A Sea Of Red

Hey Guys,
This is the first time I have posted in for ever but like most of you I am extremely excited about LU in the playoffs for the first time ever.

I was thinking longer term, as to what the benefits are to our program for being in the playoffs and what magnitude of effect they might have?

Obviously they are numerous and varied but what do you think?

Nice to have you posting again, stick around.

We'll have plenty of time to discuss this once the season is over, but the most logical thing is recruiting. The #1 recruit in Houston, who's visited Liberty, gave LU a shout out for beating Coastal and getting in the playoffs.

Maybe we'll also see some opinions change from some of those who don't think we're worthy of FBS. I know it's only making the playoffs once, and we still haven't won a game there, but every step helps.

jcmanson wrote:Nice to have you posting again, stick around.

We'll have plenty of time to discuss this once the season is over, but the most logical thing is recruiting. The #1 recruit in Houston, who's visited Liberty, gave LU a shout out for beating Coastal and getting in the playoffs.

Maybe we'll also see some opinions change from some of those who don't think we're worthy of FBS. I know it's only making the playoffs once, and we still haven't won a game there, but every step helps.

Not doing anything at this level has always been my knock on moving up. This does not completely do away with that because it could just be a 1 year thing. But it does take down some of the arguments walls.
Plus, there are the other sports to look at. Specifically MBB WBB etc

Having an extra week of practice and an extra game is huge for talent development.

I know Gill spoke much about exposure in his press conference, both for the university and the football team.

I was thinking a lot like you superjon, the extra practice and game time experience for the guys that will be back next year seems to be particularly beneficial. Getting to play top caliber opponents would seem to also be valuable, especially because we don't always get that in the BSC.

How much of an impact do you think that could have?

SuperJon wrote:Having an extra week of practice and an extra game is huge for talent development.

This. Even if we lose to JMU our guys will have practiced 1 more week than probably any other LU FB team has in the past. That can only help.

Recruiting is where it pays the greatest dividends. The two biggest knocks on us outside of our rules is the fact that we are in the Big South and we have never been in the playoffs. The former remains in place but is not the noose around our necks it has been in years past. The latter has to change to we've never won in the playoffs. Hopefully we dismiss that knock as well this weekend.

On a more practical level, it gives us a great look at JMU before they roll up into Williams Stadium in September. As mentioned in other threads, we will have bigtime aspirations next fall with an incredible stable of seniors at the skill positions similar to what JMu enjoys right now. So it is not too much to acknowledge longer term benefits.

I think it's also going to help in the future if we're sitting on the bubble. It's one thing to keep Liberty out of the playoffs because they've never made it - but now that we've got that on our resume, perhaps other programs/selection committees won't immediately brush us off as "typical" Liberty.

We saw what happened with Coastal this year, win a game or two in the playoffs and it sets you up pretty for the following year.

jcmanson wrote:We saw what happened with Coastal this year, win a game or two in the playoffs and it sets you up pretty for the following year.

Agreed. Noone on the committee would EVER admit to it because decisions are supposed to be based totally on this years resume, but the fact is they have past accomplishments in their head, and it's tough to totally overlook them.

How much does JMU win help recruiting?

With us having made the playoffs you can really see them pushing the idea of taking that next step. If we lose next week they can push "you can be that piece that helps us get to the quarters" or the semis should we lose the week after that, and so on

R.E.A.L.I.G.N.M.E.N.T.

I agree completely with the FlamesNation guys. Mid-Atlantic recruiting and realignment are at the top of the list with everything else significantly less impactful.

It will give us an edge in certain situations when it comes to recruiting. At the FCS level, it will help with local and national perception. I don't think that it will significantly change things on the realignment front.

bluejacket wrote:It will give us an edge in certain situations when it comes to recruiting. At the FCS level, it will help with local and national perception.

You could have stopped there and been just fine...

Add this to the campus improvements and the addition of a medical school, I believe, will add to recruiting student athletes in general.

BJWilliams wrote:You could have stopped there and been just fine...

One appearance and one win doesn't fundamentally change our position in realignment. It helps in certain limited aspects, but it doesn't in others.

I mean you could have just stopped with the benefits to recruiting...you had to find some sort of negative spin to it.

BJWilliams wrote:I mean you could have just stopped with the benefits to recruiting...you had to find some sort of negative spin to it.

Its not negative spin. It was already discussed in this thread and I disagreed with it.

Well you could have simply let it be without being such a wet blanket. If sly and the LFN guys wanna think that, let em think that for the time being. We will see if it plays out that way in the coming months.

Can we please get an exception to the foe list for admins/moderators for BJ?

BJWilliams wrote:Well you could have simply let it be without being such a wet blanket. If sly and the LFN guys wanna think that, let em think that for the time being. We will see if it plays out that way in the coming months.

Its a forum and the post was on topic and related to the discussion.

I didn't say it was off topic...just that it could have been left unsaid. This is a euphoric time in Flames Nation. Let the people have their moment.

You tell him beej!