So how exactly did Hopson turn Alcorn around?


2kool

2kool

Well-Known Member
I refuse to believe white coaches are better at their craft than black coaches. I may be wrong, but Alcorn has one of the lower budgets in the SWAC and was barefoot & broke when Hopson got there.

What did Hopson do to turn Alcorn around so fast under difficult circumstances? Did the administration increase his budget? Fundraising increase?
 

When he got there Dr. Brown was president and his belief was it takes money to make money. So they amped up the fundraising as well as all the ways to make money in other avenues. That's why they moved the Soul Bowl back to campus. The money made from parking and tailgating alone damn near cleared what was being made in Jackson. Just think, they charge $10 per car coming thru the gate. We haven't gotten to RVs and tickets.
Also Hopson hired some top assistant coaches which helped immensely. Willie is a top play caller and Hopson and Pec had the defense holding steady. The kids bought into the system and the rest is history. The school did upgrade the weight room as well as the video equipment to bring it all up to date. So it was a group effort from the school, alumni, coaches and most of all players buying into what they were doing.
 
Alcorn has a middle of the pack athletic budget in the SWAC (I think it's 7 million at last check. I know it's larger than ours, Grambling and JSU) but they truly backed Hopson like a school should.

The most overlooked factor is that many forget that he was a coach for 20 years (most at the FBS level. only one year at Delta State) so he had connections. Factor in that he also had some political ties in the state and it was just a perfect storm on the Reservation. I am not naive though in thinking that his skin tone didn't play a part in his success (not talking about on the field and the "we play harder for white coaches" mindset) with connections, etc.
 
goodolebrave said:
When he got there Dr. Brown was president and his belief was it takes money to make money. So they amped up the fundraising as well as all the ways to make money in other avenues. That's why they moved the Soul Bowl back to campus. The money made from parking and tailgating alone damn near cleared what was being made in Jackson. Just think, they charge $10 per car coming thru the gate. We haven't gotten to RVs and tickets.
Also Hopson hired some top assistant coaches which helped immensely. Willie is a top play caller and Hopson and Pec had the defense holding steady. The kids bought into the system and the rest is history. The school did upgrade the weight room as well as the video equipment to bring it all up to date. So it was a group effort from the school, alumni, coaches and most of all players buying into what they were doing.
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I mentioned this in my post. Simmons was a big part of this.
 
I can only speak for my experience as a job seeker. I have been passed up for so may opportunities knowing I am qualified for over for somebody white that doesn't come close to the experience I can provide. This was done to me by blacks I interviewed with. We have this mentality that white is right and black is whack. Honestly I can't compare what I am going thru to the decision to hire Hobson. But recently I interviewed for this one job I was defiantly qualified for I had experience in both the army and in the civilian sector I blew away the brothas I interviews with yet. I discovered they hired a white convicted felon over a black man that served his country and has proven experience. What added more insult to injury that white man quit that job within two weeks after he got caught stealing. I know what I am saying has absolutely nothing to do with this thread but I am just certain that there were some blacks that wanted that job and were left feeling the way that I don know they were just as qualified for that position and people that look like you saw someone that didn't look like them as more superior. So I can understand the frustration. In the eyes of both blacks and whites we can't get a chance.
 
In_The_662 said:
Alcorn has a middle of the pack athletic budget in the SWAC (I think it's 7 million at last check. I know it's larger than ours, Grambling and JSU) but they truly backed Hopson like a school should.

The most overlooked factor is that many forget that he was a coach for 20 years (most at the FBS level. only one year at Delta State) so he had connections. Factor in that he also had some political ties in the state and it was just a perfect storm on the Reservation. I am not naive though in thinking that his skin tone didn't play a part in his success (not talking about on the field and the "we play harder for white coaches" mindset) with connections, etc.
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Yea his political connections did come into play as well as his family being well known in the surrounding community. So that gave Alcorn a new revenue that wasn't there before.
 
Hopson's ultimate failure however was not playing OOC HBCUs.

