Great West Previews

[rabbit85]

Here's the Great West Previews (from NDSU, SDSU must have "forgot" to post these):

Media:

http://www.gobison.com/news/index.cgi?id=1289

Coaches:

http://www.gobison.com/news/index.cgi?id=1288


We're last place in both of these polls. That makes a trifecta of last places in all polls. Obviously something has to change with this whole football situation. I know that they are trying to fund the whole department up to D-I scholarships, but the performance of the football team is going to have a lot to do with the success of the move as a whole. Do any of you think that the big sky is going to want a football team that has a record like this? And its not like we're even competing against real D-I schools, there all transitioning like us. Something needs to change now, either with coughlin or with the scholarship plan, but I don't think anyone on this board is prepared to accept losing seasons through the end of the transition period.

[jackmd]

Re: Great West Previews

85,

A shortsighted and premature assesment. Someone has to be ranked last in the preseason polls. Last year we were the overwhelming favorites to win the NCC in men's BB, didn't happen. You can't predict the outcome of the season.

NDSU and UNC have consistently been better than SDSU in NCC competition, Cal Davis (former DII powerhouse) and Cal Poly are both established DIAA programs. SUU has had an excellent off season recruiting. All that said, I like our chances to make a splash in our inagural year at the DI level. We have a great chance against NDSU at home and I know we can play with UC Davis and Poly. UNC in Greeley will be a tough game.

Don't be so quick to assign us a losing season and don't sell the true supporters short. Whats the difference between a few losing seasons during a transition to a higher level and no conference championships or playoff appearances over the last several decades in the NCC?

Seems like the perfect time to give the program a little kick in the ass and remaining DII sure wasn't going to do that. I won't be whining when or BB teams get no respect either. Instead I will continue to support an institution that I think is key to the success of S.D. as a whole. I'm with this thing the whole way, win or lose.

Regardless, I look forward to an exciting inagural season for the GWC and for SDSU at the DI level. I hope you'll join me in cheering on the Jacks.

[rabbit85]

Re: Great West Previews

85,

A shortsighted and premature assesment. Someone has to be ranked last in the preseason polls. Last year we were the overwhelming favorites to win the NCC in men's BB, didn't happen. You can't predict the outcome of the season.

NDSU and UNC have consistently been better than SDSU in NCC competition, Cal Davis (former DII powerhouse) and Cal Poly are both established DIAA programs. SUU has had an excellent off season recruiting. All that said, I like our chances to make a splash in our inagural year at the DI level. We have a great chance against NDSU at home and I know we can play with UC Davis and Poly. UNC in Greeley will be a tough game.

Don't be so quick to assign us a losing season and don't sell the true supporters short. Whats the difference between a few losing seasons during a transition to a higher level and no conference championships or playoff appearances over the last several decades in the NCC?

Seems like the perfect time to give the program a little kick in the ass and remaining DII sure wasn't going to do that. I won't be whining when or BB teams get no respect either. Instead I will continue to support an institution that I think is key to the success of S.D. as a whole. I'm with this thing the whole way, win or lose.

Regardless, I look forward to an exciting inagural season for the GWC and for SDSU at the DI level. I hope you'll join me in cheering on the Jacks.

First of all JackMD, I would like to ask you, after looking over the schedule, if you would be willing to predict a winning season for the football team. I guess I am a little frustrated with whats going on with the football team. I don't even know where to begin, and I don't see any logic in the steps they are taking for the football team (examples: only giving two more scholarships to the team for next season, scheduling toughest non-conference in the league). Don't misinterpret this to say I don't think that we can compete with these tough teams, we will eventually, but not now, and not with 38 scholarships, to their 63 ( I don't know if you've noticed, but the difference between SDSU, and a fully funded AA right now is larger in terms of scholarships than the difference between a full AA and a I-A

SDSU-38 AA-63 =25

AA -63 I-A-85 =22

Why would the administration do this to the team? There putting the team on the slaughter blocks for the whole season! Here's the possible reasons for this, take your pick:

1. The admistration is dillusional and thinks that a winning season is coming.

2. They think that most people are happy with a mediocre fb program

3. They are setting stig up to be fired, or to have the fb program cut entirely.

Don't try to tell me that this is only a temporary problem too. Look at our facilities compared to the rest of the conference, or compare them to the big sky, and tell me how we are ever going to recruit a conference winning team with the status quo? There's no way.

