Climbing the Ladder | Football Coach Franchise

[COYB54]

Year 3 - Sevier County(TN) - 16-1 - Lost in State Championship

Notes:
- Well, the ride finally ended.
- We didn't have the most talent, but our QB was lights out all year.
- Did not love our 1st round matchup but we came out flying and blew them out.
- We almost choked it away in the 2nd round. We went up 17-0 but they came storming back. Luckily we ended up holding on.
- Semifinal was 21-17 us early in the 3rd, then a TD Drive by us then next play pick 6 made it 35-17.

- State game was rough. West had the best team all year by far, one slip up was the only blemish.
- We couldn't stop them, it was a shootout for a while.
- We started pressing and made mistakes, it just got out of hand.

[COYB54]

Year 4 - West Liberty University Hilltoppers(D2)







Notes:
- Thought process is the jump at the OC at the D2 level, but we can only do the Head Coach Mode.
- Using the excellent 160 team D2 Mod.
- Going to have to find more success to make the jump to FCS or just stay in D2.







Notes:
- We're a sleeping giant, we're in a great recruiting area and we have some advantages on campus.
- The conference in game is a 16 team conference, split with the MEC and the NE-10. Our "Pool" is pretty even to be honest.
- I like our schedule, Minot State is looong trip, and Pitt State is going to be very tough.
- 3-3 is the goal after the first 6, we can easily go 4-2 on the 2nd half of the season.

How we are going to build the Hilltoppers

Location:
- We are in a lovely lovely location. We our 90 minutes away from Pittsburgh and recruiting the WPIAL. Not to mention the rest of PA. We do have to battle with the PSAC powers for sure.
- We are also very close to the fertile recruiting grounds of NE Ohio. Youngstown, Cleveland, Canton, etc. Good, hard nosed football players.
- We can recruit the DMV as well, it's not that long of a trip for parents.
- Florida does not have that many D2 teams there. We will be focusing on the Orlando, Tampa, and Miami areas.



Recruiting Areas:
*Counties Highlighted in yellow


Team Builds:

Offensive Builds:
We will build it as a pass first team. Our outside receivers will be above 6'1, run well, and can win 1v1's. Our slots will be smaller, quicker, and able to sit in zones and win on RPOs. The RB's will be mixed, bigger but also speedier guys for certain packages. Our OL is big, and lean.

QB - Transfers for the first few years while we develop our guys.
RB - Mix bag.
OWR - Big, Fast, vertical type
IWR - Quick, smaller
OL - Tall, Long, Quick. Not heavy.


Defensive Builds:
We will play a 4-3. Really a 4-2-5 in general. We recruit speed and pass rushers.

DE - Quick, Long. 6'3+, must be able to pass rush.
IDL - Shorter, quicker. Able to hold at the point.
LB - Safeties in HS, fast, must be able to run.
Safeties - Corners in HS, Must be able to cover.
CB - Toughest to find, Man skills. 5'11+, quickness and speed.

[COYB54]

Year 4 - West Liberty University - 5-1

Notes:
- Offense sputtered in the 2nd half at Minot State. Just disappointing in how it finished.
- We found life the next week up in the Northeast against a good Assumption team. Wrapping off right at 600 yards of offense.
- Then explosion happened, 80 points against a bad Post team. 749 yards, 41 1st downs. They had 4 turnovers that gave up short fields that we capitalized on every time.
- Solid conference wins against MEC foes Concord and Wheeling. Wheeling really gave us fits, and we had to earn drives.
- I did not play the game vs Pitt State, Really thought if I played it, I'd make it closer than it should. Then the CPU decides to win it.

- 3-3 was the goal, we came out 5-1. We can make a good little run here with a weak 2nd half schedule.

