Deseret News | Reader comments: Barnes angling for USU success

Reader comments
Barnes angling for USU success

Schedule | 1:19 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

former aggie | 6:48 a.m. July 11, 2008

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

Aggie in Colo. | 8:35 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

Comments continue below

Wilford | 8:43 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

Former Ticket Holder | 8:46 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

Aggie Bro | 8:54 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

Couldn't agree more | 9:07 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

Reader | 9:15 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

consideration | 9:46 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

Ute Perspective | 9:58 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

AggiesForever | 9:58 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

perhaps | 10:02 a.m. July 11, 2008

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!

Anonymous | 10:13 a.m. July 11, 2008

GO AGGIES!

Blame | 10:16 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

Guy stays for now | 10:18 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

fan14 | 10:26 a.m. July 11, 2008

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.

Ute Alum | 10:44 a.m. July 11, 2008

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

Spectator | 10:55 a.m. July 11, 2008

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...."

Anonymous | 11:24 a.m. July 11, 2008

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

To: Aggie Bro | 11:41 a.m. July 11, 2008

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!

aggie for life | 12:09 p.m. July 11, 2008

There was an article on Buffalo a few years back saying how their AD would no longer schedule body bag games for less than $1million. After being the worst team in FB for years, this year they were 1 win away from a bowl game. There are plenty of schools who will schedule USU for $1million, and that opens up a bottom dweller from the Sun Belt or MAC and a D-1AA school to come to Logan. After the body bag, Utah, D-1AA and Sun Belt games, thats a 2-2 record. It is called scheduling for success. Now USU is 4 wins away from a bowl. With that kind of start last year, I'm predicting USU would have won the SJSU, Nevada and UNLV game, which USU was up in the 4th quarter on all of them, but couldn't finish out the game. Add that to the 2 other wins they got last year, and you are looking at a 7 win season. USU was very competitive this year but didn't know how to win. This kind of scheduling teaches the players how to win and sets them up for success. GO BARNES! GO AGGIES!

SilverHairedAggie | 12:12 p.m. July 11, 2008

Dear Blame,
The head coach is the one the has the responsibilty of getting Athletes. If he can't recruit Athletes he can't coach.

Fatty | 12:16 p.m. July 11, 2008

I am a graduate student at USU and I share this opinion: Keep coach Guy. As far as I can tell, it's been about a year since I've heard of any Aggie football players being arrested (that's better than the U or the Y can say). I've been here for five years, and the last year is the first that I haven't heard of football players getting into trouble with the law. If coach Guy can teach his players to be better citizens, stay out of trouble, and take their academics more seriously (uhh, they play at USU, they better be taking their academics seriously, because they sure won't be playing pro ball), I say keep him. I like to watch a good football game just as much as the next person, and I would like to see USU win. But, even more than that, I would like to see the athletes obey the laws and be good students. After all, it's a university, not a sports club.

michael | 12:27 p.m. July 11, 2008

Brent Guy is not the problem! It is like playing 5 card stud but Guy is the only player that can not exchange any of his cards.
The result has been the same regaudless of who's coaching. The problem stems from an under funded and rarely supported athletic department. Maybe this guy can change things.

Love my Aggies! | 12:43 p.m. July 11, 2008

I don't understand the the UofU comment. They have been more than generous, and played home and home every year. I hope that those comments were directed in BYU's direction. There is no reason we should play them 2 for 1. We could replace them with New Mexico, Wyoming, CSU, Air Force, UNLV or a 1-AA. I hope that he can turn this around. Go Ags!!

RE: Scheduling | 12:45 p.m. July 11, 2008

Isn't it odd that Scott Barnes's plan for turning around the Aggie program is the same plan Mendenhall has for getting BYU in the BCS?

Fishing | 1:28 p.m. July 11, 2008

Drop a nymph below your dry fly and you'll pull a fish out every other cast on the Blacksmith.

Improvement | 1:39 p.m. July 11, 2008

For everyone calling for Guy's head, let me share some numbers.

In 2006 (arguable the worst season for USU football...well...ever) the average difference in point per game was -27.7, -24.4 in the WAC.

In 2007, the point differential dropped to -13.25 and -8.9 in conference.

Thats a significant improvement.

Best of both worlds | 3:06 p.m. July 11, 2008

How about scheduling a school like Duke, Vanderbilt or Syracuse? There's also Barnes' former employer Iowa State. Or Baylor. Minnesota or Northwestern. All members of big-name conferences and a fair to good chance to win too.

There are plenty of other D-1 patsies out there too. Rice, UAB, Army

page | 3:53 p.m. July 11, 2008

when former coaches recruit junior college players all the time you don't have any freshmen coming up to work their way through the program.now they have kids that will be there for 4 or 5 years.i don't know how good guy is but you keep changing coaches all the time your not ever going to be good.

Downtown Aggie | 4:46 p.m. July 11, 2008

Fire Guy. Hire Mike (Chico) Canales. Chico is a former Aggie QB who has been everywhere from Snow College to the New York Jets.

Canales is a great recruiter, feisty competitor, and the dude is an offensive genius. He will win quickly, fill Romney Stadium, and bring Aggie Football back to a respectability we haven't seen since Merlin Olsen was there.

Utah County Aggie | 6:50 p.m. July 11, 2008

Reality Check.Michael you are accurate in saying the problem stems from lack of funding. Your problem is that funding comes from people who have pride in a program and a reason to give. First, parents of out of state players will rarely buy season tickets. Second, most of those out of state players with no connection to "aggie Pride" will ever give back when they are done playing. A program is built with a long term plan for wins on the field and success off the field. Hire a coach who understands that players who succeed in the classroom and in life after football give back to a program that cared for them as people, not just players. Ask any former college athlete like myself why they give back and they will tell you "PRIDE". Pride is built as a whole community gets behind people they can relate to and respect. I know many aggie alumnni along the wasatch front who would love to support the program if there were athletes they cared about. USU football is third fiddle to BYU and Utah as well as Weber and Snow College because USU coaches don't believe utah athletes can play.