Now look at it from a conference point of view. Why would the big sky want a football team like this in its great tradition? I know it hurts, but really think about it, there's no way they want a football team that absolutely can't compete, and whose football facilities are joke compared to the rest of the league. I don't care what the seating numbers are, coughlin is run down compared to all of the facilities in the big sky. Thats not to say it couldn't change, only that there hasn't really been much of anything done to change the football team from mediocre in the last 40 years.

And JackMD, don't worry, I'll be at every home football game this season.

[rabbit85]

Re: Great West Previews

I won't be whining when or BB teams get no respect either

The basketball teams are making a much bigger jump than the football teams are. The football teams are competing against I-AA's, and only transitional ones, for the predictions at that.

Seems like the perfect time to give the program a little kick in the ass and remaining DII sure wasn't going to do that.

Oh, don't worry, they'll get more than a little kick in the ass next season. They'll get the living sh#t pounded out of them. Again, I'm not saying we can't compete eventually, but is it really a competition when we put a team with no AA experience and a scholarship disadvantage of 25 ( more scholarship's than a lot of D-2 squads we're used to competing against) against the best in AA? Why would the administration do this. If its to prove "We're ready to compete against the best", thats fine, but do it in one game, not against montana state, georgia southern, southern university, thats not fair to the team.

We have a great chance against NDSU at home and I know we can play with UC Davis and Poly. UNC in Greeley will be a tough game.

I agree, and thats the only way we're going to get a salvagable season out of this. Here's my optimistic predictions. It all depends on winning that first game though.


*UC Davis - W
Winona State (Minn.) (Cereal Bowl) - W
Western Oregon -W
Southern (La.) -L
*Cal Poly -L
*North Dakota State (Beef Bowl) -W
Montana State -L
Georgia Southern -L
Augustana (Hobo Day) - W
*Southern Utah -W
*Northern Colorado -L

Overall 6-5.

Thats the best I'm hoping for, but I think its going to end up much, much worse. Maybe you guys want to tell me I'm not a true fan or whatever, thats fine, but by the end of the season, I suspect I'll be reading these same things from many other posters.

[jackmd]

Re: Great West Previews

85,

I think these are all legitimate concerns and good questions. Great to hear that you will be able to attend all the home games. I hope to make it to at least 1 but even that may not happen. I will be listening via the net and continuing to support the team via the Jackrabbit club.

The admin facing a daunting task with the FB program. Not only do scholarships need to be funded, but Coughlin needs an upgrade. I would like to see a push for a funding projects similar to the campanile restoration, etc... Midwest wirless just provided $250,000 towards a $1.1 million dollar upgrade to the FB stadium at Winona State. They sited the importance of WSU grads as employees and their impact on the local economy. I can think of at least one corp. in the Brookings area that my consider doing something similar. The upgrade includes a luxury box which Midwest has agreed to rent for the first 10 years (I believe).

I am probably being to optimistic (unusual for me) only time will tell. I am looking for a competative team this year and the years to come. Maybe thats expecting too much given the short deck dealt to them.

[89rabbit]

Re: Great West Previews

85,

Let me start by saying that I don’t think anyone questions your loyalty to the Jackrabbits.  Reading your post I got the sense that you are very frustrated.  This is understandable.  For far to long SDSU’s football teams have not been able to “get it done”.  It has been a long time since we won a conference title or been to the playoffs.  However we have been close several times over the years and our team is usually very competitive.  Some may call that mediocre and perhaps it is when compared to the success we have enjoyed on the Basketball courts.  However I think we need to remember that we played in a top notch conference that won many national championships.  So we have no reason to hang our heads.  All that being said you bring up some good points, and I will try and address them.

First off I don’t think SDSU’s administration or athletics department are delusional.  Second I know no one is (admin, athletics department, fans, and certainly not the team) is ever satisfied with being mediocre.  Third I don’t believe that there is a conspiracy to “set up” Coach Stig.  I at times have been critical of Coach Stig, and perhaps he is under some job-related pressure to get the team to perform.  Then again aren’t we all under pressure to perform at our jobs?  I do believe Coach Stig will give this season everything he has to give and will do the very best that he can and we will just have to see how things work out.  

