Nevada vs. Eastern Washington: All-Time Football Data

It's hard to believe that the time has come to start posting the weekly statistics and previews...yet here we are.

It being the first game of the season I wish there could be a bit more fanfare for this one; unfortunately, while there is a bit of history here it is fairly scant.  There were also no common opponents last season, so there's little other comparison that can be made, save this: E. Wash played at Cal last season and quickly opened up a 7-0 lead over the Golden Bears...then gave up 59 unanswered points in return.

So...whew, here we go.  

Oh, and fun fact: E. Wash was the runner up for the 1967-1968 NAIA National Championship with a 21-28 loss at Fairmont State...they went 3-7 the following season.

Also: in the ten years since the turn of the century, the Eagles have made the FCS postseason three times, advancing to the quarterfinals twice.

Nevada (8-5, 7-1 WAC, 2nd) vs. Eastern Washington (8-4, 6-2 Big Sky, T-2nd).

Not ancient, not storied, and not a rivalry, Nevada leads the all-time series 6-1, all of which came under Chris Ault, for the record.

Scoring:
Nevada: 250 E. Wash: 162 (Nevada +88)
Nevada PPG: 35.714285714
E. Wash PPG: 23.142857142

The series:

November 3, 1984

at Nevada: 35 E. Wash: 21

October 12, 1985

at Nevada: 31 E. Wash: 25

(E. Wash would lose in the D-1AA quarterfinals at N. Iowa 14-17)

October 25, 1986

at Nevada: 56 E. Wash: 22

September 12, 1987

Nevada: 40 at E. Wash: 26

November 12, 1988

at Nevada: 30 E. Wash: 12

September 9, 1989

at E. Wash: 33 Nevada: 7

October 19, 1991

Nevada: 51 at E. Wash: 14

(Statement made.)

Let the tail-gating begin in earnest.

All quiet on the Wasatch Front

It remains quiet so far from BYU, which has led to a certain amount of feverish speculation on the part of the local media over there. Ultimately, nobody really knows what BYU is going to do - perhaps not even BYU. Will it join the WCC with Gonzaga and St. Mary's? Will it prop up the remainder of the WAC? Will it stay in the MWC for one more year? Will it get a better TV deal and stay in the MWC for more than a year? Will it bring Utah State over as a twelfth team if it stays, or will it make the MWC twist in the wind with eleven schools? Or - and this is my personal favorite in the "feverish speculation" sweepstakes - will BYU grab a few schools from the MWC and the WAC and build yet another mid-major conference, leaving everyone else to twist in the wind?

Don't count that last one out. They've done it before.

Meanwhile, information is beginning to come out on how we reached this point in the first place. As several sources (including the RGJ) have reported, the Salt Lake Tribune recently received via an open records request a series of e-mails between Utah State and several other parties that sketches out nicely how all of this went down. The Idaho Statesman, meanwhile, dug into them a little further to isolate Boise State's role in this - apparently, Boise State's President stepped up to invite Nevada, Fresno State, and possibly even Utah State into the Mountain West. Meanwhile, Karl Benson attempted to talk UNLV into joining the WAC, which led to this e-mail (Salt Lake Tribune):

Scott,

Thought I would give you an update. Shortly after you and I spoke this morning, Nevada and Fresno were issued an invite to the MWC. Our President met with our chancellor and we are giving this opportunity serious thought. It would mean that Nevada and UNLV would finally be in the same conference.
We were hopeful that when Karl met with UNLV, they would consider joining the WAC. They were not interested.
As you know, our board has a resolution that was put in place a few years ago that states that both state schools would work towards a common conference. So much has happened in the past 6 hours -- I wanted you to know what has been going on as I told you that I would keep you posted.

Cary S. Groth
Director of Athletics
University of Nevada

What this means is that, as soon as the MWC issued the invite, we were practically duty-bound to accept it - our loyalty to our state will always be greater than our loyalty to an athletic conference. That's just a given. Of course, one of the ramifications of this is that, if UNLV accepted the WAC invite, the WAC would've ended up stronger than ever and the MWC would've lied in tatters.

So, if you're looking for someone to blame for the near-extinction of the WAC, blame the source of all evil - UNLV! It's easy, fun, and safe for the whole family!

Game-By-Game

Hey - Chris Murray did it, so why can't we?

Game 1: Eastern Washington vs. Nevada
This one shouldn't be close, but it probably will be. We tend to play poorly in our first game of the season; thankfully, we're playing Eastern Washington, so it won't matter. Expect things to be uncomfortably close in the first half, followed by our team actually waking up and playing some football in the second half. Score: Nevada 42, E Washington 14

Game 2: Colorado State vs. Nevada
Colorado State isn't very good and we're playing at home, so that should count for something. This game will give us a solid feel for how the rest of the season will go - will we be underachievers, or will we actually beat the teams we're supposed to beat? Keep in mind that Colorado State always plays us close. Score: Nevada 28, Colorado State 21

Game 3: Cal vs. Nevada
If you went to the Texas Tech game a couple of years ago, you'll have a pretty solid understanding of how this game will probably go. Expect a ton of early fireworks, little defense on our side, and a lot of cussing from the south end zone by the end of the third quarter. It'll be entertaining - until it isn't. Score: Cal 35, Nevada 21

Game 4: Nevada @ BYU
Not only do we rarely play BYU well, especially in Provo, but we'll be playing them a week after an emotionally draining game at home. Don't expect much. When we write our customary "Ault seriously needs to go after this travesty" article, be sure to point to this article. Score: BYU 42, Nevada 6

Game 5: Nevada @ UNLV
To quote Blazing Saddles, "We have to protect our phoney baloney jobs here, gentlemen! We must do something about this immediately! Immediately! Immediately! Harrumph! Harrumph! Harrumph!" Ault is admittedly fantastic at using games against UNLV to protect his job, and there doesn't appear to be any sign that this year will go down any differently. Score: Nevada 56, UNLV 21

Game 6: San Jose State vs. Nevada
San Jose State isn't very good and we'll be playing at home after a solid confidence boost against UNLV. This is where we try to set the tone for conference play. Score: Nevada 38, SJSU 17

Game 7: Nevada @ Hawaii
We never play well in Honolulu and Hawaii will probably be better than last year. Considering how we only beat them by 10 last year at home while they were on their third-string quarterback, don't be surprised if this seemingly winnable game runs away from us. Score: Hawaii 24, Nevada 14

Game 8: Utah State vs. Nevada
We have a bye week before this game, we're playing it at home, we'll probably be a little embarrassed about the Hawaii game, and did I mention that Utah State isn't very good? Yeah... Score: Nevada 61, Utah State 7

Game 9: Nevada @ Idaho
We're not going to lose this one, but it'll be much closer than people will be comfortable with. Idaho won't be sneaking up on anyone this year, so don't expect any miracles out of them; having said that, this game will be on the road and the Utah State game will probably convince our team that they're better than they really are. Score: Nevada 35, Idaho 31

