We've been Spoiled

[WVAPPeer]

That Wake loss crushed this team and their expectations on the year, and the carryover impact has been severe.

Let’s get young guys playing time, get back to basics like tackling and finish strong.

Agree 100% - (now pick yourself up off the floor)

[Goapps15]

I would also take away all the jersey crap. Wear all black at home and all white on the road. Earn the uniform choices with on field performance.

[WVAPPeer]

I'm guessing you guys saw this stat - it was before yesterday's game ---
FBS - MOST WINS LAST 40 GAMES
T1. Clemson 37-3
T1. Alabama 37-3
3. Ohio State 36-4
4. Wisconsin 33-7
T5. APP STATE 32-8

[samplessjs]

Rick--The players SBC schools sign are more closely related (in talent) to the top tier FCS schools than to the top P5 programs. I see the advantage of being an SBC team a matter of numbers. When you reach a scholarship level of 85 you have more mid major players than a 63 grant program. Not necessarily better players. The advantage is depth, which we don't seem to have a lot of. My argument would be when we hit 85 (three years ago I believe) our transition was complete. Overall I'd say the talent we get today is unchanged from the talent we were getting three years ago. That position seems to be confirmed by the FCS schools ranked ahead of many SBC schools in the computer rankings.

[appgrad95&97]

I don't think expecting to be better or being disappointed makes anyone spoiled. This is one of the best threads I've read. Forgetting UGA (if you want), we have not looked good all year. The Wake game was a big deal. Special teams have been bad. A lot of critical penalties. Injuries and depth have been a factor. Whatever the reason, I don't see much improvement over the past three years. The Sun Belt is not a very impressive conference so our record has been inflated. I've said this before: it's been a LONG time since we've beaten a team that was better than us. At some point there needs to be a discussion about what's needed to take the next step. Keep an eye on GA St. They have a lot going for them. I'm worried about being the fourth best team in the Belt in a few years.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Anyone can spin the sunshine all they want. This team was picked to win the SBC, has the personnel to do it, and is way, way underperforming. The past two weeks we have lost to teams that are among the worst in the nation. Neither even ranks in the Sagarin top 100!! Acknowledging a step backwards is not being negative, it's stating the obvious. Falling off a mountain half way up should not be expected. 8-4 is a slip...... 6-6 is a fall. And what is this nonsense about "transitioning?" We are in year FOUR of FBS membership The transition is over! That's my two cents.

Are we not still playing with FCS-recruited players? Plus, the players that were being recruited in years 1 and 2 of our transition probably had reservations about coming on board because, typically it takes a while to be sucessful when one moves up. So, I'd argue that being in the 4th season still means we're transitioning.

Then how do explain the success the past two years? Those players were even closer to the switch over, some recruited while FCS with only a promise we would go FBS. You'd think that by now there would be improvement, not regression.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I'm guessing you guys saw this stat - it was before yesterday's game ---
FBS - MOST WINS LAST 40 GAMES
T1. Clemson 37-3
T1. Alabama 37-3
3. Ohio State 36-4
4. Wisconsin 33-7
T5. APP STATE 32-8

Are we bowl eligible with that stat? Not sure I understand the significance. If we were playing well, then that would be a better statistic to enjoy, but playing like shit recently is all that currently matters.

[appgrad95&97]

Anyone can spin the sunshine all they want. This team was picked to win the SBC, has the personnel to do it, and is way, way underperforming. The past two weeks we have lost to teams that are among the worst in the nation. Neither even ranks in the Sagarin top 100!! Acknowledging a step backwards is not being negative, it's stating the obvious. Falling off a mountain half way up should not be expected. 8-4 is a slip...... 6-6 is a fall. And what is this nonsense about "transitioning?" We are in year FOUR of FBS membership The transition is over! That's my two cents.

Are we not still playing with FCS-recruited players? Plus, the players that were being recruited in years 1 and 2 of our transition probably had reservations about coming on board because, typically it takes a while to be sucessful when one moves up. So, I'd argue that being in the 4th season still means we're transitioning.

Then how do explain the success the past two years? Those players were even closer to the switch over, some recruited while FCS with only a promise we would go FBS. You'd think that by now there would be improvement, not regression.

