TigerFan54

I was at Barley's Backyard yesterday for the Coach's Show. Got to meet Pete, and he's as impressive (to me) one-on-one and in-person as he came across in various videos. Time will tell if his coaching credentials measure up at this level, but I'm encouraged. 

Pelliccotti wasn't on the list from earlier today on TowsonTigers.com. I guess he was a later add. Don't know much about him other than he was the QB at Liberty HS.

7 hours ago, mat1992 said:

Only transfer listed is a goaltender from Michigan. I don’t think the scrimmage went well but you never know who is playing and who sat out.

Rehab for our five-star recruit? When was he injured??

Given his success today, I suspect no one remembers that on three of the first four possessions after he came in, Cam turned it over with ill-advised passes. That's when we were down early and I wanted to scream. I guess you have to take the good (the very good today) with the bad. Cam also had a helluva scoring touch in the second half. If only he could bottle that.

22 hours ago, mat1992 said:

That was taken out of context about what Gibson said in the locker room. I'm doing my best to transcribe those quotes as fast as I can and I probably wasn't 100% accurate on that one.

So, please give a fuller sense of what JG/PS meant.

Nice piece on CT -- he's as impressive a guy off the court as he is on it.

https://towsontigers.com/news/2023/1/5/mens-basketball-student-athlete-spotlight-charles-thompson.aspx

One other thought: How did the refs not call traveling when a CofC guard took FOUR steps without a dribble into the lane when we were down by three with about six minutes to play in regulation? A foul was called (on us, of course) and Skerry instantly ran far onto the court, exuberantly expressing his disbelief. The old lament of "ARE YOU BLIND, REF?!" was front of mind for just about everyone in the crowd not wearing red (or black-and-white stripes).

That was quite an amazing comeback, given how poorly we played in the first half. Also, the crowd was into the game -- that's the loudest I've heard it in quite a while.

Still, our weaknesses -- on the player level and coaching -- are just so glaring that it's hard to see us putting it all together this year. Among them:

-- We can't run a set play to save ourselves. (Exhibit A: the last 13.5 seconds of OT)

-- We too often can't finish near the basket, ESPECIALLY on fast breaks. (Christian May, just lay the ball in; forget the dunk.)

-- Cam tries to do too much, to the team's detriment. Yes, a lot is expected of him, but he had a string of turnovers on consecutive possessions in both halves. Bad decisions, bad passes, poor shots. And his frustration level is mounting -- he practically threw Conway into position midway through the second half when Charleston was bringing the ball up-court.

--Hicks gives us next to nothing. And why did he twice back into the lane like he's CT, resulting in turnovers both time.

-- Nick was no-show throughout the first half. Yes, he was being guarded closely, but too often he just wasn't moving without the ball.

-- And Skerry ... there's not much I can say that hasn't been uttered many times on this board, but here's one example that illustrates his "curious" substitution approach: late in the first half, Russell made several strong defensive plays, then scored at the other end ... and Pat pulls him! Why not ride the hot hand, coach?

Steve E. seems to be making all the right moves -- including this very inclusive approach, which adds to his workload but generates goodwill and positivity. Kudos to him.

These were his first public statements, to my knowledge. He was fairly gracious. Asked if he was surprised to be let go, he said, "No, not really. ... Tumblers fall into place when a new AD is hired. ... It's the same with new presidents, they want to leave their stamp."

He allowed that "we haven't been to the playoffs in a few years" but said "my tenure proved that the things you invest in reflect the success you have."

Asked to name his best memory of his years at the helm, he paused for a long time before answering, "Everything that happens off the field" -- meaning the impact he hopefully had on young men's lives.

The interviewer -- Drew Forrester, who admitted to being a friend of Rob's -- asked what happens next. "Gotta keep working. We'll see where the next job is. Everyone thinks we all make Saban money, but I've got one more [kid] to put through college."

He never named Pete Shinnick, but did say, "I couldn't root any harder for this new staff and these kids."

Four bench points today almost says it all ... the rest of the story being that three of our four starters were 13 of 39 -- a miserly 33 percent. Who are you going to beat with those numbers? Of course, none of this is surprising, given that our 8-1 start was marked by similar stretches of poor play. (The Clemson loss was probably our best performance of the year, which paradoxically started this losing skid.)

Just now, TSU88 said:

The only guys on the bench who might merit more minutes are May and Biekeu 

Unfortunately, May has been shooting blanks offensively. I suspect he's a much better player than he's shown, but the early returns aren't good.

Skerry went on and on about the team's failings, including his own. Said the guys who have been getting the most minutes haven't been earning them with their play, so that will change. Not clear who gets the minutes instead (or how productive they can be). Sounds like he just wants to put a scare into the starters, but I doubt that will have much impact.

This team is melting down, and that will continue for at least the next two games, all but wiping out the "strong" start, which most of us knew was a mirage.