[COYB54]

Year 4 - West Liberty University - 11-2, MEC Runner Up

Notes:
- We went much farther than I thought we would.
- We started coming back to earth in the Glenville game, we barely snuck out with a win.
- State was 10-3 going into the 4th before we blitzed them for 3 quick scores.
- The Conference Championship game went as expected, and should. They had a better team, we shouldn't have been there.
- This is a great start to build on, 11 wins in year one will open up many recruiting doors.
- We peaked out at #9 in the country, punching waaay above our weight. Our schedule was in our favor too though.













Notes to wrap up:
- We finished #3 in total offense, and #1 in passing
- We had one first team All-American, and 9 earning All-Conference Honors.
- In Conference: Us and Wheeling had banner years, while UC, Bentley, and Assumption under achieved.

- Teams underachieving: Harding 7-5, Truman 5-7, Ferris 9-3 No Playoffs, Pitt State 8-4, Kutztown and Slippery Rock at 7-5

[COYB54]

Year 5 - #15 West Liberty - 6-0

Notes:
- We returned almost everyone on offense, and the results have shown that.
- Defensively, we struggle at times. But not in the bigger games.
- Our pass game is legit, but it really starts with a 5th year senior at QB that's started for 3 years.
- The New Haven win was big, we had full control and forced New Haven to throw.
- Seton Hill was wild, no one could get a stop. We just luckily had enough to keep going.
- 2nd half of the season may be a stroll, we have a #17 Bentley in a conference matchup but after that no one is over .500

[COYB54]

Year 5 - West Liberty Hilltoppers - 13-2 Regular Season Conference Champs - 2nd Round NCAA D2 Playoffs





Notes:
- Well, another good season, and hitting much above the belt. Helps when you have a great QB for sure.
- Bentley would knock us off in the conference championship, but we finished the regular season undefeated.
- We still made the D2 playoffs, and it was a good 1st round matchup with Indy. We almost choked it away, but it was a great win.
- Then the reality that West Lib currently isn't at the top of the league, and we are lucky to play in a weak conference. Central Missouri put us in our place..42-0 at the half.



Notes:
- Signature win over Bentley after the bye.
- Wesleyan was much much closer than the final score. It was 24-21 at the end of the third. Quick score, turnover, quick score, turnover, quick score.
- Saint Anselm, same, but even closer. We got very lucky, very lucky to escape that one.
- Teams that can play man and rush the QB is our biggest problems.
- We peaked out at #3 in the nation.








Notes to wrap up:
Great Years: Mckendree,
Bad Years: Grand Valley State, Ferris State, Kutztown, Cal PA,

[COYB54]

The next move or..stay

So, with success comes opportunity. Curious on what you all think or not.

A. Stay at West Liberty - We have done very well, and can dominate the weak conference for years. Our recruiting has been...ok, not great. We can build up the program still and keep getting the facilities and school to a top level.

B. Slippery Rock - A premier PSAC D2 program. They went 9-3 last season and they want a change. A very tough conference but it's a premier job.

C. Texas A&M Kingsville - A top 5 team last year in D2, and made the playoffs. Very tough conference, but it is a great recruiting area and great facilities. Premier.

or is it too early to make the jump to FCS?

A. Merrimack - 2/10 prestige, Northeast school.

B. VMI - A military school that will struggle to break through.

[COYB54]

Year 6 - #18 West Liberty Hilltoppers - 6-0

Notes:
-We are a decent team, with a lot of good young talent.
- Our DL is very good, and probably carrying us for the most part.
- Our defense is better from the last two seasons, and that is getting us through many of these games.
- Our offense is hot and cold. While we are scoring points, it's not nearly as easy.
- The Wheeling game was very close, we were losing 10-9 at half time. Down 17-12 going into the 4th.
- Another weak schedule in the 2nd half, but the contracts with Wise, Northwood, and Seton Hill are going up. Our schedule will take a tougher turn.

[Caesar]

You've really gotta things going in the right direction at West Liberty pretty fast. I'd hang around until a few better FCS offers come in.

[COYB54]

We got lucky in the portal but we're also in a poor conference. You are right, jumping up to FCS is probably the next best move.