[ballcoach15]

What if someone had been drinking Kool Aid 5 years ago and said by 2019, we would be playing P5 schools in Williams stadium ?

[thepostman]

Then we would've doubted that was possible. Most of us that were against moving up as an FBS independent have backed off of that and admitted they were wrong. I will always be cautious with my expectations. It's just how I'm wired when it comes to sports.

[Purple Haize]

What if someone had been drinking Kool Aid 5 years ago and said by 2019, we would be playing P5 schools in Williams stadium ?

Exactly. They would have been drinking the Kool Aid and living in a Fantasy world. LU was nowhere near ready to move up to FBS 5 years ago. The fact that Syracuse is a Top 25 team coming here is a nice convergence of events. But at the time LU did not have a track record of putting finances and resources where their ambitions were. Case in point, look at how much HCHF said needed to be upgraded in order to be on par with most P5 schools yet everyone was saying how awesome the facilities were. That would be the kool aid drinkers
Look. You can say “Notre Dame will play football in Lynchburg within 5 years” every 5 years. And if they do play here 20 years from now it doesn’t mean you were prescient it just means you were a broken clock that got one right

[tyndal23]

Purple - are u ok? Nearly a full paragraph and making yourself vulnerable to counter arguments? Should we call anyone for a welfare check?

[Purple Haize]

Purple - are u ok? Nearly a full paragraph and making yourself vulnerable to counter arguments? Should we call anyone for a welfare check?

You mean a full paragraph of awesome!

[Cider Jim]

Purple - are u ok?...Should we call anyone for a welfare check?

Those were his good ole WVU days eating that government cheese!

[tyndal23]

Well now Purple, where to begin - 2014 LU made the FCS playoffs and knocked off #1 to get there and then beat JMU. Stadium was already upgraded, and we had gone through the 3rd party firm audit/process of being evaluated for FBS and they came back with the highest recommendations - only upgrade since 5 years ago was Indoor Facility ( prior to FBS announcement ). As for HF talking about P5 upgrades -What exactly are u talking about ? - he stated that our facilities were top level G5 and nicer than some P5 schools - only thing he has stated about FCS level is our current roster which he is 100 percent correct - we didn’t get FBS approval until after signing day of 2017 was over - we have 2018 and 2019 classes only recruited as FBS players. Only in 2022 will we have a full cycle of FBS with redshirt year included.

[Purple Haize]

Well now Purple, where to begin - 2014 LU made the FCS playoffs and knocked off #1 to get there and then beat JMU. Stadium was already upgraded, and we had gone through the 3rd party firm audit/process of being evaluated for FBS and they came back with the highest recommendations - only upgrade since 5 years ago was Indoor Facility ( prior to FBS announcement ). As for HF talking about P5 upgrades -What exactly are u talking about ? - he stated that our facilities were top level G5 and nicer than some P5 schools - only thing he has stated about FCS level is our current roster which he is 100 percent correct - we didn’t get FBS approval until after signing day of 2017 was over - we have 2018 and 2019 classes only recruited as FBS players. Only in 2022 will we have a full cycle of FBS with redshirt year included.

LU hired a firm to tell them what they wanted to hear. That’s how those things work
LU had made its First and only FCS playoff appearance. Not national championship but appearance (huge mile stone for the program)
You might want to check photos of the facilities from 5 years ago until today. There have been A LOT of changes. Take the FOC for instance. They put that up to take it down to put it up again
You didn’t address LU’s history of not putting the resources behind their ambitions. Sure they put a bunch of words and a good amount of money, but is it ever enough? HCTG was great early because he was still getting paid by Kansas. HCHF was a coup considering who LU was up against. 5 years ago it was reasonable to believe LU would not put that kind of money into a coach and a staff.
I won’t even go into Independent v Conference Affiliation But 5 years ago look at those Conference options Horrible. Look at the risk of Independent, Dicey.
So yeah, my paragraph was chopped full of awesome.

[tyndal23]

LU had a new area ( Vines ) and on campus stadium ( Williams ) in 1990 when we could barely keep the lights on - the main complaint of naysayers for decades has been too much focus on sports facilities and not education. Where is the quote you have of Freeze talking about us needing to upgrade to P5 facilities? I would love to see it because you know I was the one very disappointed when he uttered the words “top level G5” team vs someone stating we are pushing for P5 equivalent...

