Mickey Matthews on hot seat?

[BDKJMU]

Credit to Mickey Matthews....he won the national title in 2004, which is more than most teams and programs can say, but outside of that season and the great 2008 season that they had, they haven't accomplished much. I mean the NC is a big plus on the resume but other than that they've made the playoffs like what 4 times in the last 13 years?

You credit "NC" as a big plus on the resume. Not sure if you meant beating Virginia Tech (as we got crused by UNC this year). And yes, beating VT was a big win. But your other point is well taken...2004 was almost 8 years ago and 2008 was almost 4. If someone asked me would I rather see JMU beat tech every year and miss the FCS playoffs, or lose to tech every year and play for an FCS championship....I'm taking playing for an FCS championship.

Why don't you just say 7 years ago and 3?

[BDKJMU]

Fire Mickey Matthews but who does JMU hire then?

Also honest question since I'm no FCS Football Historian but was JMU any good before Matthews got there? ...he has the Dukes only national championship in the sport....

Answer: No. JMU was absolutely nothing in football before MM. And now we have a national title and a fan base that is growing by the year. Mickey may have created the very monster that will destroy him....expectations.

Too many newer JMU fans who think JMU football history started in 04'. Playoffs before Mickey's arrival in 99':
87',
91' (lost quaterfinals to Samford after beating #1 seed UD)
94' (lost quarterfinals to #1 seed Marshall in OT)
95' (lost @ #1 seed ASU 31-24)

[proasu89]

Answer: No. JMU was absolutely nothing in football before MM. And now we have a national title and a fan base that is growing by the year. Mickey may have created the very monster that will destroy him....expectations.

Too many clueless JMU fans who think JMU football history started in 04'. Playoffs before Mickey's arrival in 99':
87',
91' (lost quaterfinals to Samford after beating #1 seed UD)
94' (lost quarterfinals to #1 seed Marshall in OT)
95' (lost @ #1 seed ASU 31-24)

Same thing here in Boone. If it didn't happen since 2005 then it just didn't exist.

[LeadBolt]

Mickey will be back in H'burg next year.

[BDKJMU]

Mickey will be back in H'burg next year.

If you went on the JMU boards after every loss with all the fire Mickey threads you'd think he was on the hot seat and was at risk of losing his job. The current fire Mickey thread started Saturday is over 4 pages. But what some of these clowns who blather on on these threads don't realize is his contract runs through 2014. Even if JMU loses one of the last 2 to finish 6-5 again, he'll be back. The only possibility would be you MIGHT see a staff change of one or 2 people.

I'm actually glad I wasn't on the JMU board the last 3 days. Every time after a loss too many people going on about Mickey should be fired, we suck, blah, blah, blah. and jumping off the deep end. It gets old.

[jmufan]

Yeah that gets rather annoying. Some of them are way too negative. Jmu has been battling qb controversy the past three seasons and of course injuries in key areas. While mm can do better in some areas, he is far better than many coaches out there.

[jmu1-A]

Oh my God...we made the playoffs a whole 5 times in the 27 years before Mickey Matthews? Wow, we were an absolute POWERHOUSE! We have won 5 conference titles in our history...4 of them was with Mickey Matthews and a National Championship and a win on the road against a nationally ranked FBS opponent. Not to mention a growing fan base that rivals all other FCS schools. To say we had ANY relevance before Mickey Matthews is not just stupidity...it's downright delusional. just...wow.

Answer: No. JMU was absolutely nothing in football before MM. And now we have a national title and a fan base that is growing by the year. Mickey may have created the very monster that will destroy him....expectations.

Too many newer JMU fans who think JMU football history started in 04'. Playoffs before Mickey's arrival in 99':
87',
91' (lost quaterfinals to Samford after beating #1 seed UD)
94' (lost quarterfinals to #1 seed Marshall in OT)
95' (lost @ #1 seed ASU 31-24)

[BDKJMU]

Oh my God...we made the playoffs a whole 5 times in the 27 years before Mickey Matthews? Wow, we were an absolute POWERHOUSE! We have won 5 conference titles in our history...4 of them was with Mickey Matthews and a National Championship and a win on the road against a nationally ranked FBS opponent. Not to mention a growing fan base that rivals all other FCS schools. To say we had ANY relevance before Mickey Matthews is not just stupidity...it's downright delusional. just...wow.

