What has to happen for UD to make the playoffs?

[SpeedkingATL]

Need to win the SDSU game and win at least 2/3 of the tough CAA games on the road...a very tall order. I expect the CAA will beat each other up this year much like the SoCon used to do. One or 2 CAA teams could make the playoffs with 7 wins under the expanded format.

UD still has DII West Chester on our schedule. If we finish with 7 wins...only 6 DI wins, I think the Hens are sitting home.

I forgot about the Div II game; you mght be correct, but it still depends on how the season plays out. I think the committe would have had a tough time finding 4 more "deserving" teams last year to get to 20 and even with the one Div II game, Delaware's schedule is more difficult that those of most of the schools fighting for a spot. At least IMO strenght of schedule means alot.

[bjtheflamesfan]

Looking at the schedule Id say no worse than 8 wins gets you in because of the West Chester matchup. 7 puts you on the ragged edge due to the high place the CAA holds in FCS football

[UD77]

Pretty much has been established already that you need 7 D1 wins. UD will need 8 wins (West Chester included) to make it in the play-offs, if at all depending on other deserving teams. Playing Richmond, W&M, JMU away, Maine, UMess, Nova at home will be pretty difficult schedule. That is why I don't have much of a problem with UD having other OCC 1AA games that might not be considered top of the line competition (although SDSU -certainly is not considered that). My comments link back to an old topic on GoHens site that had to do with scheduling. Our coach has indicated that he would rather have OCC competition that was willing to come to UD stadium rather than us getting the 1A payday and most likely getting beat. The current environment in CAA being pretty tough to live through and make the play-offs. I as a season ticket holder Love home games. Hopefully this does not expose you all to the cupcake thread """""........ exposure. Keep your head down.

[GannonFan]

Pretty much has been established already that you need 7 D1 wins. UD will need 8 wins (West Chester included) to make it in the play-offs, if at all depending on other deserving teams. Playing Richmond, W&M, JMU away, Maine, UMess, Nova at home will be pretty difficult schedule. That is why I don't have much of a problem with UD having other OCC 1AA games that might not be considered top of the line competition (although SDSU -certainly is not considered that). My comments link back to an old topic on GoHens site that had to do with scheduling. Our coach has indicated that he would rather have OCC competition that was willing to come to UD stadium rather than us getting the 1A payday and most likely getting beat. The current environment in CAA being pretty tough to live through and make the play-offs. I as a season ticket holder Love home games. Hopefully this does not expose you all to the cupcake thread """""........ exposure. Keep your head down.

It's not just the coach, and since the coach doesn't make the schedule, it doesn't matter much. The AD sets the schedule and Muir and Edgar before him have been quite clear that UD makes a lot of money off of home games, and often much more than what anything other than a top-line FBS school could pay (i.e. Delaware loses money playing at Navy versus playing a home game versus anyone). Considering the University is really pushing the UDAF and they obviously want to significantly increase revenues, the coach could advocate for an entirely different schedule (i.e. play anyone anywhere) and it would fall on deaf ears. UD, like Montana (and probably Appy) is one of just a handful of schools that can make a lot of money by just playing home games, and they appear to intend on doing just that. It's not my particular philosophy and I'd like some changes, but I'm not the AD.

West Chester goes off the schedule following the 2011 game, and they'll be replaced with an FCS team. I doubt we'll see more than one really good OOC team per year going forward. There'll be a lot of NEC and Patriot and MEAC teams going forward. But UD needs to take care of business within the CAA to be good and they haven't done that often enough over the past 5 years for anyone to be happy.

[BDKJMU]

Tough schedule...

South Dakota State, at Richmond, at James Madison, at William & Mary, at Massachusetts, Villanova

Whether or not they make the playoffs could easily come down to one of two plays in a couple of games and how the breaks go for them...

Least difficult schedule in the CAA. Only CAA team to play no I-A and only CAA team to play a Div II. Its possible might not see any I-A wins out of the CAA this yr. If so, every CAA team plays 10 I-AA games. UD is the only one that you can say is highly likely to get a bid going 7-3 vs I-AA.

