ASU in article about ACC Bowls

[psc2445]

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_ColumnistArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173354101767

Wake Forest Coach Jim Grobe keeping it real!

Edwards, the spread-offense master, looks smaller than his roster weight of 170. He plays like a skinny version of collegian Michael Vick, a less-powerful runner but a vastly superior passer.

“You watch that kid play,” Grobe said, “and he does both so well that I’d be hard-pressed to name someone who does it better. I’m not sure he isn’t the best quarterback in the country.”
:D

[RadMann]

Well, you can definitely say that he is not afraid to tell the truth!

[HaveFunKc]

Well, you can definitely say that he is not afraid to tell the truth!

True... But now you also know why Wake never is a consistent title contender in the ACC. xcoffeex "To be the best, you've got the play the best." Coach Grobe spells it out loud and clear - he doesn't want to play to the top FCS teams because he doesn't want to put his team at risk of losing. If he was really interested in making his team better and competing, he would the teams he's afraid of (lose or win), good coaches learn from why they lose and work to get better, right???

Old saying, "you stay with what you do and you will always get what you have always gotten."

[JohnStOnge]

True... But now you also know why Wake never is a consistent title contender in the ACC. xcoffeex "To be the best, you've got the play the best." Coach Grobe spells it out loud and clear - he doesn't want to play to the top FCS teams because he doesn't want to put his team at risk of losing. If he was really interested in making his team better and competing, he would the teams he's afraid of (lose or win), good coaches learn from why they lose and work to get better, right???

Old saying, "you stay with what you do and you will always get what you have always gotten."


I think in his case it's a matter of not wanting to play teams that are a threat to beat his team but which are normally perceived as "rent a win" squads. They scheduled Nebraska, which was coming off a 9 win season including an appearance in the Big 12 championship game, and I'm sure thought they had a good chance of losing that game. But Nebraska wasn't going to be looked at as a "rent a win."

Looks like this Grobe guy made that decision early on too...before App State started its run of national titles.

Not everybody thinks that way. Bill Snyder, formerly of Kansas State, liked to schedule I-AAs but he said that when he scheduled them he wanted to schedule good ones so that the games would give his teams at least some workout in terms of execution, etc. My recollection is that many if not most of the I-AAs he scheduled did indeed go on to make the playoffs and one went on to win a national championship (WKU in 2002).

[HaveFunKc]

I think in his case it's a matter of not wanting to play teams that are a threat to beat his team but which are normally perceived as "rent a win" squads. They scheduled Nebraska, which was coming off a 9 win season including an appearance in the Big 12 championship game, and I'm sure thought they had a good chance of losing that game. But Nebraska wasn't going to be looked at as a "rent a win."

Looks like this Grobe guy made that decision early on too...before App State started its run of national titles.

Not everybody thinks that way. Bill Snyder, formerly of Kansas State, liked to schedule I-AAs but he said that when he scheduled them he wanted to schedule good ones so that the games would give his teams at least some workout in terms of execution, etc. My recollection is that many if not most of the I-AAs he scheduled did indeed go on to make the playoffs and one went on to win a national championship (WKU in 2002).

Agreed on the 2nd part. There are some FBS coaches out there who are looking for that competitive play (and we usually see them fighting for conference titles/BCS bowls - funny how that works)...

Correct with App - he decided to cut off App (actually all I-AA) when he first arrived. He couldn't back out of his first game (logisitics), but the contract was bought out immediately. He publicly stated he didn't want to play "I-AA" due to talent level - gained his team 'nothing' (but has played NC A&T and Liberty since). IMHO - for the ACC teams, they think they are a big time football conference, but in reality they are not and it is due to their coaches not willing to consistently play other teams that are better than theirs (even if it is the top echelon of the FCS: App, UNI, Montana, JMU, you pick...). Now, with the 'perceived' Upset of the Century (which I don't agree with) that happened at the Big House this year, no coach/team wants to be the next Michigan and get the hounding that the Wolverines have gotten (still getting).

Two things keep popping into my head with the ACC:

1) "You stick with what you have been doing and you will always get what you've got." Bobby at FL St used to have the magic, but frankly, in state rivals pushed him to get better (not the ACC). Every once in a while the mold is broken, but not too often for the ACC... xnonono2x

2) "To be the best, you got to play the best!" holds true only if winning a title is your goal. If playing for $ is your goal, then you have an entirely different mindset; coaches, administration and players alike... xwhistlex

[rjg129]

“It’s not that I’m afraid of playing anybody, but in fairness to our players, there are teams in the Football Championship Subdivision you don’t want to play. Appalachian State is at the top of the list, along with James Madison, Furman and some others. You know you’re going to take their best shot, and it’s going to take your best shot to beat them. It’s smart either to stay away from that division or play somebody you’re apt to beat. I’m probably being too honest, but that’s the way it is. If I scheduled Appalachian State, I wouldn’t be too smart"


Thats very telling...I really do miss this game, Ive attended 3...that game was always a lot of fun and competitive....

I would love to see this game now that Wake is actually decent