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8th out of 13 ? Really ?

8th is low center in conference, which I agree is too low. Probably coaches are thinking about our defense last year. It indicates that they don't think there will be any improvement. Let them think so. We should be no worse than 5th. Mind, we have a pretty young team.
 
The way I've figured it we could finish anywhere between 3-9 to 8-4. Games we SHOULD win: Western OR, Davis, N. Dakota, Weber, Idaho State. If we blow one or more of those, its way down the list we go. The Davis game (home) will be the toughest challenge of those 5 but the two away games (UND, Weber) always make me nervous even though those two teams aren't very good.

Games we MUST win to get over the hump: Cal Poly (away), N. Arizona (home), and Sac State (away). Win all of those (and the should win games) and its an 8-4 season at worst, lose all 3 and its likely 5-7 or worse. Finally, any win against the big 4 (OSU, WSU, MSU, EWU) would be big and unless we dump one of the easier games should get us in the 7-5, 8-4 range.

I don't mind being the underdog. Until we start beating the good teams regularly and the average teams consistently, any ranking from 8 of 13 up to 5 or 6 in league is pretty accurate. At this point everything except the top 4 (EWU, MSU, Mont, N. Ariz), and bottom 4 (ISU, Weber, N. Dak, N. Colo), is a guessing game anyway.
 
I agree, I don't mind them being overlooked. Hope they can surprise some people. I do understand why they were ranked 8th. On paper, they finished in 9th place last year and lost quite a few gifted athletes. I know everyone loses important players every year, like PSU did with DJ adams, but the unexpected losses of Victor Dean and Plinke has to hurt a little. (Still haven't heard why either of them left or if they're transferring elsewhere.)
 
Haven't we been hearing that PSU is "A young football team" for two years now?

The schedule this year is tough. If they can find a way to beat Cal-Poly (very difficult on the road, but they are beatable) and win another of the toss up games, then win all the games they should win, They will have a successful season. If not 5-7 at best and Burton will continue to say.....We are young.

"We are young
Heartache to heartache we stand
No promises, no demands
Love is a battlefield"
 
I think the polls are interesting but the predictions do not always equate the results.


I remember when Oregon State (under Dennis Erickson) beat Notre Dame and unexepectedly wound up as #4 in the nation. The highest ranking in OSU history!


Oregon has, at season's end, unexpectedly landed at #2 in the nation twice.


Utah unexpectedly landed one year as #2 in the nation.

The polls are voted expectations that tend to be stable vis-a-vis the results, but there are generally surprise exceptions that surface as well. What they represent is where conservative expectations stand right now based on historical and current data.

If they are taken too seriously or are viewed as a "reward," then a team's motivation could be underminded. If they are seen as conservative expectations only, then there are no credible constructs to anchor a team's expectations of themselves. An unfavorable ranking now can just as easily serve as motivation to increase mental toughness and determination to build reputation and be assessed higher in the future.

They draw interest to the upcoming season. They assess collective opinion a priori but, in actuality, determine nothing. They help to assess oppositional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, but in no way determine execution or outcomes. If a team performs well in spite of the polls, the following season's poll should reflect this. They are useful as general tools of assessment.
 
disgraced.gif


All these posts are valid, but my concern is whether with 5 years under the helm Nigel is growing the program or spinning his wheels. I have been a staunch supporter of this coach and his system(s). Are we actually making progress but the other BSC programs are improving at a pace that keeps us in the middle of the pack ? I can't believe our conference schedule alone accounts for the perceived outcome. That means over half the conference has a softer schedule ? And every team loses key players every year to graduation / transfer / etc .

PLEASE pundits, be wrong this time !
 
I have hesitated to post anything as I have tried to remain hopeful and to be positive. I don't post much and it doesn't seem like there are more than 6-10 people who ever do post on the football string. If we say anything here does it ever reach people or coaches who can affect change???

As a group of parents who gathered recently I would have to say that hope is dwindling. 8th in the poll is a mediocre ranking that reflects a team that has not seemed able to embrace any positive change. We've lost some good coaches. we lost some players, team unity seems to be lacking, scholarship promises have gone unfulfilled, we bring in a transfer accused of past issues who sounds as if he broke one of his new teammate's jaw recently, we offer to a local kid who apparently punched his own high school coach last season, we have no individually tailored strength program, we have no nutrition program...

It does not surprise me that others outside our walls see us as mediocre. I wish it was different by this time but I don't know what can be done at this point to elevate the program. As long as my son plays I will always be a Viking fan and supporter. If any of you few who post here can affect change with the team me and other parents would be in your debt...
 
Keep in mind that football is built on aggression. One of the reasons some parents don't let their kids play football. You can call low middle ranking "mediocre" if you like. Rankings are mostly based on last year's performance. Given new players, we really don't know how this year will turn out. Our guess is probably as good as the coaches and the media.
 
Faith,

Back in the day as they say, I can remember fights at practice almost every day ( especially in spring). It was no big deal. We lost players every year to poor grades, a criminal mishap or two, car accidents, girlfriend trouble, you name it. We still won consistently. We also had position coaches come and go almost every year. Those guys make less than minimum wage by the way and always have. Those things don't bother me, they happen at every school.
You also stated, "we have no individually tailored strength program, we have no nutrition program" and those are real concerns. I will admit that we had no such thing back then either, but times have changed and we are falling behind the leaders in the BSC who do have those things. This comes down to one simple problem, MONEY. Montana, MSU, Northern Ariz., and Eastern Wash lead this league in part because they have the financial support of the school, the boosters, and the fans that we lack. Until we reach that level of financial support, our training program will continue to lag behind those schools. Don Read was a terrible coach (in my humble opinion), but a great fundraiser. I don't suggest we go in that direction, but we could definitely use some help in that area right now.

Right now we are trying to build race cars with pliers and duct tape.
 
Burton vs the media/coaches polls:

2014 - ?-? (?-?, ?) Picked 8th (media) & 8th (coaches)
2013 - 6-6 (3-5, 9th) Picked 10th (media) & 10th (coaches)
2012 - 3-8 (2-6, 11-th (T)) Picked 4th (media) & 4th (coaches)
2011 - 7-4 (5-3, 3rd (T)) Picked 7th (media) & 7th (coaches)
2010 - 2-9 (1-7, 8th) PIcked 8th (media) & 8th (coaches)

8th is probably a pretty safe bet if you're the media considering the way that we've performed under Burton.
 
May want to move Cal Poly down a few slots in the BSC predictions after this:

http://calcoastnews.com/2014/08/cal-poly-football-players-rob-frat-house/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Oh my gosh! I feel for Tim Walsh, but with this many people involved this is more than just a bad apple. This might be endemic in the program, as happened in Missoula. Let's hope they can cut out the cancer and recover. Competitive programs often push the envelope a bit in recruiting, whether it's BSC, SEC, or PAC12. Hopefully the Viks don't find themselves in this company - that's the last thing we need at this juncture!
 
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