Yes, Alcorn won two SWAC Titles but what did Hopson-led Alcorn contribute to the HBCU Football Market? Nothing Really. You really don't need much to build a winning Football Team. Look at the High School Level. The only difference between High School and College and even with recruiting, the rating system is overrated.

Remember, I was ranting about Alcorn's Poor Scheduling yet War Party Room folks kept saying, "it was no big deal not playing OOC HBCUs".

Watch how they act with Fred though. They will question Fred around every corner and criticize him for every little mistake where Hopson was given a lot of room for error. If Alcorn loses the SWAC-MEAC Challenge, ignorance will rear its ugly head because sadly, we as Black People have been trained that White is Right.
 
BRAVEHEART123 said:
Hopson's ultimate failure however was not playing OOC HBCUs.

Yes, Alcorn won two SWAC Titles but what did Hopson-led Alcorn contribute to the HBCU Football Market? Nothing Really. You really don't need much to build a winning Football Team. Look at the High School Level. The only difference between High School and College and even with recruiting, the rating system is overrated.

Remember, I was ranting about Alcorn's Poor Scheduling yet War Party Room folks kept saying, "it was no big deal not playing OOC HBCUs".

Watch how they act with Fred though. They will question Fred around every corner and criticize him for every little mistake where Hopson was given a lot of room for error. If Alcorn loses the SWAC-MEAC Challenge, ignorance will rear its ugly head because sadly, we as Black People have been trained that White is Right.
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Not "trained" but brainwashed.
 
Dr. Brown brought new life to the campus as a whole in all phases. The hiring of Jay Hopson included. You add the energy of Brown, Hopson and one or two others things happened. I know some will have something negative to say, but all you have to do is look back 4 1/2 years and see what was going on at Alcorn period. Hopefully Fred will continue the upward swing in football and to my surprise so far in basketball.
 
Alcorn simply hired a good coach in the midst of most schools going through transition. If Valley hadn't hired Comegy, Hopson would have been the most senior head coach in the conference. He caught the conference at the right time, usually JSU and AAMU are strong in the east, but with both making bad hires, the door opened for Alcorn.
 
2kool said:
I refuse to believe white coaches are better at their craft than black coaches. I may be wrong, but Alcorn has one of the lower budgets in the SWAC and was barefoot & broke when Hopson got there.

What did Hopson do to turn Alcorn around so fast under difficult circumstances? Did the administration increase his budget? Fundraising increase?
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He spent his own money and paid the recruits.
 
Journalist said:
So it's a marriage of vision between adminstration and athletics.

Can someone tell me did applications to Alcorn increase during the Hopson years?
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As a matter of fact Alcorn did have a large increase on enrollment during Hopson years and Alcorn was HBCU of the year while he was there. Don't know if it was coincidence or what. However these things did happen while he was there.
 
It helped.....................if you have the right people in place and know how and when to push the right buttons you are going to see improvements. 2yrs ago students were not accepted become we didn't have housing for them. This happened because of a combination of things including a winning football team.
 

goodolebrave said:
As a matter of fact Alcorn did have a large increase on enrollment during Hopson years and Alcorn was HBCU of the year while he was there. Don't know if it was coincidence or what. However these things did happen while he was there.
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Lol @ you even pretending to equate an increase in enrollment with Hopson. JSUs enrollment increased under Harold Jackson. I'm sure he played a key role in that.

Also, I'll go out on a limb and say the HBCU award had nothing to do with Hopson. If I'm not mistaken, You recieved that "honor" some years ago. Hops one success was more recent.
 
BRAVEHEART123 said:
Hopson's ultimate failure however was not playing OOC HBCUs.

Yes, Alcorn won two SWAC Titles but what did Hopson-led Alcorn contribute to the HBCU Football Market? Nothing Really. You really don't need much to build a winning Football Team. Look at the High School Level. The only difference between High School and College and even with recruiting, the rating system is overrated.

Remember, I was ranting about Alcorn's Poor Scheduling yet War Party Room folks kept saying, "it was no big deal not playing OOC HBCUs".

