The San Diego Tribune's Opinion of I-AA Football

[poly51]

The article was taken from the Cal Poly fan website. More to follow.
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Here's a homie article from the San Diego Tribune:


There's new disgrace in town: 'Chuckyball'

Back in 1964, when both were small college football teams, San Diego State traveled to San Luis Obispo for a game with Cal Poly. It was too close at halftime to suit Don Coryell, so with the team sitting behind desks in a classroom, the coach, without saying a word, came in and started firing quartered oranges at the players, who were sitting there with their uniforms and helmets on.

Embarrassed when forced to go out with orange pulp hanging from their facemasks, the Aztecs then proceeded to squeeze the Mustangs 59-7. Ah, those were the days.

Cal Poly has remained a small college (Division I-AA) and SDSU moved up with the big kids long ago. Technically, anyway. Sometimes the difference in I-AA and I-A is just a letter.

State still can go small time with the best of them. And the Aztecs can play down to their competition (when that's actually conceivable).

It's a good thing Coryell wasn't coaching last night, when the Aztecs led just 14-10 at the half. The Mustangs had tried to run out the clock and instead marched 81 yards in 1:55 for a touchdown just before halftime. Coryell might have been throwing coconuts and watermelons.

Well, it's really a great thing Coryell wasn't around last night, when the Aztecs failed to score in the second half and suffered an embarrassing, ignominious 16-14 defeat to mighty Cal Poly, which just last week blew a 22-point lead and lost at home to South Dakota State. Coryell would have been throwing Mt. Rushmore. Except he never would have lost to what basically amounts to a good junior college team.

Really, it's almost impossible to fathom. But it would be wrong to call this the worst defeat in SDSU history. Because the Mustangs were better than the Aztecs. And certainly far, far better coached.

I don't know exactly what new Aztecs head coach Chuck Long was doing last night. But he coached scared. Compared to Martyball, Chuckyball is to the right of Dick Cheney. Conservative? Long coached like he had a slim lead on the Indianapolis Colts.

You can't blame the players, and Long didn't. What they didn't do particularly well last night was tackle. The Mustangs, who start a 240-pound offensive tackle – they go 240, 275, 280, 265, 280 across the front – ran for 204 yards, when everyone knew their quarterback, Matt Brennan, couldn't throw the ball across his dorm room.

Long refused to throw. Redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Craft tossed it just five times in the first half, but had some success, completing three for 78 yards and two scores to receiver Ramal Porter. But it got worse.

After a lost fumble by tailback Atiyyah Henderson, the Aztecs finally fell behind when Poly's Nick Coromelas sailed through a weird, 37-yard field goal with 1:50 to play in regulation. Up to that point, Craft had thrown just four times after intermission, or nine overall. On that final drive, culminating with a missed 48-yard field goal by Garrett Palmer, Craft completed 4-of-5 passes and got his team down to the Mustangs' 30.

I mean, Long was a college and professional quarterback. As offensive coordinator at Oklahoma, he coached a quarterback who could barely move to the Heisman Trophy. He's now at a school where the modern collegiate passing game was all but invented. The boos he's getting, at times, are justified.

Long waited too Long to go airborne. He fell into that old trap. Let a team hang around long enough and bad things can happen.

“One of the toughest days of my career,” he would say. “I speak for the coaching staff and the team, as well. It was a great lesson. You can't let a team hang around . . . and fumble the ball away at a crucial time.”

Thing is, it's a lesson Long should have learned Long ago. Let the kids play. His team is 1-6 now, but it's not inexperienced. The Aztecs won five games last year and returned 14 starters – nine on defense. Sure, Long is new at this head coaching dodge, but he has players who beat Utah and BYU in 2005.

Please. These kids shouldn't be coached into losing to Cal Poly SLO. These are the same players who this year held Wisconsin scoreless in the first half in the Badgers' joint. So these same athletes allow the Mustangs to drive 81 yards for a score before the half? Sorry, something's not right.

Long said his guys prepared well this week and were aware they shouldn't take Poly lightly. I don't think they did. They got themselves outplayed and outsmarted. They piled up 304 total yards. They didn't convert a third down until 8:32 remained in the third. Craft was sacked four times, not finding people open. Twice Long ordered punts on fourth-and-short, when he could have been putting it to bed.

