2022 Season

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ST_Lawson
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New HC, mostly new coaching staff, getting some real high-quality new recruits...things are looking promising. Obviously going to take a little while to build the program back up...I don't expect miracles in the first year...but hopefully more competitive in more games this season.

I've seen a few MVFC teams posting their official schedules for 2022, and nothing I've seen posted contradicts what I've had put together for a while now.
It's looking highly likely that this will be our schedule for the 2022 season (it's also posted in the first post of the schedule thread along with future dates). I've also added what each team's 2021 record was and where they ended up last year in the Sagarin Ratings (we finished 2-9 at #179 out of 258 DI teams, just fyi)

9/1 - at UT-Martin - 10-3, #156
9/10 - at Minnesota (FBS, Big Ten), $450k guarantee - 9-4, #22
9/17 - vs Southern Utah - 1-10, #212
9/24 - vs Northern Iowa - 6-6, #99
10/1 - at South Dakota State - 11-4, #71
10/8 - bye
10/15 - at Southern Illinois - 8-5, #109
10/22 - Youngstown State (Homecoming) - 3-7, #143
10/29 - at Missouri State - 8-4, #103
11/5 - North Dakota State - 14-1, #38
11/12 - Indiana State - 5-6, #169
11/19 - at Illinois State - 4-7, #158

Do not play: North Dakota (5-6, #119) and South Dakota (7-5, #117)

So, we miss two "middle of the pack" MVFC teams, pick up NDSU fresh off another dominant FCS championship and a Missouri State team that's as strong as they've been in a long time (last time the Bears won 8+ games was in 1989).
We do get a "beatable" YSU for Homecoming, have a bye week almost exactly in the middle of the season, and have a very good shot at winning one of our OOC games (SUU) and a decent chance against UT-Martin (they did beat Missouri State in the playoffs, but they're ranked lower than the YSU team we beat last year). We also have our last game of the season away, which is always nice because it means we don't have that "weekend before Thanksgiving" attendance drop when all the students are gone and we have like 30 fans in the stands. Our first home game isn't until week 3 though, which is a little disappointing, but not unexpected.

The only games that I see that are "solid" blowouts against us are likely Minnesota, SDSU, and NDSU. Then again, the lack of crowd noise always seems to freak out the Bison and they often struggle at our place more than they are expected to going into it, so who knows with that one :lol:

So, what are your thoughts/predictions?
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My early predictions

1) 6 wins  2) Attendance doubled over last season (16,409)  3) Beat a ranked team
rocki
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GV wrote:Thu Jan 01, 1970 3:54 am My early predictions

1) 6 wins  2) Attendance doubled over last season (16,409)  3) Beat a ranked team

 
I like it. Quite frankly, I'll be thrilled to see marked improvement over the last couple of years, 6 wins or not. I want to feel we're finally headed in the right direction to build a solid football team for the future!
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ST_Lawson
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I think 5 wins would be my "goal" of what I'd love to see us get to this season.
Most likely: UT-Martin, Southern Utah, Youngstown State, Indiana State, and Illinois State.
If we pull off another couple of wins, that'd be awesome, but I'd be absolutely satisfied with that level of improvement.

For attendance, we averaged 3281.8 per home game last season, which was actually an improvement over 2019, when we averaged 2653.7. Last year we actually beat 2019 in total attendance as well by about 500 people, despite having one less home game (6 home games in 2019, 5 last year). Double last year would be incredible, but I think if we can get over 25k fans total, an average of 5k per home game, that would be an improvement I'd be happy to see. Last time we averaged over 5k fans per game was in 2013. It won't be easy with how the enrollment has trended since then (~4200 fewer students), so if we do that, that'd be great.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
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ST_Lawson wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 7:10 pm I think 5 wins would be my "goal" of what I'd love to see us get to this season.
Most likely: UT-Martin, Southern Utah, Youngstown State, Indiana State, and Illinois State.
If we pull off another couple of wins, that'd be awesome, but I'd be absolutely satisfied with that level of improvement.

For attendance, we averaged 3281.8 per home game last season, which was actually an improvement over 2019, when we averaged 2653.7. Last year we actually beat 2019 in total attendance as well by about 500 people, despite having one less home game (6 home games in 2019, 5 last year). Double last year would be incredible, but I think if we can get over 25k fans total, an average of 5k per home game, that would be an improvement I'd be happy to see. Last time we averaged over 5k fans per game was in 2013. It won't be easy with how the enrollment has trended since then (~4200 fewer students), so if we do that, that'd be great.

 
I have the same 5 wins, add the upset of a ranked team and we get to 6. 

With the increased wins,the excitement in the new staff, and an attendance push that will soon be underway, we will hit the attendance goal. Weather willing. 
 
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I say the same 5 wins but we could also upset UNI or SIU to get to 6.
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Defense will likely go back to a 3 man front, if Feeney runs the same scheme he did at Akron.  
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The schedule has officially been released: https://goleathernecks.com/news/2022/4/ ... edule.aspx
As of right now, it is 149 days until kickoff: https://days.to/1-september/2022
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We should have gotten more money out of Row the Boat. We received $400,000 to go to LSU when Coach P was here. I believe we received $350,000 to go to NEB during the same era. 
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During the Zoom coaches call, they said there would be updates on the spring, but nothing really yet.  Sucks the one guy (Scott Holland) who used to put out info is now working for WIU, so nothing.

An update on the first scrimmage would be in nice or some pics to see what we're working with.  I see some great pics of guys being involved in the community and that is awesome, but would be nice to see or read about some football action.  Even an updated spring roster to see who's still with us or joined.

I know this stuff isn't important as far as the program getting better, but as a fan and someone who's committed to WIU, I like to see what's going on.
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