Humble Pie Tastes Like Poo!

[CCU2003]

After this past weekend I really don’t think we are ready for the playoffs. Every team has a tough conference game once and a while, one that sneaks up on you and tests your mettle. CCU had that last weekend. And we respond with a dismal performance against a very weak Liberty squad that played us to the bone, down to the 3rd overtime? I thought the JMU and SC State games were great milestones for our program, and they still are, but they just are not the significant statements we once thought they were. Are we a good young football team? Yes, I don’t think anyone on this board will disagree with that, but are we the type of football team that can step up week in and week out regardless of opponent or circumstance – No, not yet. A seasoned, veteran squad would have responded to lasts week challenge with GW and gone to Lynchburg and laid it all out, to make a statement. Our boys once again played down to a weaker opponent, committing over 100 yds in penalties, and almost losing control of our very weak conference in the process. I think we are still a year or two away from being where we all hoped to be this year. We need to concentrate on a VMI squad who will come to town knowing they can beat us. We have a great thing going on here in Conway, and its only a matter of time before we take our place among the I-AA elite in the Southeast. But before that can happen, we need to mature and find our brand of football, a trademark that we bring to the field every week, not just when an A-10 school comes to town, or when we play a heated instate battle.

[OL FU]

I think someone needs to tell your team that the season does not end before conference play begins.

[AppGuy04]

i think their problem is that they look past these "weak" teams in a "weak" conference

[CarolinaGirl]

After this past weekend I really don’t think we are ready for the playoffs. Every team has a tough conference game once and a while, one that sneaks up on you and tests your mettle. CCU had that last weekend. And we respond with a dismal performance against a very weak Liberty squad that played us to the bone, down to the 3rd overtime? I thought the JMU and SC State games were great milestones for our program, and they still are, but they just are not the significant statements we once thought they were. Are we a good young football team? Yes, I don’t think anyone on this board will disagree with that, but are we the type of football team that can step up week in and week out regardless of opponent or circumstance – No, not yet. A seasoned, veteran squad would have responded to lasts week challenge with GW and gone to Lynchburg and laid it all out, to make a statement. Our boys once again played down to a weaker opponent, committing over 100 yds in penalties, and almost losing control of our very weak conference in the process. I think we are still a year or two away from being where we all hoped to be this year. We need to concentrate on a VMI squad who will come to town knowing they can beat us. We have a great thing going on here in Conway, and its only a matter of time before we take our place among the I-AA elite in the Southeast. But before that can happen, we need to mature and find our brand of football, a trademark that we bring to the field every week, not just when an A-10 school comes to town, or when we play a heated instate battle.
Amen....

[CCU2003]

Kep you serve as a great example for some of the out of this world crap that pops up on this board now and again……Here I am completely agreeing with your whole crew on our poor performance leaving me with doubts on our playoff validity, and then you pop up with that junk. If you think you got Coastal’s best shot when we came to town your wrong, do I think we gave GW and the Flames our best shot? No....We are a very strong team, but we are young, a young program, young traditions, young history, young road record, limited exposure to hostile environments like Boone, and a coaching staff who has only been together 3 years. In my post I made no excuses and clearly stated why I think we might be overlooked for the playoffs, but I do not agree with the weak team crap. Four, Five, Six turnovers per game and 70 + yards of penalties per game is a clear sign of our immaturity, if you wipe out those mistakes? Add 30 points to our victories with GW and the Flames. Youth, not talent level is our biggest problem. I think you’ll see first hand the development of our program over the next few years….not saying we’ll beat you in years to come, but you can kiss 30-3 out the door, you’ll have work to beat us…….

[Thumper250]

G-W starts six true freshman on defense and two more on offense. You Chants should've at least scored 45 points on them.

2006 should be your season. 2007 and 2008 will be rebuilding years for the Coastal folk looking at the roster.

[putter]

I think CCU was pretty honest in his assesment of his team. You have to start somewhere to build up a program and their wins, although maybe against a down JMU and SCSU, were against ranked and quality teams. The fun part is that there are still games to play and we will see how everyone steps up and how bad they want to make the playoffs.

