Put your Football Head Coach ideas here

[VULB#62]

2013 Performance for Backaground:
WIU (MVFC) 4-7 -- Beat Hampton (MEAC -FCS) 42-9, Quincy (D-II) 34-6.  Lost to Minnesota 12-29, UNLV 7-38
EKU (OVC) 6-5 -- Beat Morehead 56-24, Robert Morris 38-6.  Lost to #8 Louisville 7-44
Illinois State (MVFC) 5-6 -- Lost to Ball State 28-51

And just for grins I looked up Indiana State from the old Indiana Collegiate Conference, and who I'd like to see us developing a regular series with:
1-10 -- Beat Quincy (D-II) 70-7
Lost to Indiana 35-73, Purdue 14-20

[IndyValpo]

Hasn't the last four years taught us anything?  You can't schedule a win.

Let me rephrase.....use the 12th game to schedule a home game that is winnable.  If Purdue and IU can schedule Indiana State there is nothing wrong with us scheduling Anderson or Manchester.

I think WE should stay out of the scheduling arena and leave it to the coaches and AD.  Ask the players and former players if they like the Western, Eastern and Illinois State games.  We want a coach and players that want these challenges, not shy away from them.

At some point these games make sense, not that a 0-50 beating at this point does us much good. Just so I understand we can have an opinion on who should coach but not who we should schedule.  Thanks for that clarification.

[bbtds]

Let me rephrase.....use the 12th game to schedule a home game that is winnable.  If Purdue and IU can schedule Indiana State there is nothing wrong with us scheduling Anderson or Mancheste

I truly, at this time, believe we could not beat Anderson or Manchester.

Getting on I-69 near Crane Naval base now. Be in Evansville soon.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

1-10 -- Beat Quincy (D-II) 70-7
Lost to Indiana 35-73, Purdue 14-20

If that doesn't speak volumes as to how terrible Purdue is...

I think we have to accept "payday" games such as some of the above.

[VULB#62]

1-10 -- Beat Quincy (D-II) 70-7
Lost to Indiana 35-73, Purdue 14-20

If that doesn't speak volumes as to how terrible Purdue is...

I think we have to accept "payday" games such as some of the above.

Agree.  Everyone in the PFL takes on at least one pummeling at the beginning of the season.  We should not be excused from the whippings.  However, I think if at all possible this team needs to open up against a winnable opponent so that going into the drubbing we at least have a game under our belt.  Opening up against the UNDs and YSUs is not good.  I am also keen on for 2014 adding a 12th game if possible before WIU (if St. Joe's or WJU isn't first). 

Who would have thunk that in retrospect we would be looking at a 45-0 loss to WIU in season #1 and saying -- hey, we were pretty competitive in that game.  Haven't come even close in the following years.

[covufan]

I truly, at this time, believe we could not beat Anderson or Manchester.

I didn't think so either, but I checked using Massey:

http://www.masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=199231&t0=Valparaiso&h=0&s1=199231&t1=Anderson+IN

http://www.masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=199231&t0=Valparaiso&h=0&s1=199231&t1=Manchester

We were expected to beat St. Joe and Wm. Jewell prior to the games, but not by those amounts.  I believe that the PFL and Valpo have been upgrading the schedule over the last 4-5 years.  I'm not even sure if we can schedule a Div. III or NAIA team anymore.  Can anyone comment on what level teams we allowed to schedule within PFL guidelines?

Getting on I-69 near Crane Naval base now.

Was a Crane employee for 22 years, working there for 15 of those years.  I know the northern part (Crane and North) of your route very well.  They've been talking about I-69 down to Evansville for nearly 30 years - glad to see it is finally happening.

[covufan]

Let me rephrase.....use the 12th game to schedule a home game that is winnable.  If Purdue and IU can schedule Indiana State there is nothing wrong with us scheduling Anderson or Manchester.

Supposedly had two of those this year.  Carlson was 0 fer all the less than Div. I games schedule in his time here.  Someone said it best earlier this year - we should only schedule Campbell. 

By my calculations over the last 20 seasons, we've played 216 games.  Of those, 206 were winnable - against same level teams or lower.  Only ten - North Dakota, YSU twice, WIU, S. Dakota St., N. Dakota St., Tenn. Tech, S. Fla, and Yale twice.  I included Yale even though, in my opinion, they should be on the same level as Valpo.  I guess I don't know what kind of game is winnable anymore.  Valpo and the PFL have been upgrading the schedule of the last several years.  I'm not even sure if we can schedule a Div. III or NAIA school anymore.  I sure would not have wanted to play Marian (NAIA, I beleive) either of the previous two seasons, especially with the state of our team. 