“Looking back, we probably should have thrown a little bit more,” he admitted. “Put that on me. . . . We did get a little conservative.

“I've been in the business long enough to know anybody can beat anybody.”

So have I. It's not true.

[FargoBison]

Except he never would have lost to what basically amounts to a good junior college team.

:nonono2: : smh : : smh : : smh : : smh : xidiotx xidiotx xidiotx : smh : : smh : : smh : : smh : :nonono2:

This guy makes Harbaugh look like a great I-AA football mind. Not a whole lot of respect for I-AA ball down there in San Diego is there.

[poly51]

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Aztecs kicked while they're down

I-AA Cal Poly shocks SDSU with late FG

By Mick McGrane
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 29, 2006

In assessing the talent gap between his team and Division I-A schools last week, Cal Poly coach Rich Ellerson said he believed the Mustangs had reached a point where they could be competitive against middle-of-the-pack programs from the Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences.

Seems they're pretty good against the bottom feeders, as well.

San Diego State, which sang the school fight song in its locker room for the first time last week after posting its initial win of the season against Air Force, was singing a whole different tune last night when it was humbled by Division I-AA Cal Poly 16-14 at Qualcomm Stadium.


Kicker Garrett Palmer is in anguish after missing 48-yard field goal with 37 seconds left that could have saved Aztecs from losing to Cal Poly.

Before an announced homecoming crowd of 20,974, the Aztecs fell to 1-6 in becoming the seventh Division I-A school to lose to a Division I-AA opponent this season.

Cal Poly had been 2-16 against Division I-A opponents since 1980.

“This is one of the toughest days of my career,” said coach Chuck Long. “You can't let any team hang around or turn the ball over at crucial times in the game.”

And the Aztecs did a masterful job on both fronts.

With the Aztecs holding a 14-13 advantage with 3:02 left, redshirt freshman tailback Atiyyah Henderson, who recorded his second consecutive 100-yard game (140 yards on 26 carries), lost a fumble at the SDSU 23-yard line.

Four plays later, Cal Poly senior place-kicker Nick Coromelas, who entered the contest having connected on just 6-of-11 field goal attempts this season, delivered a 37-yarder with 1:50 remaining to give the Mustangs a 16-14 lead.

Taking possession at its own 20, SDSU drove to the Cal Poly 30, but place-kicker Garrett Palmer, whose 30-yard field goal against Air Force had proven the game-winner, missed wide left on a 48-yard attempt with 37 seconds to go.

“That's the life of a kicker, but we shouldn't have been in that position in the first place,” Long said. “It was a total team effort on our part that Garrett was even in that situation.”
A team effort accomplished by both players and coaches.

The Aztecs, who led 14-10 at intermission on a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Kevin Craft to wide receiver Ramal Porter, mysteriously threw the ball just four times in the second half before their final drive.

Craft, who was making his third consecutive start, finished the night 10-of-15 for 157 yards, completing four straight passes during SDSU's frantic final series.

Until that point, SDSU had all but turned the game over to Henderson, who had carried 11 times for 80 yards in the first half.

“We have to look at what we did and we probably got a little conservative,” Long said. “We started off the game so well and just kind of let them hang around.”

Case in point: On its second possession of the third quarter, a drive that consumed 7:23, the Aztecs came away with nothing to show when a 54-yard field goal by Palmer fell short.

On its two ensuing possessions, SDSU gained a total of 21 yards, drives followed by punts covering 26 and 24 yards, respectively.

Said junior tailback Lynell Hamilton, who carried four times for 24 yards after missing the last three games with a torn meniscus in his knee: “You can't just settle for being up two touchdowns (the Aztecs actually led 14-3); we need to keep going. You can't quit. You can't just accept having a lead like that and lay down.”

Yet that was exactly what happened at the end of the second quarter when Cal Poly, doing little but running out the clock, sprung tailback James Noble (25 carries, 100 yards) for a 38-yard gain on a third-and-11 from its own 34. On the following play, quarterback Matt Brennan hit wide receiver Ramses Barden with a 28-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds left in the half.

SDSU, which entered the contest ranked 106th in the nation in rushing defense, yielded 225 yards on the ground.

“I always look at myself and our staff first and go from there,” Long said. “I thought we had real good focus in practice during the week, but we didn't make big enough plays on offense or make enough stops on defense. We have to find a way to put this behind us as quickly as possible.”

