Post by trojan2003 on Feb 17, 2018 2:06:10 GMT -6
I was reading this article and had to think about how far we have come despite the limited ressources... and IIRC we have the smallest on-campus enrollment next to West Point btw.
Since 2001, Troy has played in 7 bowl games so far, won 6 conference championships, significantly upgraded VMS twice (second updgrade nearly done), beaten P5 programs such as LSU, Mizzou, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, managed to crack the Top 25 (2016), produced two highly ranked first round NFL draft picks and many more (and more recently three Super Bowl winners who actually played and contributed). We now regularly host teams like Miss St, Missouri, Oklahoma St, Boise St, NC State, and Duke, Navy, Marshall, Southern Miss, etc...
Only Marshall, Boise St, Southern Miss, Fresno St and UCF have achieved more, however it took UCF more years, and Marshall got lucky with WVa product Randy Moss being on their roster. USM benefited from the earlier college fb landscape which allowed for better recruiting, playing more brand names (old CUSA), but we are on par with them now (same applies to Tulsa and Tulane). FAU is now at a point where they might surpass us, so was WKU a few years ago. LA Tech was succesful many years ago, but we have surpassed them. Not sure about Northern Illinois and SD State, too many ups and downs.
There are so many more teams who have been longer in "1A" than us (UAB, MTSU, ArkSt, ULL, ULM, UNT, ...) but they somehow can't get it done... ArkSt is getting closer though.
So what's the secret? Money, vision, timing? I believe it's having tradition and history which transfers to the next level... programs like FIU, GA St, TX St, USA, UAB, even UNT are struggling despite some location advantages while programs like Boise St, Marshall, Troy are succesful at every level (having long-time coaches during the transition phase seems also important)... so let's see if we can get to the next level and become a Boise State type of program. Btw, I think we are more comparable to East Carolina now, they also have achieved a lot against all odds, and they just keep progressing...
[...] If Troy could do it, why couldn't FAMU, right? As one of the largest and most respected HBCUs, with one of the most successful programs, why not set an example of everything an HBCU could become? Why not make the leap to the eventual FBS? [...]
Timing is everything. Sometimes the jump goes smoothly, as it has for Appalachian State and Georgia Southern. Sometimes you stumble out of the gates, like Florida International or Western Kentucky. [...]
That time FAMU nearly made it in college football's top level, but the timing was all wrong
www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/5/4/11429522/florida-am-football-history-billy-joe-jake-gaither
Timing is everything. Sometimes the jump goes smoothly, as it has for Appalachian State and Georgia Southern. Sometimes you stumble out of the gates, like Florida International or Western Kentucky. [...]
That time FAMU nearly made it in college football's top level, but the timing was all wrong
www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/5/4/11429522/florida-am-football-history-billy-joe-jake-gaither
Since 2001, Troy has played in 7 bowl games so far, won 6 conference championships, significantly upgraded VMS twice (second updgrade nearly done), beaten P5 programs such as LSU, Mizzou, Oklahoma State, Mississippi State, managed to crack the Top 25 (2016), produced two highly ranked first round NFL draft picks and many more (and more recently three Super Bowl winners who actually played and contributed). We now regularly host teams like Miss St, Missouri, Oklahoma St, Boise St, NC State, and Duke, Navy, Marshall, Southern Miss, etc...
Only Marshall, Boise St, Southern Miss, Fresno St and UCF have achieved more, however it took UCF more years, and Marshall got lucky with WVa product Randy Moss being on their roster. USM benefited from the earlier college fb landscape which allowed for better recruiting, playing more brand names (old CUSA), but we are on par with them now (same applies to Tulsa and Tulane). FAU is now at a point where they might surpass us, so was WKU a few years ago. LA Tech was succesful many years ago, but we have surpassed them. Not sure about Northern Illinois and SD State, too many ups and downs.
There are so many more teams who have been longer in "1A" than us (UAB, MTSU, ArkSt, ULL, ULM, UNT, ...) but they somehow can't get it done... ArkSt is getting closer though.
So what's the secret? Money, vision, timing? I believe it's having tradition and history which transfers to the next level... programs like FIU, GA St, TX St, USA, UAB, even UNT are struggling despite some location advantages while programs like Boise St, Marshall, Troy are succesful at every level (having long-time coaches during the transition phase seems also important)... so let's see if we can get to the next level and become a Boise State type of program. Btw, I think we are more comparable to East Carolina now, they also have achieved a lot against all odds, and they just keep progressing...