0. Ifs ands or buts . . . . I'm hoping Tyler Brennan protects the ball as much as Kyle Essington did this year for SB. If he does we win. Coach Rocco is the right coach for this team

I agree we did not show a lot of imagination either on D or on O. We failed to pressure the Qback and did little on O to keep the opposition guessing. No HB options no wildcat, etc. That's all for now.

That post may set the record for most excuses ever. I haven't seen that many excuses since I was a teenager and came in after curfew!

[flamehunter]

How can anyone NOT be blaming Kyle Kallander for this? Had he not admitted Stony Brook into the conference, we would still be undefeated in confererce and going to the FCS playoffs right now!

Who would admit a team in the Big SOUTH that is above the Mason-Dixon Line anyway?

He didn't know it was in New York. He just saw the name and figured it sounded southern and signed them up.

Son, Kallander is a Yankee spy, I tell you!

[jbock13]

It's hard to really say because that's not the situation we are in. If we show continual improvement year to year, then I see no reason to make a change in the head coach. IMO, we haven't seen any improvement in 3 years. We may have actually regressed.

JC, Jim Grobe (Wake) is one of the best coaches in the nation, should he be fired?

2006 Wake Forest 11–3 1st (Atlantic) L Orange
2007 Wake Forest 9–4 T–2nd (Atlantic) W Meineke Car Care
2008 Wake Forest 8–5 T–3rd (Atlantic) W Eaglebank
2009 Wake Forest 5–7 4th (Atlantic) No Bowl
2010 Wake Forest 3–9 6th (Atlantic) No Bowl

So going to a BCS game 6 years ago makes you one of the best coaches in the nation? Even if you've done nothing but get exponentially worse since?

Or am I misunderstanding you? Because I believe you feel Grobe is "one of the best" yet he'd won 8 games over 2 years and not made the postseason at a program that was proven to be a bowl eligible team, and a borderline BCS team.

I'm just not sure if you're being sarcastic or not. So I genuinely want to know if this is how you feel.

TTL, it was a trick question by spangler because wake is 7-5 or something close to that this year.

[Cider Jim]

Kallander went to college in the state of Washington. You can't get much more nothern than that.

[Flamesfan4ever]

It's now that time of the season where we talk about the same ole stuff.....

Are we outcoached?

Do we have quality recruits?

What is our problem for not achieving excellence?

Then a bunch of people pipe up and talk about how we're really not THAT bad .... How far we have come and next year "we'll get em' "

I think of our fundamental problems is we suffer from a major IDENTITY CRISIS !!!

We want to be this athletic powerhouse competing with the best teams around ......Yet we also want to be a Christian University.......and not just recruit every drug doin', girl chasin', non-Liberty Way abidin' ..Thug out there.....

What we have managed to do is.....NOT BE VERY GOOD AT EITHER ONE !!!

Let's figure out who we are and go with it !!!

If we're going to loose...Let's at least loose with good kids !!!

If we just wanna win.....Let's throw the LIberty Way out the window and get us some convicts who can play some ball !!!