[tyndal23]

And my 1 correction - BYU just beat a Big 10 # 6 team 1 year removed from an atrocious season ( not UNT who had a great year for them last year )

[thepostman]

Bit none of the schools mentioned have made the transition from FCS to FBS. That is the challenge and a bigger challenge than some people seen to realize. Especially considering who our coach is.

[tyndal23]

7 YEARS FROM NOW !!! And read the entire post about coaching staff - UCF, Boise State - all hindered by being locked in to a G5 conference - LU isn’t - unlimited resources and a Prez and donors who want to win - National Recruiting, etc. etc. We are more like ND in the 50’s than anyone realizes with the benefit of modern day offensive schemes and rules- less scholarships ( major difference from the 96 scholarships where the blue bloods had 150 players with walk ons ) What difference does transition make when $ isn’t an obstacle ? We aren’t Charlotte or Coastal or ODU...we are a National Brand as a University wit a huge following and our FB team can be as well if we shove all the chips in sooner than later. Our schedule is already set for next 5-6 roughly and we will probably suck going through transition - but I am talking next phase - what do we want to be and how are we going to get there? PLan has to be in place now not 7 years from now simply because of advance scheduling limitations.

[thepostman]

I get it man but we have been throwing money at the program for while and it hasn't yielded results yet so I'll continue to be skeptical.

[Jonathan Carone]

And we are nowhere near the national brand people in the Bubble like to think we are.

[thepostman]

Not at all. In Christian circles we are fairly well known but there are plenty who have no idea where Liberty is even if they have heard of the school.

[Purple Haize]

7 YEARS FROM NOW !!! And read the entire post about coaching staff - UCF, Boise State - all hindered by being locked in to a G5 conference - LU isn’t - unlimited resources and a Prez and donors who want to win - National Recruiting, etc. etc. We are more like ND in the 50’s than anyone realizes with the benefit of modern day offensive schemes and rules- less scholarships ( major difference from the 96 scholarships where the blue bloods had 150 players with walk ons ) What difference does transition make when $ isn’t an obstacle ? We aren’t Charlotte or Coastal or ODU...we are a National Brand as a University wit a huge following and our FB team can be as well if we shove all the chips in sooner than later. Our schedule is already set for next 5-6 roughly and we will probably suck going through transition - but I am talking next phase - what do we want to be and how are we going to get there? PLan has to be in place now not 7 years from now simply because of advance scheduling limitations.

Please compare the number of National Chapionships LU has won compared to the number ND had won by the close of the 1950’s.
Please list the number of Heisman Trophy winners LU has had compared to the number of Heisman Trophy winners ND had by the end of the 19,s.
Please list the number of teams West of the Mississippi LU has played compared to ND thru the 1950’s
Please list the number of Top 25 (or Top 10) Teams LU has played compared to ND thru the 1950’s
Please list the great nationally recognized traditions of LU and ND
Please list the hall of fame coaches LU has had compared to the one ND had thru the 1950’s

In short, LU is nowhere near ND in the 1950’s.

[BJWilliams]

To somewhat piggy back on Jon and Postie, when i talk to people and mention I went to Liberty around here, many will say they've heard of it because they've heard of Jerry Falwell Sr. That doesn't necessarily mean that Liberty is a "national brand". You probably have a pretty low percentage of people who have heard of Liberty for any reason OTHER than Dr. Falwell. I'd reckon if i asked alot of those same people if they knew our football team was FBS this year, they probably would give me quite a few blank stares.

[thepostman]

Great analogy BYD. I don't mind people dreaming big but you must also keep things in perspective. It took LU decades to get to this level. It will take us decades to get to where we all would love LU to be someday. We are in a good place financially and i think we will be competing with G5 schools within 10 years but being a top 25 program is at least 20 years in the future.

I dont get why people are trying to fast forward so quickly. It only sets yourself up for a huge disappointment.

It also doesn't help that our current coaching staff is putting us years behind in terms of growth. Danny Rocco built a great foundation but TG has done absolutely nothing to build on that so I'm not sure how anybody could honestly believe we will be in the top 25 conversation within 7 years.

Insanity.

[Jonathan Carone]

But Doc said it...

[tyndal23]

7 YEARS FROM NOW !!! And read the entire post about coaching staff - UCF, Boise State - all hindered by being locked in to a G5 conference - LU isn’t - unlimited resources and a Prez and donors who want to win - National Recruiting, etc. etc. We are more like ND in the 50’s than anyone realizes with the benefit of modern day offensive schemes and rules- less scholarships ( major difference from the 96 scholarships where the blue bloods had 150 players with walk ons ) What difference does transition make when $ isn’t an obstacle ? We aren’t Charlotte or Coastal or ODU...we are a National Brand as a University wit a huge following and our FB team can be as well if we shove all the chips in sooner than later. Our schedule is already set for next 5-6 roughly and we will probably suck going through transition - but I am talking next phase - what do we want to be and how are we going to get there? PLan has to be in place now not 7 years from now simply because of advance scheduling limitations.

