[olldflame]

Rock Royer didn't do it
John Cartwright didn't do it
Tom Dowling didn't do it
Morgan Hout didn't do it
Sam Rutigliano didn't do it
Ken Karcher didn't do it
Danny Rocco didn't do it...


Turner Gill did it...

He took us to the playoffs...let's go get em!

You left one out FIFY

To be realistic, the first 3 really shouldn't count because we were not a D1 program, although Dowling, and later Hout, didn't get us into the D2 playoffs either. Hout had one year in 1AA and went 8-3, but was unceremniously let go to hire Rutigliano. Sam, Ken and Danny all had ample opportunity and didn't get it done, although only Rocco and Gill had the advantage of a conference autobid.

[jinxy]

I was just think back to all my close call but ultimate losses on road trips. It's hard not to get a little emotional when that happened yesterday. From where we've come from and we've competed with just about everyday, to finally pull through when you hold the cards in your hand. Wow, still feels great this morning.

[bluejacket]

I hope somewhere in there is a word of congratulations...

There already was.....

[BJWilliams]

I saw later...I just want to congratulate the guys and soak in the impending historic moment...this team has done something no Liberty football team has done before...and never again can anyone say we have never been to th ge playoffs after today...yeah it wasn't pretty, but like I said before, "whether you win pretty or win ugly, you just gotta have one more point than the other team when the clock hits all zeroes"

[bluejacket]

1. Today proved that last week's game was pointless in terms of our playoff chances. We needed to win today to make it, and that would have been the case even if we had won last week.

Agreed. We were not getting an at-large bid to the playoffs this season.

2. We'll have plenty of sexy wins in the future but today's the biggest. I'm into the mindset that today's win will trigger the future of our athletics. The only ingredient missing from an FBS invite is success. Today, we achieved that.

We still have done a grand total of nothing in the playoffs. Many teams make it to the playoffs each year and never take their programs to a higher level. Look at Coastal before Moglia. David Bennett made the playoffs twice before we did, did very little to capitalize on that success, and was fired one season after making it to the playoffs. We must avoid that.

We must seize this opportunity and win as many games as we can in this postseason before worrying about the future. The season will end on a very bitter note if we lose this upcoming weekend, regardless of who we are playing. Making the playoffs is a great achievement, but the goal is not to just make the playoffs. The goal is to win national championships; at FCS while we are there and ultimately FBS national championships. Making the playoffs is the first step to making that a reality, but it is not even close to where this program wants to be.

But you can't win Championships until you make the playoffs. Which we'd never done until today You are falling into the Liberty Trap without even knowing it

What are you talking about? I responded in this context: VAGolf said, "The only ingredient missing from an FBS invite is success. Today, we achieved that." Which is a completely outrageous statement. Making an appearance in the playoffs is one thing; success is another.

[olldflame]

So what do you call it then? Failure? Mediocrity? If you are NDSU you can say getting into the playoffs is no big deal. We are Liberty, and we have never been there before, so don't tell me it isn't success. Advancing in the playoffs would be a continuation of that success, and in the narrow context of what would impress an FBS conference it could be a big deal, but that can't happen without first getting in.

[Purple Haize]

Making the Play offs is reaching another milestone in the journey. It is not the destination So we have successfully reached a goal. We have not reached the end

[NotAJerry]

And after this won, he's a lock for the HoF, as would any previous coach who had been the first to get us to the play offs

Winning cures a thousand ills.

[VAGolf]

Dear Lord bluejacket.

You don't start a business and expect it to a fortune 500 company in 5 years.

You set goals and accomplish each goal, one at a time.

Stop comparing us to other programs. We aren't NDSU. We aren't Coastal. We aren't anyone but Liberty. At some point, we would like to be on the level with those schools, in terms of success. But the reality is that we aren't anywhere close. So, it is completely idiotic to give ourselves those types of expectations.

Yesterday we accomplished a feat that had yet to be achieved in the history of our program. I hope we go in to Harrisonburg and beat a real rival, JMU. But if we don't, I don't think anyone but you would consider that a bitter end to the season. Starting next season, we will start to build on this year. Our next goal is to not only get to playoffs, but to be really competitive in playoffs.