[AppGuy04]

Kep you serve as a great example for some of the out of this world crap that pops up on this board now and again……Here I am completely agreeing with your whole crew on our poor performance leaving me with doubts on our playoff validity, and then you pop up with that junk. If you think you got Coastal’s best shot when we came to town your wrong, do I think we gave GW and the Flames our best shot? No....We are a very strong team, but we are young, a young program, young traditions, young history, young road record, limited exposure to hostile environments like Boone, and a coaching staff who has only been together 3 years. In my post I made no excuses and clearly stated why I think we might be overlooked for the playoffs, but I do not agree with the weak team crap. Four, Five, Six turnovers per game and 70 + yards of penalties per game is a clear sign of our immaturity, if you wipe out those mistakes? Add 30 points to our victories with GW and the Flames. Youth, not talent level is our biggest problem. I think you’ll see first hand the development of our program over the next few years….not saying we’ll beat you in years to come, but you can kiss 30-3 out the door, you’ll have work to beat us…….

here's the problem bud, you can only use that "we didn't give it our best game" excuse once in my eyes. you can have a bad game, but not 3 or 4 in a year and still use that excuse. at that point, it becomes a trend and honestly, a sign of a team that is not very good.

[chantman]

G-W starts six true freshman on defense and two more on offense. You Chants should've at least scored 45 points on them.

2006 should be your season. 2007 and 2008 will be rebuilding years for the Coastal folk looking at the roster.

I'll raise your 8 true freshman and add that Coastal starts 5 FR/SO on offense and 3 FR/SO on defense.

[CCU2003]

App- I don't know if you've ever played sports beyond little league, but let me explain something.....If you have never played in front of more than, lets say 3000 fans while your the visiting team, and then add to that the fact that App State is a pretty darn good football team, does that not sound like a recipe for a butt whoopin? Look at CCU's away games before we traveled to Boone:

Davidson, Jacksonville, Savannah State, Morehead State, Liberty, Newberry, Gardner Webb, Charleston Southern and Elon.

Would you like to compare yourselves to any of those locations? I think you get my overall point here- Our game at App was a disaster because we had never been in a game of that magnitude with fans and an environment like that before. You see how we handled our next tough away game? (SC State?) WE learn, slowly, but we learn....

And as far as our games against GW and Liberty, I have now said it numerous times, that we have a very bad habit of playing down to weaker opponents. I think a lot of football teams can fall into that trap, and if you take our youth into consideration I think its not that crazy to see how games like our last few can happen. We need to improve on our ability to play for 60 minutes all out, hell, I would love to see 30 minutes of good hard football out of the Chants. App State is a great team and your on your way to a great season, but knock off the we beat your butts and you guys can't beat the tar out of conference teams garbage, were still learning and winning (except in Boone (on our first try)) ;)

[AppGuy04]

App- I don't know if you've ever played sports beyond little league, but let me explain something.....If you have never played in front of more than, lets say 3000 fans while your the visiting team, and then add to that the fact that App State is a pretty darn good football team, does that not sound like a recipe for a butt whoopin? Look at CCU's away games before we traveled to Boone:

Davidson, Jacksonville, Savannah State, Morehead State, Liberty, Newberry, Gardner Webb, Charleston Southern and Elon.

Would you like to compare yourselves to any of those locations? I think you get my overall point here- Our game at App was a disaster because we had never been in a game of that magnitude with fans and an environment like that before. You see how we handled our next tough away game? (SC State?) WE learn, slowly, but we learn....

And as far as our games against GW and Liberty, I have now said it numerous times, that we have a very bad habit of playing down to weaker opponents. I think a lot of football teams can fall into that trap, and if you take our youth into consideration I think its not that crazy to see how games like our last few can happen. We need to improve on our ability to play for 60 minutes all out, hell, I would love to see 30 minutes of good hard football out of the Chants. App State is a great team and your on your way to a great season, but knock off the we beat your butts and you guys can't beat the tar out of conference teams garbage, were still learning and winning (except in Boone (on our first try)) ;)

and why exactly do you think that you play down to the level of your opponents? and this wasn't the case in boone, so this seems a little inconsistent

[CCU2003]

Hummmm? Ok, our trip to Boone was a small fish in a big pond getting its young wide eyed butt hammered in a very impressive and intimidating atmosphere. If you came to Conway instead, I think the score would have been different, maybe not a CCU win, but not 30-3. Our crappy games with GW and Liberty is young players losing focus and making tons of stupid mistakes that stall drive after drive and consistently giving our opponents the ball on the happy side of the 50. In my opinion, two completely different things…..? App what Im trying to say is that almost EVERY I-AA football team dreads its trip to Boone, so don’t you for one second think that might be magnified with a team that hasn’t played anywhere (figuratively)? We got up for JMU and SC State and everyone saw what the Chants can do when they have too? How many last minute 80+ yard drives do we need to show people that we can play? If we brought that type of execution and poise every game, all game, we would be one great football team……so its in us, the coaching staff and the young players need to find ways to stay focused and execute ALL GAME for us to be a playoff contender.