Game 10: Nevada @ Fresno State
Fresno State's schedule is much more sane and reasonable this year than usual, which means they might actually be halfway healthy going into this game. This means there will be a pretty good chance that they might actually be in the hunt for the conference championship this year if Pat Hill stops sweating his contract and starts paying attention on the field again. We've played Fresno State exceptionally well over the past couple of years, even in Fresno, which actually worries me a bit. That said, Fresno follows us up with Boise, so, if we're really lucky, we might catch them looking ahead, especially if we stumble a little against Idaho beforehand. Score: Nevada 31, Fresno 28

Game 11: New Mexico State vs. Nevada
Now it's our turn to look ahead a little. Bear in mind that we absolutely throttled them last year and that was in Las Cruces; expect this year to be no different, especially at home. Score: Nevada 56, NMSU 10

Game 12: Boise State vs. Nevada
Ah... now, here's where things get interesting. We're playing them here, which is good. However, if we're not in the hunt for the conference championship going into this game, the crowd will be non-existent, especially with this game happening on Thanksgiving weekend. Meanwhile, Boise State has a realistic shot at the national championship if they can get past Virginia Tech and Oregon State. Assuming both teams are doing as well as they should be going into this game, expect both sides to bring their A game. Also expect Boise State's superior athleticism and their fans' willingness to travel to overcome any home field advantage we might have here. Score: Boise State 42, Nevada 35

Game 13: Nevada @ Louisiana Tech
If Louisiana Tech can figure out how to throw the ball by the time this game rolls around, we might be in trouble. Failing that, this won't be that interesting. Score: Nevada 38, Louisiana Tech 21

Record: 9-4 (8-4 vs. FBS schools, 2-1 out-of-conference)

Honestly, I'd love to see us make that jump to national prominence this year, and I think Kaep and our running game are going to be the best chances we have on that front. However, there are few signs that suggest our defense is improved enough over the past couple of years to pull that off, which means we're just not going to be able to get over the hump against teams like Cal and Boise State. Fortunately, our team did improve last year and played everyone close, so... who knows?

It's Not Over Yet

With Nevada and Fresno State heading to the Mountain West and the WAC gutted like a freshly caught trout, BYU has suddenly become rather quiet about their plans. Interestingly, they've gone quiet in both directions - they're not announcing that they're going independent, but they're also not announcing that they're staying in the MWC, either. So, which way are the tea leaves looking?

To gain some insight into this, let's recap from last week's post:

BYU: A lot of people think BYU will stand pat and stay in the MWC now that the WAC is crumbling, but there's no guarantee of that. BYU's position with The Mtn and BYU-TV haven't changed, and BYU is one of the few schools whose fans would benefit from regular trips to Hawaii (BYU has a satellite campus near Honolulu) and Utah State. Plus, BYU absolutely loathes the fact that Utah was able to get out of the MWC while BYU never got an invite. Also don't forget that BYU wasn't planning on affiliating with the WAC for football and, between Hawaii and Utah State, it's not like the WAC is shooting blanks on the men's basketball front.

Put another way, going to the WAC would definitely hurt BYU nationally, but there's a good chance that it might still help BYU with its natural constituency. Given a choice between some national popularity and what would amount to a Mormon athletic fan service on their own channel, don't be surprised if BYU goes against the grain on this one.

This brings me to an article from Saturday's Deseret News, New broadcast facility key to Y.'s TV dreams:

PROVO — It sits on a hill, its tall glass facade gleaming in the sunlight, a modern tower housing a state-of-the-art TV studio that rivals anything in the industry.

This 100,000-square-foot building, filled with enough soundproof walls to build another complete building, has a giant belly filled with complicated cables, wires, high-definition production wares and state-of-the art technology that feeds a modern TV studio.

Next to it is a sports studio. All of this can split off four BYU-TV broadcasts simultaneously and is rigged for digital media operations and Internet streaming. This tower of glass and mortar is hard-wired with video and audio HD capability direct to LaVell Edwards Stadium and the Marriott Center, reducing the need for one of those giant TV trucks.

And a truck? BYU owns the best HD production truck in the West.

This network, with its capabilities and instant access to DirecTV and Dish Network's basic platform and 200 cable companies in North America, is at the center of the national story that caught the attention of the college football world this past week.

Yet, few still have caught on.

And this isn't really a new story. It is a chapter in an ongoing saga.

Since the inception of the Mountain West Conference deal with Comcast and creation of the league's network, The mtn., in partnership with Versus and CBS C, BYU's administration has spoken frequently and loudly on how restrictive aspects of the deal were unacceptable.

Part of the complaint is freedom to retain some broadcast rights, while another part is replaying games on BYU's own systems. But nobody listened, until this week.

There is a huge difference between reaching 4 million households as opposed to an estimated 50 million in North America and another 60 million to 70 million in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries of South America and parts of Polynesia. That is what BYU's facilities can provide the school and its owner, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who'd love to couch sports with other programming.

The key detail to remember here is that, without the Salt Lake City market, there is no "The Mtn". We brought this up last week:

Look at the list of MWC markets, and consider the top three markets listed there. Dallas isn't a college sports town; even if they were, I suspect there are more University of Texas fans up there than there are fans for a small private school in nearby Fort Worth. Colorado State's position in Denver, meanwhile, is overshadowed by its significantly larger and more successful sibling in Boulder. San Diego is notoriously apathetic to sports in general and to college sports especially; of course, San Diego State hasn't gone out of its way to improve things. So, Salt Lake City is the largest TV market that the MWC serves where people actually care. In fact, if you work your way down the list, you'll quickly discover that Salt Lake City is the only TV market of appreciable size that consistently cares about MWC sports, which means Salt Lake City is the only market that doesn't just unwittingly subscribe to "The Mtn.", they actually watch it and, more importantly, advertise on it.

Utah's departure split that market in half.

Well, guess what? People in Utah know that. From the aforementioned Deseret News article:

The departure of Utah and possibly BYU would be a major blow to the MWC's network. Those two schools clearly have been the biggest audience draw, and when they play one another the rivalry sets records — the best numbers the league can produce. Larger population areas of San Diego, Las Vegas and Denver should pull big numbers for MWC network, but they just do not.

Numbers speak volumes.

The proposed MWC in 2013 has a current average attendance in football of just more than 28,000 per game in their respective stadiums. BYU draws just fewer than 65,000 on Saturdays. The actual TV differential draw may not be that dramatic, but it is a significant bump on Comcast's radar and they know it.

There is no evidence the Fresno, Calif., or Reno, Nev., markets would be any different than San Diego or Las Vegas — places where viewers, subscribers and commercial contracts have just not caught fire, although Fresno is in Comcast cable territory.

The past few years, The mtn. network has featured a lot of Utah-based advertising, like the travel interest to St. George and Mesquite. This year we'll see another Utah-based company start selling its office wares on the league network.

Where is Sea World? Where is Las Vegas and all its glimmer? Who is selling The mtn., anyway, and will we see that "To the Max" advertisement every break for another season?

Emphasis ours.

