Would you beleive who's on top in the WAC ?

[MeanGreen61]

However temporary it may be, it's Idaho with a 3-0 conference record after beating Louisiana Tech in Ruston. 2-0 Boise plays NMSU Sunday.

[VideoEagle]

2-0 Boise plays NMSU Sunday.

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You can tell there is no NFL presents in Idaho or New Mexico if they are playing a game on Sunday!

[MeanGreenBuzz]

Didn't Idaho get a good coach the year they left for the WAC. They seemed like a program on the rise unlike some of the ones that left.

[NT80]

Idaho beat La Tech 24-14 in Ruston. They were 2-9 last season (sound familiar?). Idaho hires Dennis Erickson this year and are now 3-0 in a conference for the first time since 1999.

[MeanGreen61]

Idaho beat La Tech 24-14 in Ruston.  They were 2-9 last season (sound familiar?).  Idaho hires Dennis Erickson this year and are now 3-0 in a conference for the first time since 1999.   

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Of course the 'high profile' hire at NMSU, Hal Mumme, hasn't paid off. In 1 1/2 seasons he has 2 wins, both this year over 1AA teams. UCF's expensive coach did have a winning season/bowl appearance last year, but has dropped back this year at 2-4 with 1 win over a 1AA.

[NT03]

Idaho beat La Tech 24-14 in Ruston.  They were 2-9 last season (sound familiar?).   Idaho hires Dennis Erickson this year and are now 3-0 in a conference for the first time since 1999.   

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How many 2-9 seasons do you think we have to endure for NT wake up and follow in their footsteps ??

Edited October 15, 2006 by NT03

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Idaho beat La Tech 24-14 in Ruston.  They were 2-9 last season (sound familiar?).   Idaho hires Dennis Erickson this year and are now 3-0 in a conference for the first time since 1999.   

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They fired their coach after a 2-9 season? What were they thinking....sarcasim of course.

Edited October 15, 2006 by GoMeanGreen1999

[eulesseagle]

Idaho from 2001 to 2005 was 11-47 with the best seasons in '03 & '04 when they went 3-9.

I am afraid that UNT is not in similar circumstances.

One interesting post on the LaTech board said that the LaTech program would hit an all time low if they lose to UNT.

Like everyone who posts I hope we can acccomodate their wish.

[NT03]

I am afraid that UNT is not in similar circumstances.

Understand your point , but I think you have to take in consideration the geography. Idaho will always be at a disadvantage when comparing to NT. We are in a hotbead for recruits , have a rich state tradition , and in the great state of Texas .. Whats in Idaho besides potatoes ??

I just think year in and year out there is NO excuse not to be better than IDAHO no matter what the situation.

Edited October 15, 2006 by NT03

[NT80]

One interesting post on the LaTech board said that the LaTech program would hit an all time low if they lose to UNT. 

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If you look at all 6 DD's OOC 1-A wins, most all were classified by those schools as "all time worst losses". One coach was directly fired because of it and at least 2 others were let go the next season and it mentioned. SMUt's Bennett's fate has yet to be determined.

[eulesseagle]

NTO3-

#20 Boise State is in Idaho so there is some sort of appeal to play on the "Blue Field."

You can make the same argument about Gonzaga (BB)on who wants to play in Spokane, Wa.. It too is kinda like in the middle of nowhere.

Boise and Spokane are not hotbeds of recruiting for BB or FB but they do get quality players for their respective programs.

Geographically, if you superimpose the state of Texas in those areas then they have a pretty good area to recruit don't you agree??

It's the program/coach that draws the players.

[DeepGreen]

Idaho will always be at a disadvantage when comparing to NT. We are in a hotbead for recruits , have a rich state tradition , and in the great state of  Texas'

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Oh, really? Had me fooled. When is NT going to go out and take advantage of this hotbed?

[NT03]

Oh, really?  Had me fooled.  When is NT going to go out and take advantage of this hotbed?

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Im wondering the same thing!! I never said we recruited well , just said we are in a great location to do so.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

Used to be, and probably still is, Idaho gets the majority of its players from California.

[NT03]

Used to be, and probably still is, Idaho gets the majority of its players from California.

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Which makes it even more of a point, that it should be easier for NT to get recruits compared to Idaho. How hard would it be to sell a kid from California to move to Idaho ??

[PlummMeanGreen]

Of course, the (most strangely) omitted part of this thread is who Idaho hired in the first place that has given the Vandals a successful season no matter how they finish at this juncture. FWIW, how long has it been since Idaho had such a W/L record this time of year?