Just so many missed opportunities to pull away throughout this game. It seemed like every time we had a fast break, we failed to convert (and missed subsequent foul shots). Given our track record thus far -- and I don't mean our W-L record -- I foresee us getting smoked by Charleston later this month.

I'm guardedly optimistic. HC hires are almost always a crap shoot, so risk is unavoidable. I would not have renewed my season tickets had RA been retained, but I'm already looking forward to what the future will bring. (2023 would be a tall order for any new hire, but hope springs eternal.) And for what it's worth, I remember Don Shinnick well, back when the Colts were fearsome on defense in the late '50s and 1960s. He was as hard-nosed as they come.

50 minutes ago, TuTigers2012 said:

Lol.
Incarnate ward and holy cross were national seeds, tells you all you need to know.. 

Only one CAA team made it to the quarterfinals, and that didn't work out so well -- W&M got throttled. Not a good showing for what once billed itself as "the SEC of the FCS."

I share everyone else's concerns on here, and I'll add one more: Given the number of minutes Cam is playing, it seems likely he'll get hurt at some point. It's just the law of averages. Maybe it's a minor, nagging injury or maybe it's something more serious, but either way, it would affect us in a significant way. As 2012 mentioned, I'm flashing back to our 10-1 start (and Belfast tournament title) five or six years ago, which prompted TL's boneheaded extension to PS. I hope I'm wrong, but a prolonged stumble wouldn't surprise me, starting with Clemson next week.

2 hours ago, TigersTigers said:

Game day!!! Let’s go ladies, get it done. 6pm eastern time (4pm my time), ESPN+. It’s the best time of the year!

Thanks for the reminder. I'll be watching.

With Hicks nicked up, I wish Tyler Gill hadn't transferred out. I thought he was solid in the Elon game last year when injuries/COVID decimated our guard ranks. 

1 hour ago, mat1992 said:

Ok, so Mason Woods is on the Jerry Rice Award Finalist for best freshman.

https://towsontigers.com/news/2022/11/21/football-woods-honored-as-2022-jerry-rice-award-finalist.aspx

He's one of a handful that the new coach will need to keep. Also, WR Isaiah Perkins and LT Dan Volpe. All three are freshmen. Same with G/C Jorden Nelson, who hasn't played yet, but will likely start at center for Cheripko next season. Was an original commit to UConn. But in all reality, especially with NIL, it will be tough to keep everyone. 

When you talk about resources, the budget is important but we really need, aside from some NIL money, is Cost of Attendance or Alston case so players can get some stipends.

My suspicion is that other FCS teams will be looking to poach our more promising players, some of whom probably had other offers before committing here and will revisit that decision. In a lot of ways, the new coach will be starting from scratch, but if he has a good reputation it won't be as steep a climb as in the old days, when no transfer portal existed. (Having said that, I'd really like to see a strong emphasis on building a foundation of freshman recruits, which Mike London has done at W&M.)

1 hour ago, etiger said:

Well, you all got what you wanted. Rob brough this program to a place we had never been to before. The playoffs and the NC. I want to personnly thank Rob for bring life to our program. For those that say I am a Rob Supporter, I am. I am a supporter of the program period. I started with Gordy (1991 - when there was no fundrsiing at all for football) and was a super Gordy Supporter. I started the Quarterback Club to help Gordy and the program raise funds (funds the school by the way would not give the program). I don't want to go into all the things I have done to help this program, but I can tell you it is more than any of you all have done combined. When Gordy was let go, I became a Rob Supporter. I will be a Super Supporter of whoever the next coach is too. For me it's not about who the coach is, its about the program. I get behind whoever the coach is and give my TOTAL suppoprt to him. I have been involved for 31 years (as a volunteer, never paid for anything I do). My wife and I have been to every game home and away for 31 years (Minus the Eastern Washington game in 2013 due to canceld flight and snow storms). Can any of you people who are so negative about this program say that! I hope that the next coach gets all the support from the Admin he needs for US to be successful. I know that I will be a big supporter of whoever it is, because thats what I do, SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM with my heart and soul. 

So whoever the next coach is, I am your biggest supporter. Go Tigers

Ed Molen

 

Ed, no one questions -- or even approximates -- your commitment to TU football. Believe it or not, those of us who have soured on Rob take no pleasure in the disappointing run since 2013 (two semi-successful Flacco years aside). But it's because we support the program that we applaud the change and the chance for better things to come. I look forward to seeing you next year in the stands.

3 hours ago, mat1992 said:

So you want him to say they suck? Every Coach doing these shows will always hype their opponents. You don’t want to give bulletin board material.

No, of course not. But I appreciate measured honesty: "Like a lot of first-year teams in the league -- including us back in 2003 -- Hampton has had its challenges. But they have some playmakers and we'll have our work cut out for us." (How's that? A long way from "they suck" but also a long way from making them sound formidable.)
 

Delaware hung with Duke in the first half, down by just six at the break. The Blue Devils put it in gear in the second half, blowing out the Hens. But I have to say that UDel has some nice pieces and looked smoother than we have for a good chunk of the game.