Let's talk about Clark

[AppOrange]

Glad we didn’t give up on Coach Moore when he went 4-7 year 5, go Apps, trust the process. Let’s see what happens next year, I see big things

You already throw in the towel for this season? Not even halfway through……

No, I’m very hopeful still, hoping to make a run at home, but all these dudes calling for heads when next year could be truly special is irritating.

[Saint3333]

Referred to us as "Appy" earlier too, the troll vibes are getting stronger and he's slipping up.

Grady Davis wannabe.

[appstatealum]

But why are we using Satterfield as the barometer for where we are now? Satterfield did his thing with what he had- good for him. But the hope is we can continue to progress, not regress. Simple as that. I don't want to regress for 4 or 5 years with the hopes that it turns around so we can sustain a coach.
That some students graduating to alumni and not having the highs of being a relevant program hurts in support for sure. Down seasons happen, i get that, but we have the portal and plenty of scholarships to be building depth. College football is a new world.

[appgrad95&97]

Glad we didn’t give up on Coach Moore when he went 4-7 year 5, go Apps, trust the process. Let’s see what happens next year, I see big things

You already throw in the towel for this season? Not even halfway through……

No, I’m very hopeful still, hoping to make a run at home, but all these dudes calling for heads when next year could be truly special is irritating.

Who called for a heads? Who has called for Clark to be fired? Questions have been asked. For me "next year" is irritating.

[AppOrange]

Glad we didn’t give up on Coach Moore when he went 4-7 year 5, go Apps, trust the process. Let’s see what happens next year, I see big things

You already throw in the towel for this season? Not even halfway through……

No, I’m very hopeful still, hoping to make a run at home, but all these dudes calling for heads when next year could be truly special is irritating.

Who called for a heads? Who has called for Clark to be fired? Questions have been asked. For me "next year" is irritating.

Seriously?, threads all over this board asking for him to be fired. Personally, I like to think of most fans bases as being on a bell curve. You got your die hard apologists at one end (15%) and your fire everyone always crowd at the other (15%). Then there are the other 70%ers, they differ slightly in opinion, but by and large, trust those who are in the know and are making decisions based on actuals. These 70% love their team and are passionate, but will never be louder as the irrational 15% on each end of the curve. It’s normal, I think most fans are behind the staff, it’s just hard to see with the vocal minority much of the time. just humans being human. Go App!

[yosef69]

Glad we didn’t give up on Coach Moore when he went 4-7 year 5, go Apps, trust the process. Let’s see what happens next year, I see big things

None of these can Clark guys were around when APP Football wasn't Working. It's a hell of a lot better now. Clark isn't getting fired. How many threads do you guys need? Sounds a lot like the current political climate, kick and scream and throw tantrums until you get your way.

Its OK for people to have high expectations for App football. Its like we have to convince a third of our own fanbase that we are a legitimate football brand. We're not in the SoCon anymore and this isn't WDDITWAA. We play big time football and we are (or were) one of the best G5 teams.

Guess what, legitimate football brands have high expectations. We're not Auburn cycling through coaches every year or two paying tens of millions in buyouts. Clark is on his 4th year and a lot of the criticisms are valid.

I agree with most that 7-5 is the absolute floor for getting another year and I think ideally it should be 8-4.

We are in year four and we are in a dogfight with ULM and some people think this is an off-limits conversation. This is no longer a little old app FCS football. This is a national brand, and we must keep it that way.

[AtlAppMan]

Case Study on coaching changes for G5: Arkansas St

2011 - Hired Hugh Freeze - one year - 10-3 - left for Ole Miss
2012 - Hired Guz Malzahn - one year - 10-3 - left for Auburn
2013 - Brian Harsin - one year - 8-5 - left for Boise St
2014 - Blake Anderson - 7 years - 51-37 (58% W/L) - resigned
2014 -2020 recorrds - (7-6),(9-4),(8-5),(7-5),(8-5),(8-5),(4-7)
2021-2022 - Butch Jones - 2-10, 3-9, still there.

It is easy to see that a few years of "great" coaches coming and going may be a quick shot of adrenaline but is far from a sustainable model for any program. Show me a program ANYWHERE that can sustain coaching turnover every 1-3 years and enjoy a consistent level of success. This is reality, not some hypothetical. I think we have a strong foundation but need to continue to build on it. SC has been making moves that I like and would personally like to see how they play out. I think it needs some time to see before we start doing something that will have long term consequences.

This doesn't even discuss the financial implications which has already been explained numerous times.

I don't want mediocrity either but I don't want to be stupid even more.

[BambooRdApp]

Glad we didn’t give up on Coach Moore when he went 4-7 year 5, go Apps, trust the process. Let’s see what happens next year, I see big things

You already throw in the towel for this season? Not even halfway through……

No, I’m very hopeful still, hoping to make a run at home, but all these dudes calling for heads when next year could be truly special is irritating.

Who called for a heads? Who has called for Clark to be fired? Questions have been asked. For me "next year" is irritating.

Seriously?, threads all over this board asking for him to be fired. Personally, I like to think of most fans bases as being on a bell curve. You got your die hard apologists at one end (15%) and your fire everyone always crowd at the other (15%). Then there are the other 70%ers, they differ slightly in opinion, but by and large, trust those who are in the know and are making decisions based on actuals. These 70% love their team and are passionate, but will never be louder as the irrational 15% on each end of the curve. It’s normal, I think most fans are behind the staff, it’s just hard to see with the vocal minority much of the time. just humans being human. Go App!

