Breaking News at Lock Haven

[iupgroundhog]

Reading this just makes me happier I attended IUP.

Foosball!!!

I know. We have different perspectives on that.

Of course, IUP is still looking for that 1st NCAA championship and 1st Dixon Trophy. Go IUP!

[IUPNation]

I don't know about that but I do know they have a lot of Title IX pressure. Starting up Women's Wrestling should help to alleviate that pressure to a certain extent. It's not so much that LHU is completely out of whack on gender equity, it might be in a more solid position than the majority of PSAC schools. However, there has always been a lot of pressure from the women's athletics side at LH, and this goes back to even before Sharon Taylor ever stepped foot on campus. Let's face it, LHU has had one of the more successful women's athletics programs in D2 on a national level. They've had numerous national championships in softball, women's volleyball, lacrosse, and field hockey. They have a pretty successful D1 women's field hockey program. Interestingly, since Taylor was run out of town the women's programs haven't matched their earlier success, although softball did win the PSAC last year and FH continues to do well in the Atlantic 10 conference.

It's Mat Town, USA. In the most recent rankings LHU is ranked in a tie for 3rd in the MAC (out of 15 teams) and this is despite having a lot of injuries currently. They finished in the top 20 at the D1 NCAA tourney the past 2 years. Personally, I've followed LHU Wrestling for 50 years and that's what I care about at LHU. I hope the football program can get better but wrestling is #1 and there are a lot of people who feel the same way.

In terms of football, I am pulling for the new coach and the team. I hope they can finally get back to mediocrity, at least. However, if they don't the LH administration needs to take a serious look at the program. I'd give the coach and program 4 or 5 years and then reevaluate. A drop to Sprint Football like Mansfield or a drop altogether like Cheyney is not out of the question. If they can't cut it, they can't cut it. It would take the Title IX pressure off and it would strengthen all of the other programs. LHU is a very sports-oriented school and Lock Haven is a very sports-oriented community so I know it would be hard to drop the football program. Times are tough, however.

A lack of money has been mentioned a couple times in this conversation. There is some basic economics at play with LH. Football is by far the biggest and most costly program to maintain. The smaller the school, the more disproportionate the cost of football is. LH is now the smallest PASSHE with a football program. That factor, by itself, may be impossible to overcome.

Reading this just makes me happier I attended IUP.

Foosball!!!

[iupgroundhog]

Didn't I read in a previous post that the AD pulled some funding from the football program at LHU? Pulling funding doesn't equate to rebuilding a program, unless I'm missing something...

I don't know about that but I do know they have a lot of Title IX pressure. Starting up Women's Wrestling should help to alleviate that pressure to a certain extent. It's not so much that LHU is completely out of whack on gender equity, it might be in a more solid position than the majority of PSAC schools. However, there has always been a lot of pressure from the women's athletics side at LH, and this goes back to even before Sharon Taylor ever stepped foot on campus. Let's face it, LHU has had one of the more successful women's athletics programs in D2 on a national level. They've had numerous national championships in softball, women's volleyball, lacrosse, and field hockey. They have a pretty successful D1 women's field hockey program. Interestingly, since Taylor was run out of town the women's programs haven't matched their earlier success, although softball did win the PSAC last year and FH continues to do well in the Atlantic 10 conference.

It's Mat Town, USA. In the most recent rankings LHU is ranked in a tie for 3rd in the MAC (out of 15 teams) and this is despite having a lot of injuries currently. They finished in the top 20 at the D1 NCAA tourney the past 2 years. Personally, I've followed LHU Wrestling for 50 years and that's what I care about at LHU. I hope the football program can get better but wrestling is #1 and there are a lot of people who feel the same way.

In terms of football, I am pulling for the new coach and the team. I hope they can finally get back to mediocrity, at least. However, if they don't the LH administration needs to take a serious look at the program. I'd give the coach and program 4 or 5 years and then reevaluate. A drop to Sprint Football like Mansfield or a drop altogether like Cheyney is not out of the question. If they can't cut it, they can't cut it. It would take the Title IX pressure off and it would strengthen all of the other programs. LHU is a very sports-oriented school and Lock Haven is a very sports-oriented community so I know it would be hard to drop the football program. Times are tough, however.

