How long do FCS coaches last?

[elonparent]

Coaches are getting fired right now in the FBS. Sitting at 5 and 5 right now Elon should win next week and finish 6-5 on the year. Current staff was 20-20 Overall (.500) | 15-13 CAA Football (.536) coming into the 2023 season. Is that good enough to keep your job in the FCS these days? Asking for a friend.

[topher99]

Take out the COVID season and Tony's only losing year was his first (5-6). They're 16-7 in the CAA the last three years (with Saturday still to go) and were 3rd/T-3rd the last two years. They'll finish in the top 5 this year.

[eu96]

Different metrics for sure. Does that record include the Covid mini-season? If so, that should (and I’m sure is) disregarded. A winning record is usually enough to keep an FCS coach around (unless you are one of the Dakotas or Jerry Moore). I like T, and think overall he has done a good job. He is going to have to find his 3rd QB in 3 years in the portal, that is for sure. So far he is 2 for 2. So the odds are the next one might not work out so well.
The big question mark however is the new AD. Does she make a splash? She does come from a big time football school, albeit not overly successful. That is I’m sure weighing on Tony’s mind.

[topher99]

CAA only records last three years:

Villanova - 17-6
Elon - 16-7
Richmond - 16-7
W&M - 15-8
Delaware - 13-10
Rhode Island - 13-10
UNH - 12-11
Towson - 10-13
UAlbany - 9-14
Maine - 7-16
Monmouth - 6-9 (2 years)
Stony Brook - 5-19
Hampton - 4-8 (2 years)
Campbell - 3-4 (1 year)
A&T - 0-7 (1 year)

[fearthephoenix]

Nov 16, 2023 13:53:14 GMT -5 elonparent said:

Coaches are getting fired right now in the FBS. Sitting at 5 and 5 right now Elon should win next week and finish 6-5 on the year. Current staff was 20-20 Overall (.500) | 15-13 CAA Football (.536) coming into the 2023 season. Is that good enough to keep your job in the FCS these days? Asking for a friend.

Brand new AD is not firing a coach that was a game out of finishing first in the conference. There are many other pressing issues that need to be addressed in other sports. I will agree that player development needs to improved and both coordinators need a firm evaluation going into 2024.

[elonpride]

Been a LONG time since I've posted. It would be absolutely ridiculous to let go of coach Trish right now. Take out that weird covid spring season that had numerous disastrous injuries, and he's done a great job. The Gardner Webb loss this year is still a head scratcher....but the in conference record the past 3 seasons is great. Going into to almost every game the past 3 years, I've always felt pretty confident the team will be in the game. He'll get over that hump with playoff wins if we keep him. I like coach Trish and the excitement/enthusiasm you see from him on the sidelines!

Edit: if they win next week, he'll be 1 of 2 coaches with 3 straight winning seasons at Elon in the FCS Era. Pete Lembo had 4 from 2007 to 2010.

[phawkes]

I'm not for replacing our head coach, but I do think that he and his staff need to address three issues that continue to plague Phoenix football:

1. Game planning/play-calling - our poor 3rd-down conversion rate is just one symptom of our play-calling woes, on 1st and 2nd downs as well as on third down. Is this the responsibility of the OC (who, I assume is designing and calling the plays) or the HC (who should be insisting on adjustments to both the pre-game planning and in-game play selection), or both?

2. Discipline - we're still having way too many costly personal fouls, false starts, and delays of game. This is, in my view, much more a coaching issue than a player personnel issue. Greater discipline will also help our consistency and execution.

3. Conditioning - I can't help but wonder whether our ongoing lack of 4-quarters of play is due to less-than-effective conditioning. Better conditioning might also help with issue #2, discipline.

We have other systemic problems (recruiting, university leadership support--lack thereof, non-sports student culture, etc.), but only the coaching staff can fix the three issues I've noted above.

Go, Phoenix!

[euphoenix99]

As much as I complain, I've been fairly happy with Trisciani as well. We're much more competitive than we were during the Swepson and Skrosky days and the team is in most games. They even compete well against FBS competition.

The frustrating part is it seems like our peak is a B or B- type program. We never come across as a powerhouse that you can count on to win consistently. We're good enough to worry most teams, but not anything more.

I would like to see him change some things up this offseason. (staff, play-calling, recruiting, etc.) Rolling the same thing out year after year when it yields .500 results won't work. You have to get over the hump at some point.

Go Phoenix!