Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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12-16-21 07:43 PM - Post#331504
In response to jkrun80
A couple of comments:
1. Agree with JKrun that football is likely not going anywhere, at least in the medium run. Not only is a lot of Pascucci's donation going towards football, but apparently they are ready to start a campaign to allow them to constuct the new facility for football and lacrosse, designed to bring Bucknell's facilities up to the same level as their PL competition.
2. It's hard to evaluate football's lack of success because it has always competed on a very unlevel playing field. For the first 27 years of PL football, Bucknell spent far less money than Lehigh, Lafayette, Fordham, and Colgate. (From 1965 to 1987, they also spent less than their traditional rivals.) Incredibly Tom Gadd managed to overcome that - which I think makes him the top coach in recent Bucknell history. He would certainly rank in the top three or four coaches in the 26 years of Patriot League football. But no average coach could make up such a significant spending shortfall.
3. Here are a few examples of the deficiency in expenditures:
2005:
$3.5 Million - average of four rivals (LU, LC, CU, and FU)
$2.5 Million - Bucknell
Shortfall = $1.0 Million (28.4%)
2009:
$4.3 Million - average of four
$3.0 Million - Bucknell
Shortfall = $1.3 Million (30.0%)
2013:
$4.87 Million - average of four
$3.35 Million - Bucknell
Shortfall = $1.52 Million (31.2%)
The gap in 2019 has fallen to 12.2% - but that is still a meaningful number. By the way, most of that gap through 2013 was due to PL opponents giving far more in financial aid.
4. Most PL teams always have 3-5 fifth year players - usually high level players. Bucknell essentially does not allow it. To be competitive, the Administration needs to do everything possible to get some fifth year players on the field.
One example, among many dozens, is Lafayette, which does not have a grad school. Every year they have meaningful fifth year participants. For example, in the season that ended last month here is a summary of players competing in their 5th year:
- 6-2 225 lb RB who was 2nd team All-PL the previous season and preseason All-PL.
- 6-6 310 lb OL who was 2nd team All-PL the previous season and preseason All-PL.
- 6-4 240 lb DL, a transfer from Army playing his 5th year.
- - 6-2 220 lb LB who was twice on the 2nd team All-PL team.
- 6-2 200 lb DB who was a two-year starter.
That's five very talented players who would have been gone had they suited up for Bucknell. Four of the five were captains of this year's LC team.
4. If Bucknell wants to seriously compete in football, it needs to:
(A) Close the spending gap to under 5%
(B) Offer comparable facilities to PL rivals
(C) Not only allow 5th year players, but also be proactive in convincing players to stay an extra semester.
(D) Look closely at whether Bucknell is admitting the same players admitted by Lehigh and Fordham.
(E) Various other tweaks to level the playing field.
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