Crusaders @ Butler

vu72 · November 09, 2013, 11:46:38 AM

And welcome sports fans to Valpo wide "Save Your Job Day"!! A win against the Bulldogs and all is forgiven. A smothering loss and whatever happens next week is irrelevant.

414 · November 09, 2013, 01:09:01 PM

Four to go in the first half and we are down 48-6. We surrender! Carlson should be canned after this week. Name an interim for next week and begin the search. This guy cannot coach!

usc4valpo · November 09, 2013, 01:13:45 PM

C'mon, it's only 38-6 in the first half. Carlson is showing coaching brilliance here. Give him tenure, Shields Up Baby!!

What happened to Hoffman? I just got back from taking my daughter to class and Butler scored 14 in 15 minutes.

usc4valpo · November 09, 2013, 01:21:52 PM

OMG, 45-12 with 6 minutes left in the half. This last touchdown play was absolutely depressing. Ickow is asking for a mercy rule.

414 · November 09, 2013, 01:27:15 PM

My bad about that 48-6. 45-12 is much, much better! Watching the Butler video feed. Our team seriously looked like they just wanted to get on the bus and head up 65. This is humiliating for all involved.

usc4valpo · November 09, 2013, 01:59:32 PM

Why doesn't this team try to give the ball to Tiabi more. Bubble city.

milanmiracle · November 09, 2013, 03:29:13 PM

Butler 72 Valpo 12

Are you freaking kidding me? Were they playing the Colts? How on earth do you lose by 60 to another non scholarship program in a supposed rivalry game. That's pathetic. Butler put up 717 yards of total offense, and 328 on the ground. Seriously? The funny part to all that is despite being out gained by over 300 yards, Valpo ran more plays.

I'll predict here there will be no football blog next week, as Joel Osteen doesn't like to blog when he loses big.

vu72 · November 09, 2013, 04:13:08 PM

If you listen closely...wait...there it is..."beep...beep...beep", ah yes, the sound of the Two Dogs and a Cat moving van backing up to former Coach Carlson's home.

IndyValpo · November 09, 2013, 04:30:42 PM

Carlson should be "Kiffined" upon his return to Valpo. It is past time and he quit on the team at the end of each half.

We played based defense on every play today. We don't blitz, we never went with an extra DB. We ended up with LB's trying to cover speed which led to 2-3 TDs.

How can we continue to miss kicks?

We run the wrong plays at the wrong time with the wrong personnel.

This final one just floors me. Down 60, under a minute remaining we punted on 4th and one from about our 40. The crowd was actually chanting "go for it".

Kudos to the fans and the players not dressed who came out in support today.

setshot · November 09, 2013, 04:42:50 PM

It will undoubtedly take a long long time to rebuild the football program. Why bother? DROP FOOTBALL!

usc4valpo · November 09, 2013, 04:44:50 PM

This performance is embarrassing and the status of this football program is a detriment to the university. There is no way I can believe that Butler on a talent level is 60 points better than Valpo. At a coaching level they are 60 points better. The excuse on this being a rebuilding program and all the other excuses have become stale. The program need attention from the Valpo suitors now and serious decisions need to be made.

Also - all players and coaches should closely watch the Stanford-Oregon game. Stanford's fundamentals and coaching a exemplify how to play the right way.

usc4valpo · November 09, 2013, 04:47:46 PM

Quote from: setshot on November 09, 2013, 04:42:50 PMIt will undoubtedly take a long long time to rebuild the football program. Why bother? DROP FOOTBALL!

I would rather drop football than have a current program like this where there is no committment and you have university administrators appreciating their leather bound books and acting as if all is well.

LaPorteAveApostle · November 09, 2013, 05:13:52 PM

Quote from: usc4valpo on November 09, 2013, 09:30:40 AMRon English just got canned from EMU and looking to rebuild a program.

er... on second thought...maybe not such a good @#$%ing idea

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131109/SPORTS0203/311090049/-How-did-many-young-guys-go-bad-Listen-tirade-by-ex-EMU-coach-Ron-English?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Sports|p

valpotx · November 09, 2013, 08:45:53 PM

How many 20+ yard plays can you give up in one game??? Good lord...

usc4valpo · November 09, 2013, 08:50:10 PM

Once again, our beloved Crusaders need to stay out of Walmart and Target to buy these defective shields. I hope they held on to their receipts for a proper refund!

BTW, during today's broadcast, Ickow's enthusiasm for the future of the Valpo program was a little overboard. I am assuming he gets paid by the university to avoid critiquing them. He has a tough job broadcasting these games. It would be great to have a beer with him somewhere to get an off-the-record, true feel on what is happening...

chef · November 09, 2013, 09:47:51 PM

I'm always up for a beer and a chat with a Valpo sports enthusiast. It's definitely a slippery slope when the mic turns on. Unless you're Harry Caray you won't last long in this profession by ripping the team that pays your bills.

usc4valpo · November 09, 2013, 10:12:13 PM

Quote from: chef on November 09, 2013, 09:47:51 PMI'm always up for a beer and a chat with a Valpo sports enthusiast. It's definitely a slippery slope when the mic turns on. Unless you're Harry Caray you won't last long in this profession by ripping the team that pays your bills.

