ONCE AGAIN, THE PROBLEM AT LIMESTONE IS AD MIKE CERINO!!!!

[Saints17]

As long as the idiot AD Mike Cerino is at Limestone, the football program will need not see success. Limestone has had football for only 8 seasons and this will now be the 5th head coach along with 3 interim head coaches. Embarrassing!!! Cerino's constant interference prevents success at Limestone. The strength coach and Cerino's assistant AD Curt Lamb constantly undermines the coaching staff and runs a lousy strength program. The only reason why Limestone has football because it brings in 150 students to the college and yet, Cerino was still trying to close down the football program during the beginning of COVID. He doesn't want to deal with football. Cerino only cares about managing minor sports like lacrosse and esports.... He will talk a good game, but as a former LU football player, we know the type of man he is.....

Remember, he has put himself up twice on the Limestone Athletic Hall of Fame and built an executive press box at the lacrosse field......

It's a shame that Limestone's president Darrell Parker doesn't recognize this!!! I am sure Saints 21 agrees with much that I am saying....

[RedFromMI]

As long as the idiot AD Mike Cerino is at Limestone, the football program will need not see success. Limestone has had football for only 8 seasons and this will now be the 5th head coach along with 3 interim head coaches. Embarrassing!!! Cerino's constant interference prevents success at Limestone. The strength coach and Cerino's assistant AD Curt Lamb constantly undermines the coaching staff and runs a lousy strength program. The only reason why Limestone has football because it brings in 150 students to the college and yet, Cerino was still trying to close down the football program during the beginning of COVID. He doesn't want to deal with football. Cerino only cares about managing minor sports like lacrosse and esports.... He will talk a good game, but as a former LU football player, we know the type of man he is.....

Remember, he has put himself up twice on the Limestone Athletic Hall of Fame and built an executive press box at the lacrosse field......

It's a shame that Limestone's president Darrell Parker doesn't recognize this!!! I am sure Saints 21 agrees with much that I am saying....

I know that you don't like him, but he is NOT trying to shut down football, nor would the BOT want that. And that "executive press box" you refer to is actually NOT a press box, but a suite for high dollar members of the Saints Club. You may think that is inappropriate, but misnaming it is not right either. And there is a similar indoor facility (actually much bigger and nicer) off the basketball/volleyball gym as well.

There is not one for football because the program uses the superior facilities at the Reservation (Gaffney High School). And the booster club there has a very nice facility Limestone sometimes uses as well.

[Saints17]

I know that you don't like him, but he is NOT trying to shut down football, nor would the BOT want that. And that "executive press box" you refer to is actually NOT a press box, but a suite for high dollar members of the Saints Club. You may think that is inappropriate, but misnaming it is not right either. And there is a similar indoor facility (actually much bigger and nicer) off the basketball/volleyball gym as well.

There is not one for football because the program uses the superior facilities at the Reservation (Gaffney High School). And the booster club there has a very nice facility Limestone sometimes uses as well.

My bad Red... It's not a lacrosse press box, it's a suite..... LOL....

[Saints21]

As long as the idiot AD Mike Cerino is at Limestone, the football program will need not see success. Limestone has had football for only 8 seasons and this will now be the 5th head coach along with 3 interim head coaches. Embarrassing!!! Cerino's constant interference prevents success at Limestone. The strength coach and Cerino's assistant AD Curt Lamb constantly undermines the coaching staff and runs a lousy strength program. The only reason why Limestone has football because it brings in 150 students to the college and yet, Cerino was still trying to close down the football program during the beginning of COVID. He doesn't want to deal with football. Cerino only cares about managing minor sports like lacrosse and esports.... He will talk a good game, but as a former LU football player, we know the type of man he is.....

Remember, he has put himself up twice on the Limestone Athletic Hall of Fame and built an executive press box at the lacrosse field......

It's a shame that Limestone's president Darrell Parker doesn't recognize this!!! I am sure Saints 21 agrees with much that I am saying....

I certainly don't disagree that football was started to increase enrollment. It is very evident when watching the games in person that we have a strength problem, We get manhandled all over the field, not just at the line of scrimmage. We are not alone in our opinion of Cerino. I talk to a lot of other alum/supporters who also share this opinion. If Turk's record is being used as the reason for his dismissal then so be it, but he he was 4-22 the day the season ended so why wait until now to pull the trigger? I believe one of two things happened (and we'll never know for sure) but either 1) Turk & Cerino had some type of blowup or 2) someone Cerino thinks is a very good candidate has become available and is willing to take the job. A very short timeframe in naming the next coach will tell me that it's the latter, but obviously I could be wrong.

[Chuck Bitner]

Limestone needs to be looking way beyond the coaching staff to figure out what their problems are. The program is only a decade old and they're on head coach #5. The timing of this change makes no sense. If its simply about performance, fine. A winless season is never acceptable even at a program with no history of success. Fine. Make a change. But you make that decision in November when you can get the best possible pool of candidates. And doing it two weeks after national signing day is just wrong. The students that just committed their futures to Limestone deserve better than this. Brian Turk and his family deserve better this. Its February. Coaching staffs have been finalized, making it really hard for Turk to have a soft landing this fall. That makes me angry because he is an honorable man with a great future in coaching. I chatted with coach Turk very briefly this evening. I will keep most of that private but will say he was shocked by the timing of this.

A lot has been said about AD Cerino on this board in the last couple of years. I've met him. He's a very nice man and I got the impression football is important. But the University has a lot to learn about how to run a football program. If you're going to fire people for performance, start looking beyond coaches because the administration has had a decade to get this program headed in the right direction.

