TexGator

I'm actually intrigued that we haven't heard anything. This makes me think O'Malley is working this like the operator he is. He had a coach already lined up before he'd officially let Brooks go because he knew he was making the move.

The real way we know they're trying to look down on the SLC is that they didn't find a way to keep their chief rival on the schedule. They could have kept the "Battle of the Piney Woods" going but they turned their back on it in favor of the paychecks for being an "FBS School" Given that they were last in FBS attendance last year from playing their games at Shell Energy their boosters are probably strapped.

They still have to get their 24 credits annually. Regardless of what they're doing, they're still likely taking 3 classes a semester (and 2 online summer classes- most of their classes are probably online). Getting back to the "hired gun" thing- it makes the need for a coach who can connect with the players where they feel like "he's MY coach"

I'd like that as well. It'd take a special situation for me to vary from the first two. The rest are non-negotiables. I'm fine with you being a cerebral coach where we don't see you going to town on the dry erase board during the breaks. But you have to work them in practice like Pop worked the Spurs where you can say two sentences on a break (or even send in the word with a sub) and the team makes an adjustment that leads to a 17-3 run.

You are correct. Since (cheating) Tom Abatemarco left for Drake the program has been middling at best.

Among the "Power Program Assistant" options the two most obvious names are: - Brandon Chappell (Ozen and Lamar alum; former assistant) - Mikhail McLean (former Lamar assistant- played and assisted under Sampson)

I'm start the ball rolling. I'm looking at the success that smaller college coaches have when making the jump and sort of wanting the next Ben McCollum- successful on the D2 (or even D3) level and uses Lamar as a steppingstone to a bigger job. The thing is that I can't really find that consistent success on the D2 level other than the guy at Nova Southeastern (who is about 70YO). Margenthaler at Minnesota State is a consistent 20-win coach with a recent title... but that's his only playoff appearance since before COVID. Ballard at Washburn has a good pedigree- played under Roy Williams and coached under Bill Self (I could easily be sold on him). Looks like Flickner at Dallas Baptist is also a former player under Roy Williams and has some success as well (Final Four in 2025).

Since it's been confirmed that Alvin Brooks won't be returning, it's time to talk about what we see as the new direction. If the rumors are true the new coach will have a good NIL budget to pull from. Do you see them going after an assistant from a power conference school? Up and coming coach from a smaller program? You tell me.

If the NIL budget is growing that much it tells me that Brooks wasn't schmoozing like he needed- the money was there and Brooks wasn't shaking the right hands. Honest question- is there any reason David Green hasn't been tapped in the past? The man is 1 win away from his 5th State Semifinal in 6 years (since the "State Tournament" is now just the SCG I can't say the "State Tournament"... that's 2 wins away for him and his T-wolves)

Looks like a lot of talent. Now to see them learn to play together so we can keep the progress going. 2023: a loss against Nicholls away from a conference title 2024: a loss to SE Louisiana away from a likely playoff spot 2025: a 1st Round FCS Playoff spot (and a loss to McNeese from probably HOSTING their playoff game) Time to get some playoff wins.

Talked with one of his coaches. He was a DT through his Junior year... then the coaches saw something and switched him to the O-Line and he exploded. Great kid. Coachable. Great family. (all the things you hear in coachspeak but to the next level with him) Oh, and remember that, since he was a DT at Katy, his position coach is a guy who has sent a dozen guys to FBS programs and multiple to the NFL (like the Bills' Ed Oliver). He's going to be a leader on the field in the in the locker room. Don't be surprised if he's a captain his sophomore year.

Great signees. Hate losing the guys we did but the new talent (both on NSD and from the portal) are going to be really good. A few more "big nasties" in the trenches and I'm down for season tickets in the chairbacks. Few things more beautiful in sports than a football team that can just impose their will and eat up the clock to keep the defense rested. A "1-play, 96-yard bomb" is nice... but it puts the Defense back on the field so quickly. Give me an offense that can convert four 3rd Downs on a drive to destroy the opponent's will. 3rd and 2? Get 3. 3rd and 14? Get 15. Regardless of the circumstances... just win. The Southland is proving itself to be a 3-bid league. If we'd beaten UIW or McNeese- we'd have played at home against ACU. Do that and beat SFA- we'd have gotten a bye. We're already elite. Now is the time to take the next step.

While we're the official underdog, what do y'all think about how the game will go? I think we have a decent shot. ACU is a strong team but the 1st Round is always a toss-up, since it's usually the week of Thanksgiving and those in the know are keenly aware that Thanksgiving Week for HS and College is a unique animal.

Definitely. 8-4 Facility upgrades A roster with over 50 freshmen on it who have learned how to win as a team. We have a lot of talented guys who are making their final push for immortality but they have helped weave the fabric of what it means to be a Lamar Cardinal. These upgrades will make it where Rossomando's pitch will be more meaningful.

The attendance numbers don't seem to currently necessitate expansion. The updated locker rooms = a great step, but I don't think adding seating even to get to a full 20K is needed until the Golden Triangle community starts to show up. Now, if they start scheduling home games against schools that travel well, that's a different story. Doing the math, if we add 4K to the East Side, at $50/seat, that'd be an extra $200K/game in revenue that has to be shared with the visitor, depending on the contract... so it's not necessarily a straight dollars-and-cents decision. Whether it's getting a H&H (or even 2-for-1) against a G5 school or a SWAC school that travels, there just isn't the demand to spend what would probably be over $20M to upgrade the East Side of PUS. Spending money just to "upgrade" is what gets you what Sam Houston is dealing with this year- $70M to not add any additional seating (at least the last time I checked, the price had increased to that... and the seating capacity wasn't being expanded). All for the low, low price of: - articles ridiculing the turnout - games 90 minutes from campus - being the #2 team on the ESPN Bottom 10 for weeks O'Malley is working on the student/fan experience with the on-field success being the most important part of it. Here's to hoping the improvements continue. Now, Rice doing it is potentially advantageous for them because they can't get schools to come to them w/o the promise the game will be sold to NRG (when was the last time UT, TAMU, OU, or LSU played in Rice Stadium? Without checking every year's schedule, I'd guess 1997, when Texas showed up).