Playing Auburn: Good or Bad?

[michigancat]

I say play a tough OOC as long as we aren't in the running for a national title.  I'm happy with 2-3 losses and Big XII North championships. 

Let's see some freaking sweet OOC games!

[cireksu]

It doesn't do any good to be ku and Win 4 OOC games and 2 big 12 games if you aren't any good.

The only thing I worry about is confidence that early in the season if they get destroyed by a team like that.  It could be a wasted game if you are inept and cannot execute anything.

Many of Snyder's OOC games (Ball state) were just glorified practices.  But that was also when KSU was top tier and the big 12 was great.

Now KSU is not top tier and the Big 12 sucks ass.  I think it's better to play the tough teams, they make you tougher, are much more fun for the players fans and recruits.

KSU does a disservice if they play a crap ooc schedule, and win the big 12 north because they'd get slammed by OU/Texas in the big 12 ccg.

[michigancat]

I don't buy the confidence issue.  I think it's talking-head-speak*. 


*There should be a name for that, similar to "coachspeak" but better than what I used.

[cireksu]

If your coaches are good, it's not an issue, I'm talking about these teams and this coach.  Jury's out.

[michigancat]

Well, they since they didn't get "blown out" this year (other than the bowl game) we don't know exactly how they'll respond.

I guess that's a good thing.

[ksu_FAN]

I say play a tough OOC as long as we aren't in the running for a national title.  I'm happy with 2-3 losses and Big XII North championships. 

Let's see some freaking sweet OOC games!

The Gary Barnett football scheduling/coaching formula.  If it works for a north title, I'll be happy.

[Pete]

We will struggle to get bowl elibible again next year...why make it any more difficult.

Many like to bring up Gary Barnett as the comparison for scheduling tough...the better comparison is Larry Smith.  Jackass scheduled himself right out of bowl games.

THE most important thing for this team to do is to get to a few bowl games in a row and get out on the recruiting trail and tell the story of things being "turned around" at KSU.

You needn't look any farther than Mangino to see that this works.  That asshole makes a bowl game...hits the recruting trail and says "see we're all better now," and the recruits ate it up.

I am convinced that many of the "fans" who want tougher games on the schedule are simply being selfish...they want to SEE a big game.  I contend that if you really want what is best for the program, you'd want KSU to do anything they could to ensure a bowl game every year until this thing gets back on it's feet.

[pissclams]

If we aren't good then I don't really care who we beat or who we lose to.
The key is to get good, the rest will work itself out.

[ksu_FAN]

Next year's schedule is what we should shoot for if we have 4 OOC games; a BCS school, a good non-BCS program, and 2 weak opponents.  That's what many of us have desired for years.  Granted, having two on the road is difficult both in terms of competition and revenue, but it just worked out that way this time around.  In reality, most of the time Barnett's schedules were much tougher than ours will be next year.

I understand what you are saying about bowl games, but frankly, making a bowl game at less than a .500 record in league play shouldn't happen anyway IMO.  I like how the schedule is shaking out for next year and the future.  Now we'll just have to see if Prince can coach us through it.

[michigancat]

Is @Auburn close to being confirmed?

[cireksu]

one thing i don't like about it is you could have a team with all kinds of potential lose an early game or two that could cost them later on in the season.  Injuries is another question mark with these games.

[WILDCAT NATION]

I don't buy the confidence issue.  I think it's talking-head-speak*. 


*There should be a name for that, similar to "coachspeak" but better than what I used.

Powertard-speak?

I don't understand why some are so against this...I think it's about time we're done with the pussy schedules...I love this...if you don't like getting your brains pounded in...get better.

[michigancat]

one thing i don't like about it is you could have a team with all kinds of potential lose an early game or two that could cost them later on in the season.  Injuries is another question mark with these games.

It only costs you later on if you are in the hunt for a MNC.  It only makes you more prepared for conference play, which should be our focus for the time being.

[catzacker]

I don't think there has ever been any correlation to playing a "tough" OOC schedule and then being a "tough" team.  You're either a good team or a bad team.  It didn't matter what kind of OOC schedule Snyder had.  '01 was a bad team = 6-6 (the OOC sucked in large part because USC wasn't good).  '02 was a good team (OOC was better in large part to USC being good) = 11-2.  

Right now, we're a bad team, but I'll take being a bad team and making the bowls so we have something to build on in order to be a good team.  I don't mind playing one top tier team in the OOC. The rest should be relative pushovers in order to build depth and gain game experience that can't come from practices or scrimmages.  

[WILDCAT NATION]

Next year's schedule is what we should shoot for if we have 4 OOC games; a BCS school, a good non-BCS program, and 2 weak opponents.  That's what many of us have desired for years.  Granted, having two on the road is difficult both in terms of competition and revenue, but it just worked out that way this time around.  In reality, most of the time Barnett's schedules were much tougher than ours will be next year.

