Interesting interview with Texas State AD

[Harry]

OE: UTSA has gotten some press for the opponents that they will have coming to the Alamodome in the future (Oklahoma State, Houston, Arizona, Kansas State, Arizona State, Baylor). Is Texas State trying to follow the model of bringing big names in like Texas Tech, and why have UTSA's negotiations happened quicker than Texas State's?

LT: They have a dome and are located in a big city with major TV stations. As we try to get better home football games, visiting teams also want to know they can play in front of fans. I have said this many times before and will say it again. We can't just show up when we play Texas Tech. UTSA averaged 35,000 fans playing Division 2 and 3 schools and went 4-8 in their first year. Last year, in their early games, they still played these teams and their fans supported them. We have to do the same. All I hear is we needed to win and play good quality opponents. Other schools are getting good support and do not necessarily live by this rule. We have to stop making excuses for why we cant attend Bobcat sporting events. They have done 2-for-1 contracts where they will go on the road for two games and get one home game. This year UTSA averaged more fans per game for their WAC opponents than we did. We just need to show up and support our team. You also have to be impressed with what they did on Thanksgiving weekend against us. Many of our fans and students went home for Thanksgiving with their families. Their fans made their football team their family and went to the dome during this weekend. We had better learn if we want to be successful, Bobcat football needs to be your holiday family.

OE: UTSA is not on the football schedule for 2013 and is not listed a non-conference opponent for UTSA in 2014 or 2015. Do Texas State and UTSA have a realistic shot of playing each other in the next ten years?

LT: We actually talked to them recently. We have told them we will play them every year. Unfortunately, they said it looks like they cant start playing us until 2020. Part of this is they have done so many 2-for-1 games. They are scheduled way out in advance and don't have many dates open. We want to play them in all of our sports.

OE: What, if any, are the plans being made to ramp up the tailgating scene again after the noticeable drop off in participation following the Texas Tech loss?

LT: As I said before, fans create their own excitement. Other schools students and fans show up to their games, set up all over town and all over campus and tailgate. Unfortunately for us, I hear we need to play Texas Tech each week and we want to tailgate 100 paces from the gate or we aren't coming. We played a great WAC schedule this year and the WAC was rated the toughest non-BCS conference. We had great home games this past year. The athletic department should not have to create a tailgate atmosphere for people to show up. At other schools, fans create their own tailgating and it is not in the parking lot just outside the stadium, it is all over campus, town and any other location near the stadium. They tailgate, have a good time responsibly, then walk into the game and don't go home before kickoff. Our fans need to learn how to come to San Marcos, park anywhere within walking distance of the stadium, bring their own food and beverages, create a tailgate on their own and then come into the stadium. I get frustrated since I hear this too many times: I wont come to the stadium and support our team unless we are playing a big 12 opponent each week, we win every game, we can tailgate within 50 yards of the stadium, and it is 80 degrees and sunny at kickoff. We need to be football fans first and to support the Bobcats.

Read more: http://star.txstate.edu/node/7071

[LongJim]

LT: As I said before, fans create their own excitement. Other schools students and fans show up to their games, set up all over town and all over campus and tailgate. Unfortunately for us, I hear we need to play Texas Tech each week and we want to tailgate 100 paces from the gate or we aren't coming.

At other schools, fans create their own tailgating and it is not in the parking lot just outside the stadium, it is all over campus, town and any other location near the stadium. They tailgate, have a good time responsibly, then walk into the game and don't go home before kickoff. Our fans need to learn how to come to San Marcos, park anywhere within walking distance of the stadium, bring their own food and beverages, create a tailgate on their own and then come into the stadium. I get frustrated since I hear this too many times: I wont come to the stadium and support our team unless we are playing a big 12 opponent each week, we win every game, we can tailgate within 50 yards of the stadium, and it is 80 degrees and sunny at kickoff. We need to be football fans first and to support the Bobcats.

Yep, that pretty much nails it.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Welcome to being the only Texas-based football playing school in the Sun Belt Conference, Bobcat Nation. We gladly pass that torch to your school.

UTSA has dropped the Bobcats from their football schedule and cannot think of re-scheduling them until 2020 which adds insult to injury. Only time TSU-SM may ever get to play a CUSA school will be in some bowl game.

Still, LBJ's alma mater's road to the NCAA D1 (FBS) level has been so much easier than ours ever was. They should be glad with how easy it became which was: Expand Your Stadium To NCAA D1/FBS critieria ='s NCAA FBS level membership; and average 15k per home game with a minimum of 4 home games every 2 years).

Coach Fran will one day have 2 winning seasons in a row at TSU-SM and then boogie once again to another outpost unless he decides he wants to break that cycle and stay more than 2 or 3 years..

GMG!

Edited June 6, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[Harry]

I find it interesting that he seems to harbor some resentment towards the fans or lack thereof. Instead of blame the fans why not try and figure out ways to entice the fans to attend? The easy answer is winning, but not every mid major program will win every single year (ask Southern Miss).

[JesseMartin]

Harry's right, but aside from that, they seem to have a pretty good grasp on things. We've been doing this much longer but for some reason the level of salience in our own community regarding such issues has remained at a standstill. Time to get moving forward in more than just the new stadium and conference affiliation.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I find it interesting that he seems to harbor some resentment towards the fans or lack thereof. Instead of blame the fans why not try and figure out ways to entice the fans to attend? The easy answer is winning, but not every mid major program will win every single year (ask Southern Miss).

So, Harry, is the TSU-SM A.D. blaming "Bush" league fans and alums for their apparent shortcomings?

[Magic95Fan]

I find it interesting that he seems to harbor some resentment towards the fans or lack thereof. Instead of blame the fans why not try and figure out ways to entice the fans to attend? The easy answer is winning, but not every mid major program will win every single year (ask Southern Miss).

I agree, at least in print, the AD had a very negative tone towards the fans. Would like to hear audio of this interview.

[JesseMartin]

I think where the disconnect occurs, be it in Denton or San Marcos, is that when fans hear that "we'll be moving things up a notch to be more of a big-time football program" they (especially in Texas) instantly have flashes of Texas, Tech, aTm, etc. Those of us who follow more closely tend to be more realistic and think of Boise, ECU, Tulsa, and the like...though it would be cool to see us actually following some of the examples set by programs like those.

[untjim1995]

Texas State will follow a very similar trail in the SBC that we did. The SBC teams are still improving each year and Texas State's fans won't care one bit about playing any of them. ULM, ULL, Arky State, and Troy are all waaayyyy ahead of them right now. They will still get some in-state games on the road against the Big 12 teams, but I doubt they will see any CUSA school in this state on their schedule anytime soon. UTSA will look down their noses at TSU-SM if they get their program off to a good start. It will be very SMU-UNT, La Tech-ULM, esque.

I think Franchione is a very good coach and I believe he will do fine at Texas State, but I don't see any Texas schools offering them any help by shceduling them, especially in San Marcos. Welcome to our previous world, Bobcats...you'll find that it is not easy to get fans excited about playing SBC teams, especially those in the Eastern parts of their conference.