FB at No. 24 JMU, 3:30 p.m., ESPN+

[bcoach]

The only way he leaves is for an OC job that pays more than he makes today and then I don't think he'll take it. He has the chance to turn this around and make a name for himself and in this environment could be sought after with only one good season.

Who would hire him as OC with the results this year?

The reality is he's ours for a minimum of two years unless he's wildly successful next year. Still pulling for him and the Mountaineers.

I don't see him going anywhere. It would be a very poor decision on his part if he really want's to be a HC.

[AppStFan1]

What I find funny is that we had people on here defending Clark after 5 years saying we should not fire him yet but we got people wanting Loggains out after 10 games. I am disappointed at the results because I was thinking we had a shot at 6-7 wins but injuries and other things have happened but we were left in very bad shape.

There are a lot of people complaining who would not be saying what they are if we had a Mountaineer as head coach. That is the simple truth. We have people who want to give a Mountaineer a decade but don't even want to give an outsider a full year. People need to calm down and give our coaches some time.

Clark also won bowl games, beat A&M and was able to get gameday here as a result. He also bled black and gold. His tenure ended on a downward trajectory but he wasn’t an absolute failure. Plus I thought the whole reason we brought DLO and his vaunted nfl staff was to show us how to run a program and finally get the players some real coaches. This season is worse than anything Clark coached and folks are having a hard time seeing any improvement at all and DLO’s seeming indifference to the product he’s out on the field is rightfully troubling folks.

It was not a failure but it was getting worse and worse. Remember that Clark also inherited a team that was ranked the year before. Loggains inherited a team that failed to go to a bowl game in 2 of last 3 years and a support staff and coaching staff that was really bad in their roles. My point is that we just need to give it another year or so. If we are 3-9 next year then I will join in calling for his job but we have to see how the team looks.

[bcoach]

It has been said here and I have said it in the past. I would much rather see some quality FCS guys than Alabama bench warmers. One you can judge the other is a guess. The game is filled with guys who were studs in HS and never see the field in college. All three of our championship teams would win the Sunbelt this year. In my opinion that is where you can also find a good HC. One with experience.
Now with that said I also expect to see DLO here next year. I get it takes a little time. What I do not get is his lack of bringing any kind of energy out of the players. That is something that just is not as difficult as x and o. Too many just don't look like they want to be there.
I hope he goes to the FCS route and brings in some players a new S&C coach, and gets at least 6 wins next year. Anything less than that and we need a new AD.

[bcoach]

What I find funny is that we had people on here defending Clark after 5 years saying we should not fire him yet but we got people wanting Loggains out after 10 games. I am disappointed at the results because I was thinking we had a shot at 6-7 wins but injuries and other things have happened but we were left in very bad shape.

There are a lot of people complaining who would not be saying what they are if we had a Mountaineer as head coach. That is the simple truth. We have people who want to give a Mountaineer a decade but don't even want to give an outsider a full year. People need to calm down and give our coaches some time.

Clark also won bowl games, beat A&M and was able to get gameday here as a result. He also bled black and gold. His tenure ended on a downward trajectory but he wasn’t an absolute failure. Plus I thought the whole reason we brought DLO and his vaunted nfl staff was to show us how to run a program and finally get the players some real coaches. This season is worse than anything Clark coached and folks are having a hard time seeing any improvement at all and DLO’s seeming indifference to the product he’s out on the field is rightfully troubling folks.

It was not a failure but it was getting worse and worse. Remember that Clark also inherited a team that was ranked the year before. Loggains inherited a team that failed to go to a bowl game in 2 of last 3 years and a support staff and coaching staff that was really bad in their roles. My point is that we just need to give it another year or so. If we are 3-9 next year then I will join in calling for his job but we have to see how the team looks.

I would only add that the team he inherited came to play. The one DLO inherited was one that was bought with a low budget. I am not making a point on whether he should have been replaced only that there was a difference.

[Bigdaddyg1]

It has been said here and I have said it in the past. I would much rather see some quality FCS guys than Alabama bench warmers. One you can judge the other is a guess. The game is filled with guys who were studs in HS and never see the field in college. All three of our championship teams would win the Sunbelt this year. In my opinion that is where you can also find a good HC. One with experience.
Now with that said I also expect to see DLO here next year. I get it takes a little time. What I do not get is his lack of bringing any kind of energy out of the players. That is something that just is not as difficult as x and o. Too many just don't look like they want to be there.
I hope he goes to the FCS route and brings in some players a new S&C coach, and gets at least 6 wins next year. Anything less than that and we need a new AD.

Bingo on the roster build. Why not grab guys who have been 2 year FCS starters versus a junior or redshirt sophomore who has barely played at Alabama or another big program? You have real film on the first guy and the second (?). For that second guy are you looking at a few plays from trash time against a bad team? Taking QB’s from power schools who were 3rd or 4th string isn’t usually great either. We grabbed a big back from Tennessee and he’s barely seen the field- maybe he’s injured but still. I think if our program is going to get back we need a solid FCS coach and go back to what made us who we were. This chasing P4 rainbows isn’t the solution. UNC has a guy considered the NFL GOAT and look at the results so far. It’s not the same.

