FIU looks scary

[HelmutVII]

At one time FIU had the fifth largest enrollment in the nation, that may have changed if it has increased. Best I can remember, FAU has about 32000 or 35000 students. Both schools are bigger than LSU. With all the conference realignment going on, don't be surprised if one, or both, of those schools move up to CUSA or even the Big East or the ACC real soon because of their athletic budget and south Florida population and TV exposure. I don't think we stand a chance competing against those two big pluses they have.

[zephyr]

I am curious to see what FIU does the next couple of years. We've seen this trend in the SBC from several teams that tend to rise for a few years and then fall. Of course, you had North Texas at the beginning as they dominated the league even though they were not a very good team. However, you've seen teams like FAU, MTSU and now FIU that have had short spurts of good success. FAU is now considered one of the worst teams in America after Rusty Smith left and Schnell is considered a good coach and recruiter and has similar resources to FIU. MTSU has had some decent prolonged success with 3 straight bowl trips but they are no longer considered top tier SBC and FIU hasn't yet made any real waves in the recruiting world the past couple of years. I'm sure they've gotten some decent talent coming in but they haven't had what you'd consider to be top classes. Most of their impact players are seniors who have been playing since they were freshmen like Hilton and Perry when they were terrible. These players have progressed but I'm curious to see what happens when they are all gone. Next year, no Perry, no Carrol, no Hilton and a lot of their other playmakers.

[CajunRed]

Then in walks Hud. It looks to me like our time has arrived.

I am curious to see what FIU does the next couple of years. We've seen this trend in the SBC from several teams that tend to rise for a few years and then fall. Of course, you had North Texas at the beginning as they dominated the league even though they were not a very good team. However, you've seen teams like FAU, MTSU and now FIU that have had short spurts of good success. FAU is now considered one of the worst teams in America after Rusty Smith left and Schnell is considered a good coach and recruiter and has similar resources to FIU. MTSU has had some decent prolonged success with 3 straight bowl trips but they are no longer considered top tier SBC and FIU hasn't yet made any real waves in the recruiting world the past couple of years. I'm sure they've gotten some decent talent coming in but they haven't had what you'd consider to be top classes. Most of their impact players are seniors who have been playing since they were freshmen like Hilton and Perry when they were terrible. These players have progressed but I'm curious to see what happens when they are all gone. Next year, no Perry, no Carrol, no Hilton and a lot of their other playmakers.

[Bandwagon King]

I am curious to see what FIU does the next couple of years. We've seen this trend in the SBC from several teams that tend to rise for a few years and then fall. Of course, you had North Texas at the beginning as they dominated the league even though they were not a very good team. However, you've seen teams like FAU, MTSU and now FIU that have had short spurts of good success. FAU is now considered one of the worst teams in America after Rusty Smith left and Schnell is considered a good coach and recruiter and has similar resources to FIU. MTSU has had some decent prolonged success with 3 straight bowl trips but they are no longer considered top tier SBC and FIU hasn't yet made any real waves in the recruiting world the past couple of years. I'm sure they've gotten some decent talent coming in but they haven't had what you'd consider to be top classes. Most of their impact players are seniors who have been playing since they were freshmen like Hilton and Perry when they were terrible. These players have progressed but I'm curious to see what happens when they are all gone. Next year, no Perry, no Carrol, no Hilton and a lot of their other playmakers.

I think it depends on what Crystal Ball does. Is he going job hopping or staying home & revamping? Has he already revamped & nobody knows it yet? I think the recruiting gurus ranked their recruiting class above ours & we are already seeing how good this class can be. He reminds me of HUD. Could the new trend of the SBC to get the new young gun coaches that stay home for a while & really build a program up because the power conferences have to give such huge long term contracts to their guys when they steal them from other schools?

[CrappDaddy]

I'm definantly not a know it all but I called this two years ago. FIU has been recruiting very well and has had the largest athletic budget in the Sunbelt for a few years now. They have ample talent to work with in South Florida and are even coming into Louisiana and stealing recruits that we need to get. Take a look at our recruits, if they had an offer from FIU, you can bet your butt they are a good one. Jamal Robinson leaps to mind and there have been a few others but not many.

[Turbine]

Playing and winning on ESPN right now. They have excellent team speed. The Sunbelt continues to improve.

watching the game now on Xbox Live

[lcitsh]

Not to me they don't.

[Big Silly]

these florida schools, yeah huge, we used to compete with some of them, look at south fla., no 2 a few years ago.

we let it slip away back tehn, but we under new mgmt now. from the top.

[duggie85]

As a fan of a Sun Belt school, I was pretty embarrassed the way Cristobal ran around the field after the game. At least act like you expected to win.