I am sure Ickow is a decent guy. He has a tough job broadcasting this team and he is digging very deep in the well looking for positives, and it is turning into phony optimism.

valpotx · November 10, 2013, 02:37:35 AM

USC, chef is Ickow

chef · November 10, 2013, 02:46:21 AM

Yes, but is he really a decent guy

VUdad · November 10, 2013, 07:06:12 AM

When players use descriptors like "embarassing" and "humiliating," and they (and their parents) pay a large amount of money to play for a program that made big promises to recruit them, then the time has come for substantial change. Many of these guys turned down offers to play elsewhere, believing they could help turnaround a D1 football team. Reality: run the same plays, line up in the same formations, with the same players, against the same teams. Valpo's issue is not a lack of talent, it's refusal to change anything. The lone two bright spots in yesterday's game were a fake punt (oh my, a trick play, isn't that too risky?) and a few more players getting reps. Coaches arguing. Parents yelling. C'mon. This. Is. Wrong.

usc4valpo · November 10, 2013, 07:08:00 AM

Quote from: valpotx on November 10, 2013, 02:37:35 AMUSC, chef is Ickow

well, just call me %#$%@^#. I thought chef was reincarnated from a cafeteria cook in South Park, CO.

LaPorteAveApostle · November 10, 2013, 07:14:05 AM

Quote from: usc4valpo on November 10, 2013, 07:08:00 AMwell, just call me %#$%@^#.

i had the same reaction when i was told the same info

VUdad, God bless you. I can't imagine how that must feel.

vu72 · November 10, 2013, 08:14:15 AM

Quote from: valpotx on November 10, 2013, 02:37:35 AM
USC, chef is Ickow

Great. Another cover blown! The next thing you know people will start thinking agibson is a member of the faculty!!

VULB#62 · November 10, 2013, 08:19:59 AM

Quote from: VUdad on November 10, 2013, 07:06:12 AM
When players use descriptors like "embarassing" and "humiliating," and they (and their parents) pay a large amount of money to play for a program that made big promises to recruit them, then the time has come for substantial change. Many of these guys turned down offers to play elsewhere, believing they could help turnaround a D1 football team. Reality: run the same plays, line up in the same formations, with the same players, against the same teams. Valpo's issue is not a lack of talent, it's refusal to change anything. The lone two bright spots in yesterday's game were a fake punt (oh my, a trick play, isn't that too risky?) and a few more players getting reps. Coaches arguing. Parents yelling. C'mon. This. Is. Wrong.

Yes. It. Is.

I was watching in and out on the Butler feed. At one point in the 3rd quarter, I believe after Butler scored the 65th point midway through the 3rd quarter, the Butler announcers talked about the Valpo program under Carlson, and even they mentioned that there should be something to show for 4 years of effort and that this program is far from doing that. In the 4th quarter, they, on the other hand commended the kids who were on the field for their heart and that they were still fighting. Both these 'neutral' observations serve to reinforce what VUDad stated - good kids, bad program.

I was a Carlson proponent for the first 2-3 years. I saw some of the good things he instituted (not the motivational tweets though) and had faith that it would eventually all come together. I misjudged the trappings for substance. It is time for Mark to make an affirmative statement in the form of action to parents like VUDad, alums like us, and all future athletes contemplating Valpo (not just football players), that the athletic department and the university administration stands behind its kids and when coaching incompetence is regularly demonstrated to the point of repeated humiliation, it will act. Tomorrow morning he needs to relieve Dale Carlson of his coaching duties, appoint an interim HFBC for the last game, and immediately begin a search for a coach who can turn this program around -- fast. Anything less, IMO, is mirroring what VUDad points out is the issue -- unwillingness to change and adapt.

414 · November 10, 2013, 08:26:40 AM

VUDad - while I feel horrible for what you, the other parents and most importantly the players are going through, I'm not sure I would have bought into a program that had managed just two wins in three years under this HC. The HUGE red flags were there with this guy long ago. The revolving door of assistant coaches the most alarming. Any respected head coach has "his guys" that are there for him and ready to step up to the next challenge. Seems that he has spent his time at Valpo scrambling to replace members of his staff who saw the light. Definitely not a good sign. He does seem to excel at sales though. Maybe a new career choice?

I agree that the talent is there. Parents unite and go to administration to fight for this program. Valpo will not drop football for the obvious reasons that have been debated here over and over again. Time for a young coach with an actual vision and the ability to change it up when it's just not working. There is hope if we can keep this team from bolting (a tall order I'm sure) and give them an HC they can believe in! Agree 62, Carlson needs to be out now. Show everyone that this embarrassment will not be allowed to represent Valpo any longer.