I am with you Coach Clark

[Stonewall]

But is that where we are ? What we have ? I want to think so but I’m not there. In any event I support the current staff 100 percent, win or tie.

[HurricaneYosef]

Just stating I would sign up for it

Not saying it’s where we are at

[Stonewall]

Fair enough. In other news Luke Smith was named the SoCons best offensive lineman for 2024. The Jacobs Blocking Trophy. We signed him out of high school in 2019. Transferred to ETSU in 23. He wasn’t good enough to play for us ?

[fjblair]

Until now I have refrained from offering my opinion on our coaching situation. There’ve been too many opinions offered up already and mine carries no more weight than anyone else’s, which is to say none at all. But by this time next week we should have a clearer indication of who will or won’t lead our program in 2025. So I’m compelled to offer this thought:

I’m not happy we are 5-5 and having to sweat out a bowl bid on the last weekend of the season. Yes, our program has regressed from the Drinkwitz year. But 13-1 was a near impossible bar to hurdle. My dividing line between happy and disappointed is somewhere near 8-4 or maybe even 7-5 given the changing landscape of college football and the more-competitive Sun Belt. All that is to say 5-5 isn’t where I’m satisfied but Shawn Clark’s overall record of 40-23 here isn’t chopped liver either.

So is Clark the right guy?

From my vantage point, I’ve been impressed with Clark’s development over the past five seasons and especially this year. He recruits well, generally brings in quality students and athletes, avoids the constant player churn that is rampant at other schools, skillfully juggles media and alumni responsibilities, is beginning to manage the NIL and transfer portal spaces, and makes good in-game decisions. On that last point, Clark doesn’t get nearly the appreciation he deserves, especially in the last two seasons or so. It was his (and Frank Ponce’s) choice to go conservative early in the fourth quarter Saturday, opting to kick a field goal rather than to go for it on fourth-and-three at the JMU 23. That decision forced JMU into a series of low-percentage plays and changed the makeup of the final 10 minutes.

So three things are going to happen if we make a change: 1) the new coach is a success (Drinkwitz 2.0), 2) the new coach keeps us on the relatively same path we’re on this season (that is basically .500), or 3) the new coach is unsuccessful (see Mike Working, Jason Capel and Billy Jones). All three scenarios are possible. I’d give each one a 33.3% chance of happening. Given those numbers we have a nearly 66.7% chance of being disappointed with the future hire.

For my money, I’m more comfortable riding with a known quantity in Clark — someone who is showing significant improvement as a coach despite disappointing results this year — than what we don’t know.

Wow, I only hope the people that make this decision do not follow your reasoning. We will never return to greatness with that perspective.

[Saint3333]

To be fair two of those three are the same or better than what we have now. OP looks at this as a 67% disappointment, you could view at as a more likely than not outcome that we will be “better”.

If is his words the current state is disappointing that in itself should be enough to try a different path.

At a minimum we will have a coordinator change by all accounts.

[BallantyneApp]

also I hope we make a change at S&C. I think everyone has noticed all year our guys look slow and unable to match the physicality of our opponents.

Not to mention our numerous season ending injuries.

[bcoach]

To be fair two of those three are the same or better than what we have now. OP looks at this as a 67% disappointment, you could view at as a more likely than not outcome that we will be “better”.

If is his words the current state is disappointing that in itself should be enough to try a different path.

At a minimum we will have a coordinator change by all accounts.

Well if that happens it better be DC or absolutly nothing else we do will matter.

[AppSt94]

Fair enough. In other news Luke Smith was named the SoCons best offensive lineman for 2024. The Jacobs Blocking Trophy. We signed him out of high school in 2019. Transferred to ETSU in 23. He wasn’t good enough to play for us ?

Luke went from playing 500 snaps in 2021 to playing less than 100 in 2022. Coaches wanted him to stay but he wanted to play more than he was going to get here. I don’t blame him.

[AppSt94]

Until now I have refrained from offering my opinion on our coaching situation. There’ve been too many opinions offered up already and mine carries no more weight than anyone else’s, which is to say none at all. But by this time next week we should have a clearer indication of who will or won’t lead our program in 2025. So I’m compelled to offer this thought:

I’m not happy we are 5-5 and having to sweat out a bowl bid on the last weekend of the season. Yes, our program has regressed from the Drinkwitz year. But 13-1 was a near impossible bar to hurdle. My dividing line between happy and disappointed is somewhere near 8-4 or maybe even 7-5 given the changing landscape of college football and the more-competitive Sun Belt. All that is to say 5-5 isn’t where I’m satisfied but Shawn Clark’s overall record of 40-23 here isn’t chopped liver either.

So is Clark the right guy?

