Bye week thoughts

[bigskyconf]

Now everyone, from the coaches to the players to the fans, all get to exhale a bit as we have no football game this weekend. Some thoughts that I have.

1. 2-2 in conference is great. Who thought we'd be here at the break?
2. Defense is coming around. I still think it is suspect to a speedy receiver on a slant, but yesterday Northern Colorado was only able to hit it once to Wesley.
3. Offense is beginning to play well, too. Alexander is looking good running the ball and the receivers are trusting both him and Eason to put the ball where they can catch it.
4. Turnovers and penalties are way down.

Can we sustain it? An overall look at the conference shows a conference in turmoil. Gubrud and Cookus are both out (unsure for how long) but Meier (UCD) and Gueller (ISU) seem highly capable of picking up the slack (that game yesterday was quite the matchup). It's beginning to look like a down year for Montana, Sacramento State and even Idaho has been struggling. We seem to be improving every week which is a good thing. But can it continue?

 

[Alan1]

Why do we have such miserable attendance? Let me tell you why. First, PSU offers the worst fan experience in the State (with the possibility of Lewis and Clark). There are high schools that do better. Come on! Second, Barneyball is soooo boring! “Fundamental football” may be Barney’s style but it is simply not exciting enough to attract fans. Third sacrificing season after season as you build toward a championship season while attendance plummets is simply stupid beyond belief.

Win now. Example, U Hawaii! What a turn around. How about serial “Band Days.” Invite high school bands to provide entertainment. Get some food carts to the venue. Get some buses from the MAX stop to the stadium. Give away GA tickets. Fill the place up. This is not “rocket science.” Other teams in other places have done the same things.

If we don’t dramatically build attendance football at PSU is going away. Other than “body bag” games it is our only source of non-subsidized revenue. Benign neglect is going to lead us to the Western Washington – Humboldt State solution.

Think about it, this week at “homecoming,” we were outdrawn by a D2 game in Ellensburg, Washington: WOU @ Central Washington.

 

[bigskyconf]

Think about it, this week at “homecoming,” we were outdrawn by a D2 game in Ellensburg, Washington: WOU @ Central Washington.

I have to ask, what else is there to do in Ellensburg, Washington? Watch trucks go through the grain elevator?

I haven't watched a game in Monmouth, but I have been to Ashland (SOU) and LaGrande (EOU) and I didn't see anything that wowed me into wanting to come back. I also watched several games at Forest Grove when Pacific started their program back up, but I haven't been back there since then. So here I am, coming to PSU games whenever I can.

As far as PSU football being so boring, let me remind you that we had a similar situation when Walsh was here about his style of football was boring. When he left, we thought we'd make it exciting and bring the people in so we brought in Jerry Glanville (as well as Mouse Davis back) and thus started the spiral downward that we are still trying to get out of. I've been told we win and the people will come back. If Barnum wins and they come back, that is great. Obviously, being exciting and losing didn't do a damn thing for the program.

 

[martymoose]

Any word on if Taumoepeau will be able to go against Sac State?