[Tubby Raymond]

Pretty much has been established already that you need 7 D1 wins. UD will need 8 wins (West Chester included) to make it in the play-offs, if at all depending on other deserving teams. Playing Richmond, W&M, JMU away, Maine, UMess, Nova at home will be pretty difficult schedule. That is why I don't have much of a problem with UD having other OCC 1AA games that might not be considered top of the line competition (although SDSU -certainly is not considered that). My comments link back to an old topic on GoHens site that had to do with scheduling. Our coach has indicated that he would rather have OCC competition that was willing to come to UD stadium rather than us getting the 1A payday and most likely getting beat. The current environment in CAA being pretty tough to live through and make the play-offs. I as a season ticket holder Love home games. Hopefully this does not expose you all to the cupcake thread """""........ exposure. Keep your head down.

It's not just the coach, and since the coach doesn't make the schedule, it doesn't matter much. The AD sets the schedule and Muir and Edgar before him have been quite clear that UD makes a lot of money off of home games, and often much more than what anything other than a top-line FBS school could pay (i.e. Delaware loses money playing at Navy versus playing a home game versus anyone). Considering the University is really pushing the UDAF and they obviously want to significantly increase revenues, the coach could advocate for an entirely different schedule (i.e. play anyone anywhere) and it would fall on deaf ears. UD, like Montana (and probably Appy) is one of just a handful of schools that can make a lot of money by just playing home games, and they appear to intend on doing just that. It's not my particular philosophy and I'd like some changes, but I'm not the AD.

West Chester goes off the schedule following the 2011 game, and they'll be replaced with an FCS team. I doubt we'll see more than one really good OOC team per year going forward. There'll be a lot of NEC and Patriot and MEAC teams going forward. But UD needs to take care of business within the CAA to be good and they haven't done that often enough over the past 5 years for anyone to be happy.

Are you really saying that KC's preferances aren't integrated into the thinking of the AD? AS KC is the public face of the program and has been abundantly clear about his preferances, the adminstration is hard pressed to move in an entirely different direction from him.

Obvioulsy the AD is the final decisionmaker, but to say KC's position/preferance "doesn't matter" is a gross oversimplification, and I guessing here since I'm not a part of the inner workings, but inaccurate as well.

What changes would you like to see GF?

[GannonFan]

It's not just the coach, and since the coach doesn't make the schedule, it doesn't matter much. The AD sets the schedule and Muir and Edgar before him have been quite clear that UD makes a lot of money off of home games, and often much more than what anything other than a top-line FBS school could pay (i.e. Delaware loses money playing at Navy versus playing a home game versus anyone). Considering the University is really pushing the UDAF and they obviously want to significantly increase revenues, the coach could advocate for an entirely different schedule (i.e. play anyone anywhere) and it would fall on deaf ears. UD, like Montana (and probably Appy) is one of just a handful of schools that can make a lot of money by just playing home games, and they appear to intend on doing just that. It's not my particular philosophy and I'd like some changes, but I'm not the AD.

West Chester goes off the schedule following the 2011 game, and they'll be replaced with an FCS team. I doubt we'll see more than one really good OOC team per year going forward. There'll be a lot of NEC and Patriot and MEAC teams going forward. But UD needs to take care of business within the CAA to be good and they haven't done that often enough over the past 5 years for anyone to be happy.

Are you really saying that KC's preferances aren't integrated into the thinking of the AD? AS KC is the public face of the program and has been abundantly clear about his preferances, the adminstration is hard pressed to move in an entirely different direction from him.

Obvioulsy the AD is the final decisionmaker, but to say KC's position/preferance "doesn't matter" is a gross oversimplification, and I guessing here since I'm not a part of the inner workings, but inaccurate as well.

What changes would you like to see GF?

I'm saying that the move to play more home games as one-time home only deals (with no return games) was already decided before KC was even thought of as a coach at UD. Ask Lehigh about UD's approach with them when they tried to restart a series with UD after Lehigh dropped them in the mid 80's. Once it became clear that UD could make a lot of money by playing home games and that there were FCS teams willing to give UD a one game series at Newark, UD's AD (Edgar) decided to pursue those. There are other public faces to UD other than the football coach and Edgar and Muir after him have been very clear what they prefer. And since KC works for them and since they are actually the ones responsible for the schedule, I lay the blame/credit at their feet. Sure KC gets to have an opinion - every head coach does. But people when they complain about the schedule almost entirely lay it at KC's feet (he's doing it to pad his resume for instance) - if UD wasn't making money playing those games then they wouldn't play them, regardless of what KC thinks.