Please compare the number of National Chapionships LU has won compared to the number ND had won by the close of the 1950’s.
Please list the number of Heisman Trophy winners LU has had compared to the number of Heisman Trophy winners ND had by the end of the 19,s.
Please list the number of teams West of the Mississippi LU has played compared to ND thru the 1950’s
Please list the number of Top 25 (or Top 10) Teams LU has played compared to ND thru the 1950’s
Please list the great nationally recognized traditions of LU and ND
Please list the hall of fame coaches LU has had compared to the one ND had thru the 1950’s

In short, LU is nowhere near ND in the 1950’s.

Not comparing our Football Program - stating the school is in a more unique position than most realize to become ND type program. Only major Conservative Evangelical U with D 1 Assets and 1.5 Billion in cash in a time where public U have gone completely off the rails and parents getting less happy about paying for Commie U. We can write a check to a coach and not even make the # public and no one will be bashing our Prez for spending too much $. As for others talking about a Bubble - I don’t live in Lynchburg - but OKC after being in CA for 20 years and running in to people all the time who know all about Liberty. I imagine the 100k online students know about Liberty. Back to my earlier rants - schedule heavy P5 and get P5 talent and coaches interested - schedule G 5 - same applies...N Texas will lose a great head coach after this year to a P5 because they don’t have the resources to keep him - I am stating LU can find the right fit of a similar coach bought in to a mission and pay him top P5 level $ and keep him for as long as they want him. I am saying that LU can play 7 games on the road to play P5 heavy schedule OR thay can pay mid level P5 enough $ to come to Lynchburg - 90 % of schools are limited by $, budgets, etc, etc etc. As for Bubble - I think those on this board that live in Lynchburg don’t realize that you do have a National Brand - I see LU commercials all the time - as a health care recruiter - I see LU grads all over the country on resumes. BYU and ND - religious Private Independent Universities - hence the constant reference to them by me - since we are Independent and have many similar positives and negatives, limitations and flexibility - pick a model. We have to play more P5 games than BYU - less than ND. We can play every conference every year, etc - tons of things we can do to capitalize on being an Indy and make it work.

[TH Spangler]

tyndal23 I agree. This program is about to take off and leave some behind.

[thepostman]

But Doc said it...

Even Doc knew it would be a long process. He dreamed big, and thank God he did, but he was fully aware this would be a long process.

[willflop]

I have never used the term unlimited resources, but I do not think it is merely pretending. Sure, it is hyperbolic in a sense, but its usage does not have to imply we have unlimited resources in an overly literalistic sense - so much so, the next step is to start gold plating everything like Solomon’s temple.

It means that if purchasing X or Y will help us reach our goal of Z, then we do not have any financial constraints to getting X and Y. We have no limits in this regard. What is something that Liberty wants and thinks would help us take another step in becoming competitive in the FBS, but just cannot do because of financial resources (now or planning for it in the immediate future)? Our endowment is comparable to Virginia Techs, and out pacing them for future growth, and it is predominantly unrestricted funds. It does not mean LU would choose to use those funds, as it is evident that they want to be responsible as well, but they are there.

After the IPF and APC, and future upgrades to the FOC, it is hard to argue these are not in some top X%, where any further enhancements would have a negligible ROI and cross over into the gold plating, just because you can. Our stadium is smaller, but I do not think anyone doubts we would not make it bigger at the drop of a hat if we thought we could fill it. In the end, it seems like we are approaching that point where there is not anything left to spend money on, weighted against what we need to reach our goals.

Regarding the money we spent on coaching, without results, doesn’t really prove anything about resources either. It may just prove we did not make the right choice, which happens at all levels all the time. To use our friends in Waco, they were 35/144 (11/96) over 12 years, since joining the B12, and before Briles. He turned it around in three years. We are not them, and we may never find our Briles, but it is not impossible.

[Purple Haize]

7 YEARS FROM NOW !!! And read the entire post about coaching staff - UCF, Boise State - all hindered by being locked in to a G5 conference - LU isn’t - unlimited resources and a Prez and donors who want to win - National Recruiting, etc. etc. We are more like ND in the 50’s than anyone realizes with the benefit of modern day offensive schemes and rules- less scholarships ( major difference from the 96 scholarships where the blue bloods had 150 players with walk ons ) What difference does transition make when $ isn’t an obstacle ? We aren’t Charlotte or Coastal or ODU...we are a National Brand as a University wit a huge following and our FB team can be as well if we shove all the chips in sooner than later. Our schedule is already set for next 5-6 roughly and we will probably suck going through transition - but I am talking next phase - what do we want to be and how are we going to get there? PLan has to be in place now not 7 years from now simply because of advance scheduling limitations.

Please compare the number of National Chapionships LU has won compared to the number ND had won by the close of the 1950’s.
Please list the number of Heisman Trophy winners LU has had compared to the number of Heisman Trophy winners ND had by the end of the 19,s.
Please list the number of teams West of the Mississippi LU has played compared to ND thru the 1950’s
Please list the number of Top 25 (or Top 10) Teams LU has played compared to ND thru the 1950’s
Please list the great nationally recognized traditions of LU and ND
Please list the hall of fame coaches LU has had compared to the one ND had thru the 1950’s

In short, LU is nowhere near ND in the 1950’s.

