- October 11th, 2017, 11:04 am
#538273
I will start by saying I’m an Alumni & Football Season ticket holder. Therefore, I’m fully invested in the school and its mission. I’ve been impressed and excited at the changes within the football program, specifically in the last 5–10 years. I was one who struggled through the Karcher era, found hope in the Rocco era and am currently just baffled in the Gill era.
I shouted from the hilltops when we gained FBS approval and DO believe Independent status was the only way in the near future (decades perhaps) we would ever move up. I’ve also been rather pleased and elated at the scheduling IM and his team has put together for the next few years.
So, why do I have such a concern deep in my gut? Because Big South play begins this week!!!
Every program must start somewhere and in 2018 we begin FBS Status. However, I’m filled with concern and trepidation at what might become very quickly, a struggling program to compete on the field. Notice I stated “On the Field.” We have no doubt amazing facilities and have fully invested in the Athletic Brick and Mortar of Liberty. However, the recent on-field results over the last few years give me concern moving forward. When I review the last 5 years of Gill’s tenure, I’m not impressed. Every team has troubling games, but those games under Gill seem to warrant additional review. Let me explain further…
We have all the money needed to compete with facilities, training, travel etc…etc…etc…with any high profile team. Yet, we struggled to have outright championship wins in a standard FCS conference. SO, what will change come next year? Since our “FBS” announcement, we will have only a minor level of recruit adjustments in one year. We can’t possibly gain such a recruitment class in that we have a dramatic shift from the upper classman that we see on the field now. There will always be competition of position and we will always see a change from time to time on a new starter or individual outplaying for a starting role, but not an entire squad. Can we all honestly say we feel comfortable with the exact squad on the field now, playing next year at an FBS level? I recognize program development takes years but Gill has been here for some time.
Based on Gill’s years as coach I am forced to turn my review towards staffing. I praise Coach Gill as a representative of Liberty. Although his on field results as a coach hasn’t given me confidence that we will compete toe to toe with higher caliber teams. In less than 3 years we are scheduled to play teams such as Syracuse, Auburn, UVA, NC State, VT, Wake Forest, Ole Miss, Army, Troy, Rutgers, BYU, UMass, Bowling Green. Therefore, does it sound right that a team playing the above schools in the next 3 years, should be losing to schools such as Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern, Monmouth, Gardener Webb, Indiana State (yes, that was a loss in my book), St. Francis in the last 2 – 3 years. If you put aside some key positions on the field over the last 2 – 3 years, what has changed in our program year to year that would warrant an immediate expectation we would compete with the aforementioned schools.
Any further loses this year in Big South play will just solidify my above concerns. Am I looking into this too much?
I shouted from the hilltops when we gained FBS approval and DO believe Independent status was the only way in the near future (decades perhaps) we would ever move up. I’ve also been rather pleased and elated at the scheduling IM and his team has put together for the next few years.
So, why do I have such a concern deep in my gut? Because Big South play begins this week!!!
Every program must start somewhere and in 2018 we begin FBS Status. However, I’m filled with concern and trepidation at what might become very quickly, a struggling program to compete on the field. Notice I stated “On the Field.” We have no doubt amazing facilities and have fully invested in the Athletic Brick and Mortar of Liberty. However, the recent on-field results over the last few years give me concern moving forward. When I review the last 5 years of Gill’s tenure, I’m not impressed. Every team has troubling games, but those games under Gill seem to warrant additional review. Let me explain further…
We have all the money needed to compete with facilities, training, travel etc…etc…etc…with any high profile team. Yet, we struggled to have outright championship wins in a standard FCS conference. SO, what will change come next year? Since our “FBS” announcement, we will have only a minor level of recruit adjustments in one year. We can’t possibly gain such a recruitment class in that we have a dramatic shift from the upper classman that we see on the field now. There will always be competition of position and we will always see a change from time to time on a new starter or individual outplaying for a starting role, but not an entire squad. Can we all honestly say we feel comfortable with the exact squad on the field now, playing next year at an FBS level? I recognize program development takes years but Gill has been here for some time.
Based on Gill’s years as coach I am forced to turn my review towards staffing. I praise Coach Gill as a representative of Liberty. Although his on field results as a coach hasn’t given me confidence that we will compete toe to toe with higher caliber teams. In less than 3 years we are scheduled to play teams such as Syracuse, Auburn, UVA, NC State, VT, Wake Forest, Ole Miss, Army, Troy, Rutgers, BYU, UMass, Bowling Green. Therefore, does it sound right that a team playing the above schools in the next 3 years, should be losing to schools such as Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern, Monmouth, Gardener Webb, Indiana State (yes, that was a loss in my book), St. Francis in the last 2 – 3 years. If you put aside some key positions on the field over the last 2 – 3 years, what has changed in our program year to year that would warrant an immediate expectation we would compete with the aforementioned schools.
Any further loses this year in Big South play will just solidify my above concerns. Am I looking into this too much?
HCTG won an FBS conference championship in 2008 and took Buffalo to a bowl game. Even the great DR has never done that. 
--Fumble (1961-2009), RIP
- By Tothehoopyall1