FB Season Finale vs. Morehead

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Continually running from 5-6 yds behind the line of scrimmage is just a stupid tactic unless you have RBs that are shifty and can make people miss.

We do have players that are ... oh right.  Shifty, with an "f".

[90]

Great 2nd half start!  RAISE THE WHITE FLAG!  MLB, please do the right thing!

[valporun]

I agree with vu72. Much of the blame this season does need to be placed on the shoulders, heads, and legs of the players. Instead of them fighting to show any progress or improvement, they just keep making the same mistakes, and running/protecting the same way they always did, half-assed!! Yes, Coach Carlson is to blame for not benching many of these guys, but when he insists on recruiting freshmen, instead of talking with some transfers that can make a difference. He relied on the same crap all season, and the same crappy players didn't do anything drive for improvement either. I can't put all the blame on Coach Carlson and the rest of his staff. The players do need to wear some of the blame too. You win as a team, and lose as a team, and in the case of Valpo football, you are supposed to learn from losses, not keep adding them up by getting worse and worse by the game.

[90]

Agree that the players should shoulder some of the responsibility, but bottom line is that these coaches have not been able to get them to respond.  Why?

[covufan]

Ok, I was checking the score.  How did we give up two TDs in less than 1:30 in the second half?

This is an embarrassment.  I hope ml is preparing some kind of statement for later this week.

[milanmiracle]

Morehead State 62 Valpo 17...at the end of the THIRD QUARTER!

This is a debacle, and at the end of the third year against another non scholarship team this just shouldn't happen. Hard to believe this program is in worse shape than 3 years ago, but it's true. Yikes.

[valporun]

One possession was a TD pass, the other was a fumble recovery by their defense.

[valporun]

Agree that the players should shoulder some of the responsibility, but bottom line is that these coaches have not been able to get them to respond.  Why?

Are we sure that some of the reason these players aren't responding is because they gave up caring because they knew who going to play all the time, and so they didn't care to improve when they received the knowledge that they were entitled to their starting spot because Coach Carlson like these particular players, and left the rest aside to watch?

[90]

It really doesn't matter if they intentionally quit responding.  Whatever the reason, this isn't working and keeping this staff will not yield a miraculous improvement in the next year or two.  Can only imagine who they will be able to recruit this year.  We will be back to square one with the roster.  Next year may be worse if there is no coaching change.  Maybe Carlson will man up and resign?

[milanmiracle]

Morehead State 76 Valpo 24. Only lost by 52...still better than the Jacksonville game a few years ago.

The sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. 

[90]

Listening to post-game.  "Unfortunately we just didn't get it done today."  Really, Coach Carlson.    "Have to deal with adversity."  "Just tried to do too much."  "Another year in the weight room." "Another spring practice." "Another off season to get the system in place."  Shouldn't be saying these things in year three! HAPPY TRAILS!

[usc4valpo]

OK, how in the world do you say that you keep this guy? 2-31. Morehead St is not that good.
Change it now before it's too late.

[KL31NY]

I'm gonna throw this out there. Keep it if you like, spit it back if you don't...

For all that happened this season, we could have had much better than 1-10 to show for it. If we hold the Pumas' last surge in the opener, and if we get even a single bounce to go our way last week against Davidson, our record could be 3-8 right now. And that's without the impact those games had. A win the opener could easily have made a big early boost to carry into times during the rest of the season, and I'd imagine that a hard-fought W vs. a hard-fought L could have given us a better outlook and enthusiasm for today.

This implies that we are better our records shows. I don't know if that's proof enough, and I won't insist on making a further case either way until today's result settles down a little more. All said and done though, there is no such thing as a good 1-10 team.

[covufan]

We had a chance to win two other games - but did not. 

Up until this game, I was willing to give coach Carlson some relief.  If he is a "system" coach, well, the system may not be working, especially the defense.

I thought coaching was about recognizing the skills of the players, and designing a plan for success of those talents.  Then to coach and develop the skills that need improvement.  At least Horne's first three years showed some improvement in overall points for/against.  Not convinced this team showed much improvement this year. 

Would a made extra point here or there, even with three wins, show improvement?


Sad, really sad.  My feeling is that the kids are really trying, just overmatched and under-prepared.

[FloridaFootball]

No one likes to lose! I am sure that the players who signed up for this dont! They have all invested time,money, sweat, etc.They have been ridiculed by not only the other teams annoucers (like the boneheads that I had to listen to today), but by fellow students, fans,and even parents at times. Morehead State, not that good! Dayton, small, not that good! Davidson, horrible! Folks, there is talent on this team, but this team needs a strong leader. And,this team also needs to play the best players, not the favorites! Character has been exemplified by the players for coming back every week under prepared, under coached and taking a beating. Our team has "Character"! Our team needs proper coaching and wins will follow. Time for a change or the players will run for the hills! Without a doubt!

[KL31NY]

Comment by MSU announcers:  "As good as the VU basketball program is; the FB team is as bad."

You've got to be kidding me. Speaking from my experience as an announcer, those are the kind of cutesy things you think of saying but never actually do. I'm assuming the reviews for the rest of their calls aren't too positive, but since I didn't listen I'll hold my tongue for now...

[vuweathernerd]

Comment by MSU announcers:  "As good as the VU basketball program is; the FB team is as bad."

You've got to be kidding me. Speaking from my experience as an announcer, those are the kind of cutesy things you think of saying but never actually do. I'm assuming the reviews for the rest of their calls aren't too positive, but since I didn't listen I'll hold my tongue for now...

regardless of etiquette, they're not wrong....

