Covering last week’s Homecoming festivities, I couldn’t help but to feel less than enthused. Typically, Homecoming is a time of celebration and Western pride, but this year things felt different.

Our football team is now on a 17 game losing streak, which for those keeping score at home, is the longest losing streak in the 91 year history of WKU football. At last Thursday’s annual Chili and Cheese Luncheon, which always attracts a large group of alumni, head coach David Elson tried to boost spirits by telling the crowd that “upsets happen all the time” and that WKU could potentially beat Troy at Saturday’s Homecoming game. (The Hilltoppers didn’t; though they were practically tied at halftime, by the end of the game WKU had given up several touchdowns and failed to score again, losing the game 40-20).

On Monday, a rumor spread through campus quicker than swine flu. I woke up that morning to multiple messages, phone calls, and tweets from different people asking if I could confirm the rumor: David Elson had been fired. In a press conference that afternoon, Selig and President Dr. Gary Ransdell confirmed that Coach Elson would not return to the Hill next season.

With that announcement, Hilltopper fans everywhere breathed a collective sigh of relief. The fact of the matter is, Elson was in over his head. He was only an alright coach when WKU was in the championship subdivision. Once we moved to the bowl subdivision, he was literally out of his league.

As a result, the university suffered. When we decided to transition in 2006, Elson, Selig, Ransdell and those in favor of the move to I-A all counseled patience, as the transition would likely come at the short-term success of our football program. However, I find it hard to believe that anybody foresaw the disastrous two seasons we’ve had. The program has become less, not more, competitive under Elson, and fans have noticed: ticket sales and attendance have decreased, rather than increased, as was predicted by those supporting the move.

A move which, I truly believe is a good idea. Though I was initially against the transition, I was won over by the prospects of having a nationally competitive team in the bowl subdivision. Not only does it bring publicity to WKU, but it could be the catalyst to finally establishing a loyal fan base akin to those enjoyed by the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville.

This may seem superficial, but if WKU can manage to become competitive, marketing our way into the national consciousness, the value of our degrees will raise exponentially. If my friends in advertising have taught me anything it’s to never underestimate the value of name recognition. This transition can make WKU not just a college but a brand, akin to Ole Miss or Florida State. Rightly or wrongly, this name recognition brings with it a prestige that, while WKU already possesses to a degree, will only continue to increase. Which is why Elson had to go. Under him, the Hilltoppers simply weren’t performing, and people knew it. Nobody, not even Soul Train, could pretend to be enthusiastic about a WKU game, because we all knew how it would end. The promises made by Selig and Ransdell about the benefits of the bowl subdivision were being massacred weekly, the program was bleeding money, and Elson couldn’t figure out how to apply the tourniquet.

I feel it’s safe to say that Hilltopper football has officially hit rock bottom. While it’s unfortunate that we’ve fallen to such depths, we can find comfort in knowing there is nowhere to go but up.

There’s no way of knowing just yet who will coach the Hilltoppers next season. (Former Cleveland Browns head coach and WKU alumnus Romeo Crennel has been mentioned, but he has said he doesn’t want the job.) Yet, whoever Selig and Ransdell do find to replace Elson, I’m almost certain they’ll be up to the admittedly daunting challenge. The fact is, WKU is a lucrative sell to any potential candidate. It’s the chance to build a team from the ground up, practically molding an entire program.

If WKU can secure a great coach, which I’m actually confident we can, we can then begin recruiting even better players. The better our players and coaching staff, the better our chances of winning a game. Once that happens, we’re golden.

Selig and Ransdell made a lot of promises regarding the transition to bowl subdivision football, promises which I honestly believe can be kept. Unfortunately for Elson, he kept breaking the promises—or, perhaps more fairly, simply isn’t capable of keeping them. We were promised a nationally competitive team, a larger fan base, and increased revenue. It may have taken a couple years longer than planned, but at last, we’re on the right track.