[poly51]

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Mustangs' Noble: 'I think we wanted it more'

By Brent Schrotenboer
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 29, 2006

As the clock ticked down toward the end of last night's game against San Diego State, Cal Poly running back James Noble noticed a trend.

One team seemed more hungry than the other. Heads seemed to hang low on one side of the ball, while the other team – the underdog – seemed to smell blood.

“I think we wanted it more than those guys,” said Noble, whose team upset SDSU last night 16-14. “When a big play happened by them, we didn't get down. A lot of things happened to them, and you could see their heads drop.”

Noble said he noticed it most in the fourth quarter. SDSU led 14-13 with 12:42 left. But Cal Poly found ways to stick around against its bigger, deeper opponent, then kicked a game-winning 37-yard field goal with 1:50 remaining. SDSU kicker Garrett Palmer missed wide left on a 48-yard field goal with 32 seconds left to seal the upset for the Mustangs.
“We had them on their heels,” Noble said. “They weren't able to rebound. They were pretty much down. I don't know. They're athletes. You gotta expect them to play the next play, like we did.”

Aztecs defensive end Antwan Applewhite didn't quite agree.

“I think that's the easy way out, to say they wanted it more,” Applewhite said. “They just beat us.”

Asked to assess how that happened, Applewhite said, “It seemed like we came out a little flat in the beginning. They jumped on us with three points early (on a 23-yard field goal). They kept playing. They kept believing, and they came out and won it at the end.”

A difference in energy and motivation would explain how Cal Poly could overcome obvious physical disadvantages against SDSU.

For example, as a Division I-AA team, Cal Poly is limited to 63 scholarships, compared to 83 under scholarship now for SDSU.

At times, Noble, who rushed for 100 yards on 25 carries, ran behind a 240-pound starting offensive tackle, Josh Mayfield, who was outweighed by everybody on the SDSU defensive line, including two starting tackles by at least 65 pounds.

SDSU probably was lucky the beating wasn't worse. The Aztecs fumbled four times but lost only one of them. Cal Poly also missed a 42-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Key fumble

The play that led to Cal Poly's game-winning field goal came on first down and 15 from the SDSU 21-yard line. SDSU led 14-13. Aztecs running back Atiyyah Henderson took the handoff, tried to make a cut and lost the ball. It was recovered by Cal Poly's Kenny Chicoine at the 23 to set up the winning drive with 3:02 left.
“I was looking to cut back, and I really didn't have full control,” Henderson said.

He said it wasn't knocked loose. He just bobbled it as he tried to change direction. “I felt it coming out,” he said. “I tried to get it, but . . . ”

Henderson still seemed to do all of the work for SDSU at times, ringing up 140 yards on 26 carries.

Sneaky QB

Cal Poly quarterback Matt Brennan also took advantage of the SDSU defensive line when it wasn't quite ready. He ran sneak plays up the middle, once on second-and-5 to gain the first down. Another time, he ran it on first-and-10, gaining 3.
“He'd come to the line, the defensive line wasn't set, and he'd go ahead and do the quarterback sneak,” Applewhite said.

What was disconcerting for the Aztecs is that they saw Brennan do that on film during the practice week. “We knew they were going to do that,” he said.

Brennan had 20 carries for 51 yards.

[poly51]

Stangbacker
Member
Posts: 27
(10/30/06 11:25 am)
Reply My letter to Nick at the San Diego Union Trib
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Nick,
Your description of Cal Poly Football as little better than a junior college team is not only an insult to Cal Poly coaches, athletes and fans, it boarders on the absurd. Further, it validates the maxim..."those that can do and those that can't write about it."

A quick look at the number of players Cal Poly has sent into the NFL (via the draft or free agency) over the past five years vs. San Diego State reveals that Cal Poly has surpassed SDSU. In fact, the distance between the programs would be even greater if Kassim Osgood had not been dismissed from Cal Poly and transferred to San Diego State.

What's more, as the record shows in head to head competition over the last 5 years, Cal Poly is superior to SDSU in baseball, volleyball, track, cross-country, and women's soccer. Now, we're superior in football as well which fits nicely with our significant and unquestioned academic superiority. What is it about Cal Poly's success that you've been missing or have elected to ignore?