Downtown Aggie | 7:44 p.m. July 11, 2008

Utah County, you're right. For decades Aggie coaches have heavily recruited junior college football players.

You're also right that USU is third fiddle in this state. THIRD - not fifth.

USU coaches do occassionally manage to nab an in-state blue chipper such as homegrown Aggie - Chris Cooley.

California JC players are generally good athletes, but they eventually end up in Logan only because Pac-10, Mountain West, and other teams have passed on them. First team Aggies would be back-ups and some would'nt even make travel squad at other schools.

John L Smith | 8:49 p.m. July 11, 2008

A lot of hiring is luck. Bronco was way down the list (4th or 5th, lower maybe) when BYU "settled" on him after the Crowton era ended.

The right coach can win and recruit in Logan. Bad coaching hires will suck the life out of even the most die-hard alumni and fan base; and 3 uninspired hires in a row is practically a death sentence in football.

Guy will likely be done after another 9 or 10 loss season this year. Nice guy, but in over his head in the #1 role just like Holmoe was at Cal.

Hopefully Barnes can lure away the next Urban Meyer from somewhere, someone that makes the game entertaining, interesting and high scoring. They're due for a break, no?

Sports Fan | 10:11 p.m. July 11, 2008

Drop the "y" play the Utes every year!

Just thinking. | 10:52 p.m. July 11, 2008

We are stuck with Brent Guy for another season, and will try to rally around him and give him the support of one more season. There were a few games last year when he really made some bone head decisions that cost USU a win, or two. Does anyone else feel like me that USU really dropped the ball when they didn't hire Ron McBride instead of Guy. Here is a former D-1 coach, wanting to come back to Utah, (the state), the guy is a public relations dream, gets people to rally to the program, and USU passes on him. I wonder if he even was on the radar? Guy is a nice guy, but you know where the nice guys always finish.

Aggie in SLC | 11:15 p.m. July 11, 2008

Unless BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe agrees to play Utah State home and home in football, the USU-BYU rivalry, and I use that term very loosely based on USU's football recent success or lack thereof, is going to be cancelled, at least temporarily. Holmoe must have sweet talked Spetman into those stupid boneheaded 2 for 1 deals. STUPID USU ATHLETIC DIRECTORS, not mentioning any names,the last 2 former USU Athletic Directors seem to have an annoying penchant for giving BYU extra home non-conference games. And you wonder why ticket revenue is low at Romney Stadium. Well, maybe because you are playing games in "Happy Valley" and I use that term even more loosely than the last time, than your are in Romney Stadium. USU almost beat Oregon in Logan in 2001 and Oregon finished the year number two in the nation after just missing out on the national championship game. I have never been so proud of the Aggies after a loss, playing at that high of a level. USU and Utah always play home and home, so that will continue. Unlike BYU, who is scared to play in the Spectrum and in football 1 for 1.

to: Utah County Aggie | 12:08 a.m. July 12, 2008

How many Utah athletes do you think are D-1 material? Here are the numbers of Utah players playing for the big 3(roughly):

USU: 24 Utah Athletes
Utah: 37 Utah Athletes
BYU: 42 Utah Athletes

I just don't think the difference of numbers of Utah athletes is that big. USU IS going after Utah players.

You are right, right now Utah and BYU are student athletes' first choices in the state of Utah. We're going to get players who really want to play at USU, or simply weren't offered a scholarship to play at the U or the Y.

In a state of 3 million people, how many D-1 athletes are produced? There simply aren't enough to go around. USU is trying to win, and it can get better players from other states where football is bigger and where the population is larger. USU will miss out on a recruit here and there, but if they have the choice between a player that is good in CA or TX and a player that is good in UT, they're going to pick the CA or TX player because it is less of a gamble.

utah county aggie | 9:29 a.m. July 12, 2008

once again justification creates mediocrity. I am not saying athletes from CA or TX shouldn't become aggies and are not less of a gamble. That is not the point. The point is there are many in state athletes that are told to walk on rather than offered scholarships. I don't pretend to know the reasons, but I for one would not give to a program that doesn't offer scholarships to in state athletes, but obviously think those same athletes can be part of a program as a walk on. Many of those same athletes parents are USU Alumni and are tired of the mediocre mentality of the program. I can name several athletes that USU never gave a chance that are elsewhere. Does the name Trevyn Smith mean anything. Let's hire Ron Mcbride. He understands the utah recruiting and that there are more quality utah players than you think. Third fiddle is not enough. I would like to see us schedule both weber and Snow College. You might seee what I'm talking about. I'm not sure we would win either game.

Steve | 4:43 p.m. July 14, 2008

One thing not mentioned in the article that really needs to happen is clearing of all the dead weight in the A.D. Kevin Dustin should have been let go years ago and Tom Hale has driven the BBSF into the ground. Go hire some office staff that care about doing their jobs.

True Aggies | 2:40 p.m. July 18, 2008

Mr. Barnes, Make sure you take your wife up on the "A" and make her a True Aggie. Welcome to the community! There is great flyfishing opportunities in southern Idaho and Northern Utah! Logan Canyon is awesome!

Make sure you involve the community, and don't forget there are tons of Wasatch Front Aggies. Have fun and Win!!

Go Aggies!

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Ravell Call, Deseret News

Scott Barnes, new director of athletics for Utah State University, stands in front of the school's new north end zone athletic complex in Romney Stadium.

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Barnes angling for USU success

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Barnes angling for USU success