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Barnes angling for USU success

Not sure what Barnes is talking about with scheduling Utah. Thats not a two-for-one. The two schools switch off every year, don't they? Maybe an occasional skip.

good luck,
if you are serious, lets start by getting rid of the mens football coach and the womens basketball coach-both had their chance to produce and neither has come close to a .500 season...not even remotely close!!!...time to get some new enthusiasm and especially new schemes so that the aggie opponents actually have to prepare and respect them every week

It's good to hear that Barnes is out talking to Aggies across the state. I've felt for a long time that this needed to happen. In fact, I would like to see a group of people formed representing the Cache Valley community, businesses, alumni, students, service organizations, and athletic department to discuss and reach concensus on what type of program we all want at USU, what it is going to cost, and get everyone moving in the same direction to make this a great athletic dept. again. We have that opportunity now that we are in the WAC. This is a process that TCU used in the 90's after the SWC disbanded and left them out. Once they got everyone on the same page at TCU, they were able to dramatically improve their athletics. In the past, it seems like the athletic dept. has tried to go it alone without getting buy-in from everyone. As a result, we see people going in many different directions with Aggie athletics instead of moving in unison. Hopefully, Barnes will get consensus from alumni, Cache Valley service clubs, businesses, etc. before he tries to move forward.

former aggie is right. I think the men`s football coach has been given more than a chance to prove what he can do. He`s proven he can`t win.

The most encouraging comment in the article is that Barnes has discovered how poor USU customer service has been. Buying a season ticket at USU was hard when it should be easy. The students behind the thick glass were more interested in reading their book than in looking up to help a fan with a question. Huge ticket price increases were announced with a lump it or leave it attitude. Marketing consisted of one form letter with the dates for renewing season tickets. There was no follow-up. They seemed just as happy to let the seat lapse and sell it to someone else.

If that all changes, I'll be back.

We can have all the big dreams that we want, but I don't exactly know who is going to be lining up to play the 115th ranked team in the country for a million bucks.

I agree with "Schedule"; We should keep playing Utah because the host team switches off every year. I also believe this is mandated somehow by the state legislature (no joke). Besides, the Utah game has come to have more meaning in recent years than the occasional BYU game has. The Aggies have been competative in several games against Utah in the last 10 years. I completely agree with scheduling Weber St, Idaho St, SUU, or Dixie St. They're not guaranteed wins at this point, but I'd say the odds are at least better than 50-50, and hopefully they would be confidence builders. With the arrogant team-down-south-that-likes-Aggie-Blue-too-much scheduling FCS (D-II) teams, I wonder why they haven't scheduled Weber. Hopefully within 5 years USU can get some momentum in other sports besides men's basketball (which needs schedule changes in a different way) and have a competative athletic department.

Football will be a project. Unless things turn around in the next few years, consideration will have to be given to dropping football to what used to be called Division I-AA. It will be the only way it can compete, despite Aggie boosters thinking USU is a legitimate Division I school in football. Picking up nice paydays by playing and getting crushed by mid-major and major D-I teams is no longer acceptable. It is time to at least be semi-competitive in those games.

Maybe that's an option WAY down the road. But not while the current conference alignments are in place. No way USU leaves the WAC to pursue FCS (1-aa) football.

As a Ute fan, I would love to see USU turnaround.
I would love to see Utah, BYU, and Utah State all be competitive with each other... and thus a true revival of the Beehive Boot. With a rivalry that has seen 107 meetings between Utah and USU and (I think) 77 meetings between BYU and USU... I would had to see that tradition die away.

At least Barnes has a plan besides "open the doors and see who walks in." He comes with a solid background in fundraising from Big 12 and PAC 10 schools, and the authority from the President to go for it. Former AD Bruce Van DeVelde had the fundraising ability, for instance, but a president in George Emert who meddled too much. Stan Albrecht has decided to let Barnes do his job and that should pay dividends. His connections and experience should pay off for USU. Now it's time for the fans to nut up and support the program. I know I will and encourage everyone else to jump on board.

i read with interest and agree with the comments from former aggie....i believe with the right coach teaching the right scheme and technique, the ags could try something different such as a wing-t like air force uses...they certainly don't have the biggest, fastest players, yet they are extremely competitive...could the aggies try something like this? who knows, but they would most likely be the only team in the wac using it and may be able to make the most of their lack of blue chippers....they could get some respect back by finishing a couple of years at 5-5, or 6-5....but there is a pass happy or spread offense mentality that boosters love (and I like it too), this may be the way to go, but do they have the players (read: speed at skill positions) to pull it off? i doubt it....barnes the job requires tough decisions, but that is major college athletics these days, and you need to cut guy loose, cause his schemes aren't cutting it!

GO AGGIES!

Don't blamer the football coach when he has no athletes. Before he has athletes USU will have to become a place where athletes want to play. Firing a coach is re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

Randy Spetman let Coach Guy stay. When Barnes arrived it was too late to reverse that decision. So, we are stuck with this Coach for one more season. I figure we should hope Guy still turns things around, but if the first half of the season is as dismal as past years, start emailing Barnes calling for the coaches head.

Former Aggie is right. USU needs to look for not only a new football coach, but a new women's basketball coach as well. As a USU student I have been very disappointed with these individuals' performances.

Go Aggies! Good luck with your new AD. My husband is a large donor to USU and old R Spetman never even bothered to call or come by our home in SLC. I often attend USU games (my husband can get excellent seats) rather than U games and I cheer the Aggies on except when the play the U and then I must be true to my team.
GO UTES
GO AGGIES
squash byu

This guy Barnes is the ultimate optimist.

Cache Valley is beautiful in the Summer.

USU is very competitive in basketball.

Now for the BAD NEWS:

The football program at USU is "...lost and alone on some forgotten highway...."

Most potential players will only go to USU if there is nowhere else to go.

The only people who would want to coach football at USU are those with a career death wish.

The "...good days are REALLY over for good...."

Step #1----Fire Brent Guy and hire a real coach.

Dude, you obviously don't follow college football very closely. Who is lining up to play the 115th team in the nation? Schools who want to schedule WINS that's who! For example, we would be playing TEXAS this year if we hadn't already had a 2 for 1 contract with Oregon that dated back to 2001 (Thanks Rance Pugmire). Texas offered $1 million bucks to do it. Keep in mind that these types of games are 1 and done deals where USU would just play on the road with no return game.

The games are out there. I loved this article. It makes a lot of sense, and someone FINALLY announced some sort of plan to resurrect USU's program. I truly believe USU football can be turned around and I hope Barnes is the one to spearhead its return to glory.

Bring back the good old days!