The thing is, with the success Idaho has had thus far (and again, no matter how they finish out) BUT............. with the high profile hire Dennis Erickson this will give the Vandal football program (even moreso) the undivided and iimmediate attention (no 5 to 9 year plan at Idaho for Coach Erickson) in their recruiting region and with who they have as coach will most likely be able to build onto their recruiting classes' successes each of the next few years. Don't look for Erickson to have one good recruiting class and try to coast along with it.

But..........I know, in Denton, we have this 25 year tradition and a method of madness with our head football coach hiring procedures that seems to have kept us toward the bottom quadrant of NCAA D1-A and that even during 4 recent bowl years.

Just our merely having a head football coaches position open at UNT only takes care of half the problem; the other half of the equation at UNT is who we hire to replace Dickey when his position becomes open whatever that time-table turns out to be.

To put it bluntly, we really cannot afford to screw up our next head football coaches hire in Denton, Texas, America and hope a wide cross-section of people from the UNT community who really know what the hell is going on at the upper level of NCAA D1-A football and have knowledge as to what has happened (and mostl quickly) at outposts such as UTEP and Idaho will play an integral part with UNT's decision-making process for a new head football coach in the future.

Edited October 15, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[TheTastyGreek]

Idaho is currently 4-3 overall. They've beaten Idaho State, Utah State, New Mexico State, and Louisiana Tech. Combined record for those opponents: 6-19.

They've lost to Oregon State, Washington State, and Michigan State. Combined score in those games: 121 to 27.

If Erickson coached here and his name was Dennis Dickey, we'd be screaming for his head after a 38-0 embarassment at Oregon State. That's if he hadn't already been fired after the 56-10 spanking delivered by Washington State. Don't let the score fool you- it wasn't that close. The TD came in garbage time.

So, here we are, singing the praises of a coach who manages to squeak by the dregs of his conference but can't seem to win, or even stay competitive, in OOC games against regional opponents.

Man, if only we could get a coach like that to replace Dickey. Because, you know, he can only manage to squeak by our conference opponents and doesn't deliver many big OOC wins. We can only settle for that if it's another coach walking the sidelines.

If we were playing Idaho's schedule, we'd have nearly identical results. The only question mark is La Tech, and that's only a question because of our dismal game against them last year. And this year's results show that La Tech is NOT the same team they were last season. I expect us to beat them in 3 weeks.

So, good for Idaho. If their success is our benchmark... we are there. One OOC win (over a 1AA team that's 0-2 in the BIG SKY CONFERENCE) and a few wins over the dregs of the conference.

Talk to me about Idaho after they play Boise St., Fresno St., Hawaii, San Jose St., and Nevada. If Idaho finishes the season any better than 6-6... I'll be amazed.

[CaribbeanGreen]

Idaho is currently 4-3 overall. They've beaten Idaho State, Utah State, New Mexico State, and Louisiana Tech. Combined record for those opponents: 6-19.

They've lost to Oregon State, Washington State, and Michigan State. Combined score in those games: 121 to 27.

If Erickson coached here and his name was Dennis Dickey, we'd be screaming for his head after a 38-0 embarassment at Oregon State. That's if he hadn't already been fired after the 56-10 spanking delivered by Washington State. Don't let the score fool you- it wasn't that close. The TD came in garbage time.

So, here we are, singing the praises of a coach who manages to squeak by the dregs of his conference but can't seem to win, or even stay competitive, in OOC games against regional opponents.

Man, if only we could get a coach like that to replace Dickey. Because, you know, he can only manage to squeak by our conference opponents and doesn't deliver many big OOC wins. We can only settle for that if it's another coach walking the sidelines.

If we were playing Idaho's schedule, we'd have nearly identical results. The only question mark is La Tech, and that's only a question because of our dismal game against them last year. And this year's results show that La Tech is NOT the same team they were last season. I expect us to beat them in 3 weeks.

So, good for Idaho. If their success is our benchmark... we are there. One OOC win (over a 1AA team that's 0-2 in the BIG SKY CONFERENCE) and a few wins over the dregs of the conference.

Talk to me about Idaho after they play Boise St., Fresno St., Hawaii, San Jose St., and Nevada. If Idaho finishes the season any better than 6-6... I'll be amazed.

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What he said.

[NT03]

This will be accurate only if we win vs. La Tech

[FirefightnRick]

Idaho is currently 4-3 overall. They've beaten Idaho State, Utah State, New Mexico State, and Louisiana Tech. Combined record for those opponents: 6-19.

They've lost to Oregon State, Washington State, and Michigan State. Combined score in those games: 121 to 27.

If Erickson coached here and his name was Dennis Dickey, we'd be screaming for his head after a 38-0 embarassment at Oregon State. That's if he hadn't already been fired after the 56-10 spanking delivered by Washington State. Don't let the score fool you- it wasn't that close. The TD came in garbage time.