By the way, when you described with great bombast San Diego State's lopsided win when the schools last played in 1964, you conspicuously neglected to mention that Cal Poly Football was still recovering from the loss of the majority of its players who died in a tragic plane crash several years before. I suppose that's your way of making the victory seem more compelling.

Suffice it to say, you're not only uninformed, you have no class.

[GOTOREROS]

Nick Canepa has ZERO respect for I-AA football. I also agree that he has no clue about I-AA football. We Torero fans have been saying this for a long time. SDSU is a HORRIBLE football program and if anyone is a junior college team it is SDSU. They plain suck....

The SD Union-Tribune ran a poll online on who would win a game between USD and SDSU and USD won by a ton of votes....no even close. SDSU sucks....


GOTOREROS

[JohnStOnge]

Nick Canepa has ZERO respect for I-AA football. I also agree that he has no clue about I-AA football. We Torero fans have been saying this for a long time. SDSU is a HORRIBLE football program and if anyone is a junior college team it is SDSU. They plain suck....

The SD Union-Tribune ran a poll online on who would win a game between USD and SDSU and USD won by a ton of votes....no even close. SDSU sucks....
GOTOREROS

Your school should go scholarship then try to start an intra-city series with the Aztecs.

[RobsPics]

Stangbacker
Member
Posts: 27
(10/30/06 11:25 am)
Reply My letter to Nick at the San Diego Union Trib
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Nick,
Your description of Cal Poly Football as little better than a junior college team is not only an insult to Cal Poly coaches, athletes and fans, it boarders on the absurd. Further, it validates the maxim..."those that can do and those that can't write about it."

A quick look at the number of players Cal Poly has sent into the NFL (via the draft or free agency) over the past five years vs. San Diego State reveals that Cal Poly has surpassed SDSU. In fact, the distance between the programs would be even greater if Kassim Osgood had not been dismissed from Cal Poly and transferred to San Diego State.

What's more, as the record shows in head to head competition over the last 5 years, Cal Poly is superior to SDSU in baseball, volleyball, track, cross-country, and women's soccer. Now, we're superior in football as well which fits nicely with our significant and unquestioned academic superiority. What is it about Cal Poly's success that you've been missing or have elected to ignore?

By the way, when you described with great bombast San Diego State's lopsided win when the schools last played in 1964, you conspicuously neglected to mention that Cal Poly Football was still recovering from the loss of the majority of its players who died in a tragic plane crash several years before. I suppose that's your way of making the victory seem more compelling.

Suffice it to say, you're not only uninformed, you have no class.


Great EMAIL. Thanks.

[89rabbit]

Nick Canepa has ZERO respect for I-AA football. I also agree that he has no clue about I-AA football. We Torero fans have been saying this for a long time. SDSU is a HORRIBLE football program and if anyone is a junior college team it is SDSU. They plain suck....

The SD Union-Tribune ran a poll online on who would win a game between USD and SDSU and USD won by a ton of votes....no even close. SDSU sucks....


GOTOREROS


Easy with the "SDSU sucks" stuff. On this board SDSU is South Dakota State and we beat the Mustangs. ;) xlolx


If you want to post that "San Diego State University sucks" well that is fine by me.:smiley_wi

[SirApp]

Fantastic e-mail, I'm interested in hearing his reply....if he has one.

[ASU Kep]

Junior college team? Thats just ignorant. Cal Poly is among the best teams in I-AA and I was only surprised they didn't beat SDSU (not the rabbit variety) by more.

[AggiePride]

Nice articles.

Fair and objective!

[Ronbo]

Junior college team? Thats just ignorant. Cal Poly is among the best teams in I-AA and I was only surprised they didn't beat SDSU (not the rabbit variety) by more.

Other than the JC remark I thought he was fair.

[JohnStOnge]

I wrote mine to the general sports address. Here it is:

"I saw something on a I-AA message board indicating that one of your writers equated Cal Poly to a Junior College team. I know that was somewhat tongue in cheek and I'm not writing to be critical but you might be interested in some historical data that suggests playoff caliber I-AA teams...such as Cal Poly this year...might be a bit better than most people who follow college football realize.

Going into this season, since the BCS system started in 1998 through the 2005 campaign, teams that went on to make the I-AA playoffs were 24 - 29 against non BCS IAs. The average outcome was a 29 - 24 non BCS I-A win.

