FB Season Finale vs. Morehead

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I say pay for the mistake and move on.

Easy to say when it's not your money!  This is for all intents and purposes a zero-sum game they're having to play in the athletic department.

What if the immediate cost of buying out Carlson prevents them from giving Bryce the raise he will require after this season and we lose him to the Mississippi States of 2013? 

Is football really that important here?

[valpotx]

Very true, I would rather eat another 2 years of Carlson under contract, than letting Bryce leave because we couldn't give him a raise (a la Butler and Stevens).  Btw, Miss State was a bullet and a half that Bryce dodged.  They lost by around 50 to UNC yesterday in Maui

[slickdaddy]

What about the amount  of money lost if kids leave the program?

[crusadermoe]

Excellent question!       If net tuition income is about $15,000 per kid.    My wild guess on salary is that it would only take 8 departures would offset the salary. 

[willy]

Excellent question!       If net tuition income is about $15,000 per kid.    My wild guess on salary is that it would only take 8 departures would offset the salary. 

Net tuition on average is more like $22,000 per kid.  That means only six kids would have to leave and I know many are talking about leaving and guarantee there will be more than that. 

[VULB#62]

ESPN Release:

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Coach Jeff Tedford was fired on Tuesday after 11 seasons at California that began with great promise and ended with a disappointing run of mediocrity.

The decision was announced by athletic director Sandy Barbour at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Tedford engineered an impressive turnaround for the Golden Bears after taking over a one-win team following the 2001 season. He won a school-record 82 games, churned out numerous NFL prospects and spearheaded a facilities upgrade highlighted by a $321 million stadium renovation.

But he never was able to match early success that included a pair of 10-win seasons in his first five years and a share of the 2006 conference title.

The program bottomed out this season, losing the final five games to finish 3-9 for Tedford's worst season at the helm. The Bears lost to rival Stanford for the third straight season and finished 2-5 in the first year back at remodeled Memorial Stadium.

The final two losses were the most lopsided of Tedford's career, a 59-17 home loss to Oregon followed by a season-ending 62-14 loss at Oregon State.

Tedford is still owed $6.9 million over the final three years of his contract.


Tedford was a turn-around specialist and has a pipeline in talent-rich California.  He'll still be living large off the $6.9 million.  Think he'd do some charity work for those three years at Valpo just to get the program on its feet?      He'll be able to use Valpo as a tax deduction.

[milanmiracle]

Excellent question!       If net tuition income is about $15,000 per kid.    My wild guess on salary is that it would only take 8 departures would offset the salary. 

Net tuition on average is more like $22,000 per kid.  That means only six kids would have to leave and I know many are talking about leaving and guarantee there will be more than that. 

The only flaw to that theory is there will always be another kid who wants to say they are a D1 football player even if their skill set wouldn't allow them to be on the roster anywhere else in the country. They'll be replaced and the money coming in before they even leave campus. Doesn't mean they're D1 quality, but they'll pay their own way and give them a full roster.

[usc4valpo]

slick - that was where I was going.  Better to be penny wise than dollar foolish. I say bag football altogether or do it right where it won't be a joke to the students and the alums.

BTW - football will never effect whether Bryce Drew will stay.  There are many Valpo alums that will not allow that to happen, as long as Bryce wants to stay.

[usc4valpo]

ESPN Release: BERKELEY, Calif. -- Coach Jeff Tedford was fired on Tuesday after 11 seasons at California that began with great promise and ended with a disappointing run of mediocrity. The decision was announced by athletic director Sandy Barbour at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. Tedford engineered an impressive turnaround for the Golden Bears after taking over a one-win team following the 2001 season. He won a school-record 82 games, churned out numerous NFL prospects and spearheaded a facilities upgrade highlighted by a $321 million stadium renovation. But he never was able to match early success that included a pair of 10-win seasons in his first five years and a share of the 2006 conference title. The program bottomed out this season, losing the final five games to finish 3-9 for Tedford's worst season at the helm. The Bears lost to rival Stanford for the third straight season and finished 2-5 in the first year back at remodeled Memorial Stadium. The final two losses were the most lopsided of Tedford's career, a 59-17 home loss to Oregon followed by a season-ending 62-14 loss at Oregon State.  Tedford is still owed $6.9 million over the final three years of his contract. Tedford was a turn-around specialist and has a pipeline in talent-rich California. He'll still be living large off the $6.9 million. Think he'd do some charity work for those three years at Valpo just to get the program on its feet? He'll be able to use Valpo as a tax deduction.

Tedford did a great job at Cal.  The Pac 12 has gotten much more competitive the past 5 - 6 years.  Stanford has risen from being a pure geek squad to a power, and Oregon and Oregon St. are top 10 teams.  Washington is also making great strides.  And with Leach at Wazzou, they will be bowling in a couple of years. Now UCLA is back!

However, Kiffin may want to brush up on his coaching skills, and Valpo may be the place.  He can also bring his dad Monte to be the DC.   