In short, "The Mtn." and the MWC need BYU far more than BYU needs either "The Mtn." or the MWC, and the WAC's semi-implosion hasn't changed that. That merely changed some of the options on the table for BYU. BYU still has its own channel, along with a far more successful distribution pattern than the MWC's channel. It has more than enough equipment to broadcast BYU sports. It's also the last tie to the only market "The Mtn." broadcasts to that actually generates any interest or profit, and no, bringing in Utah State won't fix that.

BYU has a little over a week to make its decision. Stay tuned.

So... What Just Happened?!

NOTE: This is a long post. You've been warned.

The RGJ, among several other sources, are reporting the Nevada and Fresno State are leaving the WAC for the Mountain West Conference. How did we get here? Now that the dust is starting to settle, let's see if we can piece everything together.

1. "The Mtn."

In 2006, the MWC and ESPN were in negotiations for another TV contract. ESPN was offering a contract similar to the one the WAC presently enjoys with ESPN, with high-profile MWC games broadcasted nationally on off-peak times, such as Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. In exchange, the projected payout probably would have been higher than the $4 million per year that the WAC presently receives, but not by much.

The MWC in general - and BYU specifically - refused.

Due to BYU's prohibition against Sunday sporting activities of any sort, playing games on Sunday or playing games on days that would require a Sunday practice are forbidden (this, by the way, is a major reason why BYU will never end up in a major conference). Consequently, most of the flexibility in scheduling that ESPN was looking for was impossible, which would have lowered the resulting payout. On top of that, ESPN wasn't particularly interested in heavily promoting MWC men's basketball; this failed to impress most of the major players in the MWC, including Utah, BYU, and UNLV. Meanwhile, since ESPN was only interested in cherry-picking the top football games in the conference, schools like Wyoming, New Mexico and San Diego State would only gain a small paycheck from the deal with little additional exposure. Needless to say, ESPN's deal left a lot to be desired.

As undesirable as ESPN's deal was, something needed to replace it. Since nobody else was knocking on the door, the MWC decided to do something truly unprecedented - they started their own cable sports network. Now they could broadcast all the games they wanted whenever they wanted - this simplified scheduling considerably. They could give airtime to other MWC sports that ordinarily wouldn't merit much of it - women's volleyball, baseball, even college basketball. Best of all, they could keep all of the profit generated from their network. Of course, in order for this to work, people would not only have to be able to watch the network, they'd have to have a reason to. With help from Comcast and CBS College Sports Network, the MWC was able to distribute their sports network on most cable networks in MWC territory, along with DirectTV. In exchange, the MWC required all home games to be broadcast through this new network, even games that were traditionally broadcast by local TV providers.

The end result was a network that sacrificed national exposure in exchange for more money and increased local exposure in MWC markets - and MWC's media markets weren't particularly small. They included (population numbers from here):

Rank - Location - Population - Schools
5 - Dallas-Ft Worth, TX - 2,544,410 - TCU
16 - Denver, CO - 1,539,380 - Colorado State (technically in Ft. Collins, which is in Denver's media market)
28 - San Diego, CA - 1,073,390 - San Diego State
31 - Salt Lake City, UT - 944,640 - Utah, BYU
42 - Las Vegas, NV - 721,780 - UNLV
44 - Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM - 694,040 - New Mexico
92 - Colorado Springs-Pueblo, CO - 334,710 - Air Force
197 - Cheyenne, WY-Scottsbluff, NE - 54,710 - Wyoming
Total Population: 7,907,060

To put this into perspective, let's compare to the WAC's media markets at the beginning of this year:
6 - San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA - 2,503,400 - San Jose State
31 - Salt Lake City, UT - 944,640 - Utah State
55 - Fresno-Visalia, CA - 579,180 - Fresno State
71 - Honolulu, HI - 433,240 - Hawaii
75 - Spokane, WA - 419,350 - Idaho (I'm not sure if Moscow is in Spokane's market, but this is as close as I could get.)
98 - El Paso, TX - 310,760 - New Mexico State (I'm not sure if Las Cruces is in El Paso's market or not, but it's the closest major city.)
108 - Reno, NV - 270,500 - Nevada
112 - Boise, ID - 262,800 - Boise State
138 - Monroe, LA-El Dorado, AR - 177,200 - Louisiana Tech (I'm not sure if Ruston is in Monroe's market or Shreveport's; technically, Ruston is closer to Monroe, so that's what I'm going with.)
Total Population: 5,901,070

Note that the WAC numbers are wildly optimistic since many of the WAC schools are in remote cities that are too small to be listed, such as Moscow and Ruston. Furthermore, I guarantee you there aren't nearly a million people in Utah that are excited about Utah State athletics, nor are there over two million people in the Bay Area that are transfixed by the athletic prowess of San Jose State.

(Of course, there aren't over two million people in Dallas-Fort Worth that religiously follow TCU sports, nor a million and a half in Denver nervously scanning Colorado State box scores, but I'm getting ahead of myself...)

For more information, check out this informative article on the MWC's TV situation in the Idaho Statesman.

2. Utah leaves the MWC for the Pac-10.

That Utah accepted the Pac-10 invite was not surprising. How that would affect the MWC, however, wasn't entirely obvious, and it wasn't just about what Utah's departure meant for the MWC's BCS probation. The bigger issue was that Utah's departure took half of Salt Lake City's TV market with them.

Why is that so important? Look at the list of MWC markets, and consider the top three markets listed there. Dallas isn't a college sports town; even if they were, I suspect there are more University of Texas fans up there than there are fans for a small private school in nearby Fort Worth. Colorado State's position in Denver, meanwhile, is overshadowed by its significantly larger and more successful sibling in Boulder. San Diego is notoriously apathetic to sports in general and to college sports especially; of course, San Diego State hasn't gone out of its way to improve things. So, Salt Lake City is the largest TV market that the MWC serves where people actually care. In fact, if you work your way down the list, you'll quickly discover that Salt Lake City is the only TV market of appreciable size that consistently cares about MWC sports, which means Salt Lake City is the only market that doesn't just unwittingly subscribe to "The Mtn.", they actually watch it and, more importantly, advertise on it.

Utah's departure split that market in half.

Suddenly, what was already a dicey TV strategy - cable distribution still hasn't been secured in Dallas-Fort Worth or in San Diego, and it took a couple of years before DirecTV distributed it as part of their sports tier - became completely untenable. Of course, for most of the schools in the MWC, it didn't matter how untenable "The Mtn." was - there weren't any other options.

For most, but not all...

3. BYU prepares its exit strategy.

Unlike the rest of the MWC, BYU has its own television station (BYU-TV). Unlike "The Mtn.", which is currently only available to roughly eight million subscribers in a fairly compact geographical region, BYU-TV is available to forty million subscribers across the country. Naturally, BYU would love nothing more than to be able to broadcast their games on BYU-TV and enjoy the increased exposure available. Failing that, BYU has never been particularly happy about "The Mtn." or its lackluster distribution; at one point, BYU and Utah hired an attorney to "explore possible alternatives". Consequently, finding a way to get back on to national television - any way at all, really - was a priority.