And because some are in question format... provides plausible deniability.
I openly laugh when I see someone say that no one is asking for Coach Clark to be fired...

[appstatealum]

This is a new Era of College Football. NIL/Portal etc. Not apples to apples to compare it to previous G5 movements.

[t4pizza]

This is a new Era of College Football. NIL/Portal etc. Not apples to apples to compare it to previous G5 movements.

You do realize that very same argument works against you as easily as it works for you, right? Everyone knows we can't compete in the NIL word, hence the loss of Jalen Mcloed to Auburn AND although we have improved the ability to get transfers we were very much behind the 8 ball in the transfer portal until last spring. In spring 22 we tried to address our DB depth through the portal and had players that wanted to be here but App State would not accept enough credits from them. Those players ended up going P5 instead. Doesn't take a great coach to know that we surely could have used Dbs that had P5 talent on our team last season. So yeah, it is a new era and sadly we were very much behind the curve on the transfer portal (although we have improved significantly) and we will always be behind the curve on NIL.

[appstatealum]

This is a new Era of College Football. NIL/Portal etc. Not apples to apples to compare it to previous G5 movements.

You do realize that very same argument works against you as easily as it works for you, right? Everyone knows we can't compete in the NIL word, hence the loss of Jalen Mcloed to Auburn AND although we have improved the ability to get transfers we were very much behind the 8 ball in the transfer portal until last spring. In spring 22 we tried to address our DB depth through the portal and had players that wanted to be here but App State would not accept enough credits from them. Those players ended up going P5 instead. Doesn't take a great coach to know that we surely could have used Dbs that had P5 talent on our team last season. So yeah, it is a new era and sadly we were very much behind the curve on the transfer portal (although we have improved significantly) and we will always be behind the curve on NIL.

....and to complete the full circle.....having momentum from a Texas AM win, sandpapering Troy's ass on gameday and being the G5 New Years Day team.would've brought alot of attention and potentially more funding to the program. Again, if coaching stability is the only goal, then Clark is def the guy. To me, winning is the only goal that equates to sustainable program relevance. I'm not calling for Clark to be fired, but I am.not mixing my words when I say losing seasons aren't acceptable and a coach should 100% be on the hot seat when it happens.

[t4pizza]

We can agree that losing seasons are not acceptable (might remind you that we have yet to have one under Clark regardless of how disappointed the 6-6 was). And the head coach is ultimately responsible for those seasons.

[appstatealum]

We can agree that losing seasons are not acceptable (might remind you that we have yet to have one under Clark regardless of how disappointed the 6-6 was). And the head coach is ultimately responsible for those seasons.

We played an extra 1AA game, I'd consider it a losing season.

[Saint3333]

Not making a bowl game is this era is a "losing" season.

[t4pizza]

Sure, I understand those takes completely. And most feel the same way (that it was a losing season), but a .500 season is in reality not a losing season regardless of who those wins came over. Sure its disappointing, can't be tolerated on any regular basis, didn't qualify for a bowl and a bunch of other things but it was not a losing season. And yeah, I know it is semantics but at some point words do matter.

[yosef69]

Sure, I understand those takes completely. And most feel the same way (that it was a losing season), but a .500 season is in reality not a losing season regardless of who those wins came over. Sure its disappointing, can't be tolerated on any regular basis, didn't qualify for a bowl and a bunch of other things but it was not a losing season. And yeah, I know it is semantics but at some point words do matter.

6-6 with two FCS wins, is closer to a losing season than not, especially when you consider the small miracle it took to beat Troy

[t4pizza]

Sure it is close, but by the very definition it is not a losing season. And just so there is no confusion, I did not like the 6-6 and was very critical of many of Clark's coaching decision last year (and I agree we can't be 6-6 again). I just see a vast improvement in this team and really feel Clark may have turned the corner. Hope I am right.

[appgrad95&97]

Glad we didn’t give up on Coach Moore when he went 4-7 year 5, go Apps, trust the process. Let’s see what happens next year, I see big things

You already throw in the towel for this season? Not even halfway through……

No, I’m very hopeful still, hoping to make a run at home, but all these dudes calling for heads when next year could be truly special is irritating.

Who called for a heads? Who has called for Clark to be fired? Questions have been asked. For me "next year" is irritating.

Seriously?, threads all over this board asking for him to be fired. Personally, I like to think of most fans bases as being on a bell curve. You got your die hard apologists at one end (15%) and your fire everyone always crowd at the other (15%). Then there are the other 70%ers, they differ slightly in opinion, but by and large, trust those who are in the know and are making decisions based on actuals. These 70% love their team and are passionate, but will never be louder as the irrational 15% on each end of the curve. It’s normal, I think most fans are behind the staff, it’s just hard to see with the vocal minority much of the time. just humans being human. Go App!

I've not read a single post calling for Clark to be fired.

[appstatealum]

Sure it is close, but by the very definition it is not a losing season. And just so there is no confusion, I did not like the 6-6 and was very critical of many of Clark's coaching decision last year (and I agree we can't be 6-6 again). I just see a vast improvement in this team and really feel Clark may have turned the corner. Hope I am right.

I agree with you. I see improvement this year as well, some coaching maturity in Clark's part for sure. But I also see some.of the same issues I saw last year.

[YesAppCan]

I’m just curious about folks that say “FCS wins don’t count” when you’re 6-6… So if our team went 12-0 and had 2 FCS wins, would you post that we really only had 10 wins?