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Press Release:

 

http://www.ualbanysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=15800&ATCLID=211699249

 

"We are extremely happy with the direction and growth of our football program in the highly competitive CAA under Coach Gattuso," Benson said. "Greg and his staff have done an outstanding job. He continues to have the team make strides in one of the most challenging conferences in the nation, while guiding our student-athletes to success in the classroom. Coach Gattuso has embraced our community and continues to build leaders on and off the field. We’re excited about the direction of our program as we continue to work toward our goal of competing for a CAA championship.”

 

WTH is Benson on today? 11-21 is great strides? Really?

Edited by Eli
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UAFB is lucky I have great seats I don't want to lose (2nd level, right at the 50)...otherwise I'd be skipping a year or two of season tickets. This is so frustrating. He better win 8-9 games next year. Rather, THIS year. If we have another craptastic year at the QB position or as an offense in general...I might pull the plug and just get over the great seats.

 

Bob Ford left this program in an amazing position. GG has run it into the ground, IMO.

 

Maybe I'm being overly dramatic/'emotional' but this is a disaster. Did NOT see that coming. I figured the school would re-up after his contract expired IF he proved himself...

They purposely got a few kids who were JUCO standouts who will step right in. [offered a DL JUCO kid a few days ago as well]

 

I played for Coach Ford and love him about as much as any man but my dad BUT I think you are wrong on the point about how he left the program, Coach KNEW what would happen - that is why he agreed to stay the first year in the CAA!! They won 1 game his last year - the first in the CAA. I know guys who were on the staff and saw it was going to be a tough deal for a few years. The biggest difference is the speed and size of players. When Gatusso came in it was December already - signing is always the first week in Feb. They were - as a new guy with a completely new staff always is - left holding the bag so to speak. Having to sign guys they didn't recruit and then quickly going after a few other kids - MANY who were kids unsigned and not offered by other CAA teams. Some of those guys were seniors last year - some will be this year.

 

I bleed purple and am / was as upset as anyone over the offensive coaching and results last year BUT please have some common sense. 2018 will be the FIRST year operating with mostly kids he recruited. I agree that Bernard should not be running the offense. Maybe the new guy - who is somewhat of a QB whisperer - will do a better job with the QB's. AND Hanks is still on the team and healthy. BUT please remember the O Line was likely the major issue last year. Most of the line from the year before graduated. They were MOSTLY very young and inexperienced. A year's experience means a lot on this level. PLUS there were a couple of studs who were redshirted on purpose - at least I think - so they could step up with other guys with more experience. I for one am not jumping on that band wagon yet.

 

Gotta add something. If we look at last season with a clear mind. They actually were in every game - and could have won them all - EXCEPT for Maine I think it was.

Edited by HOF2013
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UAFB is lucky I have great seats I don't want to lose (2nd level, right at the 50)...otherwise I'd be skipping a year or two of season tickets. This is so frustrating. He better win 8-9 games next year. Rather, THIS year. If we have another craptastic year at the QB position or as an offense in general...I might pull the plug and just get over the great seats.

 

Bob Ford left this program in an amazing position. GG has run it into the ground, IMO.

 

Maybe I'm being overly dramatic/'emotional' but this is a disaster. Did NOT see that coming. I figured the school would re-up after his contract expired IF he proved himself...

 

I could buy the extension if he was in a contract year, but the guy had TWO years left. He has been at Albany for 4 full years, he has NEVER had a winning record in the CAA. His best year was a 6th place finish at 4-4. What was the rush to lock him into a long term contract? In fact, his record is going the WRONG way over the last few years, from 4-4 to 2-6...what exactly again was the rush? He still have ZERO QB's that have shown they can play at a D1 school. He personally continues to protect an incompetent OC who should have been fired several months ago but because of their personal friendship he refuses to do so showing that he doesn't care about the product or he'd do something to put the team in position to succeed.

 

rzUegfC.png

 

 

 

The first year was Coach Ford's last year - They were 1 - 11

Edited by HOF2013
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Just my input guys. Do some research on how teams fair when they step up to a league like the CAA from a league like the Northeast Conference. It is USUALLY a 5-7 year period to get the program where it can be consistently competitive.

