Breaking News at Lock Haven

[shipfbfan12]

While LH is in the shadows of State College I think with the right hire, proper alumni support and a booster program that can generate $$ to boost scholarships LH can be at least a mid tier PSAC East program. Kids these days who end up at D2 are looking to compete for PT, compete for a conference championship and a regional title while having to pay as little as possible for school. The coach they need will probably turn down the job without a real serious commitment to upgrading the program and fully supporting it with practice facilities/stadium upgrades and scholarship increases needed to attract the better talent. The conference can also do LH a favor by scheduling their home games the weeks PSU is on the road so the locals aren't traveling to State College rather than watching the Bald Eagles play.

[ctrabs74]

I don't know if that's 100% true. I think its more fair to say they don't prioritize football. Honestly, I don't know how one can have football be a priority (as one school would say, Tier 1) while also having Division 1 football. That's a whole lotta men's roster spots for a school struggling to maintain 3,200 students and just 40% men. They certainly can step up their fundraising and revenue generation. If Northwest Missouri State can fully-fund football in a town of 11,000 then Lock Haven can do much better than 4.5 full scholarships in a town of 9,000.

Side note: the only schools to "play up" in Division 1 wrestling are all in PA: Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro, Franklin & Marshall, and Lock Haven.

Northwest Missouri also has the benefit of using funding from the state government to fund scholarships, if I'm not mistaken. And, considering that they stretch their recruiting net outside of Metro KC into Iowa and Chicago, amid Central Missouri and some of the Kansas MIAA schools which also have had success in recent years, that gives NWMo an advantage over the Lock Haven's of the world.

[Chuck Bitner]

I feel bad for Coach Taynor. He's a good guy and I think he was improving the program. Hoping for a soft landing for him and his family. I know his wife and daughter went to every game, home and away to support him. They're good people, any college football program would be fortunate to have them.

[RamWife]

Smith will have no interest in that what so ever. That move would be a career killer. Really any PSAC school besides WCU, Cal, Slip, IUP, Shep, and maybe Bloom Edinboro would be a career killer. Mercyhurst would be up in the air because of how much money they can offer being a private school but just seem to miss out on talent and never can win. That being said, I do not think Smith would want to move his family to Bloom. Spouse, kids, a lot would come into discussion about a move like that. If it was a Division I job paying over $175-200,000 then yes but not for these schools.

Good point about moving his family. What people need to remember is these guys don't make a lot of money coaching at the D2 level and in most cases their wives have careers that make more money than they do. That said, it's hard to move the entire family when the money won't cover the spouse's salary.

[Fightingscot82]

I don't know if that's 100% true. I think its more fair to say they don't prioritize football. Honestly, I don't know how one can have football be a priority (as one school would say, Tier 1) while also having Division 1 football. That's a whole lotta men's roster spots for a school struggling to maintain 3,200 students and just 40% men. They certainly can step up their fundraising and revenue generation. If Northwest Missouri State can fully-fund football in a town of 11,000 then Lock Haven can do much better than 4.5 full scholarships in a town of 9,000.

Side note: the only schools to "play up" in Division 1 wrestling are all in PA: Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro, Franklin & Marshall, and Lock Haven.

[LoneHaven]

[BloomGuy]

They're going to need a super recruiter to have any chance of turning that ship around. LHU hasn't been remotely competitive for years.

Lock Haven beat Bloomsburg in 2016 and 2017....

[Fightingscot82]

Juniata's head coach just retired.

[Fightingscot82]

Excellent points.

I'm a little surprised by this move because from a distance it looked like LHU was making some progress under Taynor. Just changing the person in the role isn't going to fix it. Taynor will probably stick around the conference as an OC. I believe coming back to area was his motivator and he was a frequent finalist for other PSAC jobs.

[TJ85]

I remember as recently as last year at this time he was a persona non-grata on this board.

Not from me, I don't listen to what people say on this site because they don't know what they're talking about and have no experience with playing or coaching. There's a few guys on here that make good points but as to who should coach a team I would never listen to anyone on this site. If they make a deep run, his phone will be ringing. Just like all of the other coordinators on teams that will make a run. It's football administration 101 pal, teams will be looking for coordinators of good teams, not coordinators or head coaches of bad teams. Because you could be knocked out of the playoffs with 2 losses sometimes and absolutely with 3, you need a good caliber coach with playoff experience.

[iupgroundhog]

If IUP makes a deep run in the playoffs I could see Gregory's phone ringing

I remember as recently as last year at this time he was a persona non-grata on this board.

[TJ85]

I wouldn't be surprised if IUP offensive coordinator Tate Gregory gets one of these three open jobs.

Jim Smith (D Coordinator) is certainly ready but may not be interested.

If IUP makes a deep run in the playoffs I could see Gregory's phone ringing

[TJ85]

I wouldn't be surprised if IUP offensive coordinator Tate Gregory gets one of these three open jobs.

Jim Smith (D Coordinator) is certainly ready but may not be interested.

Smith will have no interest in that what so ever. That move would be a career killer. Really any PSAC school besides WCU, Cal, Slip, IUP, Shep, and maybe Bloom Edinboro would be a career killer. Mercyhurst would be up in the air because of how much money they can offer being a private school but just seem to miss out on talent and never can win. That being said, I do not think Smith would want to move his family to Bloom. Spouse, kids, a lot would come into discussion about a move like that. If it was a Division I job paying over $175-200,000 then yes but not for these schools.

[iupgroundhog]

The spectrum of possibilities for LHU football range from hitting a homerun, swinging for the fences and striking out, or dropping NCAA football and forming a Sprint team. I don't think the status quo is a viable option.

Regardless of the "forty years of futility" I would never say never regarding a comeback in football.

I think they have things working in their favor that could make it happen.

They have started to focus on fundraising. The effort is led by player alumni. Frankly, a lot of the old money in Lock Haven has died off or moved away (e.g., my great uncle/godfather was perhaps the biggest donor to LHU but he died 15 years ago). However, there is some corporate sponsorship locally that they could get. Additionally, as FS82 mentioned LHU is in the shadow of PSU to the West but to the East the Williamsport area has adopted LHU as their hometown college (not taking anything away from Lycoming) and they can expand their fundraising/corporate sponsorship eastward. They should hit up LH native and 49er's Kicker Robbie Gould for some $$ channeled directly to football. I believe he has made more money than any NFL Kicker in history over his career. He's a PSU guy but he supports a lot of community stuff in LH, including at LHU.

Finally, the new LHU President will not accept the status quo. He is a really dynamic "go-getter" who supports athletics. I suspect he will be actively involved in selecting a new coach. Time will tell and your guess is as good as mine.

It will require a Herculean effort but it could happen.

[iupgroundhog]

What's Jay Paterno Doing ?

I've had that thought before, too. He could probably donate some of his own money for schollies. He's been out for a long time now, though. It would be earth shaking, though. Wouldn't it?