I agree the program is in trouble without any NIL resources. If nothing changes, we’re basically going to turn into a developmental team for programs that do have them. We were tied for the most MAC players lost to Power programs this past offseason, and on top of that we lost highly productive guys like Norton, T. Williams, and G. Smith to other G5 schools. The staff has done an excellent job identifying talent, bringing those kids in, and developing a large portion of them, but the reality is we won’t be able to keep them for long with the way the current landscape is moving. On top of that, I don’t think our win total has matched the talent level we’ve built over the last few years.
I was staunchly against the idea of moving to FCS. While that might solve a monetary deficit — and I can’t really speak to the numbers there — it’s certainly not guaranteed to field a more competitive product. Outside of Nebraska and Toledo, this team has been competitive, they just haven’t won, and that should rightfully sit uneasy with fans and stakeholders. My biggest issue with this year’s team has been quarterback play. Our starter hasn’t played up to his potential, and we don’t have a backup capable of keeping us in a game. How that’s the case in year four is beyond me. The defense had a terrible day as well, which just made things look that much worse.
Back to the FCS conversation — I believe a split is coming with the haves and have-nots anyway, so we’ll end up being forced into a different division organically. Who knows what that will look like, but the SEC and Big Ten are in the driver’s seat while the NCAA loses more control by the day.
I certainly don’t mean to turn this thread into one we basically already have going elsewhere, since none of us truly know what’s going to happen in the coming years and can only guess. That said, I thought I’d chime in because it does relate to our results this season and where the program is headed if nothing changes. Even so, I still believe we have enough talent to hang with every team left on our schedule, and I’m not giving this staff a free pass. We need to see better performances and results.