DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — Miami University's 2-10 record last season was bad enough. But it was the five-game home schedule that included only two Saturday games that ticked off some of the school's most loyal football fans, leaving them frustrated and clamoring for change.

Miami athletic director Brad Bates is promising they'll get it.

Earlier this year, Bates mailed a letter to season-ticket holders, expressing the athletic department's obligation to set things straight, especially when it comes to scheduling home games.

"You will notice a significant increase in the number of Saturday games this season," Bates said in his letter." We have carefully listened to your collective feedback ... Four of our five home games this year will be played on Saturday and every home game will be played when our students are in Oxford!"

Last season, Miami played Northwestern on a Thursday night in its home opener (broadcast by ESPNU), faced Northern Illinois on a Sunday night (broadcast by ESPN) and finished its season against Ohio with a Friday afternoon game after most students had left for Thanksgiving break.

"I was very pleased with the letter," said Jack Morrison, resident of Hamilton and longtime Miami fan. "I've been a season-ticket holder since the late '50s. I saw my first football game at Miami in 1946. I've dearly enjoyed going there, particularly on Saturday afternoons ... (the letter) has made a number of season-ticket holders quite happy."

Miami's four Saturday home games are scheduled for Sept. 15 (Cincinnati), Sept. 29 (Syracuse), Oct. 13 (Bowling Green) and Nov. 3 (Buffalo). No starting time has been announced for any of the four. The RedHawks will host Akron on Wednesday, Nov. 14.

"I can't reiterate how much I enjoy going to Saturday afternoon football games," Morrison said.

Hint, hint.

Bates, during a recent interview in which he was asked about his letter and the future of Miami football, said his department conducted a survey about Miami fans and their preferences for kick-off times. The choices were noon, 2 p.m., late afternoon or evening.

"It was almost exactly evenly distributed," Bates said. "Our students love night games. We serve so many constituents. Trying to balance these things is complex."

Bates pointed out that the weeknight games during the week were extremely popular when they brought national TV to Oxford for the first time during the 2003 season.

In back-to-back home games, the RedHawks beat Bowling Green 33-10 in front of the fourth-largest crowd in stadium history on a Tuesday night (Nov. 4) and then socked it to Marshall 45-6 the following Wednesday night (Nov. 12) in front of another sell-out crowd. Both games were broadcast by ESPN2.

"In a very short time, we've taken national television exposure for granted," Bates said. "That first year, there was such an excitement and passion about being on national TV that it created a sort of momentum in itself."

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.