[90]

No one likes to lose! I am sure that the players who signed up for this dont! They have all invested time,money, sweat, etc.They have been ridiculed by not only the other teams annoucers (like the boneheads that I had to listen to today), but by fellow students, fans,and even parents at times. Morehead State, not that good! Dayton, small, not that good! Davidson, horrible! Folks, there is talent on this team, but this team needs a strong leader. And,this team also needs to play the best players, not the favorites! Character has been exemplified by the players for coming back every week under prepared, under coached and taking a beating. Our team has "Character"! Our team needs proper coaching and wins will follow. Time for a change or the players will run for the hills! Without a doubt!

The Morehead announcers said they felt sorry for the Valpo players.  Well said FloridaFootball.  Players and parents should bombard President Heckler and AD with their concerns.  LaBarbara needs to feel the pain of these players.  I will have no faith in him as an AD if he keeps a guy who is 2-31 and can't stabilize his staff.  Stop drinking the Carlson Kool Aid.  Coaches may have left for "better" jobs, but my guess is they had a tough time working in the "system."  Doing so much better with new DC aren't we??  What a colossal mess!  Do not give his guy another paycheck.  Admit this didn't work out and move on. 

[VULB#62]

Whatever the reason, this isn't working and keeping this staff will not yield a miraculous improvement in the next year or two.  Can only imagine who they will be able to recruit this year.  We will be back to square one with the roster.  Next year may be worse if there is no coaching change.  Maybe Carlson will man up and resign?

I'm hoping.  For the sake of the kids, parents and the university. Two more years of debacle after debacle if he stays?  A couple of bright spots each year just make the obvious decision a bit more difficult.  Can't base decisions on what-ifs and if-onlys.

Obviously, it all comes out in the wash on Saturday afternoons for the world to see.   Parcells said, "we are what our record says we are."  That's 2-31.  However, the one thing none of us are privy to is what goes on from Sunday to Friday.  Lombardi and many other coaches in many different ways have said over and over, "You win it on the practice field." All we can gauge that by is what we are told by the HFC.  After year one, I talked to DC and was told the root of the problem in 2010 was no talent and a bad attitude from the previous year.  That previous year's year's team, also 1-10, scored more points than Carlson's first year, and gave up fewer points than ANY Carlson team.  The 2009 team got blown out only twice -- by USD (7-48) and Jacksonville (20-49).  Butler won the league at 7-1 and Valpo gave them a game (14-23).  Dayton tied with Butler at 7-1 and Valpo lost only 7-38. No opponent scored 50 or more points against Valpo in Adams' last three years.  Contrast that to the following blowouts (48 points against or more) in the past three years:  2010  - 50, 50, 86 and 56, 48 and 48;  2011  - 77, 49, 55, 50, and 49;  2012  - 59, 51, 56, and 76. I was very disheartened in 2008 and 2009 not much at the W-L records, but the scoring margins.  In retrospect, today  I'd welcome losing scores like in 2009:  Drake 34-14, Marist 24-0, Morehead 29-6, or even 17-3 to Campbell.

Attached is a final roll-up of the comparison between Stacy Adams' last three years (that got him fired), and the last three years:  Click on it to enlarge.

[VULB#62]

No one likes to lose! I am sure that the players who signed up for this dont! They have all invested time,money, sweat, etc.They have been ridiculed by not only the other teams annoucers (like the boneheads that I had to listen to today), but by fellow students, fans,and even parents at times. Morehead State, not that good! Dayton, small, not that good! Davidson, horrible! Folks, there is talent on this team, but this team needs a strong leader. And,this team also needs to play the best players, not the favorites! Character has been exemplified by the players for coming back every week under prepared, under coached and taking a beating. Our team has "Character"! Our team needs proper coaching and wins will follow. Time for a change or the players will run for the hills! Without a doubt!

The Morehead announcers said they felt sorry for the Valpo players.  Well said FloridaFootball.  Players and parents should bombard President Heckler and AD with their concerns.  LaBarbara needs to feel the pain of these players.  I will have no faith in him as an AD if he keeps a guy who is 2-31 and can't stabilize his staff.  Stop drinking the Carlson Kool Aid.  Coaches may have left for "better" jobs, but my guess is they had a tough time working in the "system."  Doing so much better with new DC aren't we??  What a colossal mess!  Do not give his guy another paycheck.  Admit this didn't work out and move on.

FloridaFB -- Spoken by someone who might know a little bit more of what happens between Sunday and Friday?

It's also worth noting the scores among us bottom feeders this past Saturday:

Davidson - LOST to USD (who has a chance to tie for the PFL championship) by only 17-10
Valparaiso - LOST to Morehead 76-24 (Campbell only gave up 70 to MSU and scored 28)
Campbell - LOST to Marist 28 -7 (VU lost 44-7)

[usc4valpo]

I would be surprised if Carlson is around by Dec 1.   I do not think LaBarbera will let this embarrassment prolong.  Students forking out $40K to play football deserve better.

[bbtds]

Attached is a final roll-up of the comparison between Stacy Adams' last three years that got him fired, and the last three years:  Click on it to enlarge.

You know, 62, I've become quite attached to your attachments. Pray tell, how does one make an attachment?

Could you explain?

An Error Has Occurred!
You cannot upload that type of file. The only allowed extensions are doc,gif,jpg,mpg,pdf,png,txt,zip.

[VULB#62]

I do a screen shot of an Excel spread to allow me to put up a .png

[crusadermoe]

At least the score differential keeps improving.       By 2015 maybe loss avg. is under 20?

[VULB#62]

At least the score differential keeps improving.       By 2015 maybe loss avg. is under 20?

One could only hope.  But it still boggles the mind that in the last three years, opponents have score 1,028 points more than Valpo has scored.