Too many newer JMU fans who think JMU football history started in 04'. Playoffs before Mickey's arrival in 99':
87',
91' (lost quaterfinals to Samford after beating #1 seed UD)
94' (lost quarterfinals to #1 seed Marshall in OT)
95' (lost @ #1 seed ASU 31-24)

1st of all, JMU didn't even begin playing a full I-AA schedule till 1980.
-12 seasons prior to Mickey (87'-98'): 4 playoff appearances, 2 qtr finals
-12 seasons under Mickey (99'-10'): 5 playoff appearances, NC, semi final.

Sure JMU football is a lot bigger now than prior to Mickey's arrival. But to claim it JMU football was "Absolutely nothing" before his arrival is just plain ignorance.

And to claim Mickey is on the hot seat is again total ignorance, because even if loses the last 2 and goes 5-6 and, there is ZERO chance he is going anywhere. His contract runs through 2014, and JMU isn't buying him out.

[Pigskin Steve]

Has ODU recruiting hurt JMU?

[bluehenbillk]

Has ODU recruiting hurt JMU?

Yep. No doubt.

[∞∞∞]

Has ODU recruiting hurt JMU?

Yep. No doubt.

Maybe, but yesterday Coach Wilder said this regarding ODU's high octane offense:

"Finding kids in Virginia who can run is like picking apples off a tree," Wilder said. "So playing fast makes sense."

And he's right. The football played in VA high schools, especially Hampton Roads, is made of these types of kids. Of course, Mickey has been utilizing a slow grinding offense for years now and hasn't adjusted his offense to suit kids coming out of VA. If he did, he'd probably have a lot of choices or like Wilder said, "picking apples off a tree." Mickey certainly has his picks if he simply adjusts the offense to the current landscape, but he's too old-school.

[BDKJMU]

Has ODU recruiting hurt JMU?

Yep. No doubt.

Its hurt every I-AA school in the state to a small extent, and I-AA schools in surrounding states. Thats because of those 63 or so ODU players on scholly, if ODU hadn't started football, a good chunk of them would be scattered amongst the other 7 I-AA schools in the state. Some would be on I-AA teams in surrounding states. Some would be playing on I-A teams in the region. A few would be playing D-II. Maybe a few wouldn't even be playing.

As a matter of fact, of the other 7 VA I-AA, JMU is the furthest from ODU. Heck, 3 of those other I-AA are in ODU's backyard. JMU has been affected by ODU, but probably not any more than those other schools.

[jmu1-A]

Sure JMU football is a lot bigger now than prior to Mickey's arrival. But to claim it JMU football was "Absolutely nothing" before his arrival is just plain ignorance.

And to claim Mickey is on the hot seat is again total ignorance, because even if loses the last 2 and goes 5-6 and, there is ZERO chance he is going anywhere. His contract runs through 2014, and JMU isn't buying him out.[/quote]

Not even going to respond to the idea that we had any relevance prior to Mickey Matthews. You're just embarrassing yourself with that. And we can talk injuries, QB controversies, ODU taking the good recruits, etc. all day long but those are a bunch of excuses and we know it. MM deserves a few passes for all he has done and the contract issue is a valid point. But as a JMU fan, you shouldn't be surprised to see this question raised on the message boards.

[jmu1992]

Sure JMU football is a lot bigger now than prior to Mickey's arrival. But to claim it JMU football was "Absolutely nothing" before his arrival is just plain ignorance.

And to claim Mickey is on the hot seat is again total ignorance, because even if loses the last 2 and goes 5-6 and, there is ZERO chance he is going anywhere. His contract runs through 2014, and JMU isn't buying him out.

