Being in the Sun-Belt as done major damage to our FB Program, and it's going to take 3-4 years so Hal Mumme can weed-out these sun-belt type players & turn NMSU into a soild program

Yes well SJSU is in the same boat............

With time I think SJSU, Ut. State, Idaho and NM St. will be solid WAC programs. The coaching is in place..... just need the talent.

Keep the faith man.........

-dave

WIAggie Wrote:Being in the Sun-Belt as done major damage to our FB Program, and it's going to take 3-4 years so Hal Mumme can weed-out these sun-belt type players & turn NMSU into a soild program

Give me a break; NMSU had a winning record in 1992 and 1999 with a 6-5 record and you were in the Big West (??). In 2002 you were 7-5 in the SBC. That is what 3 winning seasons in 10 years and you want to blame the SBC for your football woes.

NMSU has a history of losing football seasons yet you were in the SBC for only a few years as a football playing member.

SBC football was not even in existence when NMSU was losing football games in the BWC. Please do not take the easy way out and try to blame NMSU's lack of success on the football field on the SBC.

I know that NMSU is having a tough year, but according to the Fresno Bee only 600 people were left in the stands after a wind and rain storm by the third quarter? Is that correct? It must have been one heck of a nasty storm, or the NMSU community and student body really does have the biggest group of "fair weather fans" in New Mexico.

"Give me a break; NMSU had a winning record in 1992 and 1999 with a 6-5 record and you were in the Big West (??). In 2002 you were 7-5 in the SBC. That is what 3 winning seasons in 10 years and you want to blame the SBC for your football woes.

NMSU has a history of losing football seasons yet you were in the SBC for only a few years as a football playing member.

SBC football was not even in existence when NMSU was losing football games in the BWC. Please do not take the easy way out and try to blame NMSU's lack of success on the football field on the SBC."

What you say is true. NMSU hasn't had a winning tradition in football since the 1950-60s. For many our FB program was an after thought by the University higher ups. We had a revolving door head coaching job for years hiring one D-1 assistant/"position coach" (with little head coaching experience) after another to lead our program. There was never a full commitment to winning.

However, that attitude changed with the hiring of our University President and our athletic director (Boston) and the consequential hiring of Coach Mumme (a coach with a resume' of winning). There is also a new commitment to double our $9.2M budget to approximately $18M (putting us in the upper middle of the WAC).

What WIAggie is referring to is NMSU putting a "competitive" team on the field right now. It can't be done with our existing talent. Many Aggie fans had hoped that NMSU/Mumme could do something similar to what UTEP/Price has done (turn around a perennial losing program into a respectable program in a short time.)

However, there is a big difference between UTEP and NMSU. Over the last few years ex-UTEP Coach Nord was recruiting WAC caliber talent while at the same time ex-NMSU Coach Samuel was recruiting Sun Belt caliber talent. So consequently Price's job is a whole lot easier. He only had to inspire the existing talent while Mumme needs to bring in WAC caliber talent. It has been very obvious that NMSU is smaller and slower than there opponents to date. They play with heart but they lack the talent.

GO AGGIES!!!

Pistol Pete -- I live in ABQ, I support both NM teams (UNM and NMSU) as long as they are not playing my school (LOL!), and I empathize with NMSU's position. I think NMSU will turn things around, but to blame one's historically bad performance on their conference affiliation is pretty lame. The Sagarin's change week to week, but in the latest version check out the small rating difference between the bottom two 1-A conferences:

1 BIG TEN (A) = 79.76
2 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 78.88
3 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 77.46
4 BIG 12 (A) = 76.33
5 PAC-10 (A) = 75.17
6 BIG EAST (A) = 71.50
7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 68.93
8 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 68.93
9 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 67.80
10 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 63.04
11 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 61.52
12 SUN BELT (A) = 58.77

Go Aggies!!!!

badgerwolf,
That Sagarin ranking is a bunch of crock. How can the MAC be ranked ahead of the WAC when Boise St and Fresno St recently blew out the MAC's two top teams. It wasn't even close. Hawaii, Nevada, and Louisiana Tech aren't too shabby either.