The WAC was more than happy to oblige.

Boise State's departure from the WAC wounded the conference, but it didn't kill it. Boise's media market isn't particularly large, even by WAC standards (Fresno, Honolulu and Reno serve the same role for the WAC that Salt Lake City served for the MWC), but losing the only nationally renown football program in the conference didn't make upcoming negotiations with ESPN any easier. BYU was more than happy to capitalize on the WAC's condition - in exchange for replacing Boise State as the nationally renown flagship of the conference, BYU would get to piggy-back on the WAC's more widely distributed TV package through ESPN. Provided BYU became an independent, the WAC would even look the other way while BYU leveraged their investment in BYU-TV into a profitable BYU-centered sports network. It looked like a win-win for everyone, and all BYU asked in return was a guarantee that the WAC would still be around when BYU pulled the trigger. That guarantee was made in the form of a $5 million buyout that all WAC schools were obligated to pay if they left this year.

It wasn't enough.

4. The Prisoner's Dilemma

In the post-Boise State WAC, there were only three schools that mattered - Fresno State, Nevada, and Hawaii. They commanded the three largest markets in the WAC that actually cared about them (sorry, San Jose State and Utah State) and they were the only three teams left that were consistently decent in football and men's basketball. Of those three, Hawaii was never going to leave - no other conference is interested in the inherent scheduling difficulties or travel expenses that regular trips to Hawaii bring on. This left Nevada and Fresno State in a classic prisoner's dilemma. If they both stayed in the WAC, they had a decent chance of making the conference work for them, especially since BYU wouldn't be contending for a conference championship. If either of them left, however, not only would BYU reconsider its position, the remaining school would have to contend with maintaining national relevance while playing a conference that would only be slightly tougher (and slightly more interesting) than the Sun Belt.

The MWC called both of the "prisoners" in. As so often happens in a prisoner's dilemma situation, both prisoners caved. They didn't really have a choice.

So here we are. What now?

BYU: A lot of people think BYU will stand pat and stay in the MWC now that the WAC is crumbling, but there's no guarantee of that. BYU's position with The Mtn and BYU-TV haven't changed, and BYU is one of the few schools whose fans would benefit from regular trips to Hawaii (BYU has a satellite campus near Honolulu) and Utah State. Plus, BYU absolutely loathes the fact that Utah was able to get out of the MWC while BYU never got an invite. Also don't forget that BYU wasn't planning on affiliating with the WAC for football and, between Hawaii and Utah State, it's not like the WAC is shooting blanks on the men's basketball front.

Put another way, going to the WAC would definitely hurt BYU nationally, but there's a good chance that it might still help BYU with its natural constituency. Given a choice between some national popularity and what would amount to a Mormon athletic fan service on their own channel, don't be surprised if BYU goes against the grain on this one.

The WAC: A lot of people are also thinking the WAC will disappear. After a bit of thought, I'm not one of them for one reason and one reason only - where else are these schools going to go?

Of the remainder, New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech are in the best position geographically to leave; however, I doubt either would leave the WAC for the Sun Belt, so they would need Conference USA to decide to expand to fourteen teams. Considering how C-USA already has a presence in El Paso (UTEP) and Louisiana Tech doesn't really bring much to the table, I doubt they'd bother. As for the rest, they're too far west to be logistically worthwhile for other mid-major to consider. In my mind, the only way the WAC is completely dissolving is if either an FCS conference like the Big Sky or the WCC decides to pursue FBS-level football wholesale, or if the teams in the WAC mutually decide to drop down to the FCS. I don't see either situation happening right now.

That's not to say the conference isn't in trouble, though. Outside of the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, the WAC doesn't have many built in bowl opportunities anymore. There also isn't a TV-friendly football team left in the conference, though at least Utah State and Hawaii are respectable in college basketball. Meanwhile, the financial difficulties inherent in a conference that requires teams to travel to Ruston and Honolulu every other year certainly didn't get any easier.

If the WAC is going to survive long-term, it really needs to rationalize its geography somehow. That might mean expanding to twelve teams, soaking up as many of the UT-San Antonios and UC Davises of the world as they can so there would be two geographically sensible divisions. It might mean politely asking Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State to find other opportunities while doubling down on the likes of Montana and UC Davis. No matter how the problem is resolved, it needs to be resolved sooner than later.

One thing is certain, though - the WAC isn't going anywhere anytime soon. There's $5-10 million on the table for the conference calling itself the "Western Athletic Conference". As long as that's the case, there will be a conference there ready, willing, and able to collect that.

MWC: If BYU does stick around, the MWC will remain in excellent shape. Between Boise State, BYU, and TCU, there's enough success on the gridiron to ensure that the MWC makes it through its BCS probation. Meanwhile, Fresno, Boise and Reno will make up for the loss of half of the MWC's strongest media market.

Without BYU, though, things get murkier. At the very least, the MWC's bid for a permanent table with the BCS will be damaged; unless they're able to poach a moderately successful school from one of the other conferences (Houston?), it's going to be an uphill climb. On the TV front, it would probably spell the end of "The Mtn" - there just isn't enough interest (or size) from the rest of the conference's markets to justify its continued existence.

Nevada and Fresno State: Even if BYU leaves, the remainder of the MWC will still be a stronger football conference than the WAC was. Plus, both schools finally got Ruston and Honolulu off their travel dockets, which will save a considerable amount of time, money and effort. That said, the remainder of the MWC might be a slight downgrade in men's basketball - though UNLV is getting better, it still doesn't quite measure up to Utah State. Fortunately, Colorado State, TCU and San Diego State have been improving lately, so that might carry forward for a few years, and the worst of the MWC isn't anywhere near as bad as San Jose State or Idaho. Coach Carter is excited, if nothing else, so that bodes well; I think Gary Powers is still bitter that his team left the baseball-happy Big West.

Ultimately, if BYU stays with the MWC, the move was a very positive step forward for both Nevada and Fresno State. If they don't, it's still a net gain, albeit more of a marginal one.

These are my thoughts on the subject. If you haven't already, check out Dan Hinxman's excellent coverage on the RGJ, including excerpts of what other media sources are saying.

If you have anything to add, feel free to do so!

RG-J reports that sources report Ault's job to be in jeopardy

The Reno Gazette-Journal reported in their paper this morning that "multiple sources" have contacted the paper's offices in the past two weeks with the same general message: the Wolf Pack must compete for a Western Athletic Conference championship and not embarass themselves (and their ancestors, in my opinion) in a bowl game next season, lest Ault cash in his 401(k), buy a 'Bago, and move to Tampa.

Rather than shrug off the comments, Cary Groth and Coach Ault were both quick to go on the defensive, which really serves to re-affirm what we've already said: Ault is on probation.

Between their actions three weeks ago, the sheer number of people within the department willing to divulge such similar stories, and their swift and deliberate reactions this time around I think we can all be pretty certain of that fact.