Off Topic

To me this is the issue. It's why I'm disappointed. I would only add that our success in the past two seasons can be explained by our schedule: about half of our schedule has been against the bottom quarter of the FBS.

[WVAPPeer]

Anyone can spin the sunshine all they want. This team was picked to win the SBC, has the personnel to do it, and is way, way underperforming. The past two weeks we have lost to teams that are among the worst in the nation. Neither even ranks in the Sagarin top 100!! Acknowledging a step backwards is not being negative, it's stating the obvious. Falling off a mountain half way up should not be expected. 8-4 is a slip...... 6-6 is a fall. And what is this nonsense about "transitioning?" We are in year FOUR of FBS membership The transition is over! That's my two cents.

Are we not still playing with FCS-recruited players? Plus, the players that were being recruited in years 1 and 2 of our transition probably had reservations about coming on board because, typically it takes a while to be sucessful when one moves up. So, I'd argue that being in the 4th season still means we're transitioning.

Then how do explain the success the past two years? Those players were even closer to the switch over, some recruited while FCS with only a promise we would go FBS. You'd think that by now there would be improvement, not regression.

Off Topic

To me this is the issue. It's why I'm disappointed. I would only add that our success in the past two seasons can be explained by our schedule: about half of our schedule has been against the bottom quarter of the FBS.

Hell man - who should we be playing???

[WVAPPeer]

I'm guessing you guys saw this stat - it was before yesterday's game ---
FBS - MOST WINS LAST 40 GAMES
T1. Clemson 37-3
T1. Alabama 37-3
3. Ohio State 36-4
4. Wisconsin 33-7
T5. APP STATE 32-8

Are we bowl eligible with that stat? Not sure I understand the significance. If we were playing well, then that would be a better statistic to enjoy, but playing like shit recently is all that currently matters.

IF YOU DON'T SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STAT THEN SORRY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE - Not trying to be overly harsh but that stat says all you need to know ---

[AppinVA]

I'm guessing you guys saw this stat - it was before yesterday's game ---
FBS - MOST WINS LAST 40 GAMES
T1. Clemson 37-3
T1. Alabama 37-3
3. Ohio State 36-4
4. Wisconsin 33-7
T5. APP STATE 32-8

Are we bowl eligible with that stat? Not sure I understand the significance. If we were playing well, then that would be a better statistic to enjoy, but playing like shit recently is all that currently matters.

IF YOU DON'T SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STAT THEN SORRY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE - Not trying to be overly harsh but that stat says all you need to know ---

It's the most significant stat there is.

[AppDawg]

I'm guessing you guys saw this stat - it was before yesterday's game ---
FBS - MOST WINS LAST 40 GAMES
T1. Clemson 37-3
T1. Alabama 37-3
3. Ohio State 36-4
4. Wisconsin 33-7
T5. APP STATE 32-8

Are we bowl eligible with that stat? Not sure I understand the significance. If we were playing well, then that would be a better statistic to enjoy, but playing like shit recently is all that currently matters.

IF YOU DON'T SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STAT THEN SORRY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE - Not trying to be overly harsh but that stat says all you need to know ---

It's the most significant stat there is.

Agree, It is a significant stat. One that we have been adding to right up until the umass game... that stat meant we beat the teams we were supposed to and some we weren’t... now we have 2 weeks of losing to teams we should have beat. I am not so upset we lost, rather who we lost too. Perennial bottom 10 teams.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I'm guessing you guys saw this stat - it was before yesterday's game ---
FBS - MOST WINS LAST 40 GAMES
T1. Clemson 37-3
T1. Alabama 37-3
3. Ohio State 36-4
4. Wisconsin 33-7
T5. APP STATE 32-8

Are we bowl eligible with that stat? Not sure I understand the significance. If we were playing well, then that would be a better statistic to enjoy, but playing like shit recently is all that currently matters.