I've already said what I would change - play one patsy (non-DII) a year (for that I include a team like DSU), I'd play a good FCS team (from a power conference - SoCon or MVC) and every other year or every 3 play an FBS team (a beatable one, like Temple, not just a payday. Navy-type is fine, just would like to have variety). And I wouldn't shy away from playing plenty of home games - we can do it, unlike 98% of the rest of FCS, so use that to our advantage - it'd be silly not to do that.

[YoUDeeMan]

Welcome aboard trentonhen...good to see a well reasoned Hen on board.

Not sure where your post went, but it is good to see you hopping on board with a good sense of humor!

[AssKickinChicken]

I've already said what I would change - play one patsy (non-DII) a year (for that I include a team like DSU), I'd play a good FCS team (from a power conference - SoCon or MVC) and every other year or every 3 play an FBS team (a beatable one, like Temple, not just a payday. Navy-type is fine, just would like to have variety). And I wouldn't shy away from playing plenty of home games - we can do it, unlike 98% of the rest of FCS, so use that to our advantage - it'd be silly not to do that.

UD's OOC schedule isn't what irritates me, it's their failure to compete successfully vs the CAA that has me very concerned. Over the past five years, UD has a combined record of 17-23 (.425%) vs CAA opponents. That is less than mediocre and should be unacceptable to ALL Hen fans. That ineptness vs CAA schools has to change, beginning this season.

[GannonFan]

I've already said what I would change - play one patsy (non-DII) a year (for that I include a team like DSU), I'd play a good FCS team (from a power conference - SoCon or MVC) and every other year or every 3 play an FBS team (a beatable one, like Temple, not just a payday. Navy-type is fine, just would like to have variety). And I wouldn't shy away from playing plenty of home games - we can do it, unlike 98% of the rest of FCS, so use that to our advantage - it'd be silly not to do that.

UD's OOC schedule isn't what irritates me, it's their failure to compete successfully vs the CAA that has me very concerned. Over the past five years, UD has a combined record of 17-23 (.425%) vs CAA opponents. That is less than mediocre and should be unacceptable to ALL Hen fans. That ineptness vs CAA schools has to change, beginning this season.

I agree - '06 and '08 were absolutely awful seasons. Those types of seasons should never, ever happen. I wasn't so much concerned about '05 (only year with real injury issues, and at least in that year we actually seemed to be able to make adjustments and utilize what we had left - one of the only years I've seen the current coaching staff adapt following adversity). And '09 wasn't as discouraging as it was made out to be - just happened to be a year where the CAA was at an all-time high and we weren't part of it. But even then, only the JMU game was the real disappointing game.

While that sounds like excuse making, it isn't. Like I said, '06 and '08 were just truly awful, and even one of them would be cause for concern. They can't happen again. But just grouping all 5 years together tends to miss the details - the other 2 bad years weren't even close to the level of awfulness and had plenty of things to be encouraged about. Of course, that still gets us back to the point that '10 needs to be a great year - no excuses about that.

[Bluehen05]

I agree - '06 and '08 were absolutely awful seasons. Those types of seasons should never, ever happen. I wasn't so much concerned about '05 (only year with real injury issues, and at least in that year we actually seemed to be able to make adjustments and utilize what we had left - one of the only years I've seen the current coaching staff adapt following adversity). And '09 wasn't as discouraging as it was made out to be - just happened to be a year where the CAA was at an all-time high and we weren't part of it. But even then, only the JMU game was the real disappointing game.
While that sounds like excuse making, it isn't. Like I said, '06 and '08 were just truly awful, and even one of them would be cause for concern. They can't happen again. But just grouping all 5 years together tends to miss the details - the other 2 bad years weren't even close to the level of awfulness and had plenty of things to be encouraged about. Of course, that still gets us back to the point that '10 needs to be a great year - no excuses about that.

GF - I Agree. Not trying to blame anyone, but that FG goes in vs. Richmond and they whole season looks a lot different at 7-4 and a win over the #1 team.