[tyndal23]

LU is in a unique position as Independent. Looking 7 years ahead, I would like the philosophy of having a top 10 hardest schedule nationally every year. That means going on the road against traditional top 4 schools in each conference with no return game, hosting every other year VT, VA, and BYU,Army, UMass (november games ) Eliminating FCS games, adding MD, BC.Pitt ( in place of the WKU, MSTU, Troy type regional games ) for 2 for 1 type deals. What does that get us ? Chance for 2-10 type seasons, sure. However, it positions us for BCS invite, P5 invite, or there will be an 8 team playoff sooner than later and will take best P5/Independent ( this is coming based on $/ potential law suits ) If politics keep us out of a P5 a decade from now, our other option is the ND plan where we get in based on strength of schedule. UCF and Boise St. know the pain of playing in Conferences where they can't get a crack at Playoff's based on G5 schedules, regardless of who they beat non/conf. That means 2 top 10 teams, 3-4 top 30 teams ( traditionally ) each year, with weakest 2 being an ODU / Marshall/UMass and the other 5-6 top 30-40 traditional programs ( at time of scheduling ). With that Schedule Philosophy also comes the 4 star recruits who wouldn't play for a G5. Conservative Christian School with top facilities playing best of the best year in and year out. Great job scheduling by Ian for next 4-5 years, but I think plan for future should be bold and scheduling happens now for 7 years out...

[BJWilliams]

I like the thought, but we do have a lot of games scheduled 7 seasons out (2026 I believe) and not a ton of room for "body bag games" at this point. I'd love a difficult schedule but I trust IM at this point. I would like to see a top 5 or 10 team or two on the schedule but I don't want us to get pounded 70-0 3 times a year just for the CHANCE at a playoff spot

[ballcoach15]

It will take one heck of a lawsuit to get anyone into playoffs, other than P5 teams.

[Ewglenn]

LU is in a unique position as Independent. Looking 7 years ahead, I would like the philosophy of having a top 10 hardest schedule nationally every year. That means going on the road against traditional top 4 schools in each conference with no return game, hosting every other year VT, VA, and BYU,Army, UMass (november games ) Eliminating FCS games, adding MD, BC.Pitt ( in place of the WKU, MSTU, Troy type regional games ) for 2 for 1 type deals. What does that get us ? Chance for 2-10 type seasons, sure. However, it positions us for BCS invite, P5 invite, or there will be an 8 team playoff sooner than later and will take best P5/Independent ( this is coming based on $/ potential law suits ) If politics keep us out of a P5 a decade from now, our other option is the ND plan where we get in based on strength of schedule. UCF and Boise St. know the pain of playing in Conferences where they can't get a crack at Playoff's based on G5 schedules, regardless of who they beat non/conf. That means 2 top 10 teams, 3-4 top 30 teams ( traditionally ) each year, with weakest 2 being an ODU / Marshall/UMass and the other 5-6 top 30-40 traditional programs ( at time of scheduling ). With that Schedule Philosophy also comes the 4 star recruits who wouldn't play for a G5. Conservative Christian School with top facilities playing best of the best year in and year out. Great job scheduling by Ian for next 4-5 years, but I think plan for future should be bold and scheduling happens now for 7 years out...

You aren’t going to have 6 home games per year doing that.

[Jonathan Carone]

That's a hard pass.

[alabama24]

What does that get us ? Chance for 2-10 type seasons, sure. However, it also positions us for no one showing up for the games, recruiting worse players, and flushing money down the drain! How bout that guys!!! Whaddya say???

FIFY

[alabama24]

In all seriousness, UCF didn’t get love because they “played a tough schedule.” They received love because they went undefeated. They also may have lucked out by having their toughest game of the season cancelled!

Name a single team with even 8 wins being praised and ranked high. (There are none in the top 25)

[ballcoach15]

I have seen 8 wins get coaches fired.

[alabama24]

I have seen 8 wins get coaches fired.

10 win coaches with a National Championship under their belt!

