2024-25 Offseason

[BillyLP]

Just heard directly from a recruit that he's got BG behind Miami and Toledo on his list of schools because our facilities are becoming out of date. He has good relationships with the staff and had a lot of good things to say about them, but that kind of thing matters to kids now. It's been 20 years, I think it's time for the department to consider updating the Sebo Center.

It's been a minute since I've seen anything, but I thought they were doing a pretty good job keeping the Sebo Center updated. The indoor field at the Fieldhouse, on the other hand, is way worse than most other indoor practice facilities these days.

[hammb]

Just heard directly from a recruit that he's got BG behind Miami and Toledo on his list of schools because our facilities are becoming out of date. He has good relationships with the staff and had a lot of good things to say about them, but that kind of thing matters to kids now. It's been 20 years, I think it's time for the department to consider updating the Sebo Center.

It's been a minute since I've seen anything, but I thought they were doing a pretty good job keeping the Sebo Center updated. The indoor field at the Fieldhouse, on the other hand, is way worse than most other indoor practice facilities these days.

Does the team even use it? It works ok for the kid's soccer practices, but I can't imagine putting 100 D1 football players on that field and accomplishing much.

[mbenecke]

Just heard directly from a recruit that he's got BG behind Miami and Toledo on his list of schools because our facilities are becoming out of date. He has good relationships with the staff and had a lot of good things to say about them, but that kind of thing matters to kids now. It's been 20 years, I think it's time for the department to consider updating the Sebo Center.

It's been a minute since I've seen anything, but I thought they were doing a pretty good job keeping the Sebo Center updated. The indoor field at the Fieldhouse, on the other hand, is way worse than most other indoor practice facilities these days.

I’ll try to get him to be more specific next time I see him. He just said facilities, so I assumed Sebo. But the fieldhouse is entirely possible.

[mbenecke]

Former Falcon Matt Leininger is returning to BG to serve as the in-game host for BGSU athletics.

From what I can find from my limited research, he has experience in the role at Ohio State games and for the Columbus Clippers, at minimum.

Found an interview from 2022 here:
https://cbustoday.6amcity.com/qa-with-matt-leininger

[jpfalcon09]

Former Falcon Matt Leininger is returning to BG to serve as the in-game host for BGSU athletics.

From what I can find from my limited research, he has experience in the role at Ohio State games and for the Columbus Clippers, at minimum.

Found an interview from 2022 here:
https://cbustoday.6amcity.com/qa-with-matt-leininger

I remember one year UB having a DJ at their games, it was actually quite fun. The gameday atmosphere definitely needs to get with modern times. Perhaps hiring Matt is a step in that direction.

[BGSU33]

Just heard directly from a recruit that he's got BG behind Miami and Toledo on his list of schools because our facilities are becoming out of date. He has good relationships with the staff and had a lot of good things to say about them, but that kind of thing matters to kids now. It's been 20 years, I think it's time for the department to consider updating the Sebo Center.

It's been a minute since I've seen anything, but I thought they were doing a pretty good job keeping the Sebo Center updated. The indoor field at the Fieldhouse, on the other hand, is way worse than most other indoor practice facilities these days.

I’ll try to get him to be more specific next time I see him. He just said facilities, so I assumed Sebo. But the fieldhouse is entirely possible.

In relation to the Fieldhouse, a couple things should be pointed out before we start to dissect it. One, the turf bay wing wasn't ever built FOR the football team. The football team uses it, but the facility wasn't solely built for football. Second, the entire Fieldhouse building has been around for awhile now where BG used to be one of a few schools that even had access to an indoor facility. A large number of schools were without one or had one not as nice as when BG built its. I actually think the fieldhouse as a whole is still a nice facility. But when examing what it has to offer to the football team specifically, that's where it falls very short. Moving to present day, the Fieldhouse is lacking in many ways now compared to its peers for football team purposes. BG did switch over from the old style turf to the modern turf a number of years ago now (I believe when Clawson was still there), so that was an in improvement. But where it lacks is below.

