A Sea Of Red

The next installment of LU Football Past bring us to the 1990 season.

Pt. I was a reminder of the greatest win in LU Football History - the win over Eastern Michigan in the '89 season.

Which brings us to Pt. II - Liberty vs. Delaware State - 1990

The Flames, with 14 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter hold a 37-9 advantage over Delaware State.

Seemingly a thorough trouncing of the Hornets is in order, correct?

What happened next?

We lost.

flameshaw wrote:We lost.

This will go down as one of the most disappointing losses for LU. In my mind, the 1st game against VMI was even a bigger choke seeing that VMI executed the same pooch kick three times in a row, recovered all three and ended up winning the first "Battle of the Blue Ridge" after the game was in the bag. Never could figure out why we just didn't fair catch the ball.

Why don't we still call it the Battle of the Blue Ridge? It seems like we could turn that into a good rivalry.

SuperJon wrote:Why don't we still call it the Battle of the Blue Ridge? It seems like we could turn that into a good rivalry.

I don't really know why. I think it would be a good idea to revive the slogan.

I remember the DSU game and was there in attendence. The most heartbreaking loss I have ever experienced. It ruined great performances from Robbie Justino, Scott Queen, and Leroy Kinard. I blame the loss on poor coaching decisions and our inability to run the ball that year to run out the clock. Our O Line was not good and young. Also couldn't stop their big WR David Jones and their draw plays in the end. I couldn't believe there kicker hit that last field goal who was terrible up until that point and the whole DSU team swarming the field. That game cost us a chance in the playoffs.

Stevev wrote:I blame the loss on poor coaching decisions and our inability to run the ball that year to run out the clock.

We stopped doing what had been working all game long. It's sort of like turning the hot water on and off. It takes a little bit to get the water warm. When you turn it off, it takes time again to warm up. That's what happened with the offense. When Coach Sam turned off the hot water, it was hard to get it hot again before time ran out. Then it was too late.

Stevev wrote:I couldn't believe there kicker hit that last field goal who was terrible up until that point and the whole DSU team swarming the field.

If you recall, the winning kick, instead of going up and in end over end like most kicks, it went up and in helicopter style.

Which brings us to Pt. II - Liberty vs. Delaware State - 1990...What happened next?

I was camping with my Boy Scout troop and listening to that game on the radio of my truck. As I recall, Coach Sam had his team throwing effectively all game, and then tried to switch into a running mode to run out the clock. After several 3 downs & punt, we gave the game away to Del. State. I hate to say it, but that coaching decision didn't make any sense to me at the time, and it still doesn't--17 years later.

David Jones of Deleware State was a BEAST in that fourth quarter. He went on to have a decent NFL career. I believe he was a tight end, not a WR. At least he was after he got to the NFL.

Sam R. was the most overrated coach ever in LU athletics. He didn't live up to all his hype and his best players were recruited by Morgan Hout. His poor coaching decisions in the DSU game further support by statement.

Stevev wrote:Sam R. was the most overrated coach ever in LU athletics. He didn't live up to all his hype and his best players were recruited by Morgan Hout. His poor coaching decisions in the DSU game further support by statement.

I could post an actual response to this statement but, what would be the point?

ROCCO-BALL now, baby!

new chapter in LU FB, hope it becomes the best ever....

GO FLAMES!

RagingTireFire wrote:

Stevev wrote:Sam R. was the most overrated coach ever in LU athletics. He didn't live up to all his hype and his best players were recruited by Morgan Hout. His poor coaching decisions in the DSU game further support by statement.

I could post an actual response to this statement but, what would be the point?

I guess if you don't have anything to say its best not to post. I agree that Sam was a disaster of a coach both on and off the field. He lost games, the student body and the respect of those that had to work with him who happened to have a different last name. With the exception of facilities, our program is still behind where we were when he arrived.

Let's hope Rocco can dig us out of the hole that Sam got us into.

A Coach Karcher hire didn't help us much either (sorry, I was still in preschool when Sam R was here).

I think things are looking great under Coach Rocco though, the team has confidence, has learned how to win, and Brock's throwing game should be improved since he's at spring practices this year instead of recovering from mono.

With the exception of facilities, our program is still behind where we were when he arrived.

It wasn't Sam's fault, Baldspot: it was the CURSE OF MORGAN HOUT!

That kick was a knuckleball if I've ever seen one. Up to the 4th qtr., we saw a great DSU band, Robbie and co. marching up and down the field, then the wheels fell off. You guys are right, we probably make the playoffs if we dont lose that game.

