In the final football installment of the season, Ferrum came up way short against what I thought to be was a similar strength team. It turned out that while Ferrum was able to get 10 points on the board, they were not particularly successful at stopping the Cougars. Down 21-0 at halftime, Ferrum could not come back in the second half, and fell 38-10. There is no need to dissect the entire game. We are losing 20+ players to graduation, and that will pose a big enough problem for Ferrum. Other things that will cause issues for the Panthers include:
1. Selecting a new coach- I am hopeful that they will conduct a national search and can attract some high-quality applicants. If they can hire a successful coach, they will have to be able to pay enough money to keep him on the sidelines. The days of Ferrum being a "Feeder College" for coaches, has to stop. The Head Coach position, which was at one time listed on the Human Resources page as an open position, is not listed any more, but I have heard no news of a hire.
2. Developing a recruiting strategy. This is possibly one of the hardest colleges to recruit for in the country. While we all know the majesty and beauty of the campus, the location, in the minds of impressionable youth, this campus is quite isolated and remote. "Nothing to Do" "Suitcase College" It will take some really skilled recruiters to gain the talent Ferrum needs.
3. Emphasizing the Lines of Scrimmage- In order for Ferrum to be successful, they must not only be skilled at recruiting offensive and defensive line talent, they must have line coaches that can grow them, and teach them fundamentals, and tactics that will make them successful. Yes those on the lines need to be big men, but they can't just be heavy, they must have strength. With knowledge and strength, much can be gained.
4. Looking for Speed- Ferrum has some speed, but it needs to be more of an emphasis on speed on both sides of the ball. Football is a game of speed, and it is necessary at every position.
5. There needs to be a serious Strength and Conditioning program that is strongly emphasized year round. The weight room in the Norton Center is as nice as any in the ODAC I would imagine, and it needs to be where the dedicated player spends a designated amount of time every week with the strength and conditioning staff in a regimented program.
6. The college has to be attractive academically. I think tremendous strides have been made in this area, but more national exposure is needed. Expanding academic offerings may be another way to attract more students. How about a School of Business? A School of Education? Are there area business leaders, who would get behind this?
7. Lastly but possibly most importantly, the grounds have to be impeccably groomed. The attention to detail of the grounds will leave parents in awe saying "If they take the time to care for the grounds like this, just think of the care they will take of my child."
I say these things, not to be critical of the present, but to express what I hope to be the standard in the future. I was there as a student from 1978-1982. I loved that place, and still do. It has come a long way since I was there, but there is so much potential.
Two years ago, Ferrum's football team travelled to Newport News, and for only the second time, Ferrum beat Christopher Newport University 26-19. It was quite a game, and it is fair to say that CNU was having a down year. They ended the season 5-5. CNU began their first year of football in 2001. They have consistently been a winning program, and like many years in the past, again this year, they made the playoffs. Although they fell in the first round to Randolph Macon, they made the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Ferrum has quite the home opener next year as the Mount Union Purple Raiders come to Adams field. If you dont know who this team is, then you don't know D3 football. To say they have a dominant program is an understatement to say the least. They have won the D3 national championship in:
