Why can't we be like Troy?

[Lee Adams]

Was watching Troy at MTSU the other night and got curious.

Troy went from D-II to I-AA to I-A in about 13 years. Hit I-A 2001. They have had the same coach, Lrry Blakeney, for 20 years. Imagine that! They won I-AA championships. Since 2000 their record is 70-50. Since 2005,a reasonable reference for Akron fans,the number of wins in each season has been 4,7,8,8 and 9. Their 'sacrifice' games have been against teams like Florida,Florida State,Nebraska

Arkansas,Georgia Tech,Oklahoma State,LSU,South Carolina,Missouri and oh yes The Ohio State University. They went to bowl games in 04,06,08 and 09. Now we know that the Sunbelt and the MAC are generally regarded as the overall worst football conferences. Put them in whatever order you want. But would someone from the AD in Akron please put in a call to the AD at Troy and find out how they have done it?

[ZachTheZip]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

[johnnyzip84]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

Don't tell this to the folks on "the Plains". They might not bother to show for the Iron Bowl this year.

I agree that Troy is no better than an upper MAC team. But they DID make the journey from D-2 to D-1 in a relatively quick period.

[Z.I.P.]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

Don't tell this to the folks on "the Plains". They might not bother to show for the Iron Bowl this year.

I agree that Troy is no better than an upper MAC team. But they DID make the journey from D-2 to D-1 in a relatively quick period.

Right! I'm taking UAB to win the Iron Bowl this year. As I recall, Troy couldn't beat BGSU at home.

[johnnyzip84]

Why can't we be like Troy? I'd say we're half way towards BEATING him -->

Per Wikipedia:

Aikman's NFL career started with a 28–0 loss to the New Orleans Saints. The following week, Aikman threw his first touchdown pass, a 65-yard completion to Michael Irvin, but the Atlanta Falcons intercepted two passes and won. In a game against the Phoenix Cardinals he threw for 379 yards to set an NFL rookie record.[3] He finished 1989 with an 0-11 record as a starter, completing 155 of 293 passes for 1,749 yards, 9 TDs, 18 INTs.

Now if we could only have our story end the same way as Aikman's career!

[skip-zip]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

Umm..You may have forgotten about Auburn.

[mivid12]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green

...and akron's a crappy team in a crappy conference

[ZachTheZip]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

Umm..You may have forgotten about Auburn.

Thought they were in Mississippi.

[GP1]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

Umm..You may have forgotten about Auburn.

Thought they were in Mississippi.

Ever hear of the Egg Bowl?

[ZachTheZip]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

Umm..You may have forgotten about Auburn.

Thought they were in Mississippi.

Ever hear of the Egg Bowl?

That some kind of omelet?

[GP1]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

Umm..You may have forgotten about Auburn.

Thought they were in Mississippi.

Ever hear of the Egg Bowl?

That some kind of omelet?

No, it's the yearly clash of SEC West midgets..... Miss vs. Miss State. Let's not forget So. Miss.

[Atlanta Trojan]

They're a decent team in a terrible conference. That makes them look great. They look like a upper-half MAC team. Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

They're also one of only two FBS teams in a football-crazed state. Not much competition for fans, recruits or coverage. While as Akron has two BCS and five other MAC schools in just our state.

First of all, good evening Akron fans. Though I would come on here and do some correcting to this thread.

If you think Alabama only has 2 FBS teams, Troy and Alabama your VERY misinformed! Alabama currently has 4 FBS teams Alabama, Auburn, Troy, and UAB. In 2012 there will be 5, with the addition to the University of South Alabama in Mobile. There is also a 6th Team looking to move up very soon as well (Jacksonville State) who just beat Mississippi. We have plenty of teams to recruit against here I promise you this!

Also Bowling Green did not beat us at home. They lost 30-27 in Troy this year....We seem to always lay atleast 1 EGG game a year. This year was C-USA rival UAB! Last Year was to Bowling Green at Bowling Green.

I agree both conference are crappy. Not sure which one is worse honestly. It shows both conferences are about on the same page when the MAC and SBC went head to head last year in the GMAC bowl. Very good tight contest. Although I still feel like we should have beaten Central Michigan we didnt. What can you do o well.

[GoZips]

Was watching Troy at MTSU the other night and got curious.

Troy went from D-II to I-AA to I-A in about 13 years. Hit I-A 2001. They have had the same coach, Lrry Blakeney, for 20 years. Imagine that! They won I-AA championships. Since 2000 their record is 70-50. Since 2005,a reasonable reference for Akron fans,the number of wins in each season has been 4,7,8,8 and 9. Their 'sacrifice' games have been against teams like Florida,Florida State,Nebraska

Arkansas,Georgia Tech,Oklahoma State,LSU,South Carolina,Missouri and oh yes The Ohio State University. They went to bowl games in 04,06,08 and 09. Now we know that the Sunbelt and the MAC are generally regarded as the overall worst football conferences. Put them in whatever order you want. But would someone from the AD in Akron please put in a call to the AD at Troy and find out how they have done it?

Only took two things: they cheat (and been caught) and boatloads of cash.

[BMarkey]

What an uneducated comment!

Troy has never cheated and has never been accused of or found guilty of cheating.

As for "boatloads of cash", Troy has one of the smaller budgets in I-A, and its coach is one of the lowest paid coaches in I-A.

Troy is good about maximizing the use of its dollars. Veterans Stadium (30,000), with some of the nicest suites and Stadium Club in football, was built with a lot of sponsorship dollars. The new basketball arena, now being built, is being funded by historically low interest bond loans, as are a new fraternity row, collage of education, dining and leisure facilities, new dorms and the like. The new baseball stadium, one of the best in the South, was built almost entirely with donations.

Troy has less than 7,000 students on campus (30,000-plus in the system) in a town of 15,000. It is very frugal with its limited budget.

Oh, and Troy did beat Bowling Green this year. Other Sun Belt teams (including third or fourth place FAU) have taken down the MAC champ.

Was watching Troy at MTSU the other night and got curious.

Troy went from D-II to I-AA to I-A in about 13 years. Hit I-A 2001. They have had the same coach, Lrry Blakeney, for 20 years. Imagine that! They won I-AA championships. Since 2000 their record is 70-50. Since 2005,a reasonable reference for Akron fans,the number of wins in each season has been 4,7,8,8 and 9. Their 'sacrifice' games have been against teams like Florida,Florida State,Nebraska

Arkansas,Georgia Tech,Oklahoma State,LSU,South Carolina,Missouri and oh yes The Ohio State University. They went to bowl games in 04,06,08 and 09. Now we know that the Sunbelt and the MAC are generally regarded as the overall worst football conferences. Put them in whatever order you want. But would someone from the AD in Akron please put in a call to the AD at Troy and find out how they have done it?

Only took two things: they cheat (and been caught) and boatloads of cash.

[K92]

Might as well ask why we can't be like Bowling Green or NIU.

Why can't we be like Bowling Green or NIU? No joke.