Post by AztecWilliam on Nov 7, 2009 22:23:26 GMT -8
Yes, I know, TCU is one of the best teams in the country. Perhaps the Frogs are the best. Nevertheless, today's game was truly ugly for S.D.S.U. and represents a real step backward.
When you think of how Aztec teams not awfully better than this one have performed when visiting tough BCS teams during this past decade, it's hard to draw any conclusion other than that this program may be several years away from respectability. I'm thinking of the close calls at Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin. . . in that last one, Chuck Long's first team, which was barely stronger than a pretty good JC, managed to keep a 12 win Badger team scoreless for the first two and a half quarters. Only in two other games that season did Wisco score fewer points than against the Aztecs, and those were in their only loss and in a tough win over Penn St. The Badgers were ranked 7th in the AP poll and 5th in the Coaches' Poll at the end of the season, by the way. (2006 Wisconsin record shown below.)
I understand that the program cannot be turned around overnight. Also, I realize that BYU scored fewer points against TCU last week than did the Aztecs. Still, one cannot but feel disappointed that the Aztecs made so many mistakes today. Some of those turnovers (Sampson's fumble was discouraging. Did you see the careless way he was carrying the ball?) were real killers. And I still saw too much poor tackling.
On the positive side, we seem to have a good FG kicking game. Also, 92 yards rushing was better than we usually do. Still, for the average fan, many of whom have known nothing but lousy Aztec football for years, this was just another nail in the coffin. How many are likely to show up for the Wyoming game? 8,000 to 10,000 perhaps.
The horrible coaching hires of 2002 and 2006, which came after two decades of slow decline, have really buried this program. Can Brady Hoke turn things around? I think it's possible, but don't expect anything resembling an upper-division MWC team until about 2011. . . at the earliest. Meanwhile, red ink continues to characterize the football budget. How long before there is serious, and I mean really serious, discussion about program cancellation?
Probably not this year, or next, or even the year after that. But one thing is certain; the CA budget crisis is going to mean further obstacles to be surmounted until we become competitive. Bottom line: I don't think the program can continue to draw crowds of 10-15 thousand forever without a crisis.
In the meantime, we can look back fondly at 2005, a year in which we beat BYU and Utah and gave TCU a really tough battle. The good old days!
AzWm
Wisconsin, 2006: 12-1-0
Bowling Green.............35-14
Western Illinois...........34-10
San Diego St. ............14- 0
Michigan ....................13-27
Indiana ......................52-17
Northwestern .............41- 9
Minnesota...................48-12
Purdue........................24- 3
Illinois........................30-24
Penn St......................13- 3
Iowa..........................24-21
Buffalo.......................35- 3
Arkansas....................17-14 Capital One Bowl
Total season points 380-157
Points scored other than S.D.S.U. game 30.5.
When you think of how Aztec teams not awfully better than this one have performed when visiting tough BCS teams during this past decade, it's hard to draw any conclusion other than that this program may be several years away from respectability. I'm thinking of the close calls at Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin. . . in that last one, Chuck Long's first team, which was barely stronger than a pretty good JC, managed to keep a 12 win Badger team scoreless for the first two and a half quarters. Only in two other games that season did Wisco score fewer points than against the Aztecs, and those were in their only loss and in a tough win over Penn St. The Badgers were ranked 7th in the AP poll and 5th in the Coaches' Poll at the end of the season, by the way. (2006 Wisconsin record shown below.)
I understand that the program cannot be turned around overnight. Also, I realize that BYU scored fewer points against TCU last week than did the Aztecs. Still, one cannot but feel disappointed that the Aztecs made so many mistakes today. Some of those turnovers (Sampson's fumble was discouraging. Did you see the careless way he was carrying the ball?) were real killers. And I still saw too much poor tackling.
On the positive side, we seem to have a good FG kicking game. Also, 92 yards rushing was better than we usually do. Still, for the average fan, many of whom have known nothing but lousy Aztec football for years, this was just another nail in the coffin. How many are likely to show up for the Wyoming game? 8,000 to 10,000 perhaps.
The horrible coaching hires of 2002 and 2006, which came after two decades of slow decline, have really buried this program. Can Brady Hoke turn things around? I think it's possible, but don't expect anything resembling an upper-division MWC team until about 2011. . . at the earliest. Meanwhile, red ink continues to characterize the football budget. How long before there is serious, and I mean really serious, discussion about program cancellation?
Probably not this year, or next, or even the year after that. But one thing is certain; the CA budget crisis is going to mean further obstacles to be surmounted until we become competitive. Bottom line: I don't think the program can continue to draw crowds of 10-15 thousand forever without a crisis.
In the meantime, we can look back fondly at 2005, a year in which we beat BYU and Utah and gave TCU a really tough battle. The good old days!
AzWm
Wisconsin, 2006: 12-1-0
Bowling Green.............35-14
Western Illinois...........34-10
San Diego St. ............14- 0
Michigan ....................13-27
Indiana ......................52-17
Northwestern .............41- 9
Minnesota...................48-12
Purdue........................24- 3
Illinois........................30-24
Penn St......................13- 3
Iowa..........................24-21
Buffalo.......................35- 3
Arkansas....................17-14 Capital One Bowl
Total season points 380-157
Points scored other than S.D.S.U. game 30.5.
