UCM FOOTBALL OBSERVATIONS

[northwest missouri state]

I still want to know what happened to JS in his final year or more. It's like he quit recruiting during covid.

their roster was ordinary sans bolles who made them pretty good b/c he was a stud & able to cover for deficiencies. he got out before the mob formed. his best team was w/ fritz' players.

[Kiss My Ass]

their roster was ordinary sans bolles who made them pretty good b/c he was a stud & able to cover for deficiencies. he got out before the mob formed. his best team was w/ fritz' players.

You don't know crap but you're certainly full of it. Go feed your bearcat.

[mosofan1]

Why don't you start a Mo South thread and talk-up the Lions. I never did hear the reason Jeff Boschee left MSU to take over the Pitt State basketball program. Start with that topic.

I don't know the reason either. Lots of speculation, but only Jeff knows. I like Jeff, but I hope the Lions beat Pitt badly, just like I always do.

[Gorilla John 92]

Not really sure why 'Boda left but when he has some talent to work with and people buy in, he's successful. Look at what Tulane has done this year.

COVID really hurt the Mules along with ego's IMO. It all started with Boles getting hurt in the opener at Hays in 2018 and Jeremy Hunt becoming the QB. He thought he was "too good" for UCM and went the JUCO route along with a shifty freshman wide receive named Zion Perry. There was another really talented receiver who's name is escaping me that left as well that could have helped last year. Perry came back but never had the numbers he had as a freshman. Why? Don't know but there's something there. There were some other characters that were in the freshman class of 2018 that were more about themselves than the team. when COVID hit and a year lost, people bolted leaving a leadership void and pushed some of the "I" people in team leadership roles.

There were two high quality people, team leaders, that left as well with the first being Shay Wyatt. He's been a starting receiver for Tulane the past two years. The second was Dominic Puni, a guard, who has started all year for KU. He left after the 2021 season. Would these players have made a difference? Maybe but it takes all eleven on each side of the ball to be successful.

Please also don't forget the changing of the coordinators as well. Lambo left with AD to ACU, Johnny Mac, leaves to be the head coach at Wayne and Wes Bell leaves as defensive coordinator to become a high school coach and coach his son, who by the way is now at NW. During COVID and not being able to practice etc, the Mules were breaking in new staff and having to deal with players that they did not recruit. Unfortunately, it didn't work out in 2021.

However; the Mules did much better than I expected this year. The culture has changed amongst the players and hopefully they are buying into "team" versus "I" which can be hard in these times due to the portal.

One thing that no one talks about is Hank McClung, a longtime assistant with 'Boda. Hank had a medical issue at halftime of the Mo West game in 2021 and didn't coach the remainder of the year. He has since retired. This had to take a toll on 'Boda as well.

I like Lambo and it will be interesting to see who all returns to the coaching staff. They were all given one-year contracts when 'Boda departed. I would hate to see any of them go as this year was much more successful than last year IMO regardless of the team's record.

[Mule4ever]

Good observations GJ. Hope things get better this year was about preparing for the future.

[Wallst]

he’d to say right now op your coach has much to prove the next 2-3 yrs. don’t let anyone use covid as a crutch everyone had to deal with it, pitt for ex has ascended in spite of it

History and hindsight will be a better indicator, but as of today I think those 4 games we played were the most important 4 games Pitt has had since the 2011 NC game. It gave Wright time to see what he truly had in the locker room and on the field. It gave the kids an opportunity to see what they had in their coach and staff and it helped us on the recruiting trail where this staff is frankly imho dominating the rest of the MIAA.

As for UCM, now we have to see if Lambo can recruit. l know things changed at UNK under Lynn and he runs a funky offense geared toward who he recruits and who he can get, but has Lambo learned the type of athlete he needs and then how to fit those athletes into his system. He finished 1 or 2 games better than I gave him credit for in the preseason poll so congrats to what they did accomplish this year, but 2024 and 2025 will be the timetable to tell where UCM is.

[Randy]

Before the season started, I figured the Mules would win 3 games - Lincoln - Northeastern & Southern. By the time the Southern game was played I had lowered my expectations to 2 wins.

[northwest missouri state]

https://footballscoop.com/news/sourc...ntral-missouri