Watching this as a jmu fan. It has been interesting to hear both Ball State fans and UNC fans calling for ADs, coaches, etc. to be fired after playing us. There is talk in Harrisonburg about whether this is worth it. We pay a massive athletics fee every semester just to lose any player or coach that produces to a P5 programs in December. Beating ball state by 50 is nice but beating William and Mary by 50 when we were in the CAA used to be way more meaningful. I bet less than 2000 people in our stadium knew what state Ball State is in. We put so much money into this program and our reward is that it already looks like we will be needing to recruit an entirety new team and to start the search for a new coach again.
Can't speak for UNC, but the issues Ball State has been experiencing has been going on for years now, not just in response to the game this week. It was definitely a more even matchup when the game was actually scheduled years ago. Hard to track where programs will be on either side when you have to schedule so far in advance. Winning as a G5 team nowadays means exactly that, losing coaches and players with no recourse. Will always be that way until serious changes are made or you all find your way in power 5 program. Which even then without proper rules in place, will still result in the top programs poaching off the smaller ones. Best of luck to JMU the rest of the way. Great team who should be in contention for the G5 playoff spot all year!
Watching this as a jmu fan. It has been interesting to hear both Ball State fans and UNC fans calling for ADs, coaches, etc. to be fired after playing us.
There is talk in Harrisonburg about whether this is worth it. We pay a massive athletics fee every semester just to lose any player or coach that produces to a P5 programs in December. Beating ball state by 50 is nice but beating William and Mary by 50 when we were in the CAA used to be way more meaningful. I bet less than 2000 people in our stadium knew what state Ball State is in. We put so much money into this program and our reward is that it already looks like we will be needing to recruit an entirety new team and to start the search for a new coach again.
Can't speak for UNC, but the issues Ball State has been experiencing has been going on for years now, not just in response to the game this week. It was definitely a more even matchup when the game was actually scheduled years ago. Hard to track where programs will be on either side when you have to schedule so far in advance.
Winning as a G5 team nowadays means exactly that, losing coaches and players with no recourse. Will always be that way until serious changes are made or you all find your way in power 5 program. Which even then without proper rules in place, will still result in the top programs poaching off the smaller ones.
Best of luck to JMU the rest of the way. Great team who should be in contention for the G5 playoff spot all year!