But before we all get out the celebratory box of Cheese-Its, there are some things to consider.

Among the assertions by donors is that Groth has been trying to "get rid of" Ault since she arrived in 2004 and that Ault offered to step down during their meeting last month.

Groth did re-up Ault's contract, as she was quick to point out, in 2007 after a 6-7 season and Nevada's first shut-out loss since the Carter administration; if she ever had a golden opportunity to uload the guy, that was it.  Therefore, I'm inclined to believe her when she says refutes that above statement.  She is the AD, afterall, and therefore does wield the power to deal with him; either that or she really is shackled to a radiator while the team is shackled to a corpse, but the only way for that to be possible would be if she were answering to the greater wishes of the donors...the same donors who have been flooding Groth with complaints about Ault and reporting the "firestorm up there" to the RG-J.

The potential triggers outlined by the donors -- contend for a WAC title and avoid embarrassment in a bowl game -- are ambiguously defined at best, but they are indicators that the vocal faction of Ault detractors -- a few hundred of whom e-mailed Groth to complain following the bowl loss -- might be having an influence on the potential direction of the program.

They are ambiguous to a point, but the fact that contend for a title and avoid embarrassment in a bowl game is the only demarcation defining the future of Ault's employment indicates to me that the University is taking the 'just don't look like a chode again' approach in order to shelter him from disgrace; it also gives enough room for interpretation to allow them to cast him off next season - it therefore becomes further evidence of Ault's probation.

And I don't think the donors' complaints are having that kind of impact, mainly because they don't have to; 45-10 against SM freakin' U pretty much speaks for itself.

The most important to consider, however:

...Nevada has underperformed in non-conference games since Ault's return -- 12-16 overall, which includes a 5-1 record against UNLV and a 1-4 mark in bowl games.

Remove the record against UNLV, one of the worst FBS programs in the country in the last decade, and Nevada is 7-15 in non-conference games. The Wolf Pack has adopted a more challenging non-conference scheduling philosophy in the last decade or so, and the Pack did not play an FCS opponent in 2009. But its inability to compete with Top-25 caliber teams has alienated some fans. The Pack is 1-11 against Top 25 teams since 2004, including 0-10 in the last four seasons.

 The evidence is mounting...not that we need it anymore.

There's no shame in abdication...

Laugh of the Week

I check into the list of signatures on the Fire Chris Ault online petition periodically, and am pleased to report that it is now up to 26 signatures.  One of them, however, is something of a freebie.

#20
Name: You Are An Idiot on Jan 28, 2010
Comments: You are probably a disgruntled postal worker and nobody likes you. How many games did you even attend?? Coach needs support not your whining.

So, someone actually signed the petition in an attempt to tell a previous signer what he thought of him/her.

"You Are An Idiot," huh; well, I guess it takes one to know one.  And that, friends, is firechrisault.com's Laugh of the Week.

UPDATE! January 30, 2010: 'Idiot' removed his signature from the petition; unfortunate but still funny.

The NEW Fire Chris Ault Online Petition

The online petition is back (and the link has been tested), so I am posting it again:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/firechrisault/

Thanks to our astute readership identifying when this link blinked out the last time.

But now it's back, long may it reign.

Sunset over Seven Lakes Mountain

Fire Chris Ault Online Petition

A friend of the cause e-mailed us this link this morning...

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/firechrisault/

I'm flabbergasted that we didn't come up with this sometime over the last two years of the existence of this site, but a good idea is a good idea.

Good luck to Chris Klenakis; five years ago I thought you'd be our HC by now.

-------
UPDATE: 01/16/2010
Apparantly the above link is not working.  I am working on finding out why and also working to make it work.
-------
UPDATE UPDATE: 01/16
I double checked the link and it has apparantly been removed.  Dern.
-------
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE: 01/17
The link has been re-affirmed, see above.  Yay!

The Victorians were sick, sick people.

Back by popular demand: Chris Ault's salary.

We've had some e-mails regarding this matter, and a whole lot of people have found our humble website by googl'ing for this information.  So, here's what my comrade could find.

2009: $375,000 (100th of 120 FBS schools)

2008: $368,000 (96th)

2007: $368,092

2006: $360,000 (81st)

Unfortunately, he could find no information prior to his contract re-negotiation.  There are some other goodies, however, in the 2006 contract.

Namely, the University will provide two cars (on loan) for Coach and Mrs. Ault (however it is Ault's responsibility to provide insurance for those cars), reimbursement of travel expenses at the "standard per diem rate" for Mrs. Ault's traveling to road games, up to 12 skybox season tickets for football on request, up to four season tickets for basketball upon request, and a membership to Hidden Valley Golf Club, valued at $7,200.00, upon request.  He is entitled to various bonuses depending upon the achievement of the football team: for winning a conference championship: $15,000; for appearing in an NCAA-sanctioned bowl game: $10,000; for achieving a post-season ranking in the 'Top Twenty Coaches Poll:' $10,000; for earning WAC Coach of the Year honors: $5,000.

He is allowed to earn income from outside sources, provided that it meets with NCAA guidelines and identifies himself as the head coach for the University of Nevada, although he is required to submit full disclosure to the Athletic Department and the president of the University.  In the event that Ault is terminated 'without cause,' Ault is entitled to: "as liquidated damages, an amount equal to the Head Football Coach's guaranteed base annual salary for the remaining term of (the) agreement."  Termination 'with cause' holds no such guidelines.

It's too much to go into greater detail here, so I encourage people to read the contract.

So while his salary still keeps him on the lower end of the spectrum for NCAA FBS coaches, his perks aren't all that outlandish, either.

Tonopah, NV

Oh for f---'s sake...

Breaking news, courtesy of KOLO:

RENO, Nev. – The University of Nevada has hired veteran coach Mike Bradeson to lead the Wolf Pack’s secondary, head coach Chris Ault announced today.

This will mark Bradeson’s second tenure in Reno, having coached under Ault from 1986-1991. Bradeson has also worked at Boise State and Cal and he spent the past 15 seasons at UNLV as the longest tenured coach in Rebel history.

“Just like Andy Buh, Mike knows the Nevada way,” Ault said. “With his deep experience, he will give Andy all the support he needs from the secondary. He is a well-rounded defensive backs coach because of his vast experience as a defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator.”

While at UNLV, Bradeson spent 15 years coaching in the secondary, including five seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator. He coached or recruited eight players who went on to the NFL and three players who were named the MWC Defensive Player of the Year. Bradeson’s last year as defensive coordinator was 2004, which was the last year that UNLV beat Nevada.

That's right - Ault just hired a guy who was so spectacular as defensive coordinator for UNLV that they demoted him nearly six years ago as our new secondaries coach. This would be the same person that coached the secondary that we scored 63 points against this year. But it's okay - he used to coach under Ault from '86-'91 and knows the "Nevada way".

Problem is, so do I, and I don't seem to remember it ever involving pass defense.

Ladies and gentlemen, Wolf Pack football!

Shackled to a Corpse

We now have statements from both AD Groth and Coach Ault.  Ault stays, Wilson (sigh) stays, Buh is in, House is definately out. 