Watch how they act with Fred though. They will question Fred around every corner and criticize him for every little mistake where Hopson was given a lot of room for error. If Alcorn loses the SWAC-MEAC Challenge, ignorance will rear its ugly head because sadly, we as Black People have been trained that White is Right.
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BH I just really got to ask, what does the schedule have to truly do wit anything when dealing with Alcorn success? I ignored that foolishness before but I'm captivated by what u take or use that help you get to these frames of mind where you come completely out of the stands, not left field, but the stands, when you post some of these things.
Just a question, nothing serious. I mean the past schedules were set up with easy wins, money games and conference games. Been that way every since I been born. With a few classics thrown in.
Also how did Alcorn not help HBCU football market? PV just got an outstanding new coach because of Alcorn. Southern just revamped a coaching staff to get better due to Alcorn. JSU got a new coach. Well that wasn't due to Alcorn but you get where I'm coming from. Everyone stepped up due to the competition stepping up. Alcorn is the competition BH.
 
JSU/99 said:
Lol @ you even pretending to equate an increase in enrollment with Hopson. JSUs enrollment increased under Harold Jackson. I'm sure he played a key role in that.

Also, I'll go out on a limb and say the HBCU award had nothing to do with Hopson. If I'm not mistaken, You recieved that "honor" some years ago. Hops one success was more recent.
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y'all were coming off consecutive SWAC championship game appearances when y'all got such a large increase. It wasn't the students fault Comedy had been run out of town. So in essence, your large increase could be contributed to Comegy.
 
CEE DOG said:
Basically he did what Ron Cooper did at AAMU. Cooper had connections. Cooper was given everything he needed to win, but his attitude and head got to big.
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So basically, the key ingredient is hiring a coach with local ties that can raise the money his administration won't give him?

Interesting.
 
goodolebrave said:
BH I just really got to ask, what does the schedule have to truly do wit anything when dealing with Alcorn success? I ignored that foolishness before but I'm captivated by what u take or use that help you get to these frames of mind where you come completely out of the stands, not left field, but the stands, when you post some of these things.
Just a question, nothing serious. I mean the past schedules were set up with easy wins, money games and conference games. Been that way every since I been born. With a few classics thrown in.
Also how did Alcorn not help HBCU football market? PV just got an outstanding new coach because of Alcorn. Southern just revamped a coaching staff to get better due to Alcorn. JSU got a new coach. Well that wasn't due to Alcorn but you get where I'm coming from. Everyone stepped up due to the competition stepping up. Alcorn is the competition BH.
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Playing within the SWAC is one thing but playing OOC FCS HBCUs, as Alcorn learned the hard way in the Celebration Bowl, is a different thing.

A lot of times it's not about money but Conference Pride and Tradition.

People always ask me why do I keep bringing up Howard. Howard IS NOT and I repeat IS NOT a Football Powerhouse (their stadium is a High School Stadium for Goodness Sake). Yet somehow, even in the 90s, it always baffled me as to why this non-Football Power of the MEAC with a High School Stadium use to give SWAC Teams fits when playing them on the Football Field.

Then I looked at NC A&T under Broadway in the Celebration Bowl. That team actually lost to NCCU but just dominated Alcorn on the Field. True, there were some "outside" factors that gave NC A&T a Possible Headstart, but they dominated Alcorn.

When you are the best team in a Conference, you have a duty to represent your conference in games NOT Required. It should NOT have to come down to the Celebration Bowl for Alcorn to finally man up and play an OOC HBCU. Grambling did it in two years by scheduling Bethune-Cookman and those games for the most part have turned to be epic games. Of course you have SU vs. FAMU, heck even Valley has played FAMU AND SC State. Those are games the players on both sides will be talking about for years to come. And they contributed to the HBCU Market.

Truth be told, Hopson wanted to make himself look good. Alcorn should have scheduled more OOC HBCUs so we would have more opportunities to prove that we too could represent the conference and this could have possibly prepared us more for playing a MEAC Team like NC A&T.

Competing against OOC FCS HBCUs is the Spirit of Competition and Fellowship for HBCU Football as a whole.
 
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