[AppGuy04]

Hummmm? Ok, our trip to Boone was a small fish in a big pond getting its young wide eyed butt hammered in a very impressive and intimidating atmosphere. If you came to Conway instead, I think the score would have been different, maybe not a CCU win, but not 30-3. Our crappy games with GW and Liberty is young players losing focus and making tons of stupid mistakes that stall drive after drive and consistently giving our opponents the ball on the happy side of the 50. In my opinion, two completely different things…..? App what Im trying to say is that almost EVERY I-AA football team dreads its trip to Boone, so don’t you for one second think that might be magnified with a team that hasn’t played anywhere (figuratively)? We got up for JMU and SC State and everyone saw what the Chants can do when they have too? How many last minute 80+ yard drives do we need to show people that we can play? If we brought that type of execution and poise every game, all game, we would be one great football team……so its in us, the coaching staff and the young players need to find ways to stay focused and execute ALL GAME for us to be a playoff contender.

thats all i have asked for, is consistency, if Coastal shows that then I have no problem putting them in the field of 16

[Saint3333]

Every team has young players, ASU starts 3 sophomores in it's defensive secondary, 1 sophomore LB, and a sophomore at RB and WR.

[JALMOND]

App- I don't know if you've ever played sports beyond little league, but let me explain something.....If you have never played in front of more than, lets say 3000 fans while your the visiting team, and then add to that the fact that App State is a pretty darn good football team, does that not sound like a recipe for a butt whoopin? Look at CCU's away games before we traveled to Boone:

Davidson, Jacksonville, Savannah State, Morehead State, Liberty, Newberry, Gardner Webb, Charleston Southern and Elon.

Would you like to compare yourselves to any of those locations? I think you get my overall point here- Our game at App was a disaster because we had never been in a game of that magnitude with fans and an environment like that before. You see how we handled our next tough away game? (SC State?) WE learn, slowly, but we learn....

And as far as our games against GW and Liberty, I have now said it numerous times, that we have a very bad habit of playing down to weaker opponents. I think a lot of football teams can fall into that trap, and if you take our youth into consideration I think its not that crazy to see how games like our last few can happen. We need to improve on our ability to play for 60 minutes all out, hell, I would love to see 30 minutes of good hard football out of the Chants. App State is a great team and your on your way to a great season, but knock off the we beat your butts and you guys can't beat the tar out of conference teams garbage, were still learning and winning (except in Boone (on our first try)) ;)

CCU, I think you are one the verge of answering this question (closer than many of us, both Coastal fans and non-Coastal fans)...The eight at-large teams in the playoffs will be on a par with App State, more so than Davidson, Liberty, G-Webb or any others you named. More than likely, you will be traveling the first round to a place similar to App State, both fans and atmosphere. As you admit to (if I am reading this right), Coastal on the road in the first round would be a "disaster", is that what you are getting at?

That said, getting back to the question that has been asked over and over, why should Coastal make it into the playoffs? Not trying to create smack, but I think we are close to answering the question.

[SoCon48]

Kep you serve as a great example for some of the out of this world crap that pops up on this board now and again……Here I am completely agreeing with your whole crew on our poor performance leaving me with doubts on our playoff validity, and then you pop up with that junk. If you think you got Coastal’s best shot when we came to town your wrong, do I think we gave GW and the Flames our best shot? No....We are a very strong team, but we are young, a young program, young traditions, young history, young road record, limited exposure to hostile environments like Boone, and a coaching staff who has only been together 3 years. In my post I made no excuses and clearly stated why I think we might be overlooked for the playoffs, but I do not agree with the weak team crap. Four, Five, Six turnovers per game and 70 + yards of penalties per game is a clear sign of our immaturity, if you wipe out those mistakes? Add 30 points to our victories with GW and the Flames. Youth, not talent level is our biggest problem. I think you’ll see first hand the development of our program over the next few years….not saying we’ll beat you in years to come, but you can kiss 30-3 out the door, you’ll have work to beat us…….

Seems like maybe the only one who got the Chants best shot was JMU.

[SoCon48]

I'll raise your 8 true freshman and add that Coastal starts 5 FR/SO on offense and 3 FR/SO on defense.

Media guide said you were returning 10 starters on defense and 7 on offense from last year.