Groth's Statement

Ault's Statement

Groth not only reafirms her backing of Ault, she reinforces it with a diatribe of accolades, concluding by saying that: "...Coach Ault has 100 percent of (her) support and the support of this athletics program going into next year."  So, like Germany with Austria-Hungary in the First World War, we are a program shackled to a corpse.

At least for next season.

For it would seem that not all is as it appears.  Groth wasted no time heaping on the defense (I'll stop short of calling it all 'praise') for Ault and the 2009 Wolf Pack, but it quickly ran to excess (the lady doth protest too much, methinks), starting with a rather trite "He's done a heck of a lot for this institution...."

She began with: "The past couple of weeks, Coach Ault and I have had some good conversations, very good conversations."  Translation: Coach Ault and I have had some serious conversations.

She continued: "The average NCAA attendance when I arrived six years ago was 9,000. Last year, it was 18,000. It’s doubled in the six years he’s been coaching."  Translation: I'm going to sidestep a bit while I try to convince you (and myself) that we are going the right direction.

And on... "Here’s some of the challenges. We have community and fan indifference right now in our football program. We need to fix that, all of us together."  Translation: Transfering the blame off of Ault (and onto THE COMMUNITY!!!) takes the heat off of me, too!

"So how do we move forward? In talking with Coach Ault, I told him he needed to make a change in his defensive staff, and he agreed. It had to be done, and it wasn’t just in the defensive coordinator position."  Translation: I am starting to flex some authority over Ault here...see how serious our talks acutally were.

"One of the things that I told Coach Ault is that he shouldn’t have been put in that position in the Hawaii Bowl. His assistant coaches, it’s their responsibility to make sure that our team is prepared."  Translation: Did I go too far?  Back off!  Back off!

Ault's comments, on the otherhand, had a certain tenacity and fervor to them.  While he admitted early that the buck stops with him, he reinforced the blame of the defensive coaching staff and the community at large.  The overall flavor of his tenor: Ault was trying to sound strong, but now knows that his program is under the microscope...in short, he was on the defensive.

Read both statements, and consider the tenor of what the both of them are saying; let it sink in a little, and I think that nine out of ten of us will come to the same conclusion:

Ault is officially on probation.

Frankly, they wouldn't have had such an elaborate press conference for a routine firing, and they certainly wouldn't have gone through so many pains to appear riteous and even altruistic in their efforts if it meant anything else.  As with any other time a head coach makes a peculiar and potentially shattering move Ault could have run with the punches; he could have released a prepared statement; and there was no real reason for Groth to become so embroiled in the process, let alone to share the spotlight and discuss "...the future of the program."

And blaming the community is a sign of desperation, and a bad tactical move...a classic example of biting the hand that feeds you.  And Groth was quick to point out that attendance averages have doubled in the past six years, followed quickly by her lump of communal blame.  I don't think that anyone denies that community support could be stronger, and at the very least they admit the need to outreach and divine the needs and the desires of the larger community (Ault's tenure aside).  Then again, admiting that need is nothing new, as it seems to come up every year.

For the record, to compare extremes: the population of the greater Reno area and immediate outlying metro area: approx. 677,386; the population of the greater Lincoln, NE metro area: approx. 292,219.  According to Groth, average Mackay Stadium attendance in 2009: 18,000; average Memorial Stadium attendance in 2009: 85,888 (although it is a stone's throw from the 837,925 metro area of Omaha).  Now I'm not comparing the two programs, but a FBS football program for the flagship institution of the state in a metro area of that size should theoretically have little trouble bringing in a capacity crowd for humble little Mackay Stadium. 

For another comparison: Washtenaw County, MI (home of Ann Arbor and, therefore, the University of Michigan) has a total of 322,895; the metro area for Ann Arbor is 341,847; UM averaged 108,983 per game in 2009...and Michigan is struggling with a horrid economy and declining population (and UM went 5-7 overall, and 1-7 in the Big Ten).

There is something off here, but they need to truly evaluate what is off and why before playing the 'blame the community' card.  But play they did, and that is bad protocol and classless on the part of both parties. 

Yet regardless of where the blame has been 'officially' put, some conclusions are obvious: Groth is beginning to dictate terms to Ault; Ault is on the defensive; Ault is on probation...

...Ault is on probation...

...but, for now, the Pack is mired.

The 'House' of Usher

"That being said, the critical change is the attitude and the mentality of the defense. That's the problem."

"It starts in the fronts being tough. There's no question our weakness has been in the secondary, but I think that's due to confusion. I felt we were not a physical defense up front."-Ault

"I'm trying to figure out how it adds up," said House, who coached the defensive front along with ends coach Barry Sacks. "I don't know how he decided it would be me after 15 years of service, 15 years of unwavering loyalty. "

"I always thought I would headquarter here. After yesterday I was wounded." -House

House goes, Sacks stays; Burton was, allegedly, on the chopping block, managing to keep his proverbial head and escape just in time; Wilson is still free and coaching the linebackers (in addition to his duties as Assoc. Head Coach).

We should know more a little later today, but for now, with what the RG-J has provided so far, something is awfully fishy here.

Awfully fishy.

Nevada Wolf Pack 2009 Opponent Records

Now that the BCS cop-out that was the Fiesta Bowl is over, play has officially ended for all WAC teams.  We therefore bring you the final season-end Wolf Pack opponent tally.

Notre Dame:
     6-6 overall, no conference affiliation.
Defeated:
     NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (35-0)
     Michigan State 6-7, 4-4 Big Ten (33-30)
     @ Purdue 5-7, 4-4 Big Ten (24-21)
     Washington 5-7, 4-5 PAC 10 (37-30)
     Boston College 8-5, 5-3 ACC (20-16)
     Washington State 1-11, 0-9 PAC 10 (40-14)
Defeated by:
     @ Michigan 5-7, 1-7 Big Ten (38-34)
     USC 9-4, 5-4 PAC 10 (34-27)
     Navy 10-4 (23-21)
     @ Pitt 10-3, 5-2 Big East (27-22)
     UConn 8-5, 3-4 Big East (33-30 OT)
     @ Stanford 8-5, 6-3 PAC 10(45-38)
PF: 361 PA: 311 (dif. +50)

Colorado State (End of the season, and their last win was STILL at home vs. Nevada!!!):
     3-9, 0-8 MWC
Defeated:
     @ Colorado 3-9, 2-6 Big XII (23-17)
     Weber State 7-5, 6-2 Big Sky (24-23)
     NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (35-20)
Defeated by:
     @ BYU 11-2, 7-1 MWC (42-23)
     @ Idaho 8-5, 4-4 WAC (31-29)
     Utah 10-3, 6-2 MWC (24-17)
     @ TCU 12-1, 8-0 MWC (44-6)
     SDSU 4-8, 2-6 MWC (42-28)
     Air Force 8-5, 5-3 MWC (34-16)
     @ Nevada Southern 5-7, 3-5 MWC (35-16)
     @ UNM 1-11, 1-7 MWC (29-27)
     Wyoming 7-6, 4-4 MWC (17-16)
PF: 260 PA: 358 (dif. -98)