At some point these games make sense, not that a 0-50 beating at this point does us much good. Just so I understand we can have an opinion on who should coach but not who we should schedule.  Thanks for that clarification.

I think these games are here to stay.  These games always do u$ good, they provide expo$ure and give the coaching $taff and player$ a challenge.  We always need a challenge.  We've been lowering our expectations of the football team too much over the last 40 years, where a 35-40% win rate is considered good and expected.  We need to challenge, not shy away. 

Yes, we can differ in opinion, but lowering our expectations is a slippery slope. 

[IndyValpo]

I truly, at this time, believe we could not beat Anderson or Manchester.

Yes we could have beaten these two.

As it stands right now I do not think there are scheduling guidelines. Butler played 2 DIII teams this year. Two that would have beaten us but DIII.

[setshot]

One of Butler's wins over a D3 school was Wittenberg. Witt,9-1, plays Lebanon Valley in the first round of the D3 playoffs. The winner goes on to play the winner of the Mt. Union - Washington Jefferson game. I look for both Witt and Mount Union to win and face each other in the second round. If so, I'll pick Witt to upset the Union. Also playing are Johns Hopkins and one of the Concordia's. Go Tigers and Blue Jays. Too bad Valpo can't play at this level.

[talksalot]

remember we scheduled to play Wagner last year and that fell through for some reason.

Yeh, Wagner (Staten Island, NY)  got a contract with Syracuse in the Dome...that's a no brainer for them! (Final:  ORANGE 54, WAGNER 0)

[VUOR63]

The games against fully funded FCS programs like ND or YSU are validation for the players of why they chose Valpo (a FCS program).  Sure, you could play D-III programs or D-II programs but these guys didn't sign up to play that kind of football.  They signed up to make a D-I commitment and therefore should get to play D-I competition.  The D-I aspect of Valpo was why I chose the school in the early 00s--the commitment to the team was significantly more than a D-III school.


By the way, I find it troubling we haven't heard anything about a new coach.  Typically if you part ways with a head coach, you have some options in mind to replace him.  Hopefully MLB started the search in October and not after Carlson left.

[willy]

I think Jeff Sokol at Rose Hulman is worth a look.  Ten years as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at the University of Chicago.  Should be able to recruit Chicago.

[covufan]

The games against fully funded FCS programs like ND or YSU are validation for the players of why they chose Valpo (a FCS program).  Sure, you could play D-III programs or D-II programs but these guys didn't sign up to play that kind of football.  They signed up to make a D-I commitment and therefore should get to play D-I competition.  The D-I aspect of Valpo was why I chose the school in the early 00s--the commitment to the team was significantly more than a D-III school.

Thank you!  This is what I've been saying.  If Valpo is committed to FCS, we need to be in FCS fully, not just for PFL games.  We want players and coaches that want that challenge against other FCS teams, fully funded, non-scholarship, Ivy, whatever.  We have games like St. Joe because they are close and we've had a football relationship for decades.  The problem appears to be that the Valpo administration has not been fully committed to football for 35-40 years.  We need change in all facets of football.  Open up dialogue with former players would be something I think would only be a win-win situation. 

Hopefully, we'll something soon on the new coach.  My gut feel is that if we don't hear anything before finals, some of the players will be looking to transfer sooner rather than wait and see.

[Chip Smith]

I've been keeping up with this post and the only 3 names that have really made sense. 1- Ted Karras 2- Phil Burnett 3 - Jeff Sokol.
Everyone knows Karras and Burnett are from the region. All 3 have probably recruited Chicago.

[vu72]

So I just received Mark LaBarbera's quarterly update for Crusader Fund participants, which I know all of you have also received as well.  For those of you who maintain that 1. No one of quality would take the head coaching job because the pay is so low or 2. we can't recruit because we aren't comitting the funds to same or 3. We can't attract talented asst. coaches for see 1. above, please read the following from Mark and then admit you have been speculating, making assumptions based on rumor or have no idea.  Pick the one that applies to your posts:

Since our last Pioneer Football League championship in 2003, we have taken significant steps to improve the football program, including:
Over one million dollars in improvements to Brown Field, consisting of a new artificial SportTurf field, a new scoreboard and lights for our first ever night home games.
Increased head coach, and overall coaching staff salaries to be in the upper half of the conference.
Increased travel budget to support regular cross-country trips and for the first time this year the use of a chartered flight.
Improved weight room access and increased time with the department's full time strength and conditioning coach.
Increased budget for recruiting prospective student-athletes.
Streaming multiple home games per year over the internet so that Valpo fans can watch games from anywhere in the world.