[BambooRdApp]

I think it is disingenuous to make a comparison of a coach that was at App. St. for five years compared to a coach that has not finished one complete season.
I was an avid Coach Clark supporter up to the day he left App. St. Part of the reason was due to their being some skeptics about him being the hire. So, I pulled for him, from a personal perspective, maybe more than other coaches for this particular reason. I do not know coach DLo. Never met him. However, pulling out points over a 5 year career to a coach that has not completed one season is not a reasonable comparison IMO.
We like to point out the win against A&M in 2022. It was great to be there in person that is for sure. However, I personally look at the season "overall" as one of the most disappointing seasons. We take two power schools to the limit.. winning one....so, we appeared to have the talent...However, we end up with a 6-6 record and one of those wins was a lucky hail Mary to get the win and be bowl eligible...

From a wins/losses perspective, I could care less if the coach attended App, played at App. From a personal perspective, it is an added benefit if they did. I am sure our DC bleeds black and Gold. It is about being dedicated to one's craft. Is DLo giving his all.? Is he working around the clock to do the best he can?. It may or may not show on the field. I cannot answer that question as I am not in or around the football offices on the daily.

The previous coach was given a pretty good team. The current coach was not especially after key losses in the portal.
I am not advocating for DLo or dissing the previous coach.
It is just not an intellectual comparison in my perspective. Just my opinion.

[Bigdaddyg1]

I would love to see a breakdown of G5 (peer schools) in terms of current year record versus prior year and also the amount of roster turnover. Basically how many peer schools have either turned their record around or have dropped off and of those schools what is the number of players who are new this season? I think you really need to leave off USM as their coach brought in a load of his players from a good Marshall team.

[BambooRdApp]

I would love to see a breakdown of G5 (peer schools) in terms of current year record versus prior year and also the amount of roster turnover. Basically how many peer schools have either turned their record around or have dropped off and of those schools what is the number of players who are new this season? I think you really need to leave off USM as their coach brought in a load of his players from a good Marshall team.

With the additional criteria...also a HC coaching change

[Bigdaddyg1]

I would love to see a breakdown of G5 (peer schools) in terms of current year record versus prior year and also the amount of roster turnover. Basically how many peer schools have either turned their record around or have dropped off and of those schools what is the number of players who are new this season? I think you really need to leave off USM as their coach brought in a load of his players from a good Marshall team.

With the additional criteria...also a HC coaching change

I thought of that as well but left that piece off just to see how many programs have figured out the secret to success. New coach with everything else is tough. I can’t imagine there being many examples of success. Unless we can convince absolute stud players to transfer in and we can pay them this way of rebuilding won’t work. Bringing in a mixed bag of players who have sat the bench is a crap shoot.

[t4pizza]

I would love to see a breakdown of G5 (peer schools) in terms of current year record versus prior year and also the amount of roster turnover. Basically how many peer schools have either turned their record around or have dropped off and of those schools what is the number of players who are new this season? I think you really need to leave off USM as their coach brought in a load of his players from a good Marshall team.

With the additional criteria...also a HC coaching change

I thought of that as well but left that piece off just to see how many programs have figured out the secret to success. New coach with everything else is tough. I can’t imagine there being many examples of success. Unless we can convince absolute stud players to transfer in and we can pay them this way of rebuilding won’t work. Bringing in a mixed bag of players who have sat the bench is a crap shoot.

The first and easiest that comes to mind is JMU. Chesney came in with a completely bare cupboard and brought in 64 new players in the first year and went 9-4. Marshall replaced a coach and a ton of players this year and is teetering on the .500 or above for the year and if they beat us will be bowl eligible this year. USM, which I get you think should be left off the list, still brought in new coach and ton of new players and will most likely play for a Sun Belt championship. I don't dismiss USM because one of the great benefits in bringing in a new coach with previous head coaching experience is that he most likely has staff and player to accompany him. We could have gone that route and choose not to. So that is 3 peer schools in our own Sun Belt that have managed to do it far more successfully than we have. Go back just a few years, Tim Beck gets hired at Coastal, brings in 33 new players in the portal and goes 8-5 with a bowl win. GJ Kinne brought in 53 (39 portal, 15 hs recruits) his first year and went 8-5 (which is insane at that school). Our own conference is literally covered with successful examples of a new coach bringing in a ton of new players and winning in the first year, yet we were completely unable to do that. We got the wrong guy and it is evident. I get some think he should get another year, I just feel that is a waste of time and would rather rip the band aid off now, but I know App won't.

[Seattleapp]

I would love to see a breakdown of G5 (peer schools) in terms of current year record versus prior year and also the amount of roster turnover. Basically how many peer schools have either turned their record around or have dropped off and of those schools what is the number of players who are new this season? I think you really need to leave off USM as their coach brought in a load of his players from a good Marshall team.