How's this for a response?

These numbers are drawn from CFBDataWarehouse.com and are, therefore, facts; not random suppositions based on Sam cutting my tongue out for not watching the language I use.

LU Winning Percentage by coach:

• Rutigliano .558
  Rocco .545
  Cartwright .518
  Royer .500
  Dowling .466
  Hout .410
  Karcher .313

Winning seasons at LU by coach

• Rutigliano 6
  Dowling 3
  Cartwright 2
  Hout 1
  Karcher 1
  Rocco 1

Sam has 67 wins on the LU sideline to his credit. The next guy down is Dowling with 33.

Of the 4 seasons with 8 wins or more, Sam has 2 of them.

I can't speak to the facilities at the time or to the student body but I know that the people who worked with him -- at least everywhere else -- still respect him. I know that his former players love(d) him. I know that Sam was one of the first people that Jerry called to help him find a new coach after Karcher got the boot. If there's a hole here to be dug out of, it was probably originally excavated by the local redneck populace who couldn't get past that last name.

Respondez vous?

For the record, my reason for starting this post was in no way meant to be a slam on Coach Sam. Its intent was to talk about a jaw-dropping loss back in the day.

I'm sorry that this thread even ventured in that direction.

I, too, think Coach Sam did a good job while he was on the mountain. Yes, there are some areas that slacked, could have been better (hindsight is always 20/20) etc. However, he is/was a good coach and a good man and that is from my three years playing under him.

P.S. I think it's a little unfair to place Rocco in any win/loss categories when listing all-time coaches. Maybe do that after a few years?

Speaking of hard losses during the Coach Sam era, does anyone remember the onsides kick he tried at the away game at VMI when we were winning? Well, we weren't winning for long--after that play.

I get you, Vegas, and I agree. Rocco is only in there b/c I was listing the sum total of LU football numbers and Rocco does have one season on record. I don't think Sam was God's gift to coaching by any means but I think he did the best he could with what was given to him. As I understand, his budget back in the day was a mere fraction of what we throw at football today, so I certainly appreciate his efforts.

I agree with Baldspot's comments. I think that if Coach Hout had stayed, and Sam not hired, the program would have been in much better shape back then. Coach Hout had to work though the transition years moving from Division 2 to 1 AA and therefore his record took a bit of a beating. But when the transition was completed Hout had an LU football program capable of competing with any 1AA program in the country. Bringing in Sam only messed things up for LU football and the program eventually went into the crapper.

That kick was a knuckleball if I've ever seen one. Up to the 4th qtr., we saw a great DSU band, Robbie and co. marching up and down the field, then the wheels fell off. You guys are right, we probably make the playoffs if we dont lose that game.

I remember DSU's band being spectacular and I think they played the song "Can't touch this". I also remember the knuckleball of a kick and prior to that kick he did nothing right. I think that we blocked his previous 2 attempts. I still have nightmares about that game and it has been 17 years since it happened.

Stevev wrote:I think that if Coach Hout had stayed, and Sam not hired, the program would have been in much better shape back then. Coach Hout had to work though the transition years moving from Division 2 to 1 AA and therefore his record took a bit of a beating. But when the transition was completed Hout had an LU football program capable of competing with any 1AA program in the country. Bringing in Sam only messed things up for LU football and the program eventually went into the crapper.

And all this is based on what? Really curious now.

Without getting into too much detail it seems as if after the first 4 years of Sam R were over, LU's performance agains't the better 1AA teams got worse and I think that his better teams were his first 4 years when Coach Houts recruits were still around and yes I do think Houts recruits were better all around. After that it seemed LU went on a roller coaster and then it went South. It seemed like Sam was an okay coach but his team's lacked overall talent and depth. I don't know if the huge debt that LU had caused recruiting cutbacks or not. I have been following the team pretty close for about 25 years now and that is my perception.

Baldspot wrote:

RagingTireFire wrote:

Stevev wrote:Sam R. was the most overrated coach ever in LU athletics. He didn't live up to all his hype and his best players were recruited by Morgan Hout. His poor coaching decisions in the DSU game further support by statement.

I could post an actual response to this statement but, what would be the point?

I guess if you don't have anything to say its best not to post. I agree that Sam was a disaster of a coach both on and off the field. He lost games, the student body and the respect of those that had to work with him who happened to have a different last name. With the exception of facilities, our program is still behind where we were when he arrived.

Let's hope Rocco can dig us out of the hole that Sam got us into.

Regarless of your thoughts on coach Sam, you gotta agree, he could sure round off those "cartwheels".