[ballcoach15]

Football coach is best paying job in America, but has the least job security.

[tyndal23]

Just depends on the Vision of JFJR of where he wants LU to be in 15 years. Is it nice little Independent FB Program with a couple of marquee games each year, nice in state slate of games and regional G5 and lower tier P5 schools ( which is cool and looks great now ) OR is it playing for a NC and being considered a ND? I think it is the latter, so how do you get there with the hand we have been dealt of being squeezed out of even lower tier conferences. In my mind, it is running your Athletic Budget at a loss, taking little $ for away games against top 10 teams 1-2 ayear, additional top 30 teams 2 a year and home and home and keep ODU/Army/BYU/UMASS as fixtures due to scheduling needs, but substitute all the other G5 schools with P5 lower tier schools ). Pay 1 to 2 top 30 teams ( not top 10 ) but for example MD, Pitt, TCU, big $ to come to play in Lynchburg ( and pocket what they normally make for a home game ) Go to UCLA, USC,OR, MI,NE,Miami,Auburn,Ole MIss, but instead of just 1 of those games a year, it is consistently 2-3. If the vision is to be a top 25 program, then schedule it in advance and build for it. Pay top Christian Coach P5 $ salary, have that schedule in place and tell me we wont recruit 4* kids who only want to play P5 ball. P5 conferences play 2 crap teams non con and 1 decent or great team. We can schedule, play and recruit Nationally top kids if they know they are playing just as many big games as a Big 10 and have a chance at a playoff - sounds ridiculous right now, but if your vision is top 25 Program as an Independent - then with our options - what is the other route? Worst case your building a brand as a $ rich school that plays all the big boys and are attractive to a P5 conference. Again, right coach, right QB and recruiting class and today's parity - it is much different to get to quick program success than 20 years ago prior to Scholarship reductions and Spread offense. It is hard to keep it, ( Oregon,Baylor ) but not pie in the sky to make a run at it every once in a while.

[Jonathan Carone]

Why would those schools want to play us?

When would they play us?

You’ve got this idea that all these teams would 1) want to play us and 2) be able to play us. All the P5 teams have 3-4 non conference spots, and many of them overlap on when they are. Their conference schedule wouldn’t allow them a non conference game in mid October.

[JK37]

Independent FB Program with a couple of marquee games each year, nice in state slate of games and regional G5 and lower tier P5 schools

That schedule will be just fine. Go 10-1 or 11-0 with that schedule, and your in the NC conversation.

[BJWilliams]

Jon's right. And as I said before, what good does it do is to get walloped 63-7 by top level P5 schools 2-3 times a year for the possible benefits of one or two chances at a playoff spot

[cruzan_flame13]

If we can get as much P5 teams at the beginning of the schedule, then that can help with these team playing their conference games later. It is true that these teams may not want to play us, but connections and money talks. Also, I would rather P5’s on the east coast like Pitt, Wake Forest,UVA, NC State, BC, MD, Rutgers(some of these teams that are already scheduled). It will not be as easy, but then again, who are we to say what happens? Some of us here have stated the unlikely of us making deals and creating schedules, but look at what occurred already so far and we haven’t even play one game as an FBS team yet! I wouldn’t know the possibility of the team, but good thing no one on this forum makes the decision because we’d probably be in a worst condition. I believe good things are coming for LU and it may be the next ND of the 21st century. No one would’ve thought (in the early 20th century) that ND would’ve beaten Army and they did it with tricks up their sleeves. We have an AD who is basically talented at his job and a president who loves expansion and business. Literally anything can happen and we already had a little taste of it. I hope we can get that coach and really soon too.

[tyndal23]

They play us for the $ they save by not paying big $ for another crap team who desperately needs $ to visit them. Especially when they are paying FCS schools. That is why. Oct scheduling is tough for us regardless. Every school but 6 are in a conference.

[jinxy]

The obvious difficulty has been pointed out. The saving money part may have a little merit to it but the money they pay fcs teams isnt nearly what p5 teams pay other fbs schools to come. We can get there with the schedules we are building now. But we have to win.