A lack of money has been mentioned a couple times in this conversation. There is some basic economics at play with LH. Football is by far the biggest and most costly program to maintain. The smaller the school, the more disproportionate the cost of football is. LH is now the smallest PASSHE with a football program. That factor, by itself, may be impossible to overcome.

[WarriorVoice]

Didn't I read in a previous post that the AD pulled some funding from the football program at LHU? Pulling funding doesn't equate to rebuilding a program, unless I'm missing something...

[Fightingscot82]

Cheyney doesn't have football.

Yes but when they did any decent players disappeared.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

His 3.5 GPA probably got him an academic scholarship.

No doubt.

The rich get richer.

[Bart]

He signed with West Chester a couple days ago. Nice addition for them. Was hoping he would follow Knight over to CU

His 3.5 GPA probably got him an academic scholarship.

[Dirty Harry]

Lock Haven led the PSAC in rushing, but that was due to their now departed running QB.

Their TE is two years removed from being an All-American (no quotes needed), but he was still Lock Haven's leading receiver this past year - catches, yards, touchdowns.

Great points, especially about the QB running game impact.

[Dirty Harry]

Unless you paid even scant attention to Cheyney or even the teams struggling to stay above .500.

Cheyney doesn't have football.

[CUlater]

He's as good as gone. Everybody will go after him.

He signed with West Chester a couple days ago. Nice addition for them. Was hoping he would follow Knight over to CU

[Bart]

He's as good as gone. Everybody will go after him.

Bloom needs receivers. His hometown is close by.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Go to shepherd lol

He's as good as gone. Everybody will go after him.

[Ram040506]

I hate to see Jalen Jackson go. If he does? He may be an undersized TE, but he has been productive.

2017 . 26 rec 332 yds
2018 . 44 rec 537 yds 7 TD - All American year
2019 . 38 rec 568 yds 5 TD - missed some time w/hamstring

and I believe he is around a 3.5 GPA and a local kid. Hopefully he changes his mind and stays. Despite some assessments is a solid blocker in the slot and as an H back.

Go to shepherd lol

[Gray Eagle 52]

I hate to see Jalen Jackson go. If he does? He may be an undersized TE, but he has been productive.

2017 . 26 rec 332 yds
2018 . 44 rec 537 yds 7 TD - All American year
2019 . 38 rec 568 yds 5 TD - missed some time w/hamstring

and I believe he is around a 3.5 GPA and a local kid. Hopefully he changes his mind and stays. Despite some assessments is a solid blocker in the slot and as an H back.

[Fightingscot82]

I am a proud Gray Eagle, with strong ties to the program. I have also funded several football scholarships. I wish John Kelling the best of luck. His X and O background is strong, but so has his predecessors been. Remember his predecessor was a sitting D2 HC with 2 Conference championships in 7 years. It takes an army (village, entire university) etc... Coach Kelling will need support from all directions. The endless tirades on a message board do nothing to help.
Coach Taynor's final meeting with the team was attended by two Vice Presidents, Provost, AD, 2 Assistant AD's, and a couple of Gray Eagle members. It was professionally handled, the student athletes were encouraged to finish the semester well and to be agents of positive change.
I am excited to see possible progress and change at LHU occur, but as previously stated it will take more than a coach. For what it's worth Coach Taynor facilitated the start of our booster group. He led a team that won more games in 5 years than the previous decade combined and in 2016 was 4-3 in conference play the only above .500 team in LHU's division 2 history. In 2016/2017 athletic aid for football was 109000 and in 2017/2018 it was 60000. 2016 was a time for the University to invest and now is another. Let blaming and complaining on a message board about the coach or previous coach cease and start investing as a university to build the revenue to support the student-athletes.

It sounds like you saw what I noticed: Taynor had to spend too much time rebuilding the institution of Lock Haven football. That could have diverted his attention from things that reflect on the field.