I realize that San Diego State is very weak this year and people pulling for San Diego State are very disappointed. But the tone of the article I saw on that I-AA message board suggests that, objectively, that author underestimates the level of opponent represented by a I-AA like Cal Poly appears to be this year. Poly may not make the playoffs because it's about to have to take on Montana and South Dakota State...two national championship caliber I-AAs...row. But note that it was also lost by only 17-7 to San Jose State...a I-A that's usually bad but is 5-2 right now with a 35-29 loss to Washington, a 35 - 34 win over Stanford, and a 31-10 win over you own Aztecs.

Bottom line is that the Aztecs were not playing a "Junior College" team in Cal Poly. They were playing a team that was equivalent in caliber to a mid level non BCS I-A."

[TaTownBacker]

These type of views don't even shock me anymore. Most people think Non-D-IA football is a joke. They think it is basically a bunch of guys who are no good playing. I have even encountered people who questioned whether I-AA players even played HS ball.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes I heard people say when I went I-AA:

"Can't you give up the dream!"- As if the ONLY reason to play college football is to go to the NFL

"What position are you going to play? You are probably bigger than all the OL there (I was 6'2" 225 and a QB)


People are idiots.


Ta TownBacker

[Bisonforlife]

I wrote mine to the general sports address. Here it is:

"I saw something on a I-AA message board indicating that one of your writers equated Cal Poly to a Junior College team. I know that was somewhat tongue in cheek and I'm not writing to be critical but you might be interested in some historical data that suggests playoff caliber I-AA teams...such as Cal Poly this year...might be a bit better than most people who follow college football realize.

Going into this season, since the BCS system started in 1998 through the 2005 campaign, teams that went on to make the I-AA playoffs were 24 - 29 against non BCS IAs. The average outcome was a 29 - 24 non BCS I-A win.

I realize that San Diego State is very weak this year and people pulling for San Diego State are very disappointed. But the tone of the article I saw on that I-AA message board suggests that, objectively, that author underestimates the level of opponent represented by a I-AA like Cal Poly appears to be this year. Poly may not make the playoffs because it's about to have to take on Montana and South Dakota State...two national championship caliber I-AAs...row. But note that it was also lost by only 17-7 to San Jose State...a I-A that's usually bad but is 5-2 right now with a 35-29 loss to Washington, a 35 - 34 win over Stanford, and a 31-10 win over you own Aztecs.

Bottom line is that the Aztecs were not playing a "Junior College" team in Cal Poly. They were playing a team that was equivalent in caliber to a mid level non BCS I-A."
Good job of writing this but they play North Dakota State University after the Grizzlies not South Dakota State University:read:

[JohnStOnge]

Good job of writing this but they play North Dakota State University after the Grizzlies not South Dakota State University:read:

I'm glad you pointed that out out to me because I'd just gotten an e mail back from them asking for my name and city of residence so they can publish my comments. I'd just written back and corrected some grammatical errors I'd made but missed the error you just pointed out. So I just sent another e mail telling them it's NORTH and not SOUTH Dakota State.

That, of course, is what i'd meant to write. But I'm drinking. You know how that is.

[JohnStOnge]

These type of views don't even shock me anymore. Most people think Non-D-IA football is a joke. They think it is basically a bunch of guys who are no good playing. I have even encountered people who questioned whether I-AA players even played HS ball.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes I heard people say when I went I-AA:

"Can't you give up the dream!"- As if the ONLY reason to play college football is to go to the NFL

"What position are you going to play? You are probably bigger than all the OL there (I was 6'2" 225 and a QB)

People are idiots.


Ta TownBacker

Did you mention that Jerry Rice (all time NFL leading receiver) and Michael Strahan (all time sack leader) played in I-AA? How about Kurt Warner and Tyrell Owens (OK, he's a jerk...but). I noticed that Tony Romo (born in San Diego, by the way) did pretty well for Dallas this weekend and Marques Colston was pretty darned impressive in a losing effort for New Orleans too. Meanwhile, Steve McNair was on the winning side at quarterback.

You're right. People that don't realize that there are some pretty darned talented players at the I-AA level are...well...I won't call them idiots. Let's just say, "ignorant."

