|
Post by cardtalk on Nov 27, 2018 8:38:16 GMT -6
I did some research (because it is me) this morning real quick regarding transfers, player attrition and a historical look (at least since 2006 when I started tracking this stuff) at what we typically see from transfers in a normal offseason. The worst offseason of transfers/players leaving the team for non-injury reasons in our recent history came after the 2014 season when we lost (by my inexact count) 14 players including 5 players from that year's incoming recruiting class Just last year, we lost 7 players. In 2016, we only lost 5 players, but 2 were starters - Kevin Thurmon (all-MAC DT) and Damon Hazelton (our leading receiver as a freshman) So losing 6-10 in not unprecedented and in fact, pretty normal. Here is a run down of the #s and any notable names from that time frame *2006 - 6 kids (including the Cartersville guys) *2007 - 3 *2008 - 9 2009 - 7 including starting OC Ben Jacoby and WR Seth White 2010 - 9 - including starting RB Eric Williams, Otis Brown (we were all excited about him) and starting DE Matthew Mosely 2011 - 4 2012 - 6 - including former starting WR Jack Tomlinson 2013 - 6 - 4 from North Carolina alone 2014 - 14 - including DaeShun Hurley, Ozzie Mann, Calvin Blank and a bunch of kids I was high on from the south 2015 - 5 2016 - 5 including the aforementioned Thurmon and Hazelton 2017 - 7 including Reuth, Frank Burton (who is starting for Delaware) and Kevin Dominique * data from prior to 2006 is not included, so these #s could be lower than they really were This means that the average is 6.8 scholarship players lost in a particular offseason (transfer, quitting football, dismissal due to grades or off-field issues)
To me, what this means is a. we are all super frustrated with the season, so any loss is magnified, 2. the rise of social media means that we actually SEE the kids leave instead of 5-10 years ago when they walked away and we didn't really know unless it was a big, news worthy loss and iii. I need a different hobby.
** Note - this is not a commentary - one way or the other - on the current staff, it is just a look back at the #s so we all have a historical perspective.
|
|
|
Post by cardfan on Nov 27, 2018 8:52:43 GMT -6
Good stuff CT. I think the biggest issues with the transfers is The Who, not the how many. And yeah social media takes the anxiety up a million notches.
But your starting qb and rb leaving is gonna make waves.
|
|
|
Post by cardtalk on Nov 27, 2018 9:54:06 GMT -6
No doubt about that - it does make waves, especially to the casual fan who doesn't know that the 5th year rule makes it so easy to try a new program for a year and end up like Russell Wilson. Personally, I think, no matter how this year went or his relationship with the staff, Riley was leaving for his 5th year. His performance this year just dictated who would look to add him. Gilbert on the other hand, that is a totally different story.
|
|
|
Post by bsu0 on Nov 27, 2018 10:04:31 GMT -6
Were we going to be a better team with Neal at QB or open it up for the QBs on the team now and the recruits we will get in the future? Same goes with Gilbert. Neal had done everything he was going to do. Gilbert might have more left but it was evident that he and Neu did not see eye to eye. Better to let them go than be seniors with a bad attitude. If Neu does not right this ship now he will be gone too. Time to wake up Mike. You need to look in the mirror and up and down that table next time you have your staff assembled. If there no changes there, can you expect any great changes in performance or record? Personally I do not think so, but I'm being paid $400,00 to make those decisions.
|
|
|
Post by redbirdman on Nov 27, 2018 10:51:01 GMT -6
I have to believe if we had the money we would be hiring a new coach this week.
|
|
|
Post by 00hmh on Nov 27, 2018 11:06:16 GMT -6
I have to believe if we had the money we would be hiring a new coach this week. If we had more money, odds are we would have better staff. Might have still hired Neu, but one big drawback with a rookie is ability to bring a team in with him. In any case, he'd have had more budget to work with hiring assistants.
|
|
|
Post by sweep on Nov 27, 2018 11:16:14 GMT -6
I have to believe if we had the money we would be hiring a new coach this week. If we had more money, odds are we would have better staff. Might have still hired Neu, but one big drawback with a rookie is ability to bring a team in with him. In any case, he'd have had more budget to work with hiring assistants. Aren't we getting our asses kicked by teams with similar budgets ? This is far more about poor top down decision making than budget constraints.
