Time to move on

[Kernel]

I have supported Ricky Bustle since the day he was hired and always thought he was the right man to turn the football program around. Well, I was wrong. Nearly four years later, the program is undeniably in better shape than it was when Baldwin left, but that's not saying much. The talent level has risen, but the wins have not come. We are still one of the very worst 1A programs year in, year out.

I've been reluctant to come to this point. I like Bustle and hoped he could get it done. Clearly he cannot. The latest example is a home field pounding by a terrible FAU team. Simply unacceptable.

I don't know what the answer is, but it has become obvious that it's not Ricky Bustle.

There seems to be some on this board that won't tolerate any criticism of the program, responding to anything negative by saying "we don't need fans like you." This is ridiculous. I'm an alum and have supported this program and university for many, many years. I'm not jumping ship. I say this because I want success. The program is going nowhere, 4+ years after Bustle arrived. We don't have to settle for this.

[shof]

I have supported Ricky Bustle since the day he was hired and always thought he was the right man to turn the football program around. Well, I was wrong. Nearly four years later, the program is undeniably in better shape than it was when Baldwin left, but that's not saying much. The talent level has risen, but the wins have not come. We are still one of the very worst 1A programs year in, year out.

I've been reluctant to come to this point. I like Bustle and hoped he could get it done. Clearly he cannot. The latest example is a home field pounding by a terrible FAU team. Simply unacceptable.

I don't know what the answer is, but it has become obvious that it's not Ricky Bustle.

There seems to be some on this board that won't tolerate any criticism of the program, responding to anything negative by saying "we don't need fans like you." This is ridiculous. I'm an alum and have supported this program and university for many, many years. I'm not jumping ship. I say this because I want success. The program is going nowhere, 4+ years after Bustle arrived. We don't have to settle for this.

Kernal,

I'm not a happy guy right now either; but let me ask you one question. How many losing seasons did Dickey have at UNT before they started winning back-to-back-to-back (you get my point) conference championships? They were ready to hang him over there 4 years ago, then BAM! they're winning. I'm not saying we're at that point; but I can hope so. We're just not at a point were we can lose an important piece of the puzzle (Babb) and not feel the effects. Many thought we were with M.D.; but it doesn't look like he was near ready.

Shof

[geo_cajun]

Kernal,

I'm not a happy guy right now either; but let me ask you one question. How many losing seasons did Dickey have at UNT before they started winning back-to-back-to-back (you get my point) conference championships? They were ready to hang him over there 4 years ago, then BAM! they're winning. I'm not saying we're at that point; but I can hope so. We're just not at a point were we can lose an important piece of the puzzle (Babb) and not feel the effects. Many thought we were with M.D.; but it doesn't look like he was near ready.

Shof

What does losing Babb have to do with us letting FAU put up 28 points?! On offense I agree, with Babb we have a great thing, but the defense had nothing.

[shof]

What does losing Babb have to do with us letting FAU put up 28 points?! On offense I agree, with Babb we have a great thing, but the defense had nothing.

When our offense (or any offense) starts going 3 and out, the defense starts staying on the field longer and longer. I don't have the stats with me; but check the time of poss. If it starts looking like 60/40 you can do the math. We are not that big and will get worn down and gassed. I believe that is why you saw the 4th qtr go down so fast. Not saying I'm right, just my opinion.

[geo_cajun]

When our offense (or any offense) starts going 3 and out, the defense starts staying on the field longer and longer. I don't have the stats with me; but check the time of poss. If it starts looking like 60/40 you can do the math. We are not that big and will get worn down and gassed. I believe that is why you saw the 4th qtr go down so fast. Not saying I'm right, just my opinion.

Ooops, my bad. I see your reasoning, and it makes sense. I agree with you.

[TheRaginCajun06]

I have supported Ricky Bustle since the day he was hired and always thought he was the right man to turn the football program around. Well, I was wrong. Nearly four years later, the program is undeniably in better shape than it was when Baldwin left, but that's not saying much. The talent level has risen, but the wins have not come. We are still one of the very worst 1A programs year in, year out.

I've been reluctant to come to this point. I like Bustle and hoped he could get it done. Clearly he cannot. The latest example is a home field pounding by a terrible FAU team. Simply unacceptable.

I don't know what the answer is, but it has become obvious that it's not Ricky Bustle.

There seems to be some on this board that won't tolerate any criticism of the program, responding to anything negative by saying "we don't need fans like you." This is ridiculous. I'm an alum and have supported this program and university for many, many years. I'm not jumping ship. I say this because I want success. The program is going nowhere, 4+ years after Bustle arrived. We don't have to settle for this.

I guess after 10 years diehard Cajun fans don't see this as a big deal. I on the other hand think this season meant a whole lot.

UL hasn't done ANYTHING spectacular in 4 years, but win one more game than the year before.

UL attendance has risen steadily, because the University has backed this team up. Going to the games are fun, but man when you lose this much there ain't much fun about the games. UL's budget doesn't allow us to do much, yet we found a way to get our average attendance over 15,000. Bustles job was simple... get the Cajuns to .500 this year. What makes this team worst than last year? Discipline. These guys don't have any.