[JALMOND]

Kep you serve as a great example for some of the out of this world crap that pops up on this board now and again……Here I am completely agreeing with your whole crew on our poor performance leaving me with doubts on our playoff validity, and then you pop up with that junk. If you think you got Coastal’s best shot when we came to town your wrong, do I think we gave GW and the Flames our best shot? No....We are a very strong team, but we are young, a young program, young traditions, young history, young road record, limited exposure to hostile environments like Boone, and a coaching staff who has only been together 3 years. In my post I made no excuses and clearly stated why I think we might be overlooked for the playoffs, but I do not agree with the weak team crap. Four, Five, Six turnovers per game and 70 + yards of penalties per game is a clear sign of our immaturity, if you wipe out those mistakes? Add 30 points to our victories with GW and the Flames. Youth, not talent level is our biggest problem. I think you’ll see first hand the development of our program over the next few years….not saying we’ll beat you in years to come, but you can kiss 30-3 out the door, you’ll have work to beat us…….

The success of Coastal this year will open the eyes of I-AA in years to come. Whether you all stay in the Big South or move up into a power conference, we will remember you. I remember our first year in I-AA, when Portland State went to Montana and got beat 63-7 (I think that was the score). Since then, we have become competitive in the Big Sky even beating those Grizzlies a couple times. No reason why Coastal can not, or will not do the same.

[CCU2003]

Jalmond, like I mentioned in the opening of this thread, I don’t really think my chants are deserving of a playoff bid (due to their recent performance). Do I think they could hang with a top seeded team? Yeah. I don’t think anyone really thought we would beat JMU? Sure they might be down this year, but with our young squad and the aura of the “defending national champions” coming to town, I couldn’t believe the fight and determination in the chants final drive of the game. Then they come back with the performance at App State? I knew that game was a death trap, but I expected a lot more than that……The point I guess I’m getting at is the fact that although the Chanticleers play on the field has been very inconsistent, one thing has remained…..the winning. One major selling point for the Chants would be the fact that the only thing asked of the players and coaching staff is to win, not meet the point spread and not to demolish lesser teams, but to win. And regardless of where you’re from or who you root for, the Chants have done that. Not always pretty, not always the way it should have been, but win nonetheless. If the Chants were to get a bid to the playoffs, I believe that the situation, pressure and atmosphere would have a very negative effect on the young team. But I guess you could argue that they have earned the right to experience that.

[Sly Fox]

So let me get this straight, a CCU fan comes on here and admits that his team may not be playoff worthy ... something the Appy folks have been screaming for all season long. And what happen? Appy fan immediately begins attacking the message. Forgive me for not piling on.

Its obvious by the emotion of posters on here that Coastal is good enough to not be ignored. Whether that is adequate to earn an at-large is still open to debate.

[ASU Kep]

Kep you serve as a great example for some of the out of this world crap that pops up on this board now and again……Here I am completely agreeing with your whole crew on our poor performance leaving me with doubts on our playoff validity, and then you pop up with that junk. If you think you got Coastal’s best shot when we came to town your wrong, do I think we gave GW and the Flames our best shot? No....We are a very strong team, but we are young, a young program, young traditions, young history, young road record, limited exposure to hostile environments like Boone, and a coaching staff who has only been together 3 years. In my post I made no excuses and clearly stated why I think we might be overlooked for the playoffs, but I do not agree with the weak team crap. Four, Five, Six turnovers per game and 70 + yards of penalties per game is a clear sign of our immaturity, if you wipe out those mistakes? Add 30 points to our victories with GW and the Flames. Youth, not talent level is our biggest problem. I think you’ll see first hand the development of our program over the next few years….not saying we’ll beat you in years to come, but you can kiss 30-3 out the door, you’ll have work to beat us…….

Haha, well you let me know when ya'll will play us for real then. And for the record, don't be so sensitive. I was almost half kidding.

[CoastalFan2005]

…The point I guess I’m getting at is the fact that although the Chanticleers play on the field has been very inconsistent, one thing has remained…..the winning. One major selling point for the Chants would be the fact that the only thing asked of the players and coaching staff is to win, not meet the point spread and not to demolish lesser teams, but to win. And regardless of where you’re from or who you root for, the Chants have done that. Not always pretty, not always the way it should have been, but win nonetheless...

To quote a famous coach:

"You play to win the game!!"

:D

[chantman]

Media guide said you were returning 10 starters on defense and 7 on offense from last year.

I think the media guide was written in July. My numbers were based upon the starters for the Liberty game.