Birmingham Bowl

[Stonewall]

Another step in the wrong direction.

[MrCraig]

difficult to watch but no unexpected. Losing to the &$^%^ Gumroots twice this year is what really stings.

The positive is, beating App twice in one year probably keeps Clay Helton around for another couple years. Pretty sure what we saw today is the height of GA Southern under Clay Helton.

[MrCraig]

I wonder what the team on the field today would have done this year.

Probably would’ve lost a lot more games by a lot more points considering App lost by 19 points the second time and only 2 points the first time.

[Bootsy]

difficult to watch but no unexpected. Losing to the &$^%^ Gumroots twice this year is what really stings.

The positive is, beating App twice in one year probably keeps Clay Helton around for another couple years. Pretty sure what we saw today is the height of GA Southern under Clay Helton.

I hope Helton enjoys Statesboro and all of its charms. His career is going no where.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

It was always the right decision to play this game. Everyone involved should be commended for it. The players that decided to play, mostly. They played hard and put in the effort. I'm proud of them.

This game showed once more that the offensive play caller is a hinderance to this program. Dowell needs to let go of his pride and hire an OC. His gifts seem more geared toward being an overall decision maker and recruiter.

Non-rhetorical question: What OC do you think could scheme up an offensive plan that works with a 3rd string QB who throws an interception every other play, and a 5th string QB/DB with 2/10 throwing accuracy?

I second this, what exactly different needs to be done from a play calling standpoint? Offense moved the ball well all things considering.

Offense looked the best it has honestly. With a depleted roster.

Qbs just made boneheaded mistakes. OL moved the LOS and RB’s ran with vengeance. WR for the most part did their job. Dowell can’t make the easy reads for the QBs.

We had 5 qbs on the roster…and I’ll say
we have 0 heading into next year.
Try again.

This pretty much sums it up. Maybe DLo keeps Gillon around to run the practice squad offense?
From where I sit, we're starting from scratch in the QB room.

Starting from scratch isn’t far from where we were anyways. I’d hoped Kohl would have stayed and continued to improve, but in the last 25 years, these QBs ranked at the bottom based on this season’s performances.

[Appstate88]

My biggest disappointment is the starting QB at the end of the season (Kohl) and 20 some other portal players were not willing to play in the bowl game. I commend the players that did. State of college football sucks at our level. Nuff said.

[ah59396]

My biggest disappointment is the starting QB at the end of the season (Kohl) and 20 some other portal players were not willing to play in the bowl game. I commend the players that did. State of college football sucks at our level. Nuff said.

I do not like when legitimate NFL prospects opt out, though I do ultimately understand it and accept it.

Damn near every one of our guys that opted out will be selling insurance in a decade and probably wonder why the heck they didn’t play more games when they had the chance.

[BambooRdApp]

I see this year's bowl situation as different. We were not bowl eligible. Exit interviews occurred. Players that were considering leaving had probably made plans in terms getting prepared for next stop. I would be disappointed if we were bowl eligible and they exited stage left and elected to not play in the bowl game.
Overall, I believe you should play and finish what you started. Show loyalty to your other teammates.. if not to coaches, etc. However, I have some understanding in this unique situation.

[WASU 93]

I see this year's bowl situation as different. We were not bowl eligible. Exit interviews occurred. Players that were considering leaving had probably made plans in terms getting prepared for next stop. I would be disappointed if we were bowl eligible and they exited stage left and elected to not play in the bowl game.
Overall, I believe you should play and finish what you started. Show loyalty to your other teammates.. if not to coaches, etc. However, I have some understanding in this unique situation.

Do we know if the coaches gave them that option? What if some of the players wanted to come back and the coaches encouraged them to enter the portal? Would you want to come back to play for that coach?

[Pikapp79]

I see this year's bowl situation as different. We were not bowl eligible. Exit interviews occurred. Players that were considering leaving had probably made plans in terms getting prepared for next stop. I would be disappointed if we were bowl eligible and they exited stage left and elected to not play in the bowl game.
Overall, I believe you should play and finish what you started. Show loyalty to your other teammates.. if not to coaches, etc. However, I have some understanding in this unique situation.

Loyalty is to your paycheck. That’s college sports.

[bcoach]

I wonder what the team on the field today would have done this year.

Probably would’ve lost a lot more games by a lot more points considering App lost by 19 points the second time and only 2 points the first time.

Not so sure of that.

[Chaz]

Don’t cry because it’s over. Cry because it happened.

[BambooRdApp]

I see this year's bowl situation as different. We were not bowl eligible. Exit interviews occurred. Players that were considering leaving had probably made plans in terms getting prepared for next stop. I would be disappointed if we were bowl eligible and they exited stage left and elected to not play in the bowl game.
Overall, I believe you should play and finish what you started. Show loyalty to your other teammates.. if not to coaches, etc. However, I have some understanding in this unique situation.

Do we know if the coaches gave them that option? What if some of the players wanted to come back and the coaches encouraged them to enter the portal? Would you want to come back to play for that coach?

I am sure some were communicated that they need to find another school, either directly or indirectly. Annual process by all schools

[AppStFan1]

I disagree. Although we may have kept Joey Dimes. I do not believe we pick up some of the transfers...and our D with Sloan would have been even worse than what we have IMHO

We would have been dire.

Our QB room would have been:

Wiles, Gillon, and Wilson. Probably Estep who is at Pembroke now and couldn’t become the starter there.

That’s just a small part of how putrid our talent evaluation had become. This was not an overnight turn. Brighter days ahead.

Exactly. I said when we made a change this would be at least 2-3 years, maybe 4. I don't know for sure on staff yet but they need some time. As long as Loggains gets us to earn a bowl game I would think he should be safe after 2026. I do expect to see improvement but if he is able to win 9 or more next year I would be impressed.

Eight wins, with one of those being over the stink, and a bowl game (hopefully a win), will be a step in the right direction.

I feel like 7 or 8 and Loggains should be fine. Definitely need to see a trend in right direction but one good thing is we saw a lot of young guys so Loggains should know exactly where we need help the most.

[AppFan11]

Man so much to say. It was good to see some of younger kids and others play with live bullets. Unfortunately, several in-game decisions were screwed up mostly by DLO. Sure we should have run more and basic pass plays in the deep red zone. Wilson who practiced most of the season as a CB, really has potential as a dual-threat QB. He might have potential as a RB…. I’d give him 6 mos to throw every day and see what kind of progress he could make. He did throw a couple of good balls. I also like seeing #26 Alexander getting reps….. again you have to ask yourself, why wasn’t he getting more reps this season when #7 was hurt. And why in heck did we go for a fg down 26-7 with 3 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter?????? Dumb! I agree with TDog that it appears he can recruit well but not sold and it’s why I wanted us to hire an experienced HC.

[BUTCH1991]

Interior D Line is the only thing we have. Hopefully we can retain them.

Rondo/Manuel/Farrior/Farmer. Need em all.

All gone except for Farrior

[Saint3333]

Players that opted not to play today weren’t Mountaineers.

When you’re on a team you finish the job.

[Bootsy]

Who knows what went on behind closed doors? Are the players who didn’t travel for the bowl all at fault for not going? Is it possible some opted out while others weren’t given the option to participate?

[Saint3333]

You can rationalize behavior if you’d like, CFB has a bunch of terrible teammates everywhere now.

[Stonewall]

The “ team” means about as much as the school these days. Very little. These guys have no idea what they have lost for a lifetime.