A sure way to improve PL play

Forum Forum Lehigh Sports Lehigh Football A sure way to improve PL play

This topic contains 8 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by RichH RichH 7 years ago.

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  • #33560
    marco
    marco
    Participant

    I know, “it’ll never happen”, but you have to admit, one relatively sure way to get at least some Patriot League teams to work harder at improving would be to somehow get Army and Navy into the football league.

    Then, unless everyone steps it up, no one except the service academies would ever appear in the playoffs.

    I can dream.

    #33562
    LU808
    LU808
    Participant

    Appropriate for the day….”I have a Dream”…same one too!

    #33575
    sundayamqb
    sundayamqb
    Participant

    LOL.

    Why not just get serious? The PL apparently can no longer compete nationally and should consider pulling out of the playoffs and face the winner of the Ivy League in the NASDAQ All-Academic Bowl, played the weekend after Thanksgiving.

    The FCS is a joke. A few teams that should play in FBS are in it. Teams that can barely compete with D-II teams remain in FCS.

    There ought to be some kind of European soccer-like promotion and relegation in NCAA football.

    #33611
    Go Lehigh TU Owl
    Go Lehigh TU Owl
    Participant

    There’s no question NDSU has killed the “FCS Dream” this decade for a lot of programs. If Lehigh had a defense that’s simply respectable the Mountain Hawks could have beaten or at least competed with 95-98% of FCS this year. Their offensive talent stacks up with anyone in FCS. The mountain to beat Jacksonville State, SDSU, UNI, Stony Brook, UNH, SHSU, Wofford etc is in reality nothing more than a small hill. Don’t let the MVFC conference fans fool you. There’s a lot of mortal programs in that league. Just like the CAA. But it seems impossible to compete for a title when NDSU and JMU are basically engaged in a full on arms race.

    The Bison return almost their entire team in 2018! No on is beating them in the Fargo Dome so they’ll be in Frisco again!

    Top to bottom the PL is terrible right now. No one can deny that. Each program has a serious flaw which is killing the league and its already shaky reputation. Combine that with the self imposed league-wide restrictions you end up with the disaster that was the 2017 PL football season.

    The most frustrating thing imo is the potential is there if just a little more commitment was made.

    #33612
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Excellent overview. Must admit NDSU is reaching Penn status for me. Hate Penn. The Bison deserve the kudos and Titles. They are the Yankees of FCS. An Evil Empire. Sad part is none of us can even join the conversation.
    I am not as bleak about our immediate future. Next year will be the 5th year of me saying we’ll be at least mediocre. I might actually be right. Odds arent in my favor nor are the facts :). Lots of ifs which I have propunded on enough. Other than Gate possibly, I dont see any other PL squad getting out of barely mediocre. Not an insider out, so certainly some of the new coaches could leap up.

    #33644
    ngineer
    ngineer
    Participant

    Considering the OOC schedules, we could well be facing a PL team with an overall losing record going to the playoffs, again.

    #33645
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Possibly. Growing pains are a bitch for PL, made ever so worse by our Presidents.

    #33646

    richb-1
    Participant

    To Improve patriot league football (ignoring Georgetown) from most likely to least likely to be acceptable to the 6 other programs (IMHO)

    1. Maximize possible scholarships (60 to 63?)

    2. increase max roster size to 99-100. Say by 5 a year. Easiest for Fordham, then Lehigh, Then Buck then CU, HC, LC. (the more students, the easier, higher male – female ratios also)

    3. find ways to make it easier and more practical for 5th year students. Obviously Lehigh and FU are already there. At Bucknell, even though they give Masters, I was told a 5th yr is only eligible with a change of Majors (but I would assume also with a double major) I could guess Colgate may be the same, But HC+LC don’t have grad programs so….

    4. Increasing roster size would mean more walk-ons, preferred and not preferred. So – allow non scholarship guys to take a non-injury redshirt years, maybe with some limit, like 5 guys a year. Maybe a rule that the RS must be declared before the first game, if they are practicing.

    5. Finally, least likely, a couple of scholarship guys to take non medical redshirts each year.

    #33647
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Pretty much the same steps we have been talking about over on AGS. They will even the playing field for the PL. Knowing academics it would have to be gradual. :)
    Grad players will be tough given the lack of grad schools at so many of our pals.
    Redshirts may be easier by allowing each team to shirt up to 5 for eample each year up to a max of 20 over 4 years.
    Think we have already started the move to 63 by recent rule change allowing 3 WOs. Guess it will be phased in.
    Roster caps are the most artificial cap. It doesnt save much money. I really dont see a valid reason for them at all. 5 orv10 more students on the team may only provide squad team players but as we know you cant run effective practices with less than 50 healthy kids.

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