So let’s turn to the meat of your concerns.  Why did we schedule whom we scheduled?  First and foremost as a new member of I-AA we don’t have a ton of clout when it comes to scheduling.  We are having to “pay our dues”.  Things will continue to get easier from this point forward, as far as scheduling is concerned.  Given that as our reality I thought that everyone did a great job lining up some fantastic competition.  I think if you want to be the best, you play (and beat) the best.  The fact that we have a team the caliber of Georgia Southern coming to Coughlin-Alumni in 2005 is fantastic.  We could have scheduled more D-II teams and assured ourselves of a winning record, but what would that have proved.  We already knew we could win at the D-II level.  If we want to improve we need to stretch ourselves and this year’s schedule will do that.

Next lets talk about scholarships.  I too was disappointed that we only added 2 football scholarships for this season.  However, I reminded myself that SDSU must stay Title IX compliant or run the risk of being sued like USD was.  Rest assured that there is a plan to have our football program at the maximum amount of scholarships before we are playoff eligible in ’08.  It is a plan that involves raising money to endow additional scholarships (and from what I hear Sid Bostic is doing a GREAT job), it involves adding a sport for Women (equestrian), and it involves how you spread the scholarships out over the 4 classes (Freshmen, Sophomore, Jr., and Seniors).  We all won’t to see the Jacks football team reach the heights of our basketball team but we need to be patient.  Given enough time and resources this will happen.  Remember that the Carr Report specifically stated that SDSU needed to exploit football to make the jump to D-I successful.  It will happen.  Another quick thing to remember is that only 11 players are on the field at once.  Point being that only having 38 scholarship players is a disadvantage, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t compete.  After all NDSU beat the #3 ranked Montana Grizzlies last year with only 36.

Finally, let’s talk about Coughlin.  On this point I am going to have to disagree with you 100%.  Could Coughlin-Alumni stand some improvements?  Sure.  Is it the worst field in the GWFC?  Absolutely not.  We were just talking about this over on the Bison board.  Coughlin may be the Second best stadium in the GWFC, at least until UC-Davis builds their new one and Cal Poly remodels theirs.  Don’t get me wrong I think that improving Coughlin needs to be a priority, but because it doesn’t meet OUR standards, not because it doesn’t meet GWFC or I-AA standards.  I want a permanent structure on the East Side, I want new locker rooms, I want new scoreboards, I want luxury suites.  These things too will happen again it takes time and money.  I will give SDSU the time and I am giving them what I can.  I do encourage everyone to join the Jackrabbit club it is a great way to support your Jackrabbits.  

Finally let me say that the season may not go the way we all hope, then again it may.  Let us be optimistic and supportive of the team during this time of the year.  If things go wrong we will have plenty of time to explore the reasons why.  85, I know you are a fan and I hope this helps with your frustration level.  Remember that we have one of the finest QBs in the country and that he has great people to throw to and handoff to.  When you are good at the skill positions anything is possible.

Go State!   ;D

[Mike_H]

Re: Great West Previews

One thing to keep in mind about football. Coach Stig and the staff decided that a lot of the money from new scholarships should be used to increase the aid going to guys currently on the team, or to give guys who have been playing with no football scholarship money a little help. He decided to reward the guys that are in the program rather than go out and give a bunch of money to new guys coming into the program right now. I really like that move. He said on our show a couple of weeks ago that they have 48 players that stuck around campus this summer to go thru the on campus acceleration program and to work out together, which is by far the most they have ever had. I know that the funding is nowhere close to where it needs to be yet, but I think he took the new money and spent it wisely.

Speaking of funding, maybe this is a different thread that should be started. I see references to the fund raising efforts going well on this board, but the only figures I see are that they have raised in the neighborhood of $7 million. Is there an update on this with some actual numbers?

[jack100]

Re: Great West Previews

How does NDSU remain Title IX compliant while increasing their football scholarships from 36 to in the 50's? Did they add scholarships for women or just planning on adding scholarships down after the football team is at the max allowed?

[89rabbit]

Re: Great West Previews

Speaking of funding, maybe this is a different thread that should be started. I see references to the fund raising efforts going well on this board, but the only figures I see are that they have raised in the neighborhood of $7 million. Is there an update on this with some actual numbers?

Mike,

I think most of the speculation comes from a post that Alumguy wrote back in April.

Alumguy wrote:

Sid Bostic gave an update on his fundraising efforts at the SDSU Donor Appreciation Banquet.  The event was held, appropriately, in The Barn.

Anyway, Sid said there are now committments for $6.2 million dollars.  He believes by the end of the year between $9-$10 will be pledged for the move to DI.  .  .  .

