FB: Liberty League

[Frank Rossi]

LD, in your opinion, what is an acceptable time period for Landis to drive RPI back to the playoffs?  I assume you're not expecting that in the first season -- but since we're at least five years away from D-1AA (if at all), what would the safe expectation be?

[EDIT: By the way, based on the post from Sunday, RPI was apparently forced to spill the news a little earlier than anticipated to Andy Santillo of the Troy Record:  http://therecordsports.blogspot.com/ -- So, it is now official.]

[lewdogg11]

LD, in your opinion, what is an acceptable time period for Landis to drive RPI back to the playoffs?  I assume you're not expecting that in the first season -- but since we're at least five years away from D-1AA (if at all), what would the safe expectation be?

[EDIT: By the way, based on the post from Sunday, RPI was apparently forced to spill the news a little earlier than anticipated to Andy Santillo of the Troy Record:  http://therecordsports.blogspot.com/ -- So, it is now official.]

Funny question...but I'll bite.

I can't imagine that RPI's returning players completely forgot how to play football with this change. And due to the current status of the Liberty League these days, I don't think 6-3 or even better is an unreasonable expectation for 'Year 1'. There are just too many games on this schedule that should be won without thought.

Success should breed more success. With an ability to recruit well, I would see a talented freshman class in 'Year 2' with a healthy mixture of seasoned veterans. And finally, have it all together by 'Year 3'. That's just me and my crazy optimism for a program that I just want to see be consistent, successful, and dominant. Maybe my expectations are too high, maybe some others are happy with 'just better than pretty good', I don't know. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

[Frank Rossi]

Well, at least I nailed the day of the announcement -- here it is in its official form:

http://rpiathletics.com/news/2011/3/23/FB_0323111616.aspx

[dlippiel]

Dlip, I'm holding your feet to the fire on this one:  what aspect of what we know makes you so confident about Landis?  There are rumblings I've heard that he isn't a "popular choice" in RPI circles, so maybe you can put together a good case to rest their nerves...

Believe me Frank, nothing dlip can say can would rest anyone's nerves over in Troy, dlip has been trying to do that for years and it never works  .

Looking at Landis record and experience in some big time situations (to dlip coaching against the likes of a bama, Wisconisn, etc warrant a label of having exposure to big time football), having worked under a legitimate D1 staff and leading the offense at SJS, and having been a .500 coach at the FCS level for more than a few years makes dlip feel that this individual may be a good hire for the Engineers. dlip can't pretend to know anything more than the info on the surface about Landis but it seems to dlip, that he is a solid hire at the d3 level. Obviously he will be challenged to recruit the type of student athlete that fits the Rensselaer mold and we shall see how he fares in this area.

Believe dlip he won't be devastated if his intuition is wrong here . Yet to be honest. as dlip matures as a football fan, especially of d3 football, he finds himself more and more supportive of any school in the LL, especially one with the prestige of Rennselaer.

[lewdogg11]

Look, it's not like the guy has been coaching at any football juggernauts.  I agree with dlip that who he's coached with and against are extremely impressive and prove that he must have a ton of football knowledge which was probably very favorable to the committee.  Hopefully that will translate to being able to take a lower division team with a high recent winning history to the next step. 

I've already heard several negative comments from within the RPI community, both about his overall coaching record and from not hiring from within...but what do you want?  Do want to keep the same guys forever, just so someone recognizes you when you walk in their door?  That is selfish.  Let's go 6-3 again, maybe get chosen for an ECAC game, but make sure that you feel awesome when the coaches call you by name 3 times a year.  Give me a break.  I think anyone not giving the new coach a shot to prove himself really doesn't want what is best for the program.  They want the program to be >.500 each year and are happy with that.  Who would have made you happy anyway?  A coach with a 0-0-0 head coaching record?  Hmmm?  Riddle me that. 

Bill Belichick had a 36-44 record before coming to the Patriots.  Since then he's 126-50.  Good thing hiring him wasn't based on his previous head coaching record.  Maybe we would've gotten Wade Phillips.