Missouri:
     8-5, 4-4 Big XII
Defeated:
     Illinois 3-9, 2-6 Big Ten (37-9)
     Bowling Green 7-6, 6-2 MAC (27-20)
     Furman 6-5, 5-3 Southern Conference (52-12)
     @ NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (31-21)
     @ Colorado 3-9, 2-6 Big XII (36-17)
     @ Kansas State 6-6, 4-4 Big XII (38-12)
     Iowa State 7-6, 3-5 Big XII (34-24)
     Kansas 5-7, 1-7 Big XII (41-39)
Defeated by:
     Nebraska 10-4, 6-2 Big XII (27-12)
     @ Okla. St. 9-4, 6-2 Big XII (33-17)
     Texas 13-0, 8-0 Big XII (41-7)
     Baylor!!! 4-8, 1-7 Big XII (40-32)
     Navy 10-4 (35-13)
PF: 377 PA: 330 (dif. +47)

Nevada Southern:
     5-7, 3-5 MWC
Defeated:
     Sac. State 5-6, 4-4 Big Sky (38-3)
     Hawai'i 6-7, 3-5 WAC (34-33)
     @ UNM 1-11, 1-7 MWC (34-17)
     CSU 3-9, 0-8 MWC (35-16)
     SDSU 4-8, 2-6 MWC (28-24)
Defeated by:
     Oregon State 8-5, 6-3 PAC 10 (23-21)
     @ Wyoming 7-6, 4-4 MWC (30-27)
     @ NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (63-28)
     BYU 11-2, 7-1 MWC (59-21)
     Utah 10-3, 6-2 MWC (35-15)
     @ TCU 12-1, 8-0 MWC (41-0)
     @ Air Force 8-5, 5-3 MWC (45-17)
PF: 298 PA: 389 (dif. -91)

LaTech:
     4-8, 3-5 WAC
Defeated:
     Nicholls State 3-8, 2-5 Southland Conference (48-13)
     Hawai'i 6-7, 3-5 WAC (27-6)
     NMSU 3-10, 1-7 WAC (45-7)
     SJSU 2-10, 1-7 WAC (55-20)
Defeated by:
     @ Auburn 8-5, 3-5 SEC (37-13)
     @ Navy 10-4 (32-14)
     @ NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (37-14)
     @ Utah State 4-8, 3-5 WAC (23-21)
     @ Idaho 8-5, 4-4 WAC (35-34)
     Boise St. 14-0, 8-0 WAC (45-35)
     @ LSU 9-4, 5-3 SEC (24-16)
     @ Fresno State 8-5, 6-2 WAC (30-28)
PF: 350 PA: 309 (dif. +41)

Utah State:
     4-8, 3-5 WAC
Defeated:
     Southern Utah 5-6, 2-2 Great West Conference (53-34)
     LaTech 4-8, 3-5 WAC (23-21)
     SJSU 2-10, 1-7 WAC (24-9)
     @ Idaho 8-5, 4-4 WAC (52-49)
Defeated by:
     @ Utah 10-3, 6-2 MWC (35-17)
     @ Texas A&M 6-7, 3-5 Big XII (38-30)
     @ BYU 11-2, 7-1 MWC (35-17)
     @ NMSU 3-10, 1-7 WAC (20-17)
     NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (35-32)
     @ Fresno State 8-5, 6-2 WAC (31-27)
     @ Hawai'i 6-7, 3-5 WAC(49-36)
     Boise St. 14-0, 8-0 WAC(52-21)
PF: 349 PA: 408 (dif. -59)

Idaho:
     8-5, 4-4 WAC
Defeated:
     @ NMSU 3-10, 1-7 WAC (21-6)
     SDSU 4-8, 2-6 MWC (34-20)
     @ NIU 7-6, 5-3 MAC (34-31)
     CSU 3-9, 0-8 MWC (31-29)
     @ SJSU 2-10, 1-7 WAC (29-25)
     Hawai'i 6-7, 3-5 (35-23)
     LaTech 4-8, 3-5 WAC (35-34)
     Bowling Green St. 7-6, 6-2 MAC (43-42)
Defeated by:
     Washington 5-7, 4-5 PAC 10 (42-23)
     @ NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (70-45)
     Fresno State 8-5, 6-2 WAC (31-21)
     @ Boise St. 14-0, 8-0 WAC(63-25)
     Utah State 4-8, 3-5 WAC (52-49)
PF: 425 PA: 468 (dif. -43)

Hawai'i:
     6-7, 3-5 WAC
Defeated:
     Central Ark. 5-7, 2-5 Southland Conference (25-20)
     @ Washington State 1-11, 0-9 PAC 10 (38-20)
     Utah State 4-8, 3-5 WAC (49-36)
     NMSU 3-10, 1-7 WAC (49-36)
     @ SJSU 2-10, 1-8 WAC (17-10 OT)
     Navy 10-4 (24-17)
Defeated by:
     @ Nevada Southern 5-7, 3-5 MWC (34-33)
     @ LaTech 4-8, 3-5 WAC (27-6)
     Fresno State 8-5, 6-2 WAC (42-17)
     @ Idaho 8-5, 4-4 WAC (35-23)
     Boise St. 14-0, 8-0 WAC (54-9)
     @ NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (31-21)
     Wisconsin 10-3, 5-3 Big Ten (51-10)
PF: 321 PA: 413 (dif. -92)

SJSU:
     2-10, 1-8 WAC
Defeated:
     Cal Poly SLO 4-7, 1-3 Great West Conference (19-9)
     NMSU 3-10, 1-8 WAC (13-10)
Defeated by:
     @ USC 9-4, 5-4 PAC 10 (56-3)
     Utah 10-3, 6-2 MWC (24-14)
     @ Stanford 8-5, 6-3 PAC 10 (42-17)
     Idaho 8-5, 4-4 WAC (29-25)
     @ Fresno State 8-5, 6-2 WAC (41-21)
     @ Boise St. 14-0, 8-0 WAC (45-7)
     NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (62-7)
     @ Utah State 4-8, 3-5 WAC (24-9)
     Hawai'i 6-7, 3-5 WAC (17-10 OT)
     @ LaTech 4-8, 3-5 WAC (55-20)
PF: 165 PA: 414 (dif. -249!!!)

