Cignetti vs. Hale

[IUPNation]

Most of the schools that have had any success seem to have had a guy there with a really long tenure in this league.

Slippery Rock- Dr. George Mihalik 28 seasons 197-111-4
Shepherd- Monte Cater 31 seasons 245-93-1
IUP- Frank Cignetti- 20 seasons 182-50-1
Bloomsburg- Danny Hale 20 seasons 173-56-1
East Stroudsburg- Dennis Douds 45 seasons 264-204-3
West Chester- Bill Zwann 21 seasons 163-76
Shippensburg- Rocky Rees 21 seasons 123-110-1
Millersville- Gene Carpenter 31 seasons 212-89-6

Now subtract out Dennys wins vs Cheyney and Mansfield.

[IUPNation]

I hate to think this is a competition between two great coaches. I had nothing but total respect for Coach Hale. They were both just the best.

[Bart]

I remember sitting on the grass a few times in the distant past.

We use to smoke the grass and sit in the bleachers to look at the view.

[Fightingscot82]

Most of the schools that have had any success seem to have had a guy there with a really long tenure in this league.

Slippery Rock- Dr. George Mihalik 28 seasons 197-111-4
Shepherd- Monte Cater 31 seasons 245-93-1
IUP- Frank Cignetti- 20 seasons 182-50-1
Bloomsburg- Danny Hale 20 seasons 173-56-1
East Stroudsburg- Dennis Douds 45 seasons 264-204-3
West Chester- Bill Zwann 21 seasons 163-76
Shippensburg- Rocky Rees 21 seasons 123-110-1
Millersville- Gene Carpenter 31 seasons 212-89-6

Not to detract from any of the schools listed, but some of their success beyond the PSAC was limited to a handful of years built around a handful of excellent players. The dude's rightfully a legend in Butler County, but until George Mihalik landed Randy McKavish and company, he averaged 3rd place in the PSAC West. Its not because Mihalik wasn't a great coach because he built probably the best on/off field combo program in the PSAC. Most of that is because Rock was constantly grinding against IUP and whichever Clarion or Edinboro team was fighting for #2 and #3 in the West. Not sure what changed around 2010 but the SRU program has never looked back.

As Nation will giddily point out, after those early 1980s teams, a lot of Douds' success was around Jimmy Terwilliger and that's kind of it.

[Ram040506]

Not to detract from any of the schools listed, but some of their success beyond the PSAC was limited to a handful of years built around a handful of excellent players. The dude's rightfully a legend in Butler County, but until George Mihalik landed Randy McKavish and company, he averaged 3rd place in the PSAC West. Its not because Mihalik wasn't a great coach because he built probably the best on/off field combo program in the PSAC. Most of that is because Rock was constantly grinding against IUP and whichever Clarion or Edinboro team was fighting for #2 and #3 in the West. Not sure what changed around 2010 but the SRU program has never looked back.

As Nation will giddily point out, after those early 1980s teams, a lot of Douds' success was around Jimmy Terwilliger and that's kind of it.

Yea, I think a lot of the same things said about Douds could be said about Rocky Rees at Ship as well. Beyond the John Kuhn/Brent Grimes era, there wasn't a whole lot to get excited about.

[Fightingscot82]

Most of the schools that have had any success seem to have had a guy there with a really long tenure in this league.

Slippery Rock- Dr. George Mihalik 28 seasons 197-111-4
Shepherd- Monte Cater 31 seasons 245-93-1
IUP- Frank Cignetti- 20 seasons 182-50-1
Bloomsburg- Danny Hale 20 seasons 173-56-1
East Stroudsburg- Dennis Douds 45 seasons 264-204-3
West Chester- Bill Zwann 21 seasons 163-76
Shippensburg- Rocky Rees 21 seasons 123-110-1
Millersville- Gene Carpenter 31 seasons 212-89-6

I do wonder what role these career guys had in the IUP rule. Did they view Frank & IUP as threats to their tenure and thus motivated to kneecap that program?

[Ship69]

Most of the schools that have had any success seem to have had a guy there with a really long tenure in this league.

Slippery Rock- Dr. George Mihalik 28 seasons 197-111-4
Shepherd- Monte Cater 31 seasons 245-93-1
IUP- Frank Cignetti- 20 seasons 182-50-1
Bloomsburg- Danny Hale 20 seasons 173-56-1
East Stroudsburg- Dennis Douds 45 seasons 264-204-3
West Chester- Bill Zwann 21 seasons 163-76
Shippensburg- Rocky Rees 21 seasons 123-110-1
Millersville- Gene Carpenter 31 seasons 212-89-6

Monte Cater was definitely the spark that ignited your program. Shepherd was usually a doormat before he came on the scene.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Not to detract from any of the schools listed, but some of their success beyond the PSAC was limited to a handful of years built around a handful of excellent players. The dude's rightfully a legend in Butler County, but until George Mihalik landed Randy McKavish and company, he averaged 3rd place in the PSAC West. Its not because Mihalik wasn't a great coach because he built probably the best on/off field combo program in the PSAC. Most of that is because Rock was constantly grinding against IUP and whichever Clarion or Edinboro team was fighting for #2 and #3 in the West. Not sure what changed around 2010 but the SRU program has never looked back.

As Nation will giddily point out, after those early 1980s teams, a lot of Douds' success was around Jimmy Terwilliger and that's kind of it.

McKavish also lost some big games to IUP. He is rightfully lauded on here but he didn't dominate the series. He also lost a home playoff game to IUP.

[Ship69]

Yea, I think a lot of the same things said about Douds could be said about Rocky Rees at Ship as well. Beyond the John Kuhn/Brent Grimes era, there wasn't a whole lot to get excited about.

I got kind of excited when they won the PSAC title in 2009, well after Kuhn and Grimes had graduated. And many of Rees's years were spent in the Western Division, which was usually more competitive than the East.

[Ram040506]

I got kind of excited when they won the PSAC title in 2009, well after Kuhn and Grimes had graduated. And many of Rees's years were spent in the Western Division, which was usually more competitive than the East.

Very true, much tougher division historically. I played against the Kuhn/Grimes teams, they were a tough team that beat the hell out of us both years. I thought Rees was gone by 2009, so my apologies for that oversight.

[Ship69]

Very true, much tougher division historically. I played against the Kuhn/Grimes teams, they were a tough team that beat the hell out of us both years. I thought Rees was gone by 2009, so my apologies for that oversight.

No problem. That was probably the last time Ship ever dominated Shepherd. You guys certainly have had by far the best of it since then. I was disappointed when that team lost their opening playoff game to West Chester, whom they had beaten during the regular season. I remember West Chester scoring on one deflected pass that was especially annoying. The football gods seemed to be with them that day.

[IUPNation]

Not to detract from any of the schools listed, but some of their success beyond the PSAC was limited to a handful of years built around a handful of excellent players. The dude's rightfully a legend in Butler County, but until George Mihalik landed Randy McKavish and company, he averaged 3rd place in the PSAC West. Its not because Mihalik wasn't a great coach because he built probably the best on/off field combo program in the PSAC. Most of that is because Rock was constantly grinding against IUP and whichever Clarion or Edinboro team was fighting for #2 and #3 in the West. Not sure what changed around 2010 but the SRU program has never looked back.

As Nation will giddily point out, after those early 1980s teams, a lot of Douds' success was around Jimmy Terwilliger and that's kind of it.

Frank never had a losing season. He had two .500 clunkers in 97 and the year President Front Porch pushed him out the door.

[Bart]

Today's talk with coach Hale:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/s...y-Hale-e2iiuef

[Tdobson]

I will never forget 1999 and the playoff run. The rock destroyed IUP during the regular season. We beat them in overtime in the first round. It was wild, and one of my favorite memories. Then in the second round we beat millers ville, and got to go to Maryville, Missouri and almost went to the national championship. It was a great year.

[IUPNation]

I will never forget 1999 and the playoff run. The rock destroyed IUP during the regular season. We beat them in overtime in the first round. It was wild, and one of my favorite memories. Then in the second round we beat millers ville, and got to go to Maryville, Missouri and almost went to the national championship. It was a great year.

That was probably the last gasp of IUP National Contender Era. The “ sanctions” were already taking their toll. Frank had a couple more strong seasons on paper but they weren’t of the caliber of the halcyon days of 87-94.