That being said whether you believe Sid or not (I do, I think his long and sucessful business career earns him the benefit of a doubt) about his projections, I would describe $7 million Dollars (your number) in fund raising as "going well".  The goal is $20 million over 5 years.  So even if Sid is wrong, he is still more then 33% there in less then 1 year.  If he is correct he will be halfway to the goal in one year.  I would call that outstanding fund raising!  8)

Go State!  ;D

[iasomebison]

Re: Great West Previews

How does NDSU remain Title IX compliant while increasing their football scholarships from 36 to in the 50's?  Did they add scholarships for women or just planning on adding scholarships down after the football team is at the max allowed?

NDSU has added scholarships to every sport this year except men's golf (which has none), also NDSU has a higher percentage of men than does SDSU- and look for NDSU to add a women's sport eventually (equest, tennis etc)

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Great West Previews

One thing to keep in mind about football. Coach Stig and the staff decided that a lot of the money from new scholarships should be used to increase the aid going to guys currently on the team, or to give guys who have been playing with no football scholarship money a little help. He decided to reward the guys that are in the program rather than go out and give a bunch of money to new guys coming into the program right now. I really like that move. He said on our show a couple of weeks ago that they have 48 players that stuck around campus this summer to go thru the on campus acceleration program and to work out together, which is by far the most they have ever had. I know that the funding is nowhere close to where it needs to be yet, but I think he took the new money and spent it wisely.

Speaking of funding, maybe this is a different thread that should be started. I see references to the fund raising efforts going well on this board, but the only figures I see are that they have raised in the neighborhood of $7 million. Is there an update on this with some actual numbers?

Mike:
I agree 100 per cent with you comments on the how the new football money was spent.

As far as a Sid Bostic update, I also agree a new update is in order.  From what I hear, here  and there, I believe there are  individuals who are receptive to the giving 1 million or more. The report at the SDSU Foundation banquet was that these gifts are on the table but for reasons of the market fluctuations and etc the gifts have not been finalized. I suspect these individuals would be drawing this money from equities and possibly mutual funds.

 Given the way the Dow has sank the last couple of days, we may see these people holding off until after the election. Most of the financial experts say that the market is not bull, but rather a bear with reasons being the uncertainties in Irag, the Presidential race and other things. Not to be political, but the experts also expect things to pick once the polls start showing a solid preference in the presidential race.

Until the gifts are finalized, I dont think we will hear much offical news.

What is for sure is the 2.7 from Mildred White Estate and 1 million from Sid. The grand total from the  existing perpetual endowments is in the neighborhood of  2.5 million which would bring the certain total to about  6 or 7 million.  I have kept a spread sheet of published endowments listed in the SDSU Foundation Report but have not updated it since 2000. (Every enity that has a perpetual endowment has the option of disclosing or not disclosing these amounts in the annual report.) The last number I had was 2 million.  So to say that 7 million is certain and part of the 20 million is about all we can count on.  I not sure how the White money has been released, but 2004-05 will probably be the first year where the earnings are available.

I know there are others on this board who are more in the know, but  for very good reasons will not comment.

[89rabbit]

Re: Great West Previews

Highlights from the Brookings Register Story.

http://www.brookingsregister.com/mai...89&page=25

Jacks pre-ranked sixth
BY FROM STAFF REPORTS
UNC and Cal Poly picked as preseason favorites in GWFC

Well they've been released and the first two Great West Football Conference polls should draw the ire of the South Dakota State faithful as the Jackrabbits have been picked last in both.
With a solid nucleus of players at the skilled positions, SDSU looks to be severely underrated coming into the inaugural season of the GWCF.  .  .  .

Ninety players are expected for the start of fall camp for football, as SDSU begins its first year in the Great West Football Conference. The team reports Wednesday.
The Jackrabbit soccer team will report on Thursday, while the volleyball team comes to campus on Friday.
John Stiegelmeier will begin his eighth season as head football coach. The Jackrabbits return 32 lettermen from last year's 7-4 team, and will open an 11-game schedule on Sept. 4, playing at the University of California-Davis. That will also be SDSU's first game in the Great West Football Conference. Ironically, SDSU played at UC Davis in Stiegelmeier's first game as head coach, a 17-7 SDSU victory in 1997.  .  .  .

There are three new members on the Jackrabbit football coaching staff: quarterback-passing game coach Daren Wilkinson, wide receivers coach Kris Garry and defensive line coach Kris Roberts. Wilkinson came to SDSU from Fayetteville State while Roberts was at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado. Garry, a former Jackrabbit wide receiver, was a graduate assistant at SDSU for the past two seasons and is now full-time, also serving as director of football operations.  .  .  .

