UD Coach Keeler Wants Hens to Dumb Down the Schedule

[superman7515]

Because the Colonial Athletic Association schedule is so demanding, future collisions against top teams from other power I-AA leagues aren't likely, coach K.C. Keeler said this week. "There's a magical number we're all trying to get to," Keeler said, referring to the amount of wins needed to reach the NCAA playoffs.

"We're playing one of the best I-AA teams in the country it just so happens ... I know it's great for our fans. But when you're trying to figure out how is the best way for you to make the playoffs and you've already had the No. 2-, No. 3- and No. 2-ranked schedules [the last three years] in the country, you don't necessarily say, 'Hey, this is a game you want to play.' "

Nonconference Showdowns Rare for UD (http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100910/SPORTS07/9100362/1028/Nonconference-showdowns-rare-for-UD)

[T-Dog]

He's been saying this kind of stuff for years. I remember him saying that they want no more FBS games after 2012.

[Side Judge]

I guess that's why they decided to schedule Pitt in '14 and '19 - wonder if they'll have "Joe Flacco, Delaware" (MNF intonation, channeling Bert from Sesame Street, rocking the unibrow) doing the honorary coin flip...

[ValleyChamp]

It is amazing that UD can overcome tough obstacles such as West Chester every year.

[MR. CHICKEN]

He's been saying this kind of stuff for years. I remember him saying that they want no more FBS games after 2012.

HE SAID...HE IS WILLIN' TA PLAY FBS SQWADS....ONLY IN CALENDAR YEARS.....DAT ALLOW..UH 12TH GAME.....xnodx....BRAWK!

[Retro]

This is exactly why conferences with lesser schools have to schedule more than 1 FBS school per year or D-II schools.. Teams like Delaware afraid to do home and home with other FCS schools outside of their immediate area or conference... Nearly All conferences are demanding for those schools involved because they are rivalries, have playoff implications or the teams just know each other so well, so that's a lame excuse.... I'm glad that schools like Appy and Montana have the balls to step and do OOC games with teams not in their backyard like they have with Mcneese in coming years..

[MR. CHICKEN]

It is amazing that UD can overcome tough obstacles such as West Chester every year.

HOW'S DUH READIN' COMPREHENSION CHAMP?....IN DUH PAST THREE YEARS...OURAH SKEDS HAVE BEEN RATED #2...#3...&...#2...IN I-AA LAND...AWK!

MIGHT WANNAH LOOK AT....SOUFFERN ILLINOIS/MONTANA SKEDS...FO' OPENIN' DAY PIGGY!

[FCS Go!]

Sounds like he's expecting to miss the playoffs again this year. I guess he doesn't believe in the "battle tested" theory of playoff success.

[putter]

Sounds like he's expecting to miss the playoffs again this year. I guess he doesn't believe in the "battle tested" theory of playoff success.

Exactly FCS.....it's code for I am on the verge of losing my job because of the difficult CAA so lets schedule bottom FCS schools so I can get my team to the playoffs....oh and by the way Hen, the victory of Western State College does not help the Griz get to the playoffs but playing, and beating, Cal Poly and North Dakota in the other OOC games will............

[Ud1Hens]

Sounds like he's expecting to miss the playoffs again this year. I guess he doesn't believe in the "battle tested" theory of playoff success.

The last 3 years UD strength of schedule has ranked #2, #3, and #2..."battle tested" in every sense of the word. His playoff record shows that once he gets his team there they are ready to dance (8-2 in the playoffs). The problem is UD doesn't get there on a consistant basis.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Exactly FCS.....it's code for I am on the verge of losing my job because of the difficult CAA so lets schedule bottom FCS schools so I can get my team to the playoffs....oh and by the way Hen, the victory of Western State College does not help the Griz get to the playoffs but playing, and beating, Cal Poly and North Dakota in the other OOC games will............

HELL-OH..OUTDERE....WE'RE PLAYIN' ....OOC...#8 SOUTH DAKOTAH STATE....TA-DAY!.....DUH VICTORY OVERAH WEST CHESTER....WON'T HELP DUH HENS GET TA DUH DANCE EITHER........BUT MAYBE WINS OVERAH.....#12 JMU..#10WM & MARY..#18 UMA$$..#9 RICHMOND..&..#2 'NOVA.....WILL!........xrolleyesx....AWK!

[Ud1Hens]

Exactly FCS.....it's code for I am on the verge of losing my job because of the difficult CAA so lets schedule bottom FCS schools so I can get my team to the playoffs....oh and by the way Hen, the victory of Western State College does not help the Griz get to the playoffs but playing, and beating, Cal Poly and North Dakota in the other OOC games will............

Sounds a lot like the UD schedule...West Chester is your Western State College, Duquense is your North Dakota, and South Dakota State is your Cal Poly. Pretty much the exact OOC, except we will play 5-6 more ranked CAA teams.

[UncleSam]

This is more about $$$ than opponents, UD wants as many home games as possible to generate as much income as possible and you don't get quality FCS opponents to come to your house without a return game at the their place. Sometimes you don't even get them (Furman) to showup even after you played at their house. So the result of that $$$ first attidude is going to be the continued scheduling of more NEC like schools and very few proven FCS programs.

[YoUDeeMan]

Sounds like he's expecting to miss the playoffs again this year. I guess he doesn't believe in the "battle tested" theory of playoff success.

What does Montan know about being "battle tested"? You play in the Big Fluffy Sky.

[Uncle Buck]

I don't want to be a dick, but someone mentioned Montana scheduling tough. They may do that, but don't they also have a reputation for not returning the away portion of the contract? That's not really fair either since their homefield advantage is ridiculous.

[WestCoastAggie]

Umm just keep Delaware State on the schedule and schedule Lehigh or another PL or NEC team on a more consistant basis. Problem solved.

[Side Judge]

Umm just keep Delaware State on the schedule and schedule Lehigh or another PL or NEC team on a more consistant basis. Problem solved.

An annual UD-DSU matchup has been literally decades in the making. And Lehigh used to spank us seemingly everytime we played them (of course that was back when West Chester could hang with us). Throw in biannual games against MD/Navy/Pitt/etc., a CAA conference schedule, and OOC FCS games against teams like Furman and SDSU (in addition to Monmouth, Dusquesne, and - oops - Albany), and it's a well-earned top-10 SOS for daHenz.

Put another way, when OOC teams bat 0.500 against the CAA South, they're happy (and usually deep into the playoffs). When UD splits their CAA South games they miss the playoffs and fans show up outside Keeler's office with torches and pitchforks...

[Ud1Hens]

Exactly FCS.....it's code for I am on the verge of losing my job because of the difficult CAA so lets schedule bottom FCS schools so I can get my team to the playoffs....oh and by the way Hen, the victory of Western State College does not help the Griz get to the playoffs but playing, and beating, Cal Poly and North Dakota in the other OOC games will............

xsmhx