[Saints17]

Limestone needs to be looking way beyond the coaching staff to figure out what their problems are. The program is only a decade old and they're on head coach #5. The timing of this change makes no sense. If its simply about performance, fine. A winless season is never acceptable even at a program with no history of success. Fine. Make a change. But you make that decision in November when you can get the best possible pool of candidates. And doing it two weeks after national signing day is just wrong. The students that just committed their futures to Limestone deserve better than this. Brian Turk and his family deserve better this. Its February. Coaching staffs have been finalized, making it really hard for Turk to have a soft landing this fall. That makes me angry because he is an honorable man with a great future in coaching. I chatted with coach Turk very briefly this evening. I will keep most of that private but will say he was shocked by the timing of this.

A lot has been said about AD Cerino on this board in the last couple of years. I've met him. He's a very nice man and I got the impression football is important. But the University has a lot to learn about how to run a football program. If you're going to fire people for performance, start looking beyond coaches because the administration has had a decade to get this program headed in the right direction.

Chuck, great respect for you and what a great post. Don't fall into the Cerino trap of him being very nice to you... He's a big-time egotist... The way he has gone about making the coaching changes is just despicable. I just hope the President Darrell Parker will start reading these posts and listening to others not associated with Cerino to realize, that Cerino is the guy he needs to get rid of....

You ought to talk to Ierulli up at Carson-Newman to let you know what was going on during my senior season at Limestone.....

[Saints21]

Chuck, great respect for you and what a great post. Don't fall into the Cerino trap of him being very nice to you... He's a big-time egotist... The way he has gone about making the coaching changes is just despicable. I just hope the President Darrell Parker will start reading these posts and listening to others not associated with Cerino to realize, that Cerino is the guy he needs to get rid of....

You ought to talk to Ierulli up at Carson-Newman to let you know what was going on during my senior season at Limestone.....

Chuck, I agree with Saints17 here based on personal experience. I'm not going to get into any specifics but I lost respect for him over it.

[Saints17]

Here is the history how Cerino handled the 4 head coaching changes. Please explain to me how he has the best interest in the Limestone football program....

1) Bobby James (2016) - fired 2 weeks before spring football practice in March after already signing 2016 in-coming class. Cerino constantly interferes with James during his tenure at Limestone. Team went through spring practice with interim head coach. Hired Mike Furrey in May.

2) Mike Furrey (2018) - resigned around January 10th to take job with Chicago Bears. Lost 4 of the last 5 games during the 2017 season. I was on the player search committee. All interviews ended 1 week before signing date in February. We thought Cerino would name head coach before signing date. Cerino doesn't make hire until 1 week after signing date which critical. Lose alot of recruits because Limestone doesn't have a head coach during signing date. Hires Tony Ierulli from Carson-Newman who was the choice of the player search committee. However, Ierulli had no input on the incoming recruiting class. Brian Turk was interim head coach and recruiting coordinator. Turk signed most of the 2018 class.

3) Tony Ierulli (2018) - Ierulli fired after 8th game of season without winning a game. We played first 3 of 4 games on road. Our 3 non-conference games included Gardner-Webb and 2 D-2 playoff teams from 2017, West Alabama and West Georgia. West Alabama kicks a 47 yard field goal to beat us with no time left in game. We had pre-practice team meeting on Monday with Coach Ierulli getting prepared for the upcoming week and 10 minutes later on the game field strength coach Curt Lamb announces to the team that Ierulli had been removed. Evidently, Brian Turk knew a change was being made early Monday morning. So Ierulli tenure never recruited a full incoming class of players under his watch. Turk takes over and we get drill during the last 2 games.

4) Brian Turk (2022) - Turk goes 0-9 during 2021 season. Only wins 4 games in the 3 years Turk is the head coach. No change is made after season and Turk recruits incoming 2022 recruiting class. Builds relationships with new players and their parents. Without notice, Cerino fires Turk 2 weeks after signing freshman class...... No class move by Cerino.... Typical!!!

[Saints21]

I'm hearing that there has already been a good number of applications received & the school's intention is to hire the new coach prior to the start of Spring Practice which starts sometime in March...Stay tuned

[Saints17]

I'm hearing that there has already been a good number of applications received & the school's intention is to hire the new coach prior to the start of Spring Practice which starts sometime in March...Stay tuned

Always alot of applicants for a football head coaching position.... Whoever gets named needs to just rent a house in Gaffney and not to buy a house....

[Saints17]

Heard 7 current players entered the transfer portal yesterday. More are planning to enter the portal over the next several days!!!

[cavsfan94]

Heard 7 current players entered the transfer portal yesterday. More are planning to enter the portal over the next several days!!!

How do you know who is in the transfer portal for DII?

[Saints17]

How do you know who is in the transfer portal for DII?

Can't reveal my source but associated with athletic department either as a player, coach or administrator....

[Saints21]

Can't reveal my source but associated with athletic department either as a player, coach or administrator....

I had a HC of another sport (who shall remain nameless) call me this morning & they kept me on the phone over 90 minutes venting about how frustrated they, as well as other coaches are, with Cerino. None of the coaches feel supported by him and they are at the point of being fed up. It angers me greatly and makes me sad as well. We need a change at the top of the Athletics department!

[Saints17]

I had a HC of another sport (who shall remain nameless) call me this morning & they kept me on the phone over 90 minutes venting about how frustrated they, as well as other coaches are, with Cerino. None of the coaches feel supported by him and they are at the point of being fed up. It angers me greatly and makes me sad as well. We need a change at the top of the Athletics department!

Totally agree Saints 21. Need a change and also get rid of strength coach & assistant AD Curt Lamb.... Everyone complains about the LU strength program especially the football players. The biggest complaints over the years came from former Head Coach Mike Furrey.... Of course, Lamb's wife is Mike Cerino secretary..... So a moving van might be needed....