For starters, the main drawbacks for the Fieldhouse (for the football team) are:

1. By far the biggest drawback is the turf bay is not a regulation length of a football field, which is 120 total yards - including the endzones (two, 10-yard segments). If memory serves me correctly, I believe the actual playing field part in BG's fieldhouse is only 70 yards long (instead of the full 100 yard) with two endzones for a total length of 90 total yards, instead of the regulation 120 total yards of a full-sized playing field (factoring in endzones). It's way shorter than what everyone has built since BG did and it get majorly cramped in there. The team cannot run all the drills it wants to missing that amount of space.
2. The ceiling is too low. Punts, kickoffs and some passes are affected by it or the divider curtain.
3. The lack of natural light and the lighting. Most indoor facilities have windows and natural light. BG's natural light is almost non-existent with small panels in the corners. The lighting isn't as great either.
4. There's isn't a football locker room facility there (again, it wasn't built for them).
5. It sits away from the rest of the football facilities such as Doyt Perr Stadium and the Sebo Center (again, it wasn't built for them).

Now, as for the Sebo Center, the biggest head scratcher after it was built was it was done without the meeting rooms that everyone has. Football department buildings generally have a "Team Theatre" where the entire team meets. Think of a modern movie theatre, with about 6-8 rows of stadium tiered seating rows, where the entire team can sit together and the coach/coaches are able to stand on the floor down below with a large screen behind them and the room has audio/video capabilities. Almost like a movie theatre/lecture hall. BG's "team room" is a flat-floored room with tables and chairs in it. It's ridiculously subpar. In addition to that, most schools also have positional rooms (QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, DL, LB, DB, ST's) that are small versions of the team theatre where they can meet and work with the positional coaches for those groups. Again, BG does not have these. I was stunned to learn the Sebo Center was being built without these when nearly everyone else already had them or was building them. Now, was the Sebo Center a nice addition? Of course it was, because it did add things BG did badly need. The weight room moved in there from underneath the West football grandstand, the coaches moved in their from underneath the East football grandstand, it connected to the football locker room, and it has/had other features. But the fact it was built without those rooms was a glaring omission, which I'm sure boiled down to money. As for the locker room, while it's received some work over the years, its also way subpar to many of our peers' and it's a drawback for BG as well.

I've been in parts of Toledo's but can't speak to it as a whole, but I got a complete tour of Miami (OH)'s fieldhouse and endzone facilities. And let me tell you - Miami knocked it out of the park with how and what they did! They have a Power 5 type of a facility in the MAC and they know it. They didn't cut corners and did it the way you should. First off, they built a fieldhouse FOR the football team and placed it perpendicular right up against the back of the North endzone so it's not only close to the stadium by proximity, it's also closes off the open end of the stadium (they had a small section of seating they took out). It not only looks majorly better, it's worlds better with what it provides. Second, it's built-in with the football offices and department and they have all the bells and whistles in there (things that I mentioned above the BG does not). Anyone who would walk through what Miami has and then go through what BG has is going to come to the same conclusion. Miami is way ahead across the board and BG lags behind many of its peers. Ohio, NIU, WMU, Akron, etc., have also sprinted past BG in these areas with their fieldhouses and football department buildings.

For BG to even pull even with most of its peers, it would essentially have to build a south endzone facility that included a regulation sized fieldhouse AND another department building to either house the team theatre and positions rooms, or move other aspects of what's inside the Sebo Center over there and renovate the Sebo Center to include them with the new additional space. And none of this would come cheap. Other ways to improve what BG has would be to add the team theatre and positional rooms to the Sebo Center. But with its current design, you'd almost have to add on above the existing footprint of the Sebo Center and add a new floor to house it. Extending it off of the facility would really make for a challenging design. As for the fieldhouse, they could remove the north wall of the turf bay and extend the wing. It would allow the additional yardage to be added to the field, but the other things mentioned above (lack of proximity to the football facilities, low ceiling, natural lighting issues) would still exist. Although, the natural lighting could be improved if they worked that into a new North wall if they extended the fieldhouse.

[pdt1081]

They have a Power 5 type of a facility in the MAC and they know it.

Have you been through a Power 5 facility lately? I have not. But I have seen a video tour of North Dakota's hockey locker room and amenities. There's parts that don't even seem like they would be a thing, but they're a huge deal to athletes now. A full blown "nap" room, multiple "recovery" rooms, cafeteria/food area, etc. I can't even imagine the pampering amenities the Power 5 have.