Edited by HOF2013
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Just my input guys. Do some research on how teams fair when they step up to a league like the CAA from a league like the Northeast Conference. It is USUALLY a 5-7 year period to get the program where it can be consistently competitive.

Oh please... What exactly was the rush to max out a coach who's a proven loser at Albany when he had 2 years left.

 

Say what you want and make all the excuses you want... His offense is a complete joke and his qbs, the entire stable is garbage...I watched the starting qb repeatedly not be able to make the most routine throws.

 

Again, what was the rush?

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Not making

 

 

Just my input guys. Do some research on how teams fair when they step up to a league like the CAA from a league like the Northeast Conference. It is USUALLY a 5-7 year period to get the program where it can be consistently competitive.


Oh please... What exactly was the rush to max out a coach who's a proven loser at Albany when he had 2 years left.

Say what you want and make all the excuses you want... His offense is a complete joke and his qbs, the entire stable is garbage...I watched the starting qb repeatedly not be able to make the most routine throws.

Again, what was the rush?

 

Excuses!!!! You guys don't grasp the reality of coaching, just run with 'feelings'. Did you actually READ what I said?? All a couple of you ever do on here is bitch and complain with LITTLE concept of what it takes. I am done responding to you. You don't care about a reasoned look at things. Not a chance a new coach coming into a situation with a jump up in level of competition with an entire new staff could do much better!! Bottom line. Now if things haven't changed in another 3 years I may agree with you!

 

Also, one of guys last fall tried to compare with new coaches at other CAA schools. CAN'T. Those were long time programs with existing reps etc etc.

Edited by HOF2013
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Not making

 

 

Just my input guys. Do some research on how teams fair when they step up to a league like the CAA from a league like the Northeast Conference. It is USUALLY a 5-7 year period to get the program where it can be consistently competitive.

Oh please... What exactly was the rush to max out a coach who's a proven loser at Albany when he had 2 years left.

 

Say what you want and make all the excuses you want... His offense is a complete joke and his qbs, the entire stable is garbage...I watched the starting qb repeatedly not be able to make the most routine throws.

 

Again, what was the rush?

 

Excuses!!!! You guys don't grasp the reality of coaching, just run with 'feelings'. Did you actually READ what I said?? All a couple of you ever do on here is bitch and complain with LITTLE concept of what it takes. I am done responding to you. You don't care about a reasoned look at things. Not a chance a new coach coming into a situation with a jump up in level of competition with an entire new staff could do much better!! Bottom line. Now if things haven't changed in another 3 years I may agree with you!

 

Also, one of guys last fall tried to compare with new coaches at other CAA schools. CAN'T. Those were long time programs with existing reps etc etc.

 

Simple question you can't seem to answer, what was the rush maxing out the contract (NY State limits to 5 years) for a coach having multiple years on his contract remaining and who at best can be described as having achieved mediocre results. I'd actually term the results as crap...but why mince words. And yes, this job is HARD, he's in the best league, if you wanted it easy, should have stayed in the NEC. Albany is spending a TON of money on basically a loser program right now at helm of which sits a coach making close to $400k a year, who has surrounded himself with incompetent coaches like that OC who also happens to be his BFF.

 

I would have waited this year to see where he's at. As for your lecture on how people post here, you should start an experts only forum, perhaps one stocked and loaded with former players and coaches and not slum it with plebs like us over here.

 

He goes 3-5 this year in the CAA, you say what? He still has no QB and still the same OC and lost his DC who was pretty awesome.

Edited by Clickclack
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Gattuso's contract was to expire in December of this year. So, there weren't multiple years left on the contract.

 

Although his record was unimpressive, and I'm sure he had no phone calls or knocks on the door from other programs

wanting to hire him, the transition was never going to be instant from the NEC to the CAA. We all knew that.

 

I still say... that this coming season is the true measure of where we are heading, and it will finally be Gattuso's program,

Gattuso's results.

 

Although his contract would expire a month after the season ends this coming year, I think we could have waited until that time.

