Towson Football in the Baltimore Sun

[andy7171]

Good article...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/media/photo/2011-04/61258876.jpg

Towson football team confident it will turn the corner this season

As the faces of the Colonial Athletic Association gathered for the conference's football media day, third-year Towson coach Rob Ambrose said he's about halfway done with the "construction project" of his program.

That incomplete status doesn't affect Ambrose's players, who were brimming with confidence Wednesday at M&T Bank Stadium.

When asked how many games the Tigers could win this year, junior defensive end Frank Beltre balked at the question.

"That question should be rethought," Beltre said. "It should be more focus on which games we could lose."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-towson-football-0728-20110727,0,6562757.story

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Very cool man. Great pic too.

[DFW HOYA]

As the faces of the Colonial Athletic Association gathered for the conference's football media day, third-year Towson coach Rob Ambrose said he's about halfway done with the "construction project" of his program.

Six year project?

[andy7171]

Six year project?

He came in a completely cleaned house. He ran off all the losers upper class who didn't want to play into turning the program around the first year. And last year played freshman and sophmores, with a smattering upperclass who hung on. This is the first time he's even mentioned winning since being here.

I've said this before several times, but it is going to be truly interesting to see how Towson and ODU progress in the CAA this year and next. Both programs basically started from nothing, Towson in the CAA and ODU playing their "light" schedule. Which is going to prove to be the better road?

[ursus arctos horribilis]

He came in a completely cleaned house. He ran off all the losers upper class who didn't want to play into turning the program around the first year. And last year played freshman and sophmores, with a smattering upperclass who hung on. This is the first time he's even mentioned winning since being here.

I've said this before several times, but it is going to be truly interesting to see how Towson and ODU progress in the CAA this year and next. Both programs basically started from nothing, Towson in the CAA and ODU playing their "light" schedule. Which is going to prove to be the better road?

I remember you saying that before but had somehow missed the fact that Towson had cleaned house at around the same time. That is a pretty interesting angle on the matter. In the end I don't think it will make a wide difference between those two schools but I think both will be better than the public expects in the next couple of years.

I'd love to see Towson stepping up to the top soon.

[bluehenbillk]

Is Towson still in the CAA? :)

Sorry Andy, couldn't resist, nor would you expect much less....

[DFW HOYA]

Interestign to watch the parallels between Towson and Georgetown, two teams that didn't step up since joining new conferences. For both schools, is the hill just too tall to climb, are there institutional issues holding it back, is it personnel (players and/or coaches), or just a lack of direction?

[andy7171]

Interestign to watch the parallels between Towson and Georgetown, two teams that didn't step up since joining new conferences. For both schools, is the hill just too tall to climb, are there institutional issues holding it back, is it personnel (players and/or coaches), or just a lack of direction?

There were limitations on Towson when Combs the coach. The school basically upgraded to the CAA from the PL, but not budget wise. He also had to have something like 60-70% of the recruits coming from in-state. When Ambrose came in, he made sure that was going to be the case. And with players in the last two recruiting classes coming from Texas, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, that appears to have changed. Out net used to only be limited to MD, PA, NJ, NY and VA....that's right BillK F Delaware. LOL

[DFW HOYA]

There were limitations on Towson when Combs the coach. The school basically upgraded to the CAA from the PL, but not budget wise. He also had to have something like 60-70% of the recruits coming from in-state. When Ambrose came in, he made sure that was going to be the case.

Great point there. At least you can get local kids--Georgetown does not get local talent--it has only four players from DC, MD, or VA on the roster.

[Brad82]

Towson like URI is in wrong conference.

[superman7515]

Well they're not going back to the Patriot League, so NEC?

[danefan]

Well they're not going back to the Patriot League, so NEC?

We'll trade.

Btw - WTF voted URI to win the CAA?

[superman7515]

Apparently since it's the Old Dominion coaches first time he thought URI was University of Richmond.

[andy7171]

Towson is not in the wrong conference, it's just getting it's priorities straightened out as far as Atheletics is concerned. We'll be @28K students in 3 years. This size school looking to compete with UMd, needs a top level D.I attitude, which it hasn't had since it moved up in 1988.

[DFW HOYA]

Towson is not in the wrong conference, it's just getting it's priorities straightened out as far as Atheletics is concerned. We'll be @28K students in 3 years. This size school looking to compete with UMd, needs a top level D.I attitude, which it hasn't had since it moved up in 1988.

Do you suggest that Towson could/should become a second flagship school in the state, like Virginia vs. Virginia Tech?

After all, there was a time when VPI had more in common with VMI than Mr. Jefferson's University.

[Seawolf97]

Hope Towson does well going forward. Still would like to see a home and away with StonyBrook one of these days.

[andy7171]

Do you suggest that Towson could/should become a second flagship school in the state, like Virginia vs. Virginia Tech?

After all, there was a time when VPI had more in common with VMI than Mr. Jefferson's University.

All talk of breaking away from UMD system and becoming Maryland State ended when we dropped football scholarships after the '94 season. We were actually starting to work red into our uniforms in the early 90's. I remember those two basketball teams that went to the NCAAs had red piping in the shorts and socks.
It's a shame to think where we'd be had we not dropped scholarships. But I guess it's better than what BU did and Northeastern and Hofstra did a couple yeaars ago.

[superman7515]

All talk of breaking away from UMD system and becoming Maryland State ended when we dropped football scholarships after the '94 season. We were actually starting to work red into our uniforms in the early 90's. I remember those two basketball teams that went to the NCAAs had red piping in the shorts and socks.
It's a shame to think where we'd be had we not dropped scholarships. But I guess it's better than what BU did and Northeastern and Hofstra did a couple yeaars ago.

Pretty sure UMES has owned the "Maryland State" college & university trademarks since the 1940's.

[andy7171]

Pretty sure UMES has owned the "Maryland State" college & university trademarks since the 1940's.

Towson wasn't the only state school looking to break away from the University Sytem of Maryland, we were just looking to be the flagship. But the rebellion was quashed rarther quickly.

[TwoFeathers]

There's no reason a school like Towson can't have a top football program, as long as they dedicate the resources.