[Purple Haize]

LU had a new area ( Vines ) and on campus stadium ( Williams ) in 1990 when we could barely keep the lights on - the main complaint of naysayers for decades has been too much focus on sports facilities and not education. Where is the quote you have of Freeze talking about us needing to upgrade to P5 facilities? I would love to see it because you know I was the one very disappointed when he uttered the words “top level G5” team vs someone stating we are pushing for P5 equivalent...

The statements were made. Look at the improvements and infrastructure changes for verification.
As for your first sentence, that sorts makes my point.
Go ahead. Embrace the awesomeness

[tyndal23]

Ha - awesomeness embraced as soon as you post the link to quote where HF said we need to upgrade to P5 level facilities. I guess you are saying our top 5 FCS Stadium in 2014 should have been upgraded and expanded to FBS level before getting FBS approval ?

[Purple Haize]

Ha - awesomeness embraced as soon as you post the link to quote where HF said we need to upgrade to P5 level facilities. I guess you are saying our top 5 FCS Stadium in 2014 should have been upgraded and expanded to FBS level before getting FBS approval ?

I can’t quote conversations had with him and others.
I’m saying what a lot of people were saying. Despite the # 5 years ago LU was not FBSready

[tyndal23]

This excites me then - so HF is advising LU Admin on what upgrades we need to do to be P5 level? Are we secretly trying to ramp everything up to P5 and not simply be a top G5? If so - I am elated. As for 2014 - what exactly changed between then and 2017 other than Indoor Practice Facility that made us FBS “ready” ?

[ballcoach15]

If we can go P5 and skip G5, that would be great. Give Coach Freeze 5 years, and we'll be knocking on the door.

[gerb]

[Purple Haize]

This excites me then - so HF is advising LU Admin on what upgrades we need to do to be P5 level? Are we secretly trying to ramp everything up to P5 and not simply be a top G5? If so - I am elated. As for 2014 - what exactly changed between then and 2017 other than Indoor Practice Facility that made us FBS “ready” ?

5 years from now the landscape will look very very different. Having a guy like Freeze who has “been to the mountain top” advise on how to be in the best position to take advantage of those changes isn’t a bad thing.

[tyndal23]

This excites me then - so HF is advising LU Admin on what upgrades we need to do to be P5 level? Are we secretly trying to ramp everything up to P5 and not simply be a top G5? If so - I am elated. As for 2014 - what exactly changed between then and 2017 other than Indoor Practice Facility that made us FBS “ready” ?

5 years from now the landscape will look very very different. Having a guy like Freeze who has “been to the mountain top” advise on how to be in the best position to take advantage of those changes isn’t a bad thing.

I don’t think anyone would argue that statement - but I still have no clue what you meant by your original statement that LU hasn’t had a history of putting $ and resources towards sports prior to now.

[Purple Haize]

This excites me then - so HF is advising LU Admin on what upgrades we need to do to be P5 level? Are we secretly trying to ramp everything up to P5 and not simply be a top G5? If so - I am elated. As for 2014 - what exactly changed between then and 2017 other than Indoor Practice Facility that made us FBS “ready” ?

5 years from now the landscape will look very very different. Having a guy like Freeze who has “been to the mountain top” advise on how to be in the best position to take advantage of those changes isn’t a bad thing.

I don’t think anyone would argue that statement - but I still have no clue what you meant by your original statement that LU hasn’t had a history of putting $ and resources towards sports prior to now.

There are reasons people long associated with the University are leery of all the talk. It’s a long history

[ballcoach15]

I just remember what Dr. Falwell said the night he announced he was starting a college:

Someday we will play Notre Dame in Lynchburg ( or words to that effect. cannot recall actual quote) He may have said we will beat Notre Dame ...................in Lynchburg.

[Purple Haize]

I just remember what Dr. Falwell said the night he announced he was starting a college:

Someday we will play Notre Dame in Lynchburg ( or words to that effect. cannot recall actual quote) He may have said we will beat Notre Dame ...................in Lynchburg.

So what you’re really saying is you CAN’T remember

[gerb]

Probably the best interview of HCHF since joining LU. Asks all the questions I've wanted answered since he took the role.

https://collegesportsmaven.io/michigans ... 6HPJAgCUQ/

[jinxy]

Agreed. Interviewer did a good job as well.

[Class of 20Something]

Agreed. Interviewer did a good job as well.

Interviewer needs to come cover the flames. Absolute culture fit.

[Cider Jim]

I loved Coach Freeze's story about living in the Mansion when he first got here and seeing the an old LU football helmet in Jerry, Sr.'s office.

[gerb]