{"id":7080,"date":"2014-10-02T21:29:47","date_gmt":"2014-10-03T01:29:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=7080"},"modified":"2014-10-02T21:35:00","modified_gmt":"2014-10-03T01:35:00","slug":"guest-post-raising-the-bar-for-jmu-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=7080","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Raising the Bar for JMU Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"old<\/a>Deacon Danny won our prediction contest last week and earned the right to guest post. Here’s his take on the current state of JMU football and raising the bar to get it back on the right track. Take it away Danny.<\/em><\/p>\n

First of all I want to say that it is bitter sweet that I receive the opportunity to write this guest article by predicting a JMU loss this past weekend. \u00a0I would gladly trade this privilege for a JMU win last Saturday afternoon!<\/p>\n

I know there is often a fair amount of disagreement on what is \u2018right\u2019 and what is \u2018wrong\u2019 in the world of JMU FOOTBALL. \u00a0I also know that everyone who frequents this site cares deeply about JMU and JMU Football. \u00a0Otherwise, none of us would be hanging out on this website reading the stories, commenting on games, predicting scores, etc.<\/p>\n

I attended JMU from 1983-1987. \u00a0During that time I seldom missed a home JMU Football game. \u00a0And during that time, there was not any great expectations of success for the Football team. I think during my Freshman year, JMU was 3-8 and the next year they were 6-5 and probably somewhere in between 3-8 and 6-5 my Junior and Senior years. \u00a0I very seldom sat in the stadium but rather on the train tracks on the hill outside of the stadium with a cooler of my favorite beverage along with hundreds of other students and alumni. \u00a0Now that I think about it that was a pretty good deal \u2013 we got to tailgate and watch the game at the same time! \u00a0But my point is, we all had a good time watching and cheering on the football team but at the end of the day nobody was overly disappointed if JMU lost the game.<\/p>\n

But with any success comes greater expectation which is what occurred in December, 2004. \u00a0When JMU won the National Championship in 2004 the bar that measures the success of JMU Football was forever raised. \u00a0It became expected for the JMU Football program to do great things. \u00a0And I think JMU Football was on that trajectory through 2008. \u00a0During that time JMU continued to compete with the best at the FCS level, the stadium was expanded, facilities were improved and the talk of a move to BCS conference increased. \u00a0But since that time, I think we can all agree, that we have failed to maintain that momentum. \u00a0And that is a momentum that we have to regain because \u2018lowering the bar\u2019 is not an option! \u00a0Continued high expectations is one of the \u2018good problems\u2019 that comes with a successful football program and JMU should embrace that.<\/p>\n

This past year, I think the Administration realized that the status quo could not continue and that changes had to be made to return JMU Football to prominence. \u00a0A key move that was made by the Administration this past off-season was to make a coaching change. \u00a0I appreciate everything the Mickey Matthews did for the program but it was time for a change. \u00a0And even though we have not necessarily seen the results on the field so far this year that we were hoping for, I remain optimistic about what Coach Withers is trying to put in place and I continue to look forward to what he and his staff can accomplish with the program in the near future.<\/p>\n

Another key component that I believe MUST occur is for the Administration to communicate very clearly on the intentions for moving to a BCS conference or not. \u00a0Up until now, I believe this communication has been purposely vague and I don\u2019t think that is good for a program that needs direction and clarity. \u00a0I feel like we are just treading water in this area currently which does not bode well for re-establishing momentum within the program. \u00a0I know this lack of vision is a major source of frustration for many; including myself. \u00a0Is there any intent to change conferences or not? \u00a0I think, surely, someone has an idea about that even if they don\u2019t know to which conference that may be (although I expect someone even has a pretty good idea about that).<\/p>\n

The last and obvious component in regaining momentum is Winning! \u00a0Winning cures many ills. \u00a0It puts more butts in seats, it puts more $$ in the program, it puts more talent on the field. \u00a0I know this is easier said than done. \u00a0We have put a lot of faith in the current coaching staff and much of responsibility for the needed resurgence falls on them. \u00a0What remains to be seen is how they will respond in the upcoming recruiting class when they have a full year on the recruiting trail. \u00a0I am hopeful that they will be able to increase the talent level, attract the type of players that better fit into the offensive and defensive schemes they are developing and can tap into some different geographic regions for recruiting players that will all pay big dividends. \u00a0Coach Withers strikes me as a guy who will be very successful on the recruiting trail.<\/p>\n

When I sat down in the stadium this past Saturday for the UD game and saw that the stadium was not much more than half full, my first thought was that I cannot recall what our stadium sounds like when it is full of screaming fans. \u00a0I can\u2019t wait to see that happen again! \u00a0I know it will, because as I stated earlier, the bar cannot be lowered; can\u2019t go backwards \u2013 it is only forward and upward! This is what I choose to believe. \u00a0As I have stated, I think some change has already been effected and some changes still need to be effected. \u00a0I am not a patient person, so please hurry! \u00a0GO DUKES<\/p>\n