[ericlc72]

It wasn't the opponent because we've played worse opponents with tons of energy.

What it comes down to is a general lack of excitement around the program. We had a horrible year last year and the hope of an FBS move is all but gone. If we can win some the excitement will come back.

Obviously, I am new here and don't really know your history on this board, but I'd like to understand what I perceive to me an overall negative attitude towards the current state of the program.

Here's my history:

I was a student from 06-08 (undergrad) and 08-10 (seminary). I worked for the football program from 07-09 and the athletic department 09-10. I also started and ran The LUnatics while on campus. I was the biggest and most passionate fan you could've been while on campus.

I'm a gigantic Danny Rocco fan but I understood (and still understand) why he had to be let go and supported (and still do) that decision. When we were looking for a new coach, I was one of the first on here suggesting we go after Turner Gill.

During Gill's first season I knew we'd be rebuilding and so finishing 6-5 didn't bother me a ton. We still had a couple WTF games (Lehigh and Coastal) but we were young and it happens. After that season I started hearing stuff from people around the program that sounded a lot like the critiques from Kansas fans when we hired Gill. The following year was another disappointment losing games we should've won to ODU and Coastal. We finished the season unranked again. The next year we had three more really disappointing losses in games we should've won (Richmond, Indiana State, Charleston Southern). That year was saved at Coastal though and a little bit of hope was reborn. Then last year happened. In his four years, he's only finished the season ranked one time. In the four years before he got here, we finished the season ranked each year.

This year, with the issues at CSU, I fully expect us to win the league and go to the playoffs. However, unless we can make great showings in these next two games, I really don't know how good we are vs how bad the league is without Coastal.

I love Turner Gill as a person and face of Liberty. He fits that role better than most people could ever dream of. He's an incredible recruiter and salesman, but he hasn't proven to be a great coach or organizational leader. His success depends completely on his assistant coaches and there are a few that I'm not sure about, mainly on the offensive side of the ball.

Our goal as a program is to be a top 20 program. That's been stated for years. We haven't been that the last few years and it's disappointing.

Take all of that, mix it with our rival getting the only FBS invite left on the table, and add being stuck in a crappy league and you get a lack of hope that we're going to get if not to where we want to be, at least back to where we were.

Alright. Thanks for letting me know.

[ericlc72]

Thats a strange thing to say, but its so true. How we look winning games will be the gauge.

We need to beat PC, GWU, and KSU like we used to beat Big South teams under Rocco. We need to beat Monmouth by 14-20. And we just need to beat CSU. If we can do that, I'll have a lot more confidence moving forward. I've said all along I'd love to be wrong about Gill.

I don't disagree about the inconsistency. Last year was the first year for me to pay attention to Liberty. I saw every game including two games at Williams stadium. The team seemed to be different from week to week. One thing to point out were the injuries on the offensive side of the ball seemed to be tough to overcome last year. That doesn't explain the inconsistency, but should be considered.

[jbock13]

Our results have lagged behind dollars spent.

This pretty much sums up my opinion of our athletic department as a whole.

[olldflame]

Across all levels, there has not always been a direct correlation between money spent and winning There are so many other factors The school we are playing tomorrow managed to find a way to pull it off for a few years back in the day

[jack_sparrow81]

I wouldn't consider last year as horrible. We beat two good FCS schools-Coastal Carolina/Montana and beat GA state who ended up in a bowl game. I would say that Gill has done a lot better in big games than his predecessors. We did lose games that we shouldn't have but the Big South overall is a whole lot better than what it was 10 years ago.

[Purple Haize]

I wouldn't consider last year as horrible. We beat two good FCS schools-Coastal Carolina/Montana and beat GA state who ended up in a bowl game. I would say that Gill has done a lot better in big games than his predecessors. We did lose games that we shouldn't have but the Big South overall is a whole lot better than what it was 10 years ago.

Yes but his name is not Rocco so some will always see him through jaded glasses

[Jonathan Carone]

Gill has scheduled better than we did under Rocco. He's also done better against some of the better competition at times. Where he's done a little worse is against the teams that aren't any good. That's pretty typical of coaches who are mainly motivators and recruiters.

[olldflame]

Gill has scheduled better than we did under Rocco. He's also done better against some of the better competition at times. Where he's done a little worse is against the teams that aren't any good. That's pretty typical of coaches who are mainly motivators and recruiters.

I pretty much agree, but would point out that some of the opponents (especially in conference) the Rocco teams always handled with ease are better now than they were then, CSU being the main example The BSC is overall a much better football conference the past few years That is based on actual rankings of FCS conferences

Let's also not forget that we would have almost certainly had our first playoff berth back in 2008 if we had beaten Presby

[Jonathan Carone]

Rocco definitely lost some games he shouldn't have. That said, the only BSC team that's any better is CSU. PC and GW are still pretty horrible.

[LUGrad2000]

Gill has done much better in big games than Rocco did. In The wins last year vs Montana, GA ST., and Coastal we looked great. The WTF games we looked horrible. I feel very confident that we will not have a WTF game this year. We have a good team. We are going to Richmond in the first round of the playoffs and winning.

[BJWilliams]

Monmouth looked improved the first couple games...we shall see how they do today against Kent State

[Sly Fox]

I have not been on campus in awhile but I really enjoyed how SMU did its walk into the stadium. We were standing near the beginning of the walk so the crowds weren't gathered around like they were as they walked the half mile or so down the live oak-lined Boulevard tot he stadium. But it had a cool feel to it.

[youtube]u21hRO95gig[/youtube]

Talking with some of the fellow posters who I was standing with during the walk the general feeling was that the fact the walk occurred through where the fans were already located to tailgate helped to create a much better atmosphere. That might be tough to re-create at our spread out campus.

[ballcoach15]

I hope we make playoffs, but not travel to some CAA school. But we probably will have to. I do not like CAA.