[TC28]

I'm almost afraid to ask considering the responses I might get but what would it take to go scholarship in football? I'm probably opening the door to more bashing of our program but I think if you're going to do football right, it needs to go scholarship. Austin Peay St used to be in the Pioneer and now they're scholarship, why can't Valpo? I can only assume that Mercer and Stetson will be scholarship programs within a few years after joining the PFL.

So seriously, what would it take to go scholarship?

[valpotx]

I was wondering the same thing last night, while thinking of the University of Incarnate Word (8,500 students, $60m) moving to D-1, and D-1AA scholarship football in a few years.  Yes, they are in San Antonio, but their endowment is around 1/2 that of Valpo (4,000 students, $140m).  The same goes for Abilene Christian (4,371 students, $300m) moving up to D-1 and D-1AA scholarship football, being closer to Valpo in students, though it does have twice the endowment.

http://www.uiw.edu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_the_Incarnate_Word

www.acu.edu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abilene_Christian_University

[LaPorteAveApostle]

The only flaw to that theory is there will always be another kid who wants to say they are a D1 football player even if their skill set wouldn't allow them to be on the roster anywhere else in the country. They'll be replaced and the money coming in before they even leave campus. Doesn't mean they're D1 quality, but they'll pay their own way and give them a full roster.

Amen, and besides, we've made the error on here before of assuming that every dollar a football player brings with them stays with football, or even the athletic department.

[milanmiracle]

I was wondering the same thing last night, while thinking of the University of Incarnate Word (8,500 students, $60m) moving to D-1, and D-1AA scholarship football in a few years.  Yes, they are in San Antonio, but their endowment is around 1/2 that of Valpo (4,000 students, $140m).  The same goes for Abilene Christian (4,371 students, $300m) moving up to D-1 and D-1AA scholarship football, being closer to Valpo in students, though it does have twice the endowment.

http://www.uiw.edu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_the_Incarnate_Word

www.acu.edu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abilene_Christian_University

I am just going to call this like I see it. Valpo could go to scholarship football if they wanted to, but it's not something they're interested in pursuing . There are other schools with smaller endowments and fewer students that play scholarship football. The reality is there's little to no incentive to do so. They have 100 or so football players paying their own way, minimal output for facilities and coaches and a conference that allows them to hide at the very bottom of D1 football. Just looking at it from a profit and loss standpoint, there's nothing to gain. They're not going to turn into Notre Dame by offering scholarships, or even Youngstown State for that matter. Sadly there's just no upside.

[slickdaddy]

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson has announced that Head Football Coach Matt Ballard's contract will not be renewed after it expires in December.  Ballard served as head coach of the Eagles for 19 seasons and an assistant for four additional years.

"It is very important to me that we express our gratitude for Coach Ballard's efforts on behalf of our program for over two decades," Hutchinson said.  "He inherited a program that was in shambles, and had an opportunity to coach and lead several hundred young men over the years.  I am grateful to him for his dedicated service to our university."

Morehead State posted a 102-105 record in Ballard's time as its head coach.  The Eagles finished the 2012 campaign 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the Pioneer Football League.

"We have not made continual progress on the football field," Hutchinson added.  "The program is not performing up to the expectations we have for it.  Over the years, we have identified obstacles to our success and have been diligent in addressing them.  The results have been consistent for a few seasons now, and it is time to change leadership."

A national search for Ballard's replacement will begin immediately.

[valpotx]

Sounds like a good replacement for us, a guy that took a program in shambles to some really good seasons, and was around .500 for his tenure.  We could only hope for so much right now, that I would love a .500 record over a 20 year period...

[VULB#62]

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson has announced that Head Football Coach Matt Ballard's contract will not be renewed after it expires in December.  Ballard served as head coach of the Eagles for 19 seasons and an assistant for four additional years.

"It is very important to me that we express our gratitude for Coach Ballard's efforts on behalf of our program for over two decades," Hutchinson said.  "He inherited a program that was in shambles, and had an opportunity to coach and lead several hundred young men over the years.  I am grateful to him for his dedicated service to our university."

Morehead State posted a 102-105 record in Ballard's time as its head coach.  The Eagles finished the 2012 campaign 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the Pioneer Football League.

"We have not made continual progress on the football field," Hutchinson added.  "The program is not performing up to the expectations we have for it.  Over the years, we have identified obstacles to our success and have been diligent in addressing them.  The results have been consistent for a few seasons now, and it is time to change leadership."

A national search for Ballard's replacement will begin immediately.

I posted the same thing over on the "OK, now what?" string.  To repeat, right now we'd have killed for MSU's recent numbers.

