Head Coach Todd Stepsis

[MVCBeat]

Let me ask you all this question. What do we consider success? What does he need to do by year 3 and 4 to be considered a success?

[GoPanthers85]

A portal exodus for a 3-9 team might not be the worst thing. If there is enthusiasm and he is a good recruiter, there will certainly be an opportunity for a portal influx as well.

Like the basketball team? How's that working out so far this year?

[vbfan19]

I think we can all agree that success for UNI football should be defined as winning conference championships

Do you consider the University of Iowa to have an unsuccessful football program, since they haven't won a conference championship in 20 years?

[Blue42]

Realistic expectations for the next couple of years are going to be key. It's not going to look great next year but we just need to see that there's a plan and that he can manage a roster and basic game situations. He's got a hole to dig out of especially after the coming portal exodus.

Schedule is MUCH lighter next year so 3 or 4 wins is a realistic goal.

3 or 4 as a goal?

C'mon now.

[06panther10]

Do you consider the University of Iowa to have an unsuccessful football program, since they haven't won a conference championship in 20 years?

He literally said “FOR UNI FOOTBALL”. Which is historically correct. We haven’t sniffed a conference title or a playoff run for a decade.

[06panther10]

3 or 4 as a goal?

C'mon now.

We just won 3 games this year and now we have to turn over the staff and roster. Its not gonna be pretty.

[Blue42]

We just won 3 games this year and now we have to turn over the staff and roster. Its not gonna be pretty.

I'm a tad more optimistic than that.

[BCPanther]

Let me ask you all this question. What do we consider success? What does he need to do by year 3 and 4 to be considered a success?

Playoffs by Year 4 or it's time to move on.

[havok58]

Let me ask you all this question. What do we consider success? What does he need to do by year 3 and 4 to be considered a success?

Well, if we use the bar Farley has established for the last few years, a .500 record overall and in conference play would be a success by the AD. Don’t want to put too much pressure on Stepsis afterall. But those type of average seasons will get him a pay raise and contract extension. After that, success should mean a top 3 finish in conference, playoffs with at least one playoff win per season.

If he can accomplish that, then we may see another school snatch him up. However, a repeat stretch of mediocrity on the extended contract should mean “thank you for your service, but you’re not getting your contract renewed again” and UNI moves on. Don’t want a lifer coach that can only get to .500 or worse every year.

Of course, in 5 to 8 years from now college football will have changed that FCS may be dropped to Division 2 - like status with the Big 10 - SEC having their own setup; the remaining power 4 conferences doing their thing; and Group of 5 being pushed to FCS like status.

And that’s if UNI has funding that can support football by then.

[clenz]

Well, if we use the bar Farley has established for the last few years, a .500 record overall and in conference play would be a success by the AD.

With what AD is that the bar?

David? Sure, I guess. However, he was too damn cheap and didn't care enough to let Mark go. Strangling Mark accomplished so many things for David: Didn't have to work as hard on game day ops with less people showing up. Less fans having expectations so less demand to up the budget and take the next step. He and Mark didn't get along so having Mark nose dive was one of the few things that made him smile in his time in Cedar Falls I bet.

Do you know that .500 is the bar Dr. Franklin will accept after 4 years? Where's your proof?

.500 overall and in conference play would be a hell of a step forward right now.

[havok58]

With what AD is that the bar?

Do you know that .500 is the bar Dr. Franklin will accept after 4 years? Where's your proof?

.500 overall and in conference play would be a hell of a step forward right now.

You just answered your own question with your last sentence.

However, the initial question is “what do we consider success? What does he need to do by year 3 and 4 to be considered a success” and I think most will agree that .500 overall / in conference play in years 3 or 4 is successful. That will earn him an extension. If he and Franklin have a good history, I think she will be patient with him. Now my answer also said that after that extension, top 3 finishes in conference play; making the playoffs and winning at least one playoff game yearly should be the bar. If he can’t achieve that, start again with a new coach. We should expect progress every year and once at or near the top maintain that level of success.

[pnthr53]

Our goal should be to win conference championships….then the playoff births take care of themselves. You want butts in seats then you have to win games. Winning takes money and you can’t operate at the bottom of the league in finances and expect to win. What bothers me is our administration has let it get to a point that we may not be able to dig out from and if we do it doesn’t feel like it’s going to be anytime soon.

