Even a mediocre defense next year would result in a major bounceback.

Coach chose the right man to replace Nord at OC.  He needs to make a change for underperformance on the other side of the ball this year.  Otherwise, Hoza is going to become what Olivadotti was to Shula, I'm afraid.  I'd be very disappointed if a change isn't made on the defensive side of the ball this year.

Someone else already mentioned it, but I will 2nd or 3rd it…
There is no HOT seat at FAU,
in any sport.
Especially not with Howard (even if it is deserved).
Take a look, we have a few coaches in other sports who have been losing for a long time.

GeorgiaOwl said

But by now I think we all agree on this, somebody better be on a hot seat on this staff. It is so obvious we are being outcoached nearly every game!

I completely agree with GeorgiaOwl.  The fans & Alumni will not be happy unless Howard makes some changes to his coaching staff.  We need some new blood and someone hard nosed/disciplined.

All I want for Christmas is a 7 & 5 FAU Owls Football team in 2010 and another bowl victory!  That's not too much to ask for–is it?

oldschoolowl said

Someone else already mentioned it, but I will 2nd or 3rd it…
There is no HOT seat at FAU,
in any sport.
Especially not with Howard (even if it is deserved).
Take a look, we have a few coaches in other sports who have been losing for a long time.

I think Sidney Green might disagree.

In 2006 we moved to the Sunbelt from the mostly small private school (at that time) Atlantic Sun conference. The competition got much better. Several of the teams are still trying to make the adjustment. FAU's women's softball was a perenial conference winner in the ASun. Once Angelos feels everyone has had enough time to adjust to the transition, some coaches may be in trouble. I would think through spring 2010 would be enough time.

Love Hoza…great guy, always takes time to talk to me, but there comes a time that accountability fits in the equation.  This is a group of guys that should have progress, too much talent for them not to have made progress.  They made some stride & then regressed to levels not acceptable at any levels.

This program has come to far to regress.  We should be positioning ourselve to be competeting at Troy's levels every year…they have set the bar high and we have to follow or be left behind.

If that means making changes by parting ways with someone on the staff, then so be it.  College football has come to the point of what have you done for me lately…the past means very little if it doesn't translate to successes NOW.  And FAU is now at a point where we need to act NOW or regress as a program…keep up with Troy or we will continue to be middle of the pact…I don't think that is something Owls Fans have come to expect of this program who have set their own bar at a higher level…especially with the two bowl victory in our short history as a program.

Ok, so far on this thread, I have read:

"We owe EVERYTHING we are to Coach - period.  He is FAU Football."
"Howard stays as long as he can/wants to stay."
"The only way Howard Schnellenberger should be on the hot seat is if he pushes the seat warmer button in his car."
"If FAU ever put Coach on "the hot seat" I would stop being a fan of football here."

So does this mean that "Coach" should never be held accountable?  Sounds like it.  No progress in the last 4 years.  I get tired of this "we'd be nothing without him" attitude.  Look around – we're pretty irrelevant right now, even as Sun Belt ball goes.  IMHO, that IS nothing.  He needs to make changes – we all agree on that – but are you still ok with him if he doesn't?  And if you are, then what does that say about the future of the program?

Sure Howard should be held accountable, but let's face it, he doesn't do much of the coaching anymore.  Like Bobby Bowden or Joe Paterno, he delgates much of the actual coaching to his assistants.  His main job is to be the face of the program, and he still represents the team and University well.  But it is imperative that he makes the proper changes in the offseason.  If we sit back and do nothing to address our issues, then yes, I think there will be more of a call for bigger change.

no one really wants to do anything with coach because everyone knows he'll be out after 2011. dude is the third oldest coach in college football and realistically, he really can't be out there coaching much longer.

I'd beg to differ GA Owl. IMO Schnelly is the only thing that keeps us relevant in the college football landscape right now and until a crop of boosters shows up to cut $100k checks per season to help keep this program going arrives, I think we should keep him. You go up to any joe college sports fan and ask them who FAU is and more than likely you'll get a response that it's the team that Schnellenberger coaches and if you want him gone, fair enough, but who do we get? You know that Schnelly isn't even the highest paid coach in the Sun Belt right? Sure you can get some young guy like Cristobal in that wants to prove himself, a lot of good thats doing at FIU right now. And how's he for their recognition? "You ever heard of FIU?" "Isn't that the team that fought Miami a few years ago." That's all they've got.

Two bowl games over the last 4 years and a conf championship isn't regression. This season is a disappointment, yes, and I hate to break it to you, but we'll have plenty more of these over the next 50 years, it's part of the game.

Good points TeamBeer! But we have regressed the past two years from that one conference championship, badly!

But you are right on this. Our budget and lack of big dollar boosters keeps us locked in where we are and THAT is the frustrating part to us. Heck NTU just BROKE GROUND on their new $78M 30K stadium with ALL SORTS of stadium uses allowed and we are still stuck here waiting, cutting deals with Boca which severely limit OUR use of OUR stadium, just to get them to not fight it! Heck, we can't even afford to recruit out of state from what I hear!

BUILD THE STADIUM NOW and a lot WILL CHANGE for the better, I guess until then…