[VULB#62]

I was wondering the same thing last night, while thinking of the University of Incarnate Word (8,500 students, $60m) moving to D-1, and D-1AA scholarship football in a few years.  Yes, they are in San Antonio, but their endowment is around 1/2 that of Valpo (4,000 students, $140m).  The same goes for Abilene Christian (4,371 students, $300m) moving up to D-1 and D-1AA scholarship football, being closer to Valpo in students, though it does have twice the endowment.

http://www.uiw.edu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_the_Incarnate_Word

www.acu.edu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abilene_Christian_University

I am just going to call this like I see it. Valpo could go to scholarship football if they wanted to, but it's not something they're interested in pursuing . There are other schools with smaller endowments and fewer students that play scholarship football. The reality is there's little to no incentive to do so. They have 100 or so football players paying their own way, minimal output for facilities and coaches and a conference that allows them to hide at the very bottom of D1 football. Just looking at it from a profit and loss standpoint, there's nothing to gain. They're not going to turn into Notre Dame by offering scholarships, or even Youngstown State for that matter. Sadly there's just no upside.

It's a major financial undertaking that takes more than just 34 (NEC) - 65 (CAA, Big Sky, MVFC, etc.) FB scholarships. If we joined the NEC it would be $42,216 X 34 = $1,435,344.  At the I-AA level, partials augmented by need grants is possible unlike the BCS.  I-AA also requires some adherence to certain facility standards (mainly capacity) as well. And then there is the "bling" needed to attract scholarship-quality kids -- mainly locker rooms, lounges, weight facilities, training rooms, jaccuzzis, etc.). The NEC is migrating to 40 in 2013 BTW.

I agree with milan, that's not the route to go.  We're not talking about needing to go for the FCS championship and packing 10,000 fans in the stands.  We're talking about football adding to the quality of campus life at a great mid-major university, generating a sense of pride among alumni,  and striving for excellence at the level of competition we choose. Allowing the football program to fester, at whatever level, in an environment that is contrary to the stated ambitions of excellence by the Valpo leadership turns that statement into a lie.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Just for a point:  during that coach's tenure at Morehead we were 3-14 (.176 winning %) against him.  Series (re)started in 1996. Wins for the good guys in 1999, 2003, and 2006.

Horne:  2-8 (regular season loss in 2003 avenged later in the championship game)
Adams: 1-3
Carlson: 0-3

I didn't calculate average score because I have already drank enough for a holiday week.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Oh, and during Ballard's 102-105 tenure (49.3% winning %), Valpo went 74-131 (36.1%).

OK, you got me, another drink.

[covufan]

The PFL will have three new football coaches, and two new programs.  Maybe, just maybe, stability is what is needed on the VU football sidelines.  Just a thought.

One could also argue that with the new coaches and programs coming into the PFL, that one more wouldn't hurt...

[VULB#62]

The PFL will have three new football coaches, and two new programs.  Maybe, just maybe, stability is what is needed on the VU football sidelines.  Just a thought.

One could also argue that with the new coaches and programs coming into the PFL, that one more wouldn't hurt...

One more what:  new coach in the league if Valpo decides to change?   or another year for the Valpo Coach?   

[crusaderjoe]

Hypothetically, if Valpo lets Carlson go tomorrow, how many years should the AD offer the next guy at the negotiating table?  Three?  Five? Go a year or two interim and hire after long drawn out national search?  Find a new coach immediately and offer a one year renewable contract ?  For arguments sake, if your answer is more than three years, why are you not extending the same courtesy to the same guy we have now? 

Again, hypothetically, what signal are we sending to the next round of candidates if we break the contract tomorrow? That VU is committed to football or that when the AD puts five years on paper, he really means three?

[VULB#62]

A key point for me from the Morehead release:  They identified obstacles to performance improvement, put measures in  place to eliminate them (i.e., invested in things perhaps like a bigger staff, painted the stadium, or revamped the weight room, whatever),  yet in the past few years there was no measurable improvement (they did win 4 games this year). 

Hear what you're saying Joe, and I think MLB will go with one more year and if there is no further, major (it can't be another 1-10 or 2-9 record even with a PF/PA margin reduced to -21 (it's at 30+ now), he'll have no choice.  That assumes a tough performance review NOW, specific goals set NOW, and further investment NOW to eliminate any excuses.  The investment should move the Valpo budget baseline to be competitive with all other PFL schools (or maybe even make an investment surge for 1 year) and whether or not the HFC achieves his goals in 2013, the coach in 2014 of this drama will have something to work with.

Dale Carlson is MLB's hire.  MLB's reputation is on the line as well as Carlson's.  MLB will give the guy every chance to succeed -- to a point.

[crusadermoe]

True.   MLB has done so well in the other sport's coaching hires and results that he will not be under pressure himself.     

Yeah, it's a 4th year on a short lease I would guess too.  That cycles through all of the other coaches recruits.   On that note I have to say that he is reaping what he sowed by poor mouthing the recruits he inherited.     The comments about those recruits did not show me a lot of class.    Just take the high road and go out and get your own guys then.

[VULB#62]

FWIW -- As of 8:50 AM Wednesday:  I could find no Morehead pre game blog, no Morehead Players of the Week on Facebook, and no Morehead recap.