[BGSU33]

They have a Power 5 type of a facility in the MAC and they know it.

Have you been through a Power 5 facility lately? I have not. But I have seen a video tour of North Dakota's hockey locker room and amenities. There's parts that don't even seem like they would be a thing, but they're a huge deal to athletes now. A full blown "nap" room, multiple "recovery" rooms, cafeteria/food area, etc. I can't even imagine the pampering amenities the Power 5 have.

Yes, I have, a lot of them recently and all of them at least once actually. I have been to 134 of the now current 136 FBS stadiums/facilities, including all of the Power 5 schools (or Power 4 now without the Pac-12). The only two FBS schools I haven't been to are Hawaii and FBS newcomer Missouri State. I've also been to roughly half of the FCS schools and a number of D-II, D-III, NAIA and Juco's. I once had them all added up to an exact number, but I've been to somewhere around 250 different colleges and universities over 45 states.

[BillyLP]

They have a Power 5 type of a facility in the MAC and they know it.

Have you been through a Power 5 facility lately? I have not. But I have seen a video tour of North Dakota's hockey locker room and amenities. There's parts that don't even seem like they would be a thing, but they're a huge deal to athletes now. A full blown "nap" room, multiple "recovery" rooms, cafeteria/food area, etc. I can't even imagine the pampering amenities the Power 5 have.

Yes, I have, a lot of them recently and all of them at least once actually. I have been to 134 of the now current 136 FBS stadiums/facilities, including all of the Power 5 schools (or Power 4 now without the Pac-12). The only two FBS schools I haven't been to are Hawaii and FBS newcomer Missouri State. I've also been to roughly half of the FCS schools and a number of D-II, D-III, NAIA and Juco's. I once had them all added up to an exact number, but I've been to somewhere around 250 different colleges and universities over 45 states.

Having up until very recently worked with a P5 athletic program, I can confirm that Miami is as close as there is in the MAC. The program I was with had those nap pod rooms (which were actually awesome, by the way), water therapy, barbershop, podcast/voice over studios, immersive video game rooms, dedicated cafeteria that was absolutely restaurant quality. All just for the football team and attached to the stadium. It's a different world and it gets a recruit over the edge if the NIL opportunities are similar.

[BGSU33]

They have a Power 5 type of a facility in the MAC and they know it.

Have you been through a Power 5 facility lately? I have not. But I have seen a video tour of North Dakota's hockey locker room and amenities. There's parts that don't even seem like they would be a thing, but they're a huge deal to athletes now. A full blown "nap" room, multiple "recovery" rooms, cafeteria/food area, etc. I can't even imagine the pampering amenities the Power 5 have.

Yes, I have, a lot of them recently and all of them at least once actually. I have been to 134 of the now current 136 FBS stadiums/facilities, including all of the Power 5 schools (or Power 4 now without the Pac-12). The only two FBS schools I haven't been to are Hawaii and FBS newcomer Missouri State. I've also been to roughly half of the FCS schools and a number of D-II, D-III, NAIA and Juco's. I once had them all added up to an exact number, but I've been to somewhere around 250 different colleges and universities over 45 states.

Having up until very recently worked with a P5 athletic program, I can confirm that Miami is as close as there is in the MAC. The program I was with had those nap pod rooms (which were actually awesome, by the way), water therapy, barbershop, podcast/voice over studios, immersive video game rooms, dedicated cafeteria that was absolutely restaurant quality. All just for the football team and attached to the stadium. It's a different world and it gets a recruit over the edge if the NIL opportunities are similar.