[Steven Bryant]

Once at Petco Park I was in the media booth and adjusted Nick Canepa's chair as far low as it will go, and unlocked the seat back thinking he might lean back and fall over the next time he sits down. :)

He's a pretty good writer though, unlike some of the hacks writing for the UT (Sullivan). For whatever reason though the UT has had a vendetta against San Diego State the last few years, and I'm sure the JC remark was meant more as to embaress SDSU than discredit Cal Poly.

Also, the SDSU vs. USD stuff is comical at best. I actually tuned into the USD game on Saturday and kept laughing every time they talked about the two teams playing. There is no benefit for SDSU to ever play USD. The win wouldn't count for a bowl bid, wouldn't draw more than a UNLV game, and in the off chance they did lose it would be 100x more embaressing than losing to Cal Poly. It's a lose-lose situation for SDSU to even consider that game.

Steve

[GOTOREROS]

Your school should go scholarship then try to start an intra-city series with the Aztecs.

I would love it - but it a full ride scholarship here to USD is 42k a year. So 42k x 63 = 2,646,000 in scholarships alone. What does it cost to go to your school? LOL! It will take a HUGE effort to go scholarship at USD, it costs a ton of money to go to school here and we don't have an Ivy league endowment....but I agree it would be fun!

It's not as if people don't want scholarships at USD but due to the cost it is tough to argue with them....and then throw in the Title IX bullcrap....

GOTOREROS

[Mr. C]

I would love it - but it a full ride scholarship here to USD is 42k a year. So 42k x 63 = 2,646,000 in scholarships alone. What does it cost to go to your school? LOL! It will take a HUGE effort to go scholarship at USD, it costs a ton of money to go to school here and we don't have an Ivy league endowment....but I agree it would be fun!

It's not as if people don't want scholarships at USD but due to the cost it is tough to argue with them....and then throw in the Title IX bullcrap....

GOTOREROS
The cost of scholarships is relative. It isn't necessarily a reflection of the actual cost associated with running the university. Does it really cost that much to put a few additional bodies in classrooms? The $42,000 tag is a bookeeping thing, not an actual dollar cost. There are ways to work around such things. Other schools manage this all of the time.

[GOTOREROS]

The cost of scholarships is relative. It isn't necessarily a reflection of the actual cost associated with running the university. Does it really cost that much to put a few additional bodies in classrooms? The $42,000 tag is a bookeeping thing, not an actual dollar cost. There are ways to work around such things. Other schools manage this all of the time.

It is my understanding that it is ACTUAL scholarship dollars. The USD athletic department already is spending about 6 million in athletic scholarships right now I believe. USD has scholarships in most of its other sports (basketball, baseball etc). Trust me if it were only a bookkeeping thing don't you think they would add the 63 scholarships? It's not as if we don't have scholarships in our other sports - Football is the only non-scholarship sport at USD....

I'm pretty sure if you ask around most school suse REAL dollars on scholarships - there is no such thing as funny money for scholarships. If it cost less to go to USD I bet we would be fully funded....I think the NCAA requires full accounting on how scholarship money is spent....

GOTOREROS

[JackJD]

Good job of writing this but they play North Dakota State University after the Grizzlies not South Dakota State University:read:

Good correction. They don't want to play South Dakota State again.:smiley_wi

[GreenDay17]

I would love it - but it a full ride scholarship here to USD is 42k a year. So 42k x 63 = 2,646,000 in scholarships alone. What does it cost to go to your school? LOL! It will take a HUGE effort to go scholarship at USD, it costs a ton of money to go to school here and we don't have an Ivy league endowment....but I agree it would be fun!

It's not as if people don't want scholarships at USD but due to the cost it is tough to argue with them....and then throw in the Title IX bullcrap....

GOTOREROS
The university could go with tuition waivers vs scholarships and save themselves (athletics) 63 x tuition, leaving only 63 x "room & board & books". The University can write off the expense of 63 extra students if they decide that is the direction they want to go.

[GOTOREROS]

The university could go with tuition waivers vs scholarships and save themselves (athletics) 63 x tuition, leaving only 63 x "room & board & books". The University can write off the expense of 63 extra students if they decide that is the direction they want to go.