Also, this is Gill's 3rd season at Liberty. He got us to playoffs with a lot of kids that he didn't even recruit. I too love Moglia's approach at Coastal and for a long time, I've suggested that type of model would work in college football. But Gill is a great coach too and I think we're in for a pleasant future.

[bluejacket]

So what do you call it then? Failure? Mediocrity? If you are NDSU you can say getting into the playoffs is no big deal. We are Liberty, and we have never been there before, so don't tell me it isn't success. Advancing in the playoffs would be a continuation of that success, and in the narrow context of what would impress an FBS conference it could be a big deal, but that can't happen without first getting in.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimblasinga ... hievement/
"Strive for success, but focus on achievement."

[bluejacket]

Stop comparing us to other programs. We aren't NDSU. We aren't Coastal. We aren't anyone but Liberty. At some point, we would like to be on the level with those schools, in terms of success. But the reality is that we aren't anywhere close. So, it is completely idiotic to give ourselves those types of expectations.

I didn't set the expectations. [youtube]

[/youtube]
And I completely agree with these expectations.

Starting next season, we will start to build on this year. Our next goal is to not only get to playoffs, but to be really competitive in playoffs.

This season is the time to build on it. Not next. We have a great opportunity and we have to seize it now.

[LU Grad 11]

Coastal simply needed more dogs, against us.

[bluejacket]

[youtube]

[/youtube]

[jcmanson]

What a great day yesterday was. A day I will never forget.

[PAmedic]

WOW - sick for the last 2 days and just watched the game.

really wanted to puke and then... CHIMA

un friggin real

[BJWilliams]

I couldnt stand to even listen to the game because I didn't want to have to face the board again after another year of coming up short...when I looked on Twitter and saw Lang's post...all I would do was say "wow..." then pull my hoodie on and go do some yardwork knowing we finally did it. I seriously was already preparing my season postmortem comments in my head as I turned away from the computer to help my wife clean the family room at my parents' house just before I saw that tweet

[flameshaw]

And to anyone who ever suggested firing Gill, shut-up and go over-react to something else.

The team was plagued by penalties all day. The clock management at the end of the first half was pathetic. That's a spot where he has to be in charge and make the obvious call for a timeout. Going for 2, and the playcall in that spot, were bad choices.

We had a significant advantage in talent and won by 1. Gill is a great recruiter and a great person. He's a mediocre in game coach, at least tactically, at this point. Today his recruiting won out against a team that played a much more disciplined game. It may also have been a case of getting guys motivated after a lull in the 2nd quarter, which he/his staff deserve a ton of credit for. In the past, that snowballs and we get blown out. Hopefully the on field product begins to function more smoothly the longer he is here as he's someone that is easy to root for. If this team gets the penalties and turnovers under control, they're going to be very hard to beat. Haize was on point that this removes a major negative recruiting tactic against us as we've actually gotten over the first major hurdle now.

This is the first step and he's earned himself a lot of leeway with the playoff appearance. Being the first to get us to the playoffs trumps the questionable in game things that led up to it over the last 3 years. Gill just earned himself a spot in the LU Athletics HOF as far as I'm concerned and he's still got a lot of room to get better.

Pretty late into the weekend to be drinking isn't it?

[flameshaw]

Coastal simply needed more dogs, against us.

Well played my friend. I miss that guy.

[jcmanson]

Video shown to the players prior to the game

[youtube]

[/youtube]

[PAmedic]

awsome

45 with the pick-six vs SB [1:40 mark]

makes me smile.... good times

[BJWilliams]

Man...that video makes me want to strap some pads on...

[Cider Jim]

Just did a word search for "strap" and "pads" to see how many times ole BJ has said that over the years. Wow, it's a lot.

[Purple Haize]

Just did a word search for "strap" and "pads" to see how many times ole BJ has said that over the years. Wow, it's a lot.

The 'field' that I'm it has a different connotation

[LUnpretty11]

Was watching ESPN during lunch today and saw we were on "CFB Ultimate Highlight" - or something like that - showed Chima's block and the pandemonium that ensued. Also showed us holding up the trophy and the whole team chanting "LU!"... pretty sweet clip and great exposure even if it was for 10 seconds.

[PAmedic]

BUMP

rings came in last week

https://twitter.com/LibertyFootball