I'm going to use a lot of unscientific polling here. Its from Phil Steeles CFB magazine "Power Poll" from 2013. Phil is the only thing of substance I can find that rates all 126 teams from last year, top to bottom. So I'll use his system to make an analysis of who we beat and who we didn't and how far below the fans expectation we sunk.

So how bad were we? A few facts.

1. TU was (wrongly) rated #48 of the 126 teams listed last year
2. TU beat these teams
--------a. Colorado St #93
--------b. Louisiana Tech # 102
--------c. UTEP #112
*Their average PS strength for 2013 was 102.3. So using those numbers we were obviously no worse than #102. But that was still much worse than the predicted number.

Now the other side.

1. TU was beaten by these teams
--------a. OU #15
--------b. Marshall #46
--------c. ECU #51
--------d. Bowling Green #63
--------e. Iowa St #69
--------f. Rice #77
--------g. Tulane #97
--------h. North Texas #101
--------i. UTSA #120

Their PS strength was an avg of 71. So we were obviously no better than #71. So according to these obviously imperfect numbers, we fall somewhere in the middle of 71 and 102. The average of those 2 numbers is 86.5 (rounded to 87).

So if you project those numbers as accurately as you can from expectation to reality, we were predicted to be #48, but ended up being #87.

I know this isn't a completely accurate set of stats, but it does show one thing, that we were a long way from meeting our "Power Poll" level of expectation.

And one last thing, the #87 "Power Poll" team according to PS was Ball State.

I don't think we were as good as Ball St, I saw them play.......No worries this year, we'll start out closer to 100 so we won't have very far to fall. All of us have high hopes for BB but I also am very worried......very worried, that there isn't going to be that much of a change. When we start passing on 1st and 2nd down consistently......I might change my mind.....but until then, I'm very worried!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want to believe that things will be better next year, but I know they won't. We may even beat Tulane in the opener... but if we do, it'll be ugly. Something like 14-10. I don't see us winning more than 2-3 games next year.

It sucks not being able to get excited for the fall and TU football.

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

With the dismissal of Dalton R yesterday, I'm beginning to think that BB may have lost control of the team and maybe the program. One of my initial criticisms was that he seemed to want to be a "daddy coach". By that I mean he seemed more interested in coaching and recruiting kids he knew especially local players. This presupposes that he wasn't necessarily recruiting talent, just good citizens who would be "good people. And I think he believed at the time that his coaching would transcend any lack of ability they might have. At the time he could fall back on TG's acquired talent pool, but now that pool may have leaked too much talent.

It also seemed that a couple of BB's assistants were hired because thay were good family men which on face is fine, but the way its turned out, it seems they have been "retained" because they are good family men. Now don't get me wrong, I think there is a vital place for that kind of thinking, but it has to be evened out with a sense of reality - good players win games. And it is odd that Damaris Johnson and his incident occurred under BB but not TG. To me that may show that BB came into the program unaware of the kind of control thats required at the college level. Those "kids" weren't kids anymore, but almost grown men - some with wives and families. The old coach that is a good old boy and that the players just listen to because he IS the coach, only goes so far with a 22 year old "MAN".

I just get the idea that BB doesn't always "get it" with kids he didn't raise and that he didn't mold. BB is a good man, like some of the others on his staff, but he has to come up with the answers and at least with DR, he didn't have them.

Two of the most highly ranked players we've recruited the last few years, kicker D Schwarz and Dalton R are no longer here. That says something about how this program is being managed IMO.

Graham lost players to these things as much or more than BB. I don't know the reason why these 2 were dismissed, but I have known why in many other cases. It is usually academics or weed. Again, I am not saying it was with these 2.

I do know that there is a 3 strike system, so unless it was something really bad, these guys continued thru 2 warnings. I also know that Graham had different standards for different players. I have been told that Damaris almost never lifted & he had different rules. I would conclude Graham would be more responsible than BB. Actually Damaris was responsible for Damaris.

If BB doesn't win enough games, I agree he should be replaced. However, knowing some past stories, I am not going to blame him for dismissing players who won't follow rules.

BTW, don't think that Adam Blankenship, who was DR's position coach @ Union & who is THE reason that DR flipped from OU to TU, isn't sick about this dismissal.

Thanks for the clarification. I agree that Adam has to be upset about it. It just seems like - from the outside - that maybe our players think BB is too nice, and he is a nice guy. But to some of the more undisciplined kids, that may seem like he's an "easy" touch and not strict enough.

Then again, I'm on the outside. I remember most teams back in the old days had one coach or staff member that was the horses rear and would severly discipline kids that crossed the line. But I suppose thats not done anymore.

Bump

The football team was woeful last year. Even the games Tulsa won. Well they just barely won and looked terrible doing it.