In the FCS Huddle: Struggling programs must realize it's time
NCAA Football Betting Lines
02/22/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New head coaches, especially those with struggling teams, are often quick to sidestep questions about win totals measuring their success.
You've probably heard the coach speak before: If the team gets back to the basics and does all the little things it is supposed to do, then the winning will fall into place.
Of course, if that doesn't happen, then the coach will keep his moves like Jagger the next time the media ask about a timeframe for winning.
It's usually the veteran coaches, and winning coaches, who are more open to wins and losses being a barometer.
Whether that's fair or not is debatable because, well, graduating players is an important measuring stick that too often is overlooked by sports fans.
It makes what football coach Rob Ambrose did in his third season at Towson all the more impressive.
Last year, he turned a team that was 3-19 in his first two seasons into the CAA Football champion and a Top 10 team. But he also had told his team in no- uncertain terms that it was time to start winning. He was even accountable publically ( http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page= cfoot2/misc/haley/archive/haley_7_01_2011.htm).
By year three, the honeymoon is over for coaches. They have had time to get their assistant coaches, recruits and philosophies in place. The struggling ones must say it's time to start winning more.
Some coaches who came on board for the 2010 season have taken their programs to great heights in their first two seasons, such as Sam Houston State's Willie Fritz, who had the Bearkats ranked No. 1 last season on their way to a national runner-up finish; Georgia Southern's Jeff Monken and Montana's Robin Pflugrad, who have reached the national semifinals; and Bethune- Cookman's Brian Jenkins, Murray State's Chris Hatcher and Portland State's Nigel Burton, who have orchestrated turnarounds with their programs.
To a lesser extent, Bucknell's Joe Susan, Cornell's Kent Austin, Lamar's Ray Woodard, Tennessee State's Ron Reed and Youngstown State's Eric Wolford have brought excitement to their programs.
But others need to make sure year three is so much better than the first two - channel their inner Ambrose with his blueprint.
There's Princeton third-year coach Bob Surace, who turned in his black-and- orange stripes with the Cincinnati Bengals to return to the ones he wore in the Ivy League with the Tigers. Surace has played enough young players in the last two seasons for the Tigers to improve dramatically on his 2-18 record, although running back Chuck Dibilio, the league's 2011 freshman of the year, is trying to recover from a stroke suffered less than five weeks ago.
Saint Francis (Pa.) hasn't posted a winning season since 1992, but the Northeast Conference team appears primed to show improvement under Chris Villarrial, who is 3-19 through two seasons. With the return of running back Kyle Harbridge (1,430 yards, 14 touchdowns), it could happen.
In the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Southern took a big step in Stump Mitchell's second season, doubling its win total from two in 2010 to four. Meanwhile, Mississippi Valley State ended a 19-game losing streak in Karl Morgan's second season, although it's his only win in his two seasons.
Dale Carlson also has only one win in two seasons at Valparaiso, which has been the FCS' worst program recently. But the Pioneer Football League team has a young nucleus, including quarterback Eric Hoffman, that appears ready for greater success.
Nicholls State dropped from 4-7 in 2010 to 1-10 in Charlie Stubbs' second season. This year's schedule is front-loaded with difficult games, so the Colonels may need to win some games late in the season to show marked improvement.
One program that likely faces a rough going in coach Bill Curry's third season is Georgia State, which is joining the CAA after two seasons as a startup independent. After going 6-5 in 2010, the Panthers fell to 3-8 last season and now have a tougher schedule ahead.
Then again, it was easy to cast doubt on Towson going into 2011.
Most head coaches of struggling teams may talk about progress more than the wins. Even if it's just behind the scenes, it's time they demand accountability in the win column.
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former South Florida co-defensive coordinator David Blackwell has joined the new staff of Fordham football coach Joe Moorhead as defensive coordinator. Moorhead was named the Rams' new coach in December and is
<< FedEx extends sponsorship of FedExCup
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The PGA Tour and FedEx announced on
Wednesday a five-year extension of the company's sponsorship of the FedExCup.
The FedExCup is a year-long competition that began in 2007. This new deal will
keep
<< Green and Colorado State get past New Mexico
Fort Collins, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dorian Green scored 17 points and Pierce
Hornung finished with a double-double, as Colorado State knocked off No. 18
New Mexico, 71-63, at Moby Arena.
Hornung logged 13 points and 15 rebounds, while
<< Trail Blazers blow out shorthanded Spurs by 40
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seven different Trail Blazers scored in double
figures, led by 21 from LaMarcus Aldridge, as Portland embarrassed San Antonio
137-97 at Rose Garden on Tuesday.
Jamal Crawford netted 20 points and handed ou
<< Isner, Harrison move on in Memphis
Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Americans John Isner and Ryan Harrison were
first-round winners at the $1.155 million Regions Morgan Keegan Championships
on Tuesday.
Isner, the tournament's top seed, defeated Gilles Muller 7-6 (7-1), 7-
Dunedin, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Blue Jays signed right-hander Rick VandenHurk to a split major league contract on Wednesday. The 26-year-old VandenHurk spent the past one-plus seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. He played t
Kings take losing ways to Washington >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Sacramento Kings try to put the brakes on a six-game
slide this evening when they visit the Washington Wizards in the final game
before the All-Star break for both teams.
Sacramento's losing ways continued on Wed
Pacers pay a visit to Bobcats >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indiana Pacers try to make it four straight wins this
evening when they visit the hapless Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable
Arena.
The Pacers continued their recent winning ways on Tuesday, as Roy Hibbe
Jazz, Wolves square off at Target Center >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of Northwest Division rivals meet at Target Center
tonight when the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves both try to get back to
the .500 mark on the season and stay out of the cellar in the division.
Oklahoma C
Lakers carry recent baggage into Big D >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Lakers will attempt to put some off-the-court turmoil
behind them tonight when they visit the impetus for much of the acrimony, the
Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavs dethroned the Lakers last season, sweeping them out of
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
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