Not even going to respond to the idea that we had any relevance prior to Mickey Matthews. You're just embarrassing yourself with that. And we can talk injuries, QB controversies, ODU taking the good recruits, etc. all day long but those are a bunch of excuses and we know it. MM deserves a few passes for all he has done and the contract issue is a valid point. But as a JMU fan, you shouldn't be surprised to see this question raised on the message boards.[/quote]


JMU I-A, you are flat out wrong and BDK is right. JMU had some pretty good years particularly in the 90's prior to Mickey getting to JMU.

[jmu1-A]

"JMU I-A, you are flat out wrong and BDK is right. JMU had some pretty good years particularly in the 90's prior to Mickey getting to JMU.[/quote]"

All right, look. I don't want to argue with fellow JMU alums. I see your point BDK and JMU1992. I didn't mean to offend. I went to school prior to MM too, and I remember showing up to bridgeforth (tiny bridgeforth before end zone seating and the plecker) and there were more empty seats than people. I know we had a few decent years before MM, but I don't ever remember anyone on campus caring. It was all basketball when I was there. And the student body wasn't even too enthralled with that. But it is nice to hear from folks before MM that cared about the program back in the day. Now maybe we can go up to Mass this weekend and kick some minutemen in the teeth, make the playoffs, and make a run!

[mcveyrl]

Did I log on to the 'zone?

[Rob Iola]

Did I log on to the 'zone?

Yeah - or replace "Mickey Matthews" with "Keeler" and you'd think you had been redirected to gohens...

[tstidm1]

One 6-5 season shouldn't mean you fire a coach. There are years where you have a squad that underperforms. JMU is a very good team and Matthews should have a chance to win. They may replace some coaches this year, but firing the head coach is a very rash move by the JMU fanbase.

[JmuSkinsfan]

One 6-5 season shouldn't mean you fire a coach. There are years where you have a squad that underperforms. JMU is a very good team and Matthews should have a chance to win. They may replace some coaches this year, but firing the head coach is a very rash move by the JMU fanbase.

Well, a loss Saturday would mean three straight 6-5, non-playoff seasons.

[State Line Liquors]

I didn't listen to the teleconference yesterday. Did Mickey really say that the selection committee, when determining who was deserving of an at large berth, would have to take into account that he had suspended his starting quarterback for 5 games?

[JmuSkinsfan]

I didn't listen to the teleconference yesterday. Did Mickey really say that the selection committee, when determining who was deserving of an at large berth, would have to take into account that he had suspended his starting quarterback for 5 games?

No, if I read what you said right, you're reading into that the wrong way. Mickey didn't say the committee would give JMU "points" for suspending someone ... but "points" for the fact that JMU was 5-0 with their starter and 2-3 without their starter ... and their starter is now back (assuming JMU wins Saturday)

[tstidm1]

One 6-5 season shouldn't mean you fire a coach. There are years where you have a squad that underperforms. JMU is a very good team and Matthews should have a chance to win. They may replace some coaches this year, but firing the head coach is a very rash move by the JMU fanbase.

Well, a loss Saturday would mean three straight 6-5, non-playoff seasons.

My misunderstanding on this. JMU's fanbase is a pretty tough fanbase still with that requirement. Since winning like this is new to Towson's fanbase, I'm not sure where I would stand.

[YoUDeeMan]

I didn't listen to the teleconference yesterday. Did Mickey really say that the selection committee, when determining who was deserving of an at large berth, would have to take into account that he had suspended his starting quarterback for 5 games?

No, if I read what you said right, you're reading into that the wrong way. Mickey didn't say the committee would give JMU "points" for suspending someone ... but "points" for the fact that JMU was 5-0 with their starter and 2-3 without their starter ... and their starter is now back (assuming JMU wins Saturday)

What Mickey said was that the committee should look into the recidivism rate of drug offenders when taking into account the role of his starting players.

[JMUpurplehazed]

Prediction: JMU gets an auto bid by the narrowest of margins...then makes a deep run in the playoffs with pot smoking QB back in the line up... MM just off a season with a 50% attendence increase and a deep playoff run punches ticket for many more years of colorful comments about JMU opponents

[JMU2004]

JMU may be looking. Mickey Matthews seat is red hot...

URI maybe? Towson due to the Ambrose issues? Could be GSU even though they are leaving.

Not Richmond, UD, Maine, UNH, W&M.