Not comparing our Football Program - stating the school is in a more unique position than most realize to become ND type program. Only major Conservative Evangelical U with D 1 Assets and 1.5 Billion in cash in a time where public U have gone completely off the rails and parents getting less happy about paying for Commie U. We can write a check to a coach and not even make the # public and no one will be bashing our Prez for spending too much $. As for others talking about a Bubble - I don’t live in Lynchburg - but OKC after being in CA for 20 years and running in to people all the time who know all about Liberty. I imagine the 100k online students know about Liberty. Back to my earlier rants - schedule heavy P5 and get P5 talent and coaches interested - schedule G 5 - same applies...N Texas will lose a great head coach after this year to a P5 because they don’t have the resources to keep him - I am stating LU can find the right fit of a similar coach bought in to a mission and pay him top P5 level $ and keep him for as long as they want him. I am saying that LU can play 7 games on the road to play P5 heavy schedule OR thay can pay mid level P5 enough $ to come to Lynchburg - 90 % of schools are limited by $, budgets, etc, etc etc. As for Bubble - I think those on this board that live in Lynchburg don’t realize that you do have a National Brand - I see LU commercials all the time - as a health care recruiter - I see LU grads all over the country on resumes. BYU and ND - religious Private Independent Universities - hence the constant reference to them by me - since we are Independent and have many similar positives and negatives, limitations and flexibility - pick a model. We have to play more P5 games than BYU - less than ND. We can play every conference every year, etc - tons of things we can do to capitalize on being an Indy and make it work.

You say you’re not comparing football programs.......then go on to compare football teams....

[Cider Jim]

To be fair, ND football has been around since 1887, so you should probably be comparing ND football from the early 1930s (but they still had 3 national championships by then).

[tyndal23]

PH - Football Progams with most similarities to us as a University to model from. What is your philosophy on where you think LU should strive for, timeline and scheduling philosophy to get there ? ( or are u scared others will troll u like u do everyone else )

[Purple Haize]

PH - Football Progams with most similarities to us as a University to model from. What is your philosophy on where you think LU should strive for, timeline and scheduling philosophy to get there ? ( or are u scared others will troll u like u do everyone else )

How have I trolled you? I’ve asked specific questions that you pivoted around. My thoughts on where LU football should be are more than well documented on this board. If you are too lazy to have looked that’s a You problem

[tyndal23]

The goal should be to be a consistent bowl team in 10 years, while still playing the level of quality schedule we have over the next 3 years.

Past that time frame is just too difficult to seriously shoot for, bc too much is likely to change in the sport. If the P5 type teams have essentially formed their own division (with or without the NCAA) by then, hopefully we will be looking at how we can get to that level in another decade after that. So...20 years or so from now maybe we could possibly be considering joining the big boys (still not competing for national championships).

Good respectable goal. My counter to that would be if being a consistent bowl team is the short term goal - schedule only 1 P5 Game and give yourself best chance at winning 6 plus every year. Scheduling 3-4 is too many if that is the goal - but not enough if you want to recruit P5 coaches to stick around and sway better players that we are P5 equivalent based on schedule.

[ballcoach15]

Recruiting and coaching can lead us to the Promised Land. Everything else is in place.

[Purple Haize]

Recruiting and coaching can lead us to the Promised Land. Everything else is in place.

Define “Promised Land”

[ballcoach15]

Winning seasons and bowl games.

[Purple Haize]

Winning seasons and bowl games.

Fair enough. Couple of years I can see it. Replacing Buckshot and an O Line will be key

[tyndal23]

It’s not that easy. You have to find the teams to play OOC games. G5’s won’t generally look at us as their easy/guaranteed win. P5’s will. We probably need 2-4 P5’s a season to make the schedule work.

BYU - Independent - currently ranked 25 - playing 5 P5 teams this year - ( 1-2 more than usual ). Can we recruit on the same level as them ? Mormon and each player has to take a 2 year mission - I don’t think I am crazy to think right staff and right schedule in place for 2026 or so that LU can recruit and compete at their level. I agree with you that G5 will be tougher to schedule than P5 and I propose rather than having a toe in the water, dive in and get 6 P5 games rather than 4. It is not that big of a stretch...( 4 in sept, and 2 in Oct/Nov ) 1 home - 3 away in Sept for a while...BYU counts as 1 and can push us to 7. Only team ( besides ND maybe some years ) able to play all P5 conferences every year. NOTE - i will stop repeating myself on this once Jerry Jr acknowledges he has read it and considering - he is only convert I am seeking - ha !

[Cider Jim]

Recruiting and coaching can lead us to the Promised Land. Everything else is in place.

Define “Promised Land”

Think about Marshall University--5 straight bowl wins after becoming FBS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_M ... bowl_games