From my vantage point, I’ve been impressed with Clark’s development over the past five seasons and especially this year. He recruits well, generally brings in quality students and athletes, avoids the constant player churn that is rampant at other schools, skillfully juggles media and alumni responsibilities, is beginning to manage the NIL and transfer portal spaces, and makes good in-game decisions. On that last point, Clark doesn’t get nearly the appreciation he deserves, especially in the last two seasons or so. It was his (and Frank Ponce’s) choice to go conservative early in the fourth quarter Saturday, opting to kick a field goal rather than to go for it on fourth-and-three at the JMU 23. That decision forced JMU into a series of low-percentage plays and changed the makeup of the final 10 minutes.

So three things are going to happen if we make a change: 1) the new coach is a success (Drinkwitz 2.0), 2) the new coach keeps us on the relatively same path we’re on this season (that is basically .500), or 3) the new coach is unsuccessful (see Mike Working, Jason Capel and Billy Jones). All three scenarios are possible. I’d give each one a 33.3% chance of happening. Given those numbers we have a nearly 66.7% chance of being disappointed with the future hire.

For my money, I’m more comfortable riding with a known quantity in Clark — someone who is showing significant improvement as a coach despite disappointing results this year — than what we don’t know.

Wow, I only hope the people that make this decision do not follow your reasoning. We will never return to greatness with that perspective.

Let’s circle back to this in about five years. With this new landscape, I feel like consistency is going to be an issue for most everyone.

[Stonewall]

I don’t blame him. Did we have five guys better than the best lineman in the SoCon ? I’m doubtful.

[AppSt94]

I don’t blame him. Did we have five guys better than the best lineman in the SoCon ? I’m doubtful.

Great question. Luke’s a good kid.

[Saint3333]

I don’t blame him. Did we have five guys better than the best lineman in the SoCon ? I’m doubtful.

The ability to assess talent is a legitimate question and maybe the most troubling of all. Offensive line and linebackers have been a constant strength within the program and we've struggled in those departments recently.

[spacemonkey]

also I hope we make a change at S&C. I think everyone has noticed all year our guys look slow and unable to match the physicality of our opponents.

Not to mention our numerous season ending injuries.

I don't know the answer to this but, How many of our players have been with this S&C coach more than 1 year. I would think it would take 2 and maybe 3 years for the S&C coach to really show up on some of these guys. I don't know anything about this subject, so I am genuinely curious what others think. It seems it would take at least 2 years to turn a high school kid or transfer kid into an SBC offensive linemen or Defensive Linemen with enough strength to matter in the game.

[Saint3333]

The biggest gains for a HS player occur in the first off-season. I've worked with families of offensive lineman at all calibers of schools (Stanford, SCar, NCSU, Elon, WCU, W&L) and that first offseason tends to separate those that are in it for the long-haul. I'd say two offseasons are more than enough to assess the programs strengths and weaknesses.

[BambooRdApp]

Interesting commentary on S&C.
When hired, people on the board were falling all over themselves.
A little E Tu Brute

[Saint3333]

Don’t take my comment as I believe we need a change there.

We don’t appear to be as fast as usual, but that’s a bigger problem than S&C.

[AppSt94]

The same folks that want Clark gone will be knocking folks over to get to him to Pat him on the back when they see him in person.

[Saint3333]

No they won't, the vast majority of us would leave him alone if we saw him in a restaurant. Most of us, even as decent donors, don't need the personal attention and respect theirs.

As a person, by all accounts, he's one of the best to wear the black and gold. If engaged I'd gladly thank him for giving his ALL for Appalachian.

Win Saturday, the emotional response will be he is retained. He'll have to make some changes as a concession. Then I'll continue hoping he wins every game, but point out poor results if they occur. I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong and celebrate an SBC title in the next 12 months. You may not like me personally, but I've been very consistent on this with every coach at App for 20+ years on here.

[ASUFan4863]

The same folks that want Clark gone will be knocking folks over to get to him to Pat him on the back when they see him in person.

It’s a very ignorant and tired POV that you believe people can only like or hate Clark. I’ve not met anyone who dislikes Clark to be honest.

It’s also extremely ignorant to believe that people can’t separate the football results from the person. Just because you can’t, doesn’t mean others can’t.

[Bigdaddyg1]

I don’t blame him. Did we have five guys better than the best lineman in the SoCon ? I’m doubtful.

The ability to assess talent is a legitimate question and maybe the most troubling of all. Offensive line and linebackers have been a constant strength within the program and we've struggled in those departments recently.

I recall about 5 or so years ago we had what I thought were undersized linebackers. I can’t recall specific names but I think we had a couple of starters in the 210lb range. I thought we needed to get more in the 230ish range if possible but looking back those dudes, while smaller were fast and got to the ball carrier quickly. Have we sacrificed defensive pursuit quickness for trying to get bigger? Seems like those 6’3” 230lb type backers are both faster and on a P4 roster. Either some of the guys we have on defense are just slower or can’t read the offense.