So, here we are, singing the praises of a coach who manages to squeak by the dregs of his conference but can't seem to win, or even stay competitive, in OOC games against regional opponents.

Man, if only we could get a coach like that to replace Dickey. Because, you know, he can only manage to squeak by our conference opponents and doesn't deliver many big OOC wins. We can only settle for that if it's another coach walking the sidelines.

If we were playing Idaho's schedule, we'd have nearly identical results. The only question mark is La Tech, and that's only a question because of our dismal game against them last year. And this year's results show that La Tech is NOT the same team they were last season. I expect us to beat them in 3 weeks.

So, good for Idaho. If their success is our benchmark... we are there. One OOC win (over a 1AA team that's 0-2 in the BIG SKY CONFERENCE) and a few wins over the dregs of the conference.

Talk to me about Idaho after they play Boise St., Fresno St., Hawaii, San Jose St., and Nevada. If Idaho finishes the season any better than 6-6... I'll be amazed.

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I for one am not singing Erickson's praises for their season so far but you cannot ignore the excitement he has put back into one of the worse programs over the past several years. It's been over five years since Idaho has had 3 wins much less 3-0 in conference.

The praises I would look to sing however would be their university leadership going out and getting Erickson back on campus in the first place. Idaho last year went 2-9 including a loss to La Tech. Their HC Nick Holt left to take the D Line job for the St. Louis Rams and two day's later Erickson was announced as their head coach. Obviously Holt was on the way out long before his announcement and this is where IU leadership stepped up to the plate. Less than a week later DE was in their capital building smoozing with Vandal legislaters and around the state speaking to other booster organizations and had an immediate impact on their season ticket sales breathing new life into their program. The last time DE coached in Idaho they had some of their best years and became known as a high powered offensive program in the 1-AA ranks.

So far Erickson, coaching last year's team and with ex coach Nick Holts 2006 recruit class, coached the Vandal to within 10 points of an opening day game at Michigan St. and of course is 3-0 in conference. Their new coach isn't all world just yet but considering he's basically coaching someone elses team, much like MTSU's Stocktill right now, I have to give them a bit of credit so far regardless of the blowout against Wazzoo.

Rick

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Used to be, and probably still is, Idaho gets the majority of its players from California.

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---Makes sense.... Calf has fewer I-A colleges than Texas (four in Pac-10 and two in WAC) and a larger population, plus USC recruits nationally which leaves fewer spots for the locals. Calf. HS athletes will go somewhere so I suppose Boise is one of the places.

--Florida once had only three name colleges and now there are a lot of I-A ones which delutes their talent a bit also plus Spurrier raids Fla. also..

[Coffee and TV]

---Makes sense.... Calf has fewer I-A colleges than Texas (four in Pac-10 and two in WAC) and a larger population, plus USC recruits nationally which leaves fewer spots for the locals.  Calf. HS athletes will go somewhere so I suppose Boise is one of the places.

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+ San Diego State in the MWC, but you're right.

Simple math just by using overall population (not high school age)

1 I-A football school per 5.136mil in California vs

1 I-A football school per 2.285mil in Texas

Not only can Boise St & Idaho pick up California recruits, but so can just about any other school in the PAC 10 & surrounding states.

[PlummMeanGreen]

First of all, to separate most of our's toy section (Mean Green football) of each of our department stores that we call "Life" as it is compared to the real world we all have to live in every day, but anyway: My earnest and most fervent prayer for Coach Dickey with his latest health situation. I am not a doctor but I've had diabetes in my family, too, and heart problems is sometimes one of that diseases manifestations.

I have to think (or I can at least hope) the large majority of us can separate the job from the man and right now the man, ie, one Darrell Dickey is much more important than any job.

Edited October 16, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[untbowler]

on the same note did anyone see the shopw NMSU put on against Boise last night. 526 yds passing, lost 40-28 but probably exciting to watch. Also for thoise noting how bad Mumme is doing realize he completely changed their offense from a running option attack to a spread offense using prior personnel. Also Idaho is dealing with the same issues.

[FirefightnRick]

on the same note did anyone see the shopw NMSU put on against Boise last night. 526 yds passing, lost 40-28 but probably exciting to watch. Also for thoise noting how bad Mumme is doing realize he completely changed their offense from a running option attack to a spread offense using prior personnel. Also Idaho is dealing with the same issues.

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Yeah I noticed that too. NMSU spotted BSU 21 points with turnover in the first quarter then came back to make a game of it. It was only a 6 point game with 5 minutes to go in the third.

If NMSU ever finds a defense they are going to make some noise.

Rick