IF YOU DON'T SEE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STAT THEN SORRY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE - Not trying to be overly harsh but that stat says all you need to know ---

So if we go 6-6 we can hang our hat on the fact that the past couple years teams did well enough against bottom G5 schools to put us on a list of top with P5 schools? You said on another thread you didn't want to live in the past, so why are you doing it now? We are 5-4 with back to back losses, and even my wife with her limited knowledge in football can tell you we've not been playing well. You can throw all the stats up you want about past 40 games, but it does nothing to solve the recent struggles.

[WVAPPeer]

I will tell you what I think it means and what others have told me it means --- On Friday I sent this stat to about 25 friends and relatives - only 2 that I would classify as total APP fans like myself - Every response back to me was along the line of this one - "Some really good company. Just emphasizes how consistent and good the program is." and this one - "this is what programs strive for - to be consistently good" -
Of course, the record over a 3 year period doesn't determine what the final record will be this year but if you don't see the significance of this kind of stat I am not sure there is anything anyone can say to change your opinion ---

[WVAPPeer]

You play the teams your conference tells you to play + 3/4 non-conf games where in most cases fluctuate from year to year - If APP were an ACC program playing a SB schedule then yes --- if Rutgers played a SB schedule would their record be better? certainly --- If Ark State played the SEC schedule would they be undefeated? - no ---
I just don't buy the argument that APP has such a good record because the SB sucks - we are a SB school playing a SB schedule

[Rick83]

Anyone can spin the sunshine all they want. This team was picked to win the SBC, has the personnel to do it, and is way, way underperforming. The past two weeks we have lost to teams that are among the worst in the nation. Neither even ranks in the Sagarin top 100!! Acknowledging a step backwards is not being negative, it's stating the obvious. Falling off a mountain half way up should not be expected. 8-4 is a slip...... 6-6 is a fall. And what is this nonsense about "transitioning?" We are in year FOUR of FBS membership The transition is over! That's my two cents.

Are we not still playing with FCS-recruited players? Plus, the players that were being recruited in years 1 and 2 of our transition probably had reservations about coming on board because, typically it takes a while to be sucessful when one moves up. So, I'd argue that being in the 4th season still means we're transitioning.

Then how do explain the success the past two years? Those players were even closer to the switch over, some recruited while FCS with only a promise we would go FBS. You'd think that by now there would be improvement, not regression.

Perhaps the Sun Belt wasn't as good the past two years and now there's more parity. Perhaps, we didn't have the breadth of the injuries over the past two years so our depth chart across multiple positions wasn't as much of a challenge. I don't know what the answers are, obviously the injuries have changed the team and they haven't hit their groove yet. There are only a certain number of days between games for new players to learn to come together on the field.
However, I would argue that we are still transitioning into the FBS world, and by the way, Coach Satt and company have engineered what is arguably the most successul FCS to FBS transition ever...so the point of this thread is spot on...we're spoiled.

[appst89]

I'd rather be spoiled and have high expectations than to settle for 6 or 7 wins every year.

[WVAPPeer]

And another thing -
It has been noted several times that we have a better record because we haven't played the other top teams - well that goes both way --- they didn't have to play us either --- Duh

[samplessjs]

Just a note on the transitioning discussion. Ga So won the SBC their first year, with three classes of SoCon players. So much for the big difference between FCS and SBC talent. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but my perspective is transition is a poor excuse for failing. I stand by my statement. Transition was over long ago. In any case I hope we win the final three and finish on a positive note.

[WVAPPeer]

Just a note on the transitioning discussion. Ga So won the SBC their first year, with three classes of SoCon players. So much for the big difference between FCS and SBC talent. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but my perspective is transition is a poor excuse for failing. I stand by my statement. Transition was over long ago. In any case I hope we win the final three and finish on a positive note.

Well we can all pass judgment on topics using our own opinions - however, occasionally there are factual parameters than should be incorporated into a logical conclusion - In actuality transition from FCS to FBS isn't complete until all recruited classes have been recruited for a bowl eligible program which is a bowl eligible program when said class is recruited - APP has not reached that threshold yet as it would be 5 years (considering players have 5 years to play 4) - We had teams when Armanti was the QB who could have competed in the SB but they wouldn't have been playing on an equal recruiting field ---
And my next question is --- what are you referring to with this comment? - "a poor excuse for failing"