Game Thread: James Madison University (2-1) at Mason (3-0), Saturday, November 16th, 7 PM (MASN)

[Falco]

If we had hired a coach with Byington's record, the Fire Dave crowd would be up in arms.

That said, he looks like a reasonably good hire for JMU.

Not the most impressive hire, but its not a horrible hire either. A change was obviously needed. Byington finished top in three in the Sunbelt 4 of 6 seasons. He has a .577 winning percentage.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Georgia Southern was dead when Byington arrived. He will get JMU turned around. He played for Jerry Wainwright at UNCW and was an assistant under Bobby Cremins at Charleston.

 

[Falco]

Georgia Southern was dead when Byington arrived. He will get JMU turned around. He played for Jerry Wainwright at UNCW and was an assistant under Bobby Cremins at Charleston.

And he has a shinny new arena built with FOOTBALL money to show off to recruits.

 

[gmujim92]

And he has a shinny new arena built with FOOTBALL money to show off to recruits.

JMU’s arena isn’t being built with football money. The university got some private donations and is floating bonds to pay for most of it.

LOL.

 

[Walter]

JMU’s arena isn’t being built with football money. The university got some private donations and is floating bonds to pay for most of it.

LOL.

My guess is football at JMU doesn't make money.

 

[gmujim92]

My guess is football at JMU doesn't make money.

It pays for a lot of non-revenue sports but other than that, no way in hell.

 

[mkaufman1]

It’s not even April but I can bump the mason football thread if you guys want haha

 

[GMUgemini]

Not the most impressive hire, but its not a horrible hire either. A change was obviously needed. Byington finished top in three in the Sunbelt 4 of 6 seasons. He has a .577 winning percentage.

It makes sense...he's from the area roughly (born in Salem, Virginia, which is on the same stretch of I-81 as Harrisonburg...played at a CAA school (UNCW), assistant at two Virginia schools (UVA and Virginia Tech) as well as fellow CAA school Charleston (granted, before they joined the conference). So he should know JMU's recruiting grounds and the conference pretty well.

 

[Walter]

It pays for a lot of non-revenue sports but other than that, no way in hell.

I am even doubtful of that. I am guessing student fees pay for all of those sports and some of football too.

 

[gmujim92]

I am even doubtful of that. I am guessing student fees pay for all of those sports and some of football too.

You are most likely correct.

 

[Walter]

Turns out JMU recently got some bad publicity on using student fees ($2.3k) to fund athletics. Mason's student fees supporting athletics: $553

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/educat...ay-be-paying-thousands-athletic-fees-n1145171

 

[MasonSAE4]

I am even doubtful of that. I am guessing student fees pay for all of those sports and some of football too.

There are a couple different ways to present the numbers and what turning a profit means, but realistically any team outside of the top few programs in the country aren’t actually making money on football.

 

[p8triotfan4life]

Byington is a decent hire for JMU. He beat us handily and had that on his resume. I'm sure that helps.

 

[Walter]

Byington is a decent hire for JMU. He beat us handily and had that on his resume. I'm sure that helps.

Interview probably went like this . . .

JMU AD: Can you win a conference championship?

Byington: Probably not.

JMU AD: Will we at least finish in the upper half?

Byington: I think so, but the CAA is marginally better than the SlumBelt. So, I am going to say, maybe

JMU AD: Can you beat the Patriots?

Byington: I can and have.

JMU AD: You're hired. How does $450k a year sound?

Byington: (pinches self to make sure he isn't dreaming) You mean I don't have to pay you to get the hell out of Statesboro?

 

[Five Two]

There are a couple different ways to present the numbers and what turning a profit means, but realistically any team outside of the top few programs in the country aren’t actually making money on football.

An interesting look at P5 programs and their revenues:
https://247sports.com/college/illin...chest-poorest-programs-145373708/#145373708_1

I'm not sure there is an accurate way to represent these numbers since, as MasonSEA4 points out, schools can use different accounting methods to classifying expenses. Regardless, no shock that Texas ranks first on this list as they've been printing money for years. Image what would happen if they were as good on the field as they are in the bank?!?