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HOF, to be fair, it's not like GG is in year 2 or 3 and only 20% of the team is his guys. He's in year 5 now. Most of the team is HIS guys. And he's achieved NOTHING but a way-below-.500 conference record that'll take 2 IMPRESSIVE CAA seasons to just get to .500 (think about that, that's how far down we are during this 'regime'). You're right, I never played organized sports. I did wreck fools in gym class and lunch period but that's about where my mastery/sports prowess ended (lol)...that doesn't mean I haven't learned a thing or two about basketball, or football or any other sport that I've been watching multiple times on a weekly basis in the last 20 years of being a sports fan.

 

Your claim is that getting up to the level of competing with the CAA takes 5-7 years. Fine. You are completely ignoring the fact that, at least last years team, we would probably lose a bunch of games in the old conference (NEC). THAT is the problem. THAT is why some of us are pissed off he was extended and they didn't wait. THAT is why this is TERRIBLE decision.

This was the breakdown of last years (2017) roster (taken from UAlbanySports.com):

Fr.	22
RFr.	16
So.	6
RSo.	12
Jr.	12
RJr.	12
Sr.	3
RSr.	7
Total	90

Note: this doesn't include any possible JUCO's in the upperclassmen numbers.

 

If I understand redshirting correctly...the only Bob Ford players on this team are the RJr's, Sr's and RSr's...correct? If so. Last years team was 75% GG's...this years team will be even more obviously. If GG's guys are everyone but the Sr.'s and RSr.'s...then it's already 88% his...LAST YEAR. And we know he had a tendency to NOT play Bob's kids...so again, saying that this wasn't his team yet is stupid at best. He's not playing 90 kids each game so we can't blame Bob's kids for the lack of production. Or even 50 probably.

No excuses. Gattuso has sucked thus far and we can't blame it on this team not being 'his'.

Edited by Eli
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As for doing some research...here's some research for you. Not looking to far out but looking at other CAA affiliate members and peer institutions in the AE. Maine and UNH joined the CAA in 2007. Throwing away each teams inaugural season (Fords first year)...year 2-5 records.

 

2008

Maine 5-3

UNH 6-2

 

2009

Maine 4-4

UNH 6-2

 

2010

Maine 3-5

UNH 5-3

 

2011

Maine 6-2

UNH 6-2

 

4 year in conference winning %

Maine 56%

UNH 72%

 

By contrast, a coach that has 4 full years under his belt has a winning % of 34% and a record of 11-21 and we are being told but it's so hard...other programs struggle making this move. <- this isn't even true...

 

Again, I'm not asking for him to be fired, I just don't understand why there was a rush to extend a coach and commit another 900k or more to him when he had multiple years left on his contract.

Edited by Clickclack
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Gattuso's contract was to expire in December of this year. So, there weren't multiple years left on the contract.

 

Although his record was unimpressive, and I'm sure he had no phone calls or knocks on the door from other programs

wanting to hire him, the transition was never going to be instant from the NEC to the CAA. We all knew that.

 

I still say... that this coming season is the true measure of where we are heading, and it will finally be Gattuso's program,

Gattuso's results.

 

Although his contract would expire a month after the season ends this coming year, I think we could have waited until that time.

 

I66fXGB.png

 

Hopefully it works out...we'll see.

Edited by Clickclack
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It is the times union...they could be wrong lol.

 

If he had two years remaining that means he signed a 6 year deal initially? Or has he already gotten extended once? 6 years would be past the aforementioned 5yr limit.

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It is the times union...they could be wrong lol.

 

If he had two years remaining that means he signed a 6 year deal initially? Or has he already gotten extended once? 6 years would be past the aforementioned 5yr limit.

 

Yes, this is from the TU, I was always under the impression that 2018 was a contract year for him...but the story above clearly states he had 2 left so not sure. If he had 1 year left and TU is wrong...then I can at least see the rationale...

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Let's face it, there is a slew of things that can determine a successful season.

Got to be running on all cylinders to compete in the CAA.

 

Let's not forget we had a virgin O line. Without a stout O line, an offense is $iena.

We lost Hanks, arguably the best player in the FCS, certainly was the best player on UA.

 

How many injuries did we have to tight ends and wide receivers this past season?

 

We had two overtime losses, and another 2 point loss.

 

Still think this coming season is a tell all. We could have waited to renew the contract,

but on the bright side, the coaching staff doesn't have the stress of worrying about their future.

 

What's done, is done. Let's hope for a kick ass season.

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