[vu72]

So I just received Mark LaBarbera's quarterly update for Crusader Fund participants, which I know all of you have also received as well.  For those of you who maintain that 1. No one of quality would take the head coaching job because the pay is so low or 2. we can't recruit because we aren't committing the funds to same or 3. We can't attract talented asst. coaches for see 1. above, please read the following from Mark and then admit you have been speculating, making assumptions based on rumor or have no idea.  Pick the one that applies to your posts:

Since our last Pioneer Football League championship in 2003, we have taken significant steps to improve the football program, including:
Over one million dollars in improvements to Brown Field, consisting of a new artificial SportTurf field, a new scoreboard and lights for our first ever night home games.
Increased head coach, and overall coaching staff salaries to be in the upper half of the conference.
Increased travel budget to support regular cross-country trips and for the first time this year the use of a chartered flight.
Improved weight room access and increased time with the department's full time strength and conditioning coach.
Increased budget for recruiting prospective student-athletes.
Streaming multiple home games per year over the internet so that Valpo fans can watch games from anywhere in the world.

[VULB#62]

Thanks 72.  ML's summary is consistent with what I have observed and my communications with him and Carlson over the last three years.  The salaries and operational budget lines are positive improvements. So what does that leave us to conclude?  How about:

$1 million was not enough invested on facilities - Brown Field and weight and locker room?  Nah.  It helps to have a great facilities complex, but ya win it on the field.

Lack of talent?   Possibly, but really?  We've had some good kids commit each year with resumes that would put them on other more competitive teams

The HFBC?  The overall approach to the talent and the game philosophy are huge keys to success.  After 4 seasons I think it comes down to this.

I wish ML all the luck in the world in coming up with that key hire. Other schools have found good men to lead their programs. Valpo can too.

[VULB#62]

Here's another quote from ML's summary on the HFBC search:

"We have received strong interest in the job, both from individuals reaching out to us and by several candidates that I am proactively recruiting to apply for the position. I am confident we will find the right person to lead the program. After that person is hired I will work directly with him to determine what other steps we need to take to set up our football program for both academic AND competitive success."
I am particularly heartened by the two phrases I put in bold. The other positive observation I had was on the proportion of space devoted to the football program and the search for the new coach.  Unless we go through another 4 year spell like the last, I do not have any concerns about the viability of football at VU on a continuing basis.

[T_$]

Rumor has it that some candidates will be on campus this week. Any ideas on who it might be?

[VULB#62]

If ML is at the visit stage it must be down to a handful (3?).  Been checking the VU site daily for news.  Quiet so far.  Need to get it done before the team leaves for Christmas.

[covufan]

Rumor has it that some candidates will be on campus this week. Any ideas on who it might be?

Do we have anyone at the airport to see who is coming off those private planes?

I guess the only way we would hear anything would be if any players are able to get any info.

[vu72]

Don't think this has been posted yet.  Here is an interview with great comments from Mark LaBarbera in the recently released alumni news e-mail:

http://alumni.valpo.edu/s/1347/index.aspx?sid=1347&gid=1&pgid=252&cid=2271&ecid=2271&crid=0&calpgid=15&calcid=752

[Dave_2010]

Rumor has it that some candidates will be on campus this week. Any ideas on who it might be? Do we have anyone at the airport to see who is coming off those private planes?

I wouldn't waste time scouting out the airport...considering the university's commitment to football, I'd expect the coaching candidates to be traveling stand-by via MegaBus.

[VULB#62]

Don't think this has been posted yet.  Here is an interview with great comments from Mark LaBarbera in the recently released alumni news e-mail:

http://alumni.valpo.edu/s/1347/index.aspx?sid=1347&gid=1&pgid=252&cid=2271&ecid=2271&crid=0&calpgid=15&calcid=752

Good clip 72 - Thanks. While a restatement of things ML has said on a number of previous occasions, the repetition in as many different settings as possible is important to reinforce the position.  It really does hinge on the man they select and the staff he assembles.  The other stuff is secondary.  We can only hope the next HFBC meets the challenge.

[usc4valpo]

I hope they are walking the walk on their committment to football at Valpo.  Their actions in the past 15 months, until recently, have not shown that.  Carlson obviously should have been fired at the end of 2012, and quite honestly MLB and the adminstration failed on the handling of this.  MLB provided a good vision; and he and the administration need to follow through.  They need to select and interview carefully.