COACHES POLL
1. Cal Poly (4) 30
2. Northern Colorado (1) 28
3. UC Davis 26
4. North Dakota State 21
5. Southern Utah 13
6. South Dakota State 8

MEDIA POLL
1. Northern Colorado (24) 169
2. UC Davis (2) 114
3. North Dakota State 106
4. Cal Poly (3) 95
5. Southern Utah 75
6. South Dakota State 50


Go State!  ;D

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Great West Previews

Why would the administration do this to the team?  There putting the team on the slaughter blocks for the whole season!  Here's the possible reasons for this, take your pick:

1.  The admistration is dillusional and thinks that a winning season is coming.

2.  They think that most people are happy with a mediocre fb program

3.  They are setting stig up to be fired, or to have the fb program cut entirely.  

Don't try to tell me that this is only a temporary problem too.  Look at our facilities compared to the rest of the conference, or compare them to the big sky, and tell me how we are ever going to recruit a conference winning team with the status quo?  There's no way.  


And JackMD, don't worry, I'll be at every home football game this season.

rabbit85:

As you said you were frustrated but I could not resist responding to your post relating to the 2004 schedule and what is going on at SDSU and specifically the football team.

First let me point out that I was a student at SDSU when SDSU either won or tied for the NCC conference in 1961-63.  As Jr high and high school kid in Brookings I saw most of the good Ralph Ginn teams play and win often and big.  Those days are long gone and nothing since can compare to the euphoria when SDSU would win a close game with UNI  or UND.  This was before the rise of the Bison.  

So like yourself I get very frustrated and disappointed when Steve Heiden dropped a pass in 1996 in Omaha in the final seconds of the game that would have given us a UNO road win, the NCC title and a playoff appearence.

I also witnessed Adam Viniteri  hit the cross bar against Mankato, and if his FG would have been good, SDSU would have won a share of the NCC and a playoff appearence.

2004 is a new whole game. I dont see how the adminstration could be disllisional about a winning season. I know for a fact Dr. Oien would like to see a winning season, as much as you and I would like to win the Power Ball Lottery.  Dr Oien is very hopefully but hardly disallousional.  

I think in building this year's schedule we needed exposure and picking a fight with GSU and Southern  may have been just the way we do it.  

As Mike H pointed out in another post, SDSU has had 45 guys conditioning all summer and these guys are excited about giving it their best. Emotions can do wonders sometimes in athletics.  The administration nor anyone else in Brookings has any idea how the games are going to end until we play them.

2. I dont think there is anyone happy with a mediocre football program. I have felt that the majority of SDSU fans feel that way, but I am sure we all would like to see a winner and we will, but maybe not this year.

The resources to build a better football program have not always been there.  Plus NDSU and other programs have made the investment a bigger  challenge in terms of dollars. Its a keeping up with the Joneses affair in trying to win a NCC championship. It has not happened since 1963 and likely to never happen again.

 With 20 sports, SDSU is  probably spreading itself thin in some areas and football may be one of these.  Coach Stig knows that and understands were the adminstration wants to go. When he has commented on it to me privately, he has always followed it up with a comment and a big smile " Thats why we need generous boosters like you". So I think Stig is trying to make the best of a tough situation. If its more than he can carry, I think he will resign.

3. Setting Stig up to be fired is way off base and let me tell you why. As far as I know, every SDSU coach including Nagy and Johnston are on a 1 year contract, July 1, to June 30th.  At the end of any season, the AD can choose not to renew that contract. (Remember Jim Thorson?)

It would not be necessary to set Stig up for a firing.  I think Stig is as secure on the SDSU coaching staff as anyone.  Setting some one up to be fired might possibly occur if the coach had a lucretative 5 year contract.  Most of the D1 giants often buy those contracts back to get an unsucessful coach out of their hair.
Setting one up to be fired would be an excellent way for the institution to get a law suit.  So I dont think there is any setting up going on at SDSU.

rabbit85, I do hope you will take in the home games, as plan to also.  I understand that football season ticket sales are doing very well despite just 4 games, and that came from a very good source. ;D

[89rabbit]

Re: Great West Previews

I understand that football season ticket sales are doing very well despite just 4 games, and that came from a very good source. ;D

That is great news, I was wondering how it was going.

Go State! ;D