[Frank Rossi]

Let me quickly point out, out of respect here, that when I refer to the RPI whispers I've heard, I don't necessarily agree with them.  I've said it here a few times that he deserves a chance and that the jury is still very much out here -- I've pretty much given time here to both sides of the argument for Landis and the wildcard of RPI going I-AA (FCS) potentially.

To me, the real interesting things to watch for will include future scheduling under Landis's watch (will he try to expand to 10 games when Springfield joins the LL in 2012?), whether RPI will become a rushing-focused offense (note his accolades in the articles today concerning his teams' rushing stats historically), and the number of true D3 guys he takes on in his own staff (you need some, I don't care how possible the I-AA rise thing is -- he hasn't had any exposure himself to D3 since 1986 after being a QB at Randolph Macon from '82-'85 and an assistant for a year).  

Again, congratulations to Coach Landis -- it's a special job, and as a proponent of the Liberty League, I wish you success (except against Union) :-)

['gro]

Sup Coach Landis, welcome to Troy. Stop by The Ruck and get some wings (and a wing burger). Now that that's out of the way, win dammit.

I'm not that concerned about who they choose as coach, it's all about how the program is going to be run going forward. In my opinion, it looks like Dr. Jackson and the new AD are looking to ramp up the athletics program to be world class while remaining in division III. That means building a world class facility (check). It also means playing a 10 game schedule, venturing out of region to play another proven program or get some name recognition outside of NY/MA, and expanding the recruiting base.

Now gro loves the Kinger, but he preferred a 9 game sked and day trips instead of overnights. Competitively he mixed it up in terms of strength of schedule, although I think the endicott series ran a few years longer than it should have. As far as recruiting goes, They did a good job there with the resources given to them. I think the money is going to increase going forward (just make sure you hire a compliance officer so the new coach understands the D3 regs)

So it is sad to see the man who headed RPI's turnaround from 100 year doormat to playoff participant go, but I think the new coach - under the guidance of the AD and Prez (who as Frank said are really pulling the strings) - Has this great opportunity in front of him and I hope he can capitalize on it. He also has the right to bring in his own coaching staff. Again, it will be sad to see some great assistant coaches will not be back, but that's football. Some of them could be back, it takes a special person to work in the Troylet.

[Jonny Utah]

I don't really care what your 1-AA record was, I think this guy is probably more than quailfied to be a head coach at RPI, and I assume he has the "good person" quality stuff as well.

This move is still strange though, as college coaches with histories like Landis simply do not go in the direction he did unless the money is more or close, or if he went to the school and wanted to lead it, or if he was simply looking for a job at the last second.

[Pat Coleman]

Brian Surace got a job elsewhere:

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2011/03/rpi-assistant-moves-on

[Frank Rossi]

Brian Surace got a job elsewhere:

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2011/03/rpi-assistant-moves-on

That's great news.  Congrats to Coach Surace -- hope it all works out.

[lewdogg11]

Brian Surace got a job elsewhere:

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2011/03/rpi-assistant-moves-on

That is really good news. Congrats coach. I wonder if they hired him in 4 days or if this has been going on for 2 months...  :-)

[bill]

It's been going on for 2 months. I tried dropping the hint about his hiring at FDU several days ago, but no one seemed to pick up on it

[Frank Rossi]

I wonder what happened to the Wesleyan coach that posted on the NESCAC board about interviewing for FDU before we pointed out his email address... Apparently, he didn't get the job

[Frank Rossi]

By the way, all we have left to do now is find Hobart a ninth game, and all with be right with the Liberty League again.  TGP, how we doing with that one??

[lewdogg11]

It's been going on for 2 months. I tried dropping the hint about his hiring at FDU several days ago, but no one seemed to pick up on it

The way it read was maybe he was picked up as an Assistant so I wasn't sure what to make of it.  I'm sure he is thrilled though.