With the additional criteria...also a HC coaching change

I thought of that as well but left that piece off just to see how many programs have figured out the secret to success. New coach with everything else is tough. I can’t imagine there being many examples of success. Unless we can convince absolute stud players to transfer in and we can pay them this way of rebuilding won’t work. Bringing in a mixed bag of players who have sat the bench is a crap shoot.

The first and easiest that comes to mind is JMU. Chesney came in with a completely bare cupboard and brought in 64 new players in the first year and went 9-4. Marshall replaced a coach and a ton of players this year and is teetering on the .500 or above for the year and if they beat us will be bowl eligible this year. USM, which I get you think should be left off the list, still brought in new coach and ton of new players and will most likely play for a Sun Belt championship. I don't dismiss USM because one of the great benefits in bringing in a new coach with previous head coaching experience is that he most likely has staff and player to accompany him. We could have gone that route and choose not to. So that is 3 peer schools in our own Sun Belt that have managed to do it far more successfully than we have. Go back just a few years, Tim Beck gets hired at Coastal, brings in 33 new players in the portal and goes 8-5 with a bowl win. GJ Kinne brought in 53 (39 portal, 15 hs recruits) his first year and went 8-5 (which is insane at that school). Our own conference is literally covered with successful examples of a new coach bringing in a ton of new players and winning in the first year, yet we were completely unable to do that. We got the wrong guy and it is evident. I get some think he should get another year, I just feel that is a waste of time and would rather rip the band aid off now, but I know App won't.

I mentioned this earlier, but Jason eck turned Idaho into a winner in the big sky and is now 7-3 at New Mexico this year in the mountain west. Neither of those schools are desirable football location traditionally and in two tough conferences. New Mexico went 5-7 under Bronco Mendenhall last year with a quarterback that’s starting at Utah this year. So to your point, it’s not impossible to come in and not be abysmal in your first year.

[Seattleapp]

It has been said here and I have said it in the past. I would much rather see some quality FCS guys than Alabama bench warmers. One you can judge the other is a guess. The game is filled with guys who were studs in HS and never see the field in college. All three of our championship teams would win the Sunbelt this year. In my opinion that is where you can also find a good HC. One with experience.
Now with that said I also expect to see DLO here next year. I get it takes a little time. What I do not get is his lack of bringing any kind of energy out of the players. That is something that just is not as difficult as x and o. Too many just don't look like they want to be there.
I hope he goes to the FCS route and brings in some players a new S&C coach, and gets at least 6 wins next year. Anything less than that and we need a new AD.

Based on what I’ve seen so far, I feel like DLO is too arrogant to “move down” and get fcs guys. His entire sales pitch was he had an NFL and SEC pedigree. Which is funny because there are several FCS teams that would beat us this year.

[appstate24]

It has been said here and I have said it in the past. I would much rather see some quality FCS guys than Alabama bench warmers. One you can judge the other is a guess. The game is filled with guys who were studs in HS and never see the field in college. All three of our championship teams would win the Sunbelt this year. In my opinion that is where you can also find a good HC. One with experience.
Now with that said I also expect to see DLO here next year. I get it takes a little time. What I do not get is his lack of bringing any kind of energy out of the players. That is something that just is not as difficult as x and o. Too many just don't look like they want to be there.
I hope he goes to the FCS route and brings in some players a new S&C coach, and gets at least 6 wins next year. Anything less than that and we need a new AD.

Based on what I’ve seen so far, I feel like DLO is too arrogant to “move down” and get fcs guys. His entire sales pitch was he had an NFL and SEC pedigree. Which is funny because there are several FCS teams that would beat us this year.

I kind of feel the same way. I can’t put my finger on it, and I could certainly be wrong. But it definitely feels like this is how he feels.

[8993]

This can go one of two ways and I'm afraid we're heading down the bumpier road at this point, but continue to hold out hope.

For comparison on recent rival team coaching transitions:

Coastal Carolina
2022: 9-4 [last season with HC Jamey Chadwell]
2023: 8-5 [first season with HC Tim Beck]
2024: 6-7
2025: 6-4 (so far)

James Madison
2022: 8-3
2023: 11-2 [last season with HC Curt Cignetti]
2024: 9-4 [first season with HC Bob Chesney]
2025: 9-1 (so far)

Georgia Southern
2021: 3-9 [last season with HC Chad Lunsford]
2022: 6-7 [first season with HC Clay Helton]
2023: 6-7
2024: 8-5
2025: 5-5 (so far)

Marshall
2022: 9-4
2023: 6-7
2024: 10-3 [last season with HC Charles Huff]
2025: 5-5 [first season with HC Tony Gibson] (so far)

East Carolina
2022: 8-5
2023: 2-10
2024: 8-5 [last season with HC Mike Houston]
2025: 7-3 [first season with HC Blake Harrell] (so far)