Fresno State:
     8-5, 6-2 WAC
Defeated:
     UC Davis 6-5, 3-1 Great West Conference (51-0)
     @ Hawai'i 6-7, 3-5 WAC (42-17)
     SJSU 2-10, 1-8 WAC (41-21)
     @ NMSU 3-10, 1-8 WAC (34-3)
     Utah State 4-8, 3-5 WAC (31-27)
     @ Idaho 8-5, 4-4 WAC (31-21)
     LaTech 4-8, 3-5 WAC (30-28)
     @ Illinois 3-9, 2-6 Big Ten (53-52)
Defeated by:
     @ Wisconsin 10-3, 5-3 Big Ten (34-31 OT)
     Boise St. 14-0, 8-0 WAC (51-34)
     @ Cincy 12-1, 7-0 Big East (28-20)
     @ NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (52-14)
     Wyoming 7-6, 4-4 MWC (35-28 OT)
PF:  440 PA: 369 (dif. +71)

NMSU:
     3-10, 1-8 WAC
Defeated:
     Prairie View A&M 9-1, 7-0 SWAC (21-18)
     @ UNM 1-11, 1-7 MWC (20-17)
     Utah State 4-8, 3-5 WAC (20-17)
Defeated by:
     Idaho 8-5, 4-4 WAC (21-6)
     UTEP 4-8, 3-5 CUSA (38-12)
     @ SDSU 4-8, 2-6 MWC (34-17)
     @ LaTech 4-8, 3-5 WAC (45-7)
     Fresno State 8-5, 6-2 WAC (34-3)
     @ Ohio State 11-2, 7-1 Big Ten (45-0)
     @ Hawai'i 6-7, 3-5 WAC (24-6)
     NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (63-20)
     @ SJSU 2-10, 1-8 WAC (13-10)
     @ Boise St. 14-0, 8-0 WAC (42-7)
PF: 149 PA: 411 (dif. -262)

Boise State:
     14-0, 8-0 WAC
Defeated:
     Oregon 10-3, 8-1 PAC 10 (19-8)
     Miami (OH) 1-11, 1-7 MAC (48-0)
     @ Fresno State 8-5, 6-2 WAC (51-34)
     @ Bowling Green St. 7-6, 6-2 MAC (49-14)
     UC Davis 6-5, 3-1 Great West Conference (34-16)
     @ Tulsa 5-7, 3-5 CUSA (28-21)
     @ Hawai'i 6-7, 3-5 WAC (54-9)
     SJSU 2-10, 1-9 WAC (45-7)
     @ LaTech 4-8, 3-5 WAC (45-35)
     Idaho 8-5, 4-4 WAC (63-25)
     @ Utah State 4-8, 3-5 WAC (52-21)
     NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (44-33)
     NMSU 3-10, 1-8 WAC (42-7)
     TCU 12-1, 8-0 MWC (17-10)
Defeated by:
     (drifting tumbleweed & chirping crickets)
PF: 591 PA: 240 (dif. +351)

SMU:
     8-5, 6-2 CUSA
Defeated:
     Stephen F. Austin 10-3, 6-1 Southland Conference (31-23)
     @ UAB 5-7, 4-4 CUSA (35-33)
     East Carolina 9-5, 7-1 CUSA (28-21)
     @ Tulsa 5-7, 3-5 CUSA (27-13)
     Rice 2-10, 2-6 CUSA (31-28)
     UTEP 4-8, 3-5 CUSA (35-31)
     Tulane 3-9, 1-7 CUSA (26-21)
     NEVADA 8-5, 7-1 WAC (45-10)
Defeated by:
     @ Washington State (30-27 OT)
     @ TCU 12-1, 8-0 MWC (39-14)
     Navy 10-4 (38-35 OT)
     Houston 10-4, 6-2 CUSA (38-15)
     @ Marshall 7-6, 4-4 CUSA (34-31)
PF: 380 PA:  359 (dif. +21)

Overall:
     Highest PF: 1. Boise St, 591; 2. Fresno State, 440; Idaho, 425
     Lowest PA: 1. Boise St, 240; 2. Notre Dame, 311 3. Missouri, 330

     Lowest PF: 13. 149, NMSU; 12. 165, SJSU; 11. 260 Colorado State
     Highest PA: 13. 468, Idaho; 12. 414, SJSU; 11. 413, Hawai'i

Wow, that took a long time, I hope I don't have to do that again for...another year!

Buh in, House out, Wilson still at large

This just in (four hours ago): the Wolf Pack defense (allegedly) loses another coach, although this time under more triste circumstances.

Dan Hinxman blogged this afternoon regarding the termination of Jim House, defensive tackles coach.  An unusual move, to be sure, for about the only bright spot on an otherwise dismal squad.  While no information is yet offered, we should know at or around 11:AM Thursday (01/07) morning.

House has/had served under four different Wolf Pack head coaches, including all three Ault regimes, between 1990-2001, then 2007-2009 (Ault [1990-1992], Horton [1993], Ault-squared [1994-1995], Tisdel [1996-1999], Tormey [2000-2001], and Ault-cubed [2007-]).

A bright spot on the dark side of the ball, though, is the hiring of new DC Andy Buh, returning to his alma mater after polishing up his resume at, well, Nevada, then Fresno State, San Diego State, California and, most recently, Stanford.

I was excited to see Burton come along, and I think he would have made great strides had he stayed on an extra three years or so.  That said, the Nevada defense wasn't exactly showing much more than baby steps, even after year two.  Buh is a solid hire with strong ties to our program and, so long as he doesn't get ruined by the regime, should be able to do good things.  He has spent three years at Stanford as linebackers coach and assistant DC, and while the results of the defensive platoon weren't exactly flashy (it is the PAC 10, after all), I expect good things to come.

Stanford Schedule/Results for the 2009 Season:
(PA reinforced in parenthesis)

8-5, 6-3 PAC 10, T-2nd
at Washington State (1-11, 0-9 PAC 10, 10th)
W 39 - 13 Sep 5, 2009 (13)

at Wake Forest (5-7, 3-5 ACC)
L 17 - 24 Sep 12, 2009 (24)

vs San Jose State (2-10, 1-7 WAC, T-7th [last place])
W 42 - 17 Sep 19, 2009 (17)

vs Washington (5-7, 4-5 PAC 10, 7th)
W 34 - 14 Sep 26, 2009 (14)

vs UCLA (7-6, 3-6 PAC 10, 8th)
W 24 - 16 Oct 3, 2009 (16)

at Oregon State (8-5, 6-3 PAC 10, T-2nd)
L 28 - 38 Oct 10, 2009 (38)

at Arizona (8-5, 6-3 PAC 10, T-2nd)
L 38 - 43 Oct 17, 2009 (43)

vs Arizona State (4-8, 2-7 PAC 10, 9th)
W 33 - 14 Oct 24, 2009 (14)

vs Oregon (10-3, 8-1 PAC 10, 1st)
W 51 - 42 Nov 7, 2009 (42)

at USC (9-4, 5-4 PAC 10, T-5th)
W 55 - 21 Nov 14, 2009 (21)

vs California (8-5, 5-4 PAC 10 T-5th)
L 28 - 34 Nov 21, 2009 (34)

vs Notre Dame (6-6, Ind.)
W 45 - 38 Nov 28, 2009 (38)

vs Oklahoma (8-5, 5-3 Big XII)
L 27 - 31 Dec 31, 2009 (31)

While all this is going on, Ken Wilson is running around somewhere.  Maybe the anonymous tipster got the coaches names mixed up?  My fingers are crossed.