Griz take their cupcakes and eat them too
The University of Montana football program is just fine playing lackluster non-conference games. Why shouldn't they be? The Griz could play anyone and 23k would show up, sporting all maroon if that's what the marketing department called for. On top of that, playing Sisters of the Poor Nunnery year after year increases the odds of more home playoff games. More home playoff games means more money.
Joe Kusek of the Billings Gazette points to one place where it may have started.
Coach after coach pointed out it doesn't matter who you play, a loss is a loss and a loss means a drop in the national rankings. And the farther down you are in the national rankings, the less chance of hosting a home playoff game or two.Plus, more players get an opportunity to get on the field in those blowout wins. And when those players get called upon later in the season because of injury situations, they'll be more prepared.
The longer I watched, the more I understood the thinking.
In 1991, the Grizzlies traveled to Louisiana for consecutive road games at Louisiana Tech and McNeese State. UM lost both.
The first words from Don Read when the team returned? "Never again," replied the popular coach.
When Wayne Hogan was the athletic director, he discussed bringing the top I-AA teams to Missoula as a way to reward UM's devoted fans. But that talk eventually faded and Hogan resigned amid budget problems.
Now we're back to schedules that Read would love.
The don't want to play these teams because they don't want the losses. I mean it makes sense that a coach doesn't want his team playing tough opponents on the road in back-to-back games. But why not a home and home? It was on the table with Appalachian State but things fell through.
Here is the reasoning from Jim O'Day.
Would love to play App State, but the cost may be too high for both schools. Trouble flying in and out of Boone and Missoula. We both estimate about $125,000… which most likely won’t be doable for either this year as we try to pay our bills. The cost of travel to some of these “remote” places is making scheduling more and more challenging and difficult. Everyone has to pay their bills, and wants some money in return for making the trip. Boise is paying in the neighborhood of $185,000 for a guarantee game, and we’re already at $125,000 being offered… with few takers. They say it would cost almost that much just to fly into Missoula and pay accompanying bills.
O'Day went into further detail on the issue. I suggest reading the if full letter you haven't already.
In response, I believe the Griz will eventually take chances on playing tougher opponents. I'm not completely sure, but I've heard there is a rule forbidding the athletic department or the school in general go in the red.
Just a few years removed from going seven figures into debt, O'Day is understandable timid towards taking financial risks. With time, this should fade. Hauck is on his way out. One more winning season and he should have a job elsewhere. Then there are two options for the next coach. The yes-man who comes in, keeps playing practice squads or the brash guy who wants to make an impact. The guy who wants to schedule Georgia Southern, Appalachian and Boise State in back to back weeks all while begging to move up. I hope for the latter.