If it were that simple, then why aren't big schools like Virginia and others doing that? I'm pretty sure the NCAA doesn't allow to simply have tuition waivers and then split out the cost, I'm not a compliance expert but that is what I have heard from USD administrators. Don't you think USD would do that if they could? You think Harbaugh wouldn't have already gotten this done if it were that easy? With all Harbaugh's pull, if this was possible it would have been done after last year.....

Here is a link about the University of Virginia and how they aren't even fully funded...most of your schools aren't fully funded in all sports. People think it is simple but it's not....

http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=13179&pid=902

GOTOREROS

[GreenDay17]

Actually from what I understand it is each school's choice about how to handle the scholarship/tuition waiver issue. Many schools that I have been associated with have given a mix of both. It may not be feasible to give all 63 as tuition waivers, but the school can make the decision to "push paper" between departments and forgive "debts" for a certain number of the grants in aid.

[GOTOREROS]

Actually from what I understand it is each school's choice about how to handle the scholarship/tuition waiver issue. Many schools that I have been associated with have given a mix of both. It may not be feasible to give all 63 as tuition waivers, but the school can make the decision to "push paper" between departments and forgive "debts" for a certain number of the grants in aid.

I am not saying you are wrong, but why wouldn't more schools be fully funded or become I-A members if they could move money in such a way? Like I said most schools are not fully funded - by that I mean if the sports offered had a combined maximum of 200 scholarships per the NCAA, most schools are not at that number. It would seem odd that so many schools wouldn't be fully funded if they could "forgive" money. If that were the case wouldn't every school simply be fully funded if it only meant adding 200 "other" students to offset the athletes? Seems way to simple if you ask me...but I could be wrong. I am going to email the USD athletic department and try to see what they say. Like I said I could be wrong...

GOTOREROS

[Poly Pigskin]

Good correction. They don't want to play South Dakota State again.:smiley_wi

I'm not so sure about that...I bet the team will be chomping at the bit for some revenge next year.

[nmatsen]

Nick Canepa has ZERO respect for I-AA football. I also agree that he has no clue about I-AA football. We Torero fans have been saying this for a long time. SDSU is a HORRIBLE football program and if anyone is a junior college team it is SDSU. They plain suck....

The SD Union-Tribune ran a poll online on who would win a game between USD and SDSU and USD won by a ton of votes....no even close. SDSU sucks....


GOTOREROS

Can you blame him? His example for I-AA football in San Diego is a non-scholarship school that playsa cupcake schedule. I would respect I-AA football either if thats all I knew about it.xlolx xlolx xlolx

[GOTOREROS]

Can you blame him? His example for I-AA football in San Diego is a non-scholarship school that playsa cupcake schedule. I would respect I-AA football either if thats all I knew about it].xlolx xlolx xlolx

Nice comments. You realize there is a "smack" board for people like you right? And if you're going to smack talk at least you could make sure to use correct verbiage....see bold in your quote below....

"I would respect I-AA football either if thats all I knew about it."

So, I guess you do respect San Diego according to your quote....LOL! xlolx

GOTOREROS

[th0m]

It's not as if people don't want scholarships at USD but due to the cost it is tough to argue with them....and then throw in the Title IX bullcrap....

GOTOREROS

Title IX....

JMU was forced to cut TEN sports because of Title IX this year. I guess that's one of the few downsides to having around 70% female at your school...

Granted, JMU had a lot of sports for their caliber school (28), but it's still a very touchy subject for the general JMU athletic community...and understandably so.

[GOTOREROS]

Title IX....

JMU was forced to cut TEN sports because of Title IX this year. I guess that's one of the few downsides to having around 70% female at your school...

Granted, JMU had a lot of sports for their caliber school (28), but it's still a very touchy subject for the general JMU athletic community...and understandably so.

Yes we have about a 60% female population at our school which is why the Title IX aspects scare people off with football scholarships...

GOTOREROS

[GreenDay17]

Upon further review, the tuition waivers were used to waive the "out of state" tuition rather than the total cost of tuition. This probably doesn't help USD - isn't USD private and doesn't have different tuition rates for in or out of state students?

Sorry for my misinformation on the subject.

[GOTOREROS]

Upon further review, the tuition waivers were used to waive the "out of state" tuition rather than the total cost of tuition. This probably doesn't help USD - isn't USD private and doesn't have different tuition rates for in or out of state students?

Sorry for my misinformation on the subject.