The administration and jr have done everything they can. Theyve gotten us to fbs, built good scheuldes, given the finest g5 facilities around, secured a bowl tie in, tv deal coming down the pipe, improved academics and the rest of campus. Now, TG has no excuses. Its put up or shut up and i believe we can have winning records and be a top 25 long term but its going to take a while regardless of the coach.

The real challenge in the scenario above would be to secure home games with p5 teams if we got to that level. Part of whats helping us right now is the fact that most schools think it will be an easy fbs W toward bowl eligibility. Thats fine, we need to make our punches count starting this year.

Personally i really like our schedules starting in the 20 21 time frame. If consistent top 25 and NC is your goal its hard to do that with murderers row. You need just enough tough games to give you respect and then enough mid level games to get your wins up then mix in a few dogs.

Look i hope were there in 10 years but if we can get 8 or 9 wins the next couple years combined i would be happy. Its good to dream big that. Thats really what liberty has been for 45 years. Dreaming big. Only time will tell. Again we have to the right coach to do that or we will be a scrub fbs team for a long time like most people think we will be.

[Ewglenn]

Goal schedule for a playoff spot (minimum):

1 top ten team
2 more top 25 teams
7 average to lower P5 teams
2 scrubs

Example:
Oklahoma
TCU
Boise St
Louisville
Boston College
Duke
Wake Forest
Arizona St
Purdue
Kansas
Coastal Carolina
VMI

[tyndal23]

Jinx; you completely get my point. It is shifting 4 games a season starting 2025 or so to be ND in 2030. To do that u have to plan now. It will cost $ but again we are very unique in that regard. Not necessarily murderers row but enough to beat out ND or BYU schedule with same record based on “best G5 or independent” getting 8th playoff spot. I have still yet to hear another route. Don’t get me wrong I love the scheduling so far but what is next step long term vision?

[Ewglenn]

Jinx; you completely get my point. It is shifting 4 games a season starting 2025 or so to be ND in 2030. To do that u have to plan now. It will cost $ but again we are very unique in that regard. Not necessarily murderers row but enough to beat out ND or BYU schedule with same record based on “best G5 or independent” getting 8th playoff spot. I have still yet to hear another route. Don’t get me wrong I love the scheduling so far but what is next step long term vision?

The problem with scheduling that schedule is getting enough P5 schools on board. BYU would automatically fill one of the spots with UVA and VT filling another. Our goal right now should be to not be laughing stocks and winning bowl games. You can build respect by winning the big games. Boise did it and UCF is doing it. The difference is Boise didn’t have a bad season. UCF is three years removed from an 0-12 season. What we would have to do is schedule a ND and ACC type agreement. The Big 12 would be the most likely. We would need 5 games given to us per year. This is something we can work towards but it takes time.

[Cider Jim]

This is my favorite part.

2 scrubs

Coastal Carolina
VMI

[Jonathan Carone]

[Cider Jim]

Marshall was in a similar spot several years ago, going from IAA to IA (in a weak conference), but they went to several bowl games in a row, once they became FBS.
I don't see why LU can't follow a similar pattern as an independent.

[tyndal23]

So Duke you think JFJR wants to be Like Army 15years from now?
If so our 2018 schedule is perfect template for all future schedules.

[cruzan_flame13]

A lot of the discussion is talking about the future, and not in a 5-10 year ratio. It’s just something to talk about since it’s the summer, so it’s not that serious. Also, we still have open slots during the 2020’s, so discussing to add a few more low P5’s and G5’s isn’t that crazy. Again, some folks here stated that the things that LU has now was not possible or would take the awhile to occur and here we are. This is a forum to have discussions, not to make the real decisions. Call it drinking the kook aid or whatever;some of y’all came back apologizing for underestimating the decision making of McCaw and even JFJR. Anyways, if some discussions are so off the wall or preposterous, it’s just easy to pass and respond to other posts that seems reasonable