From the EMU Athletics program web site, I learned that “Football Falls to Nationally Ranked Ball State, 38-16.” Not surprising, really. But I have to wonder if there aren’t some football boosters at EMU who look at this game with a bit of envy and wishful thinking.
I don’t follow MAC sports too closely, but I do watch David Letterman on a regular basis, and it seems to me that it wasn’t that long ago that Ball State (Letterman’s alma mater) lost every game for a couple of years in a row. I recall him making fun of it all quite a bit. Now, Ball State is nationally ranked (18 after beating EMU), and times are good in Muncie.
So I wonder: are these the wistful pipe-dreams of various football enthused regents and alumni?
BTW, EMU apparently received a few votes in an ESPN contest a year or two ago as one of the worst college football teams of all time, based on losing 27 straight games between 1980 and 1982. Compared to then, I guess 2-7 looks pretty good.
There was a time when EMU football had good teams if you go back to Boisture and Harkema. Unfortunately there have been a series of bad hires including the current coach Genyk. It will be interesting to see if the new President deals with this on her own and doesn’t let the Ypsi mafia (Wilbanks and company) get involved with this. The last President over ruled the committee of former players who were asked to give input on the hiring of the coach. We need to bring back John Banazak as coach.
When Banazak was asked who he would bring in as a recruiting coordinator or assistant coaches, he didn’t have a clue. We need someone who is a current successful head coach. I do agree with you on Wilbanks and in addition Stapleton. They both need to stay out of the hiring process. Want to bet thet
don’t.
Between 1999-2002 Banazak was 38 -9 at W & J a Division III school.
Currently he is the Assistant Head Coach at Robert Morris University a D-1AA. school.
Site Dad: You apparently have zero idea how much excitement can be created when we have a winning football team.
Oh, I have an idea about the excitement possible from a winning football team, Alum. I went to the University of Iowa when Hayden Fry was there, when they went to the Rose Bowl a couple of times, and when they beat Michigan a couple of times, too. It was very exciting indeed, and I never even went to a football game as an undergrad.
The question is “at what costs?” I suppose that could mean philosophically, but I really mean for the time being literally in terms of cash. Throw millions of dollars at the football team and I will bet you we could be like Ball State in four or five years. But would it be better for the institution as a whole if we did that? Would that help our teaching, opportunities for students, production of scholarship from faculty, etc.? Probably not.
I don’t know what Ball State spends on football. All I know is that spending the least for the most is not a formula that has worked over the schools history.
How did this double post happen? Sorry!
I’m just throwing this out there:
Who will have more wins in their respective seasons come the end of December – the EMU Eagles or the Detroit Lions?
PS – I say Eagles!
Alum, Chances of getting a current successful head coach would be difficult unless they are a Division II coach looking for a way into Division I, or finding a successful high school coach who is looking to make the jump to college. As you pointed out Banazak was that kind of coach. The only other option is to woo away some genius assistant coach from another program, which I think would be a better option. Think about Oklahoma under Bob Stoops, 3 of his former coaches his brother at Arizona, Mike Leach at Texas Tech, and Mark Mangino at Kansas have all gone on to build good programs. Granted they are also high powered football schools with lots of money, but perhaps there is a coach waiting in the wings somewhere in the Big East who wants a head coach position.
EMU does not have the money to throw at some already successful Division I coach, bring them here and hand them a program which needs 2-4 years of recruiting at least to build their program and win.
Perhaps someone needs to start the website firecoachGenyk.com as they did several years ago for Mack Brown (he proved people wrong and won a national title). My personal favorite is the parked domain of firejimtressel.com with the tagline that reads “Are you nuts?!”
Exactly, a Division II Coach like Harkema. And Genyk was one of those genius assistants.
If I recall right, Genyk was a special teams and recruitment coordinator (who also bounced around from various position coaching assignments, linebackers, running backs, etc.) not exactly the same kind of coach I was thinking. Someone from the ranks of offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator would be more suited, I would think.
The key thing is Banazak has a winning record as a head coach in Div. II and has the superbowl rings to go with it. He actually wants to be at Eastern. We don’t need anymore second tier assistant coaches like the last 2. Let’s hope the administration listens to the former players who won at Eastern in the past and not some consultant.