Yes - San Diego is a private school. The cost to attend is the same for all students. I have no definitive answer myself either - perhaps others who know how their private school functions could enlighten us all.

GOTOREROS

[nmatsen]

Nice comments. You realize there is a "smack" board for people like you right? And if you're going to smack talk at least you could make sure to use correct verbiage....see bold in your quote below....

"I would respect I-AA football either if thats all I knew about it."

So, I guess you do respect San Diego according to your quote....LOL! xlolx

GOTOREROS

Oh a spell checker too now huh? Sorry, my bad. You are right, I DO respect SD. They are the best Non-Scholarship school around. They should play the Division III national champion in a bowl game every year. The sad thing is I bet the Division III school would win.

Oh, one more thing. I know there is a smack board but why start there when I can't start getting SD threads moved there by posting smack?

[GOTOREROS]

Oh a spell checker too now huh? Sorry, my bad. You are right, I DO respect SD. They are the best Non-Scholarship school around. They should play the Division III national champion in a bowl game every year. The sad thing is I bet the Division III school would win.

Oh, one more thing. I know there is a smack board but why start there when I can't start getting SD threads moved there by posting smack?

"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

GOTOREROS

[CopperCat]

Yeah, because USD certainly has a harder schedule than SDSU does......NOT

[DUPFLFan]

The cost of scholarships is relative. It isn't necessarily a reflection of the actual cost associated with running the university. Does it really cost that much to put a few additional bodies in classrooms? The $42,000 tag is a bookeeping thing, not an actual dollar cost. There are ways to work around such things. Other schools manage this all of the time.

Mr.C. We've had this discussion before. It is actual dollars. The players are already at the school paying tuition.

The other schools that manage it are mostly public schools with public funding.

[putter]

Yes, but if my alma mater, Carroll College in Montana can do it why can't USD? They are an NAIA schools with only 1,300 enrollment. The tuition is over $20k/yr and they have about 30 scholarships. How do they do it being a private school and all?

[89Hen]

"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
Sorry to hear about your wife, that dirty, dirty tramp.

[GOTOREROS]

Sorry to hear about your wife, that dirty, dirty tramp.

"Any attempt to cheat, especially with my wife, who is a dirty, dirty, tramp, and I am just gonna snap".

But even better for my YSU fans:

"It's too damn hot for a penguin to be just walkin' around. I gotta send you back to the South Pole"....

GOTOREROS :D

[GOTOREROS]

Yes, but if my alma mater, Carroll College in Montana can do it why can't USD? They are an NAIA schools with only 1,300 enrollment. The tuition is over $20k/yr and they have about 30 scholarships. How do they do it being a private school and all?

Well maybe they use "funny" money there, I have no idea. I guess unfortunately for USD fans, San Diego runs a fiscally tight ship and actaully accounts for all its expenses. I have no idea, but if it were that simple I would think USD would suddenly have the scholarshisp don't you? Why would we want non-scholarship football if all we had to do is fudge some numbers? Don't you think a fully funded I-AA football team in San Diego would compete for the national title every year? I do - location, awesome education, best weather in the nation......again why wouldn't USD have scholarships if it were that easy?

Trust me, if it were that easy Jim Harbaugh would have scholarships already....remember he is the "golden child".

GOTOREROS

[DUPFLFan]

Yes, but if my alma mater, Carroll College in Montana can do it why can't USD? They are an NAIA schools with only 1,300 enrollment. The tuition is over $20k/yr and they have about 30 scholarships. How do they do it being a private school and all?

I looked at the Equity in Athletics web site. Carroll College has three men's sports (basketball, football and golf) and four women's sports Basketball, Golf, Soccer and volleyball).

The point here is what is the situation today that would prevent USD, Drake and others from giving football scholarships. It is the same situation that would prevent Carroll from providing more than thirty.

Title IX.

I did some calculations on this a while back and posted them (I'll try to find them). But essentially my calculations suggested that providing 63 scholarships at Drake would require an additional number of scholarships/new sports to be provided to women. doubling the costs of the scholarships.

If I remember right, it was something in the neighborhood of $5 million dollars per year increase which would put our total athletic budget somewhere between Iowa and Iowa State...

[Guard Dawg]

Don't let San Diego play in the playoffs until they join an auto-bid conference. Don't even consider them or another NEC or PFL school.