As for NMSU's football program, it's true that we've never had what you would say a good football tradition. It's been more like a losing tradition. When Coach Samuel arrived at NMSU, he did improve the football program but only during his first few years, when he had Coach Cotton on his staff. Coach Cotton was a very good recruiter. But the talent level they brought in was only as good as what you find at other the Sun Belt schools. The real good talented D1 players are not interested in playing schools the likes of a Florida Atlantic, Florida International, or Louisiana Monroe. And this is the dilemma NMSU is faced with now. We have Sun Belt caliber players and this level of talent will not cut it in the WAC. This has been clearly evident by the results of our games with Louisiana Tech and Fresno St so far, and will likely be the same results with our games against Hawaii, Boise St, and Nevada later on. Utah St and Idaho will also most likely get soundly beaten by those same teams. NMSU now needs to recruit higher caliber players to be competitive in the WAC. NMSU's administration knows this and that is why they have pumped in an additional 4 million to the current athletic budget for recruiting purposes. They are serious about improving NMSU athletics. I haven’t seen this kind of commitment in the forty years of following NMSU athletics. They also have plans to double the athletic budget within the next five to six years. They want move NMSU’s budget up closer to that of Fresno St’s, Boise St’s and Hawaii’s.

I would guess that being in the WAC would help NMSU, just because the areas in which NMSU recruits in (mostly the West) have more exposure to the WAC than the Sun Belt. It's geography, not necessarily the conference. I think a school like Troy would have difficulty in the WAC as well. I don't know how LaTech does it.

WAC_FAN Wrote:I would guess that being in the WAC would help NMSU, just because the areas in which NMSU recruits in (mostly the West) have more exposure to the WAC than the Sun Belt. It's geography, not necessarily the conference. I think a school like Troy would have difficulty in the WAC as well. I don't know how LaTech does it.

Travel has been rough, but I can't tell you how much our recruiting has improved. Just look at our most recent class. WE've got 3 true freshman that are already contributing.

Yes, attendance was dismal but keep in mind it started raining before the game and during the game. Add to that an 0-5 team playing a game that was another sure loss. Put those pieces together and other than South Carolina, most fans would have done the same. As stated, NMSU has a history of losing so it will definately take time to right the course and fans.

I don't blame the SBC but it did affect recruiting. There is no one thing to blame and maybe blame shouldn't be assigned as it is now more a process of transition. New coach, new system, late recruiting and a new, tougher conference. It all adds up.

At this point, we Aggie fans must be patient and support the team. I'm sure 99% still do and will continue.

Quote: Travel has been rough, but I can't tell you how much our recruiting has improved. Just look at our most recent class. WE've got 3 true freshman that are already contributing.

You don't have to tell me, twice. Totally impressed with Moats's replacement and you might have one of the WAC's best offensive lines. I can see LaTech's recruiting well when we had a Texas Connection in the conference, but the fact that you guys brought in another good class is a good sign.

Yes, attendance was dismal but keep in mind it started raining before the game and during the game. Add to that an 0-5 team playing a game that was another sure loss. Put those pieces together and other than South Carolina, most fans would have done the same. As stated, NMSU has a history of losing so it will definately take time to right the course and fans.

I don't blame the SBC but it did affect recruiting. There is no one thing to blame and maybe blame shouldn't be assigned as it is now more a process of transition. New coach, new system, late recruiting and a new, tougher conference. It all adds up.

At this point, we Aggie fans must be patient and support the team. I'm sure 99% still do and will continue.


Let's be honest here, it didn't just rain, it came down in buckets. Quite a impressive storm for the high desert. Best of luck to your team the rest of the way :D

It was a steady rain and we got over an inch, which is a lot for us at one time. Our QB situation is a tough one. Both show promise but the execution is lacking. I do like our defense as they tend to keep us in the game until late when they get worn out. That is a problem pointing back to the offense. Mumme's comments are interesting in that he is continually moving people around to get the best fit. At this point, we Aggies can only hope he does a stellar recruiting job. We have potential now but just can't seem to execute offensively.

I enjoy watching FSU. You guys have a good team and Pat Hill is a classy coach. I like his style.