|
|
|
Post by BSUMike on Nov 27, 2018 11:27:35 GMT -6
No doubt about that - it does make waves, especially to the casual fan who doesn't know that the 5th year rule makes it so easy to try a new program for a year and end up like Russell Wilson. Personally, I think, no matter how this year went or his relationship with the staff, Riley was leaving for his 5th year. His performance this year just dictated who would look to add him. Gilbert on the other hand, that is a totally different story. So does this mean that a team at or above the level of Ball State views Neal as their starting QB next year? If so, good for him. If he sits on the bench at a bigger name school I’m not sure how that helps his NFL draft stock. Many of our fans don’t feel he should’ve been starting for us, so what do other teams see in him that our fans don’t see? Regardless, this is a poor reflection on our football program. Obviously Neal believes that Ball State failed to maximize his potential despite being the starting QB and given every chance to prove himself on the field. If he is such a great QB, why was our offense so mediocre at best? I’m still a little confused. Help me understand Cardtalk!
|
|
|
Post by david75bsu on Nov 27, 2018 11:32:17 GMT -6
Enjoyed Neu as our quarterback and the big comeback versus Toledo, I was there and one of the few who stayed until the beautiful end. However, I was not for his hiring, did not see the experience to be a quality college football coach. Keeping Joey was the first hint of things to come. Bad decision and now we are seeing the fruits of that decision. He looks so lost on the sidelines and at press conferences. I am not saying he’s a bad guy, just not a good college head coach, he needed more quality college experience if he were to get there. I fear we live through another year of being at the bottom before we are able to make a change. I’ll be at the games supporting the Cards, but I fear that all my yelling and singing the fight song will be for naught.
As a side note, I was cleaning my man cave and came across the cd of the Ball U vs. Michigan game in 2006, played the No. 2 team toe to toe. Lost 26-34 having the ball on the three yard line on fourth and goal with just over two minutes in the game. Didn’t convert. Still, IMO, the refs refused to call pass interference call to give us another four downs. It was Nate Davis sixth game as the freshman starting quarterback, having replaced Joey Lynch. He threw for a 61 yard touchdown to Dante Love and A 62 yard pass to set us up for our next touchdown at the five. Davis was something special! Probably the best game in Ball State history, even including this year’s game versus ND.
Top three games in Ball State history, IMO: 1. Vs MI; 2. Vs ND; 3. Vs. Clemson in our first meeting. Lost all three, but great heart by an underdog Cardinal team.
|
|
|
Post by redbirdman on Nov 27, 2018 11:48:42 GMT -6
To BSUMike no line was the problem for both Neal & Gilbert. I think if either or both declared for the NFL Draft now they would both be signed as free agents not drafted but would go to a training camp.
|
|
|
Post by BSUMike on Nov 27, 2018 11:54:48 GMT -6
Having a terrible offensive line certainly is a problem.
|
|
|
Post by rmcalhoun on Nov 27, 2018 12:04:59 GMT -6
If you do a couple twitter searches and use some form of Ball State and Neu you will learn a couple things.. There are way more people who care about BSU football than most think.. You will also learn none are behind Neu unless they are paid by the university
|
|
|
Post by david75bsu on Nov 27, 2018 12:05:48 GMT -6
Having a terrible offensive line certainly is a problem. Last year, this year, lack of recruiting, strength conditioning, injuries, etc. at some point you solve the problem or else...
|
|
|
Post by cardfan on Nov 27, 2018 12:13:05 GMT -6
If you do a couple twitter searches and use some form of Ball State and Neu you will learn a couple things.. There are way more people who care about BSU football than most think.. You will also learn none are behind Neu unless they are paid by the university Yep. Still think they needed to make that move and I think there was consideration of pulling the trigger. Mike does not have much support amongst the money people.
|
|
|
Post by officerfarva on Nov 27, 2018 12:15:24 GMT -6
How does anyone who's watched this team for the last 4 years think that Riley Neal has anything remotely resembling NFL talent? He's got NFL size. That's it, and that's the only reason he's repeatedly been referred to as an "NFL prospect" over the years. He can't throw the ball!
Don't get me wrong: we all thought he had enormous potential and was supposed to be the Next Big Thing, but if he even winds up in a training camp I'll eat my shorts. He's just not that good.
|
|