[clenz]

Our goal should be to win conference championships….then the playoff births take care of themselves. You want butts in seats then you have to win games. Winning takes money and you can’t operate at the bottom of the league in finances and expect to win. What bothers me is our administration has let it get to a point that we may not be able to dig out from and if we do it doesn’t feel like it’s going to be anytime soon.

Absolutley, but the reality is outside of some magic turn around almost never before seen the realistic expectation/standard to shoot for by year 3 is 6 to 7 wins. This is a complete and total reboot. Not a rebuild. Not a don't crash the train. This is from the actual ground up rebuild at a school with the smallest budget in the toughest/biggest conference in the country.

I've posted the numbers countless times over the years, but the standard of conference championships, playoff runs, etc. was set when UNI had a football budget of 3.8 million (2008's budget) and everyone else in the league, and most of the country, was between 2.5-3m.

UNI's most recent football budget was roughly 3.6 million. The FCS median was over 4 and the MVFC median was closer to 4.6.

We are spending less now, raw dollar for dollar, than we were in 2008. Add inflation to that and it is insane how much less we are spending, and that's without taking into account our peers.

We are, and this is a reality check many of us need to look at and decide how badly we want to work to fix it, the new WIU down to the colors (we use the exact same yellow, and there is only 1 Pantone shade difference between the purples). The expectation for the next 3-4 years isn't "conference championships". If that's your expectation for where we should be, you will be insanely miserable. Right now we need to learn how even to crawl, let alone walk or run with the current big boys.

We all want conference titles. Stepsis and the program will approach each season with that as their goal. As they should. Our budget isn't going to jump from 3.6 to 5 or 4.5 or probably even 4 overnight. I bet when we get the reporting for this season it is flat with David's last year. When we get next year's reporting in 2 years I'll be shocked if it's over 4. Just like getting back to winning titles, the budget growing isn't going to happen overnight/the first two or three years.

[kochrab]

You just answered your own question with your last sentence.

However, the initial question is “what do we consider success? What does he need to do by year 3 and 4 to be considered a success” and I think most will agree that .500 overall / in conference play in years 3 or 4 is successful. That will earn him an extension. If he and Franklin have a good history, I think she will be patient with him. Now my answer also said that after that extension, top 3 finishes in conference play; making the playoffs and winning at least one playoff game yearly should be the bar. If he can’t achieve that, start again with a new coach. We should expect progress every year and once at or near the top maintain that level of success.

I don't think anyone is saying in 3 or 4 years that having a .500 record would be successful, that's not what Clenz was saying or anyone did. You're projecting your frustration with David's administration onto Dr. Franklin's team which is vastly different and actually gives a damn about this program.

Now, next year to be .500 would be a success, in 3/4 years? Absolutely not.

[ronfitch]

Absolutley, but the reality is outside of some magic turn around almost never before seen the realistic expectation/standard to shoot for by year 3 is 6 to 7 wins. This is a complete and total reboot. Not a rebuild. Not a don't crash the train. This is from the actual ground up rebuild at a school with the smallest budget in the toughest/biggest conference in the country.

I've posted the numbers countless times over the years, but the standard of conference championships, playoff runs, etc. was set when UNI had a football budget of 3.8 million (2008's budget) and everyone else in the league, and most of the country, was between 2.5-3m.

UNI's most recent football budget was roughly 3.6 million. The FCS median was over 4 and the MVFC median was closer to 4.6.

We are spending less now, raw dollar for dollar, than we were in 2008. Add inflation to that and it is insane how much less we are spending, and that's without taking into account our peers.

We are, and this is a reality check many of us need to look at and decide how badly we want to work to fix it, the new WIU down to the colors (we use the exact same yellow, and there is only 1 Pantone shade difference between the purples). The expectation for the next 3-4 years isn't "conference championships". If that's your expectation for where we should be, you will be insanely miserable. Right now we need to learn how even to crawl, let alone walk or run with the current big boys.

We all want conference titles. Stepsis and the program will approach each season with that as their goal. As they should. Our budget isn't going to jump from 3.6 to 5 or 4.5 or probably even 4 overnight. I bet when we get the reporting for this season it is flat with David's last year. When we get next year's reporting in 2 years I'll be shocked if it's over 4. Just like getting back to winning titles, the budget growing isn't going to happen overnight/the first two or three years.

Money sets the table.

In UNI's case, perhaps a TV tray is a more apt metaphor.

Hoping to move to something more sturdy - perhaps formica - in three-four years. Anything quicker would be seriously impressive.