[CajunProud]

Kernal,

I'm not a happy guy right now either; but let me ask you one question. How many losing seasons did Dickey have at UNT before they started winning back-to-back-to-back (you get my point) conference championships? They were ready to hang him over there 4 years ago, then BAM! they're winning. I'm not saying we're at that point; but I can hope so. We're just not at a point were we can lose an important piece of the puzzle (Babb) and not feel the effects. Many thought we were with M.D.; but it doesn't look like he was near ready.

Shof

I have to agree with Kernel. I too was excited about Bustle, and he has done some posotive things. But losing to team that has only been in existence for 5 years is unacceptable.

And Shof, you may be correct about UNT, but winning in the scrub belt and getting your ~~~ handed to you in a pathetic bowl game isn't my idea of success. Don't get me wrong, I would take that kind of "success" at this point, but it sure isn't saying much.

I have said it before on many different threads, and I will say it until I see it come to fruition, no matter how unpopular a view it is, but this football program, as well as the entire athletic program, will never see its full potential until the man at the top is gone. He may be a nice man, but he has done almost irrevocable damage to the athletic program.

[HoustonCajun]

When our offense (or any offense) starts going 3 and out, the defense starts staying on the field longer and longer. I don't have the stats with me; but check the time of poss. If it starts looking like 60/40 you can do the math. We are not that big and will get worn down and gassed. I believe that is why you saw the 4th qtr go down so fast. Not saying I'm right, just my opinion.

My concern is that defense has never appeared to be a priority for Bustle. He doesn't recruit defensive linemen and those he does recruit are Div. II size. We can't compete if we don't play defense and have the players to do so at this level.

[shof]

My concern is that defense has never appeared to be a priority for Bustle. He doesn't recruit defensive linemen and those he does recruit are Div. II size. We can't compete if we don't play defense and have the players to do so at this level.

Does he not recruit them, or are there just not enough to go around? I've heard several others say the same about their teams. Seems the limited supply of good, big linemen always go to the bigger (BCS) schools, leaving the smaller programs to get players they hope will "grow" while at the school. I don't recall us ever being too big on the D-line. We've had a little better luck on the O-line side. I'd like to see bigger, better linemen too; but too many with take being an also-ran at a BCS school than take a chance on someone like us. At least until we start winning. Sounds a little like the chicken and egg theory. What comes first, winning or getting better players?

[HoustonCajun]

Does he not recruit them, or are there just not enough to go around? I've heard several others say the same about their teams. Seems the limited supply of good, big linemen always go to the bigger (BCS) schools, leaving the smaller programs to get players they hope will "grow" while at the school. I don't recall us ever being too big on the D-line. We've had a little better luck on the O-line side. I'd like to see bigger, better linemen too; but too many with take being an also-ran at a BCS school than take a chance on someone like us. At least until we start winning. Sounds a little like the chicken and egg theory. What comes first, winning or getting better players?

I'm not a football coach, but it seems to me we should consider switching to a 3-4 defense next year. If big linemen are a problem for us, let's have fewer down linemen and more quicker, mobile linebackers. We will never progress to a winning season if our defense doesn't improve. We have had the worse rushing defense in the country since Bustle has been at UL. Year after year it is the same thing. We play with 6 ft. 275 defensive tackles and get killed in the trenches game after game. We can recruit 6'5" 300 lbs. offensive tackles easily enough, why not defensive tackles? Why don't we convert some of our offensive linemen to defense? I know we need depth on the offensiv line, but on defense not only do we not have depth, we don't have quality starters. I certainly don't have a solution, I'm just pointing out a long standing problem at UL.

I know the BCS schools get the better players for the most part, but other mid-major programs seem to be able to recruit big defensive linemen. Just look at USM, Houston, etc. We need to do a better recruiting job and/or better utilize our existing talent.

[shof]

I'm not a football coach, but it seems to me we should consider switching to a 3-4 defense next year. If big linemen are a problem for us, let's have fewer down linemen and more quicker, mobile linebackers. We will never progress to a winning season if our defense doesn't improve. We have had the worse rushing defense in the country since Bustle has been at UL. Year after year it is the same thing. We play with 6 ft. 275 defensive tackles and get killed in the trenches game after game. We can recruit 6'5" 300 lbs. offensive tackles easily enough, why not defensive tackles? Why don't we convert some of our offensive linemen to defense? I know we need depth on the offensiv line, but on defense not only do we not have depth, we don't have quality starters. I certainly don't have a solution, I'm just pointing out a long standing problem at UL.

I know the BCS schools get the better players for the most part, but other mid-major programs seem to be able to recruit big defensive linemen. Just look at USM, Houston, etc. We need to do a better recruiting job and/or better utilize our existing talent.

Well, I'm not a coach either but I suspect you still need 3 pretty big boys to employ the 3-4; and a good batch of LBs too. However, that might be easier to do than trying to run a 4-3 with undersized guys. Not too sure how many D-1 schools successfully use a 3-4; just don't follow others that close. So you either need the bigger guys up front, or more physical LBs behind them to make the 3-4 work well. Oh well, you dance with whom you brung.

[studentfan]

Running a 3-4 scheme requires having 4 good LB's and some good depth to back up those LB's in case 1 or 2 get hurt or have to switch during the game. The LB's we have right now have raw talent but very little experience behind them. After the current LB's we have there's not much behind them (I think). At this point employing a 3-4 scheme is impossible, unless we can get 1-2 juco LB's this offseason along with the current LB's we have. That's just my opinion.