I understand what you are saying about bowl games, but frankly, making a bowl game at less than a .500 record in league play shouldn't happen anyway IMO.  I like how the schedule is shaking out for next year and the future.  Now we'll just have to see if Prince can coach us through it.

What he said..

And making a bowl game that sucks (Houston), isn't worth it anyway...any team that gets pounded by ku shouldn't go to a bowl game, imo.

If he can play a decent OOC, as described, beat ku, MU, and NU on a consistent basis, and win the North...that's perfect...and all I would ever expect out of him.

If we had hired a coach with any experience, I might feel differently..we just became like the "also rans" of other major conferences.  Might have a really good (10 win) season every now and then, but making it to a bowl will be considered a success.  We might as well get what we're paying for in season tickets rather than paying D-1 prices for D-IAA games...

[WILDCAT NATION]

one thing i don't like about it is you could have a team with all kinds of potential lose an early game or two that could cost them later on in the season.  Injuries is another question mark with these games.

You mean like the '03 team when Ell got hurt playing in a meaningless game?

[michigancat]

Right now, we're a bad team, but I'll take being a bad team and making the bowls so we have something to build on in order to be a good team.  I don't mind playing one top tier team in the OOC. The rest should be relative pushovers in order to build depth and gain game experience that can't come from practices or scrimmages. 

That's basically what next year's alleged schedule would be.

Unless, of course, you consider 4-8 Fresno a "top tier" team.

[ksu_FAN]

Right now, we're a bad team, but I'll take being a bad team and making the bowls so we have something to build on in order to be a good team.  I don't mind playing one top tier team in the OOC. The rest should be relative pushovers in order to build depth and gain game experience that can't come from practices or scrimmages. 

That's basically what next year's alleged schedule would be.

Unless, of course, you consider 4-8 Fresno a "top tier" team.

I think the assumption is that Fresno will recover b/c they are an established program, but its hard to say.  Everyone thought an established program in Marshall would recover as well, but they haven't yet.  Of course Fresno still has Hill at the helm, so they might.  Still, I don't think FSU will be a top tier team next year, but I don't necessarily think going there is an easy win either.

[catzacker]

Right now, we're a bad team, but I'll take being a bad team and making the bowls so we have something to build on in order to be a good team.  I don't mind playing one top tier team in the OOC. The rest should be relative pushovers in order to build depth and gain game experience that can't come from practices or scrimmages. 

That's basically what next year's alleged schedule would be.

Unless, of course, you consider 4-8 Fresno a "top tier" team.

From a W/L and bowl stand point, we should never play teams like Fresno or Marshall; they offer nothing.  If we're going to be giving up home games to play in Arrowhead, then schedule 3 patsies.  I wouldn't consider Fresno-type teams as patsies.  When we made the deal, Fresno was better than they are now (but then again so were we). 

[KSt8er]

What would LEGENDARY HEAD COACH BILL SNYDER tell you boys about this?  He is correct, of course.

[ksu_FAN]

Snyder had his philosophy about scheduling, Prince has his.  He's even said he's going to try to have 1 marquee OOC opponent every year.  While I wasn't against Snyder's scheduling philosophy, I'm not against Prince's either.  I think you can win and build a program with each.  We'll have to see if Prince can coach well enough over time to win, that's the key.  He's got to get to consistent 5-3/6-2 records in the league and I don't really think how he schedules the OOC will make a difference.  He's either going to win league games or not, and if we risk a loss in the OOC by playing a Louisville or Miami, I'm not against it.  I also don't mind 2 for 1 deals with Marshall and Fresno State, which was Snyder's doing in the first place.  He was the one making the move toward that at the end of his career.

[Wildcat Jack]

I prefer the Boise State model....

Play 12 relatively easy games and then luck out and draw a mediocre "name" team in a BCS bowl....and hope you can win the one shot....thereby proving that all those easier games didn't matter.

[Skycat]

Playing FSU early did wonders for Mason.


I don't know if I believe in the "confidence building" thing or not.  If my job depended on it, I'd do a bunch of research and analysis, but it doesn't, and I'm not gonna.  But my guess is that sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's bad.

[fatty fat fat]

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=135&p=2&c=610604

Primetime national TV.

[michigancat]

That would be....awesome.

KSU @ Auburn on a Saturday night in beautiful HD.  I absolutely love it.

[FBWillie]

Return game in 2010.... Holy crap... That's the year UCLA comes to manhattan.   Home games against Auburn & UCLA in Manhattan would freik'n rule.  More reason to justify to my wife that I need to continue my season ticket orders.

[athensgacat]

Awesome, baby!
Saturday night at Jordan-Hare, and I will be there.  Just a short journey from Athens, Ga.  Bring on the Tigers er War Eagles, whatever.