What’s ahead for the Southland Conference in 2019?

[Catatonic]

2018 was an unusual year. UIW and Lamar went to the playoffs. UCA, Sam and McNeese didn’t. ACU had a winning record, including a W over SLC champion Nicholls.

What’s ahead for 2019? Was 2018 the new norm or do we return to the old normal in 2019?

Are there more surprises ahead as SFA and McNeese bring in new coaches? Will NWLA and SLU step up following a full season playing in new systems under first year coaches?

[TheRevSFA]

Looks like SFA hires Colby Carthel from a&m-commerce

[katss07]

The Southland is going to become a premier FCS conference very soon. This is a conference deep unlike any orher outside of the top 3 (Big Sky, CAA, MVFC). Our conference showed off that depth this year. When a UIW can come out and be competitive that really does show the kind of talent we have. This season was the second year in a row we’ve had three in the playoffs. That should be the new normal. Think about the parity in this league. ACU beat Nicholls, the conference champions. That speaks to the depth better than any result IMO.

I expect Sam and UCA to be better. Nathan Brown has something going up in Conway. I think the UCA did a good thing hiring him. The Bears have a great quarterback and should get back on track next year. If their quarterback wouldn’t have went down they might have been a playoff team. Sam’s defense will continue to improve. I’m optimistic about next year.

UIW will improve. Many of their impact players are young and won’t be graduating. I’m not sure what they’re losing but I think they’re going to build off of this year. NWST, SELA and ACU all played great down the stretch. Hell, the Wildcats were a team quietly mentioned as a team that could get in during conversations late in the night before Sunday.

I think we can expect Nicholls to be better.

McNeese and SFA have new coaches. We’ll see what they do.

I couldn’t name one player for HBU. I hope I see them in the playoffs before I die or the world ends or whatever.

[BEAR]

2019: UCA wont likely make the playoffs. 2 FBS road games. As much as I want to see a shot at the playoffs, it likely isn't happening because of that. I'd like to say well at least we got tailgating, but we don't even have that. Only one home game the first 6 calendar weeks of the season and our fans will check out. Next year I will likely be a lurker...xlolx

[MR. CHICKEN]

.....KEELER'S REVENGE......xcoolx.......BRAWK!

[Catatonic]

Looks like SFA hires Colby Carthel from a&m-commerce

A coach who actually knows how to take advantage of all that talent SFA seems to attract could turn the Jacks into a force. If Carthel stays out of hot water with the NCAA, this could be a great hire for y’all.

[katss07]

I think us non SFAers have forgotten the late 2000s. SFA can really be a good program. It’s too bad Conque mever really did anything after the playoffs in 2013. So much talent in that program just wasted.

Maybe next year the Lumberjacks show some progress. Would definitely be good for our conference as a whole. Unless you’re playing Sam, best of luck to Jack Nation.

[cx500d]

The Southland is going to become a premier FCS conference very soon. This is a conference deep unlike any orher outside of the top 3 (Big Sky, CAA, MVFC). Our conference showed off that depth this year. When a UIW can come out and be competitive that really does show the kind of talent we have. This season was the second year in a row we’ve had three in the playoffs. That should be the new normal. Think about the parity in this league. ACU beat Nicholls, the conference champions. That speaks to the depth better than any result IMO.

I expect Sam and UCA to be better. Nathan Brown has something going up in Conway. I think the UCA did a good thing hiring him. The Bears have a great quarterback and should get back on track next year. If their quarterback wouldn’t have went down they might have been a playoff team. Sam’s defense will continue to improve. I’m optimistic about next year.

UIW will improve. Many of their impact players are young and won’t be graduating. I’m not sure what they’re losing but I think they’re going to build off of this year. NWST, SELA and ACU all played great down the stretch. Hell, the Wildcats were a team quietly mentioned as a team that could get in during conversations late in the night before Sunday.

I think we can expect Nicholls to be better.

McNeese and SFA have new coaches. We’ll see what they do.

I couldn’t name one player for HBU. I hope I see them in the playoffs before I die or the world ends or whatever.

UIW needs to be worried about somebody else picking off Eric Morris...

[Hood]

Going on 20 years I still forget about SFA when thinking of teams in the conference. xconfusedx Including the butt whoopings they laid on us.

[Daytripper]

Agree that the conference has much more depth than in previous years. We now have a group of 6-7 (Nicholls, MSU, SHSU, UCA, UIW, Lamar, SELA/ACU) playoff possibilities going into next season, whereas it was only 3-4 (UCA, SHSU, McNeese, SELA) in the past. We will have to see how SFA does, but I expect major improvement under Carthel. More competitive means better when playoff time comes around. I think we will get three next year. Hopefully Sam bounces back and is one of them. We have a lot coming back, including Brock at QB, Stewart at WR, Jackson at RB and a lot of young DBs (although losing S Contreras is huge). I like the trend our defense is on.

[Hood]

Keep in mind the very realistic possibility that these "out of nowhere" success stories will most likely lose their coaches to bigger paydays in the next 12-18 months.

Hope I'm wrong in at least one instance. *ahem*

[BisonFan02]

Sources I semi trust tell me SFA will win the league next year.

[Catatonic]

I know several teams return a lot of talent next year, which will add to the competitive nature of the league.

ACU returns 8 starters on both sides of the ball along with both our kicker and punter. All of our skill position starters return.

Our biggest recruiting needs are a deep threat WR, a DT, a couple of DB’s, and a TE who is big enough to help with blocking and who has good hands.

[TheRevSFA]

Sources I semi trust tell me SFA will win the league next year.

xcoffeex

[Thumper 76]

2019: UCA wont likely make the playoffs. 2 FBS road games. As much as I want to see a shot at the playoffs, it likely isn't happening because of that. I'd like to say well at least we got tailgating, but we don't even have that. Only one home game the first 6 calendar weeks of the season and our fans will check out. Next year I will likely be a lurker...xlolx

I don’t know about that. 2 FBS games aren’t nearly as bad next year in a 12 game season. You aren’t scheduled out of the playoffs just yet, unless you have a DII in there as well.


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[Laker]

Talk keeps happening about Tarleton State possibly moving to D1 and FCS. The WAC doesn't have football and the Southland looks to be filled up. But I don't know where else they could go.

[MR. CHICKEN]

.....WHAA'S AHEAD?.....NO FUTURE......LIKE MAH DERELECT.....NEPHEW.......KID ALWAYS..........SMELLS UH BURNT LEAVES.........BRAWK!

[Outsider1]

Whatever is ahead for us, I just hope this conference depth makes us each stronger.

[Daytripper]

Talk keeps happening about Tarleton State possibly moving to D1 and FCS. The WAC doesn't have football and the Southland looks to be filled up. But I don't know where else they could go.

Yeah, if we add more we would have to split the conference into two divisions... I'm okay with that as long as we get down to a maximum of 8 conference games per season.

[Outsider1]

Yeah, if we add more we would have to split the conference into two divisions... I'm okay with that as long as we get down to a maximum of 8 conference games per season.

Part of me thinks it would be better if we could split into two divisions; and most definitely 8 max conference games.

[Daytripper]

It is awfully quite over there in Lake Charles. What is the scuttlebutt on the coaching search?

[McNeese72]

It is awfully quite over there in Lake Charles. What is the scuttlebutt on the coaching search?

They have the lid on the coaching search jar screwed on very tightly. Nothing is leaking out. Nobody knows ***** even if they claim to.

Doc

[BEAR]

Two divisions in the SLC? No divisional trophies. You gotta win it all. xlolx