bigskyconf
Active member
Sorry, I prefer to look ahead. Try to see where I am going instead of where I've been.
Barnum has said that next year is when he really wants to make some noise in the conference. The question I have is how much noise can we make? Assuming we keep most of the players (Chachere comes back and doesn't flee to Fresno State), next year's conference schedule is brutal.
at Weber State
UC Davis at home
at Idaho State
That is the start. We get through that, we then face this (are you ready?)...
Montana State at home
at Sacramento State
Idaho at home
at Montana
All four of this year's playoff representatives, three of them seeded into the second round of the playoffs, three of them will have true national championship aspirations. What is more scary, all four most likely will be better than this year.
We finish with Northern Colorado at home
There is a chance that we will be better as well, yet still finish 4-4 or worse, just because of the schedule. This program will need to take a giant leap in the offseason if they want to live up to Barnum's promise of making noise in the conference. Another top 5 recruiting class would be a step in the right direction, but what has that done for us? Before the Davis game, Davis's coach Hawkins mentioned how difficult it is to recruit here because we don't have a stadium, yet Barnum and his crew seem to get the talent here. So why can't they win? On paper, we should be doing well. Why do we struggle?
I give Barnum one more year. He made this, let him finish. I really don't see us doing any better record-wise, and certainly don't see a playoff berth. If he does pull it off, then give him the farm again.
Barnum has said that next year is when he really wants to make some noise in the conference. The question I have is how much noise can we make? Assuming we keep most of the players (Chachere comes back and doesn't flee to Fresno State), next year's conference schedule is brutal.
at Weber State
UC Davis at home
at Idaho State
That is the start. We get through that, we then face this (are you ready?)...
Montana State at home
at Sacramento State
Idaho at home
at Montana
All four of this year's playoff representatives, three of them seeded into the second round of the playoffs, three of them will have true national championship aspirations. What is more scary, all four most likely will be better than this year.
We finish with Northern Colorado at home
There is a chance that we will be better as well, yet still finish 4-4 or worse, just because of the schedule. This program will need to take a giant leap in the offseason if they want to live up to Barnum's promise of making noise in the conference. Another top 5 recruiting class would be a step in the right direction, but what has that done for us? Before the Davis game, Davis's coach Hawkins mentioned how difficult it is to recruit here because we don't have a stadium, yet Barnum and his crew seem to get the talent here. So why can't they win? On paper, we should be doing well. Why do we struggle?
I give Barnum one more year. He made this, let him finish. I really don't see us doing any better record-wise, and certainly don't see a playoff berth. If he does pull it off, then give him the farm again.
