[TDDance234]

I think you'll see a lot of alumni make the trip if we do get a home game. I know I'd make the trip in.

[From the class of 09]

Give us another 40 years and I see us being a BCS power. Again the culture will change with time and I still would wager a big chunk of those bama fans are raised (look at the parents) in the culture not just immersed in it as freshman.

most kids grow up WANTING to go to the Penn States, USCs, Alabamas, Texas-essss, etc

FEW, if any- grow up WANTING to go to LU. That will change- but for my generation and, I suspect, many of todays students- MOMMY and DADDY SENT them there.

that has a lot to do with the lack of committment you see

I guess my experience was largely different. For sure I knew kids here cuz dad and mom made them, but the majority I knew wanted to go to LU.

I still feel what everyone is missing is just being able to grow up with a winning DI-program. It will be all of our kid’s (who have been raised cheering for LU), generation that will see the loyalty that you see at other schools as they are raised cheering for LU. As I've shared multiple times I will always cheer for Neb because I grew up going to games and watching them on TV. At the time LU wasn't on TV at all and the family wasn't going to go cross country to see some mediocre DII team play ball. Now you can watch LU games anywhere and since they are being competitive at the D-I level for the first time we can really begin to experience that loyalty beginning to build.

[bozlady]

Give us another 40 years and I see us being a BCS power. Again the culture will change with time and I still would wager a big chunk of those bama fans are raised (look at the parents) in the culture not just immersed in it as freshman.

most kids grow up WANTING to go to the Penn States, USCs, Alabamas, Texas-essss, etc

FEW, if any- grow up WANTING to go to LU. That will change- but for my generation and, I suspect, many of todays students- MOMMY and DADDY SENT them there.

that has a lot to do with the lack of committment you see

I guess my experience was largely different. For sure I knew kids here cuz dad and mom made them, but the majority I knew wanted to go to LU.

I still feel what everyone is missing is just being able to grow up with a winning DI-program. It will be all of our kid’s (who have been raised cheering for LU), generation that will see the loyalty that you see at other schools as they are raised cheering for LU. As I've shared multiple times I will always cheer for Neb because I grew up going to games and watching them on TV. At the time LU wasn't on TV at all and the family wasn't going to go cross country to see some mediocre DII team play ball. Now you can watch LU games anywhere and since they are being competitive at the D-I level for the first time we can really begin to experience that loyalty beginning to build.

Yeah, we'll be the old geezers, tailgating for miles and miles around - like those you see at UCONN and WVA, etc.,. You know, the ones with the small hitch trailers, gas stoves, old as all get out but still sportin' LU gear out the wazoo......I can't wait!!!!

[BigAl57]

My son told us about LU. He told us he was going there since 10th grade. Now he is trying to recruit his younger brother to join him. He is living his dream.

[LUconn]

Can anybody think of a private school with a die hard football fan base? I think a lot of these hardcore fans aren't necessarily alumni of __insert state school here__, but still feel that school represents them because the name of the school and their home state is the same. Obviously success and history also play a huge part in that too.

[Kricket]

Notre Dame

[olldflame]

I Think there is a private school in South Bend, Indiana that has a decent fan base.

[Kricket]

LUconn is right to an extent though. I grew up watching Wisconsin Badger games just because they're the only scholarship football in Wisconsin. I actually can't stand the school, but because they were named Wisconsin, I followed them and still do. Kind of stupid actually.

[LUconn]

Oh yeah, I forgot USC and Miami, but even though they're private, they still bear the name of a particular area. ND is an anomaly in every sense of their existence in NCAA football.

[Cider Jim]

My son told us about LU...He is living his dream.

I LOVE it when LU dads talk that way.

[FactChecker]

Flamerbob, it has not been "almost decades since we were good." We went 9-2 in 1997, which is eight years before Rocco's arrival. We had multiple 7 and 8 win seasons from 1988 to 1997, and were ranked in the Top 10 a couple of times during that period. The team was on its own without much support able to be provided from the university and athletics department, but we had a winning program before we hired Karcher. We were even 6-6 and 6-5 in Karcher's last two years before he finished 1-10, which is mediocre, but some of the young folks think we were like 1-10 for 20 years before we hired Rocco in 2005.

[thepostman]

I may be wrong but I thought we had never cracked the top 10...maybe I missed something

[ToTheLeft]

I may be wrong but I thought we had never cracked the top 10...maybe I missed something

Manson posted we were number 8 in 1990 or something like that.

[jcmanson]

I may be wrong but I thought we had never cracked the top 10...maybe I missed something

Manson posted we were number 8 in 1990 or something like that.

Yes, we've been #8 and #9 back in 1990. We might have cracked the top 10 once in '89 as well.

[thepostman]

ahhh ok...I didn't realize that. I knew we were ranked in the top 15 back then. I guess I never realized how good we were at one point.

[SumItUp]

Flamerbob, it has not been "almost decades since we were good." We went 9-2 in 1997, which is eight years before Rocco's arrival. We had multiple 7 and 8 win seasons from 1988 to 1997, and were ranked in the Top 10 a couple of times during that period. The team was on its own without much support able to be provided from the university and athletics department, but we had a winning program before we hired Karcher. We were even 6-6 and 6-5 in Karcher's last two years before he finished 1-10, which is mediocre, but some of the young folks think we were like 1-10 for 20 years before we hired Rocco in 2005.

Thank you

[From the class of 09]

I know I shouldn't have to ask but when did LU move up from D2?

[Kolzilla41]

Flamerbob, it has not been "almost decades since we were good." We went 9-2 in 1997, which is eight years before Rocco's arrival. We had multiple 7 and 8 win seasons from 1988 to 1997, and were ranked in the Top 10 a couple of times during that period. The team was on its own without much support able to be provided from the university and athletics department, but we had a winning program before we hired Karcher. We were even 6-6 and 6-5 in Karcher's last two years before he finished 1-10, which is mediocre, but some of the young folks think we were like 1-10 for 20 years before we hired Rocco in 2005.

So using your calculations, 97 was the last good year. add a decade, 2007. 2008 was the year they started playing better. SO its been 11 years, not decades. Sorry I was off. And I don't count the Karcher because at the best they were mediocre.