I can confirm directly from a major Miami source that Miami's NIL last year (2024) was under $100,000. Not well under 100k, but a bit under. I would guess it's something close to that figure again this season. While Miami can't just throw money at recruits/players like a lot of FBS schools do, even in the NIL and Transfer Portal era, Miami still does very well for itself. First off, it's a very good school. Despite academics taking a huge back seat to money and payouts in collegiate athletics now, it still has value. Second, Miami has a BEAUTIFUL campus. They have a gorgeous campus with classic brick buildings with lots of mature trees and a roll to the campus. They are not a campus with a bunch of mismatched buildings, few trees, a bunch of paved parkings lots scattered all over the damn place and flat as a pancake. Yes, that's an intended dig. While BG can't do anything about its lack of hills, it could/can do something about its campus architecture, design and landscaping. While BG has done minimal improvements in spots, the overall look is a damn eyesore. It's embarrassing and unacceptable, but it has continued on like this for decades. Miami (the university) has more money to work with in general. It's been around longer, has a much better endowment, and Miami doesn't cut corners when it takes on campus projects and development like some schools do (yes, another dig). In direct relation to footblall, the football facilities are outstanding. We've already touched on them, but they have it all. A nice stadium with and even better fieldhouse/football building that's loaded with bells and whistles, a nice plaza to honors the greats from the past, and even a nice setting, tucked away beside a hill with trees and green space around, not by a damn highway. Miami has the history. Miami has the tradition. Miami has won. Miami is winning. Miami has had coaching stability. Miami is getting quality Power 5 guys over the past few years and they've done a great job fitting with their current guys. They do it the "Miami Way." It's a real thing. Miami is considered one of BG's rivals. Miami is exactly the type of school, or even the school, BG should be striving to compete with and be challenge but. Not some dirtball school just because of it's proximity. ALL of this (and more) plays into exactly why Miami is how it is, and why it's where it stands today. IMO, that is exactly that kinds of things (listed about) that BG should be striving to do and to be. But BG won't ever come close to those standards (across the board) when it constantly thinks, compares and measures itself up against Toledo. If BG would strive to align itself in the categories mentioned above with a superior MAC institution like Miami instead of, BG would find itself in a better place from an academic, campus and athletics standpoint.

[Flipper]

Miami is a beautiful campus...but the town of Oxford itself kinda sucks compared to BG.

The $$$ required to improve the Fieldhouse or build another one by the stadium? Do not see that coming to fruition anytime soon. Unless a major donor or 12 is found. The enthusiasm behind hiring George and Saint Urban's apparently personal stake in seeing him succeed here could attract some $$...but is it even worth it given the uncertain future non P2 (B1G and the SEC) schools face with regards to college football

[Flipper]

Then again..Adrian College just completed construction of a domed practice facility with what appears to be a 100yd field. And they're D3

IIRC...when the existing Fieldhouse was built here, the thinking was you didn't need a 100yd field gor practices

[Beaker]

I hate Miami.

[jpfalcon09]

Bill Connelly released his SP+ projections today. BG is expected to finish 111th in the country with a 5-7 record. 1-3 non-conference, 4-4 in MAC play.

[hammb]

Miami is a beautiful campus...but the town of Oxford itself kinda sucks compared to BG.

The $$$ required to improve the Fieldhouse or build another one by the stadium? Do not see that coming to fruition anytime soon. Unless a major donor or 12 is found. The enthusiasm behind hiring George and Saint Urban's apparently personal stake in seeing him succeed here could attract some $$...but is it even worth it given the uncertain future non P2 (B1G and the SEC) schools face with regards to college football

Yeah, kid played in the Oxford soccer tournament last spring, and Oxford kinda sucks. The hotel we got put in was a total s**t hole. Pool literally had kids coming out with their feet bloody from the bottom. Rusting out/rotting HVAC/Pool pumps/equipment was scattered about the "patio" area. Didn't look like there were many better hotel options either (some teams were 30+ miles out of town).

Local beer scene was non-existent, certainly not the choices of Arlyns/Juniper/Brewing Green that exists in BG.

Downtown area felt like BGs but with less options, a wider street, that was brick instead of pavement? Best local bar food wasn't as good as Beckett's in BG and was FAR below what we used to have with Reverend's (RIP ). Local pizza place we had for team pizza party couldn't hold a candle to Pollyeye's (hell probably not as good as fake Myles, which isn't even good). The one local place everybody raves about is the Bagel deli shop, which was good, but crazy expensive deli bagel sandwiches that you end up waiting an hour for because it's the only food in town worth eating.

Miami's campus is gorgeous, but there is nothing appealing about the town at all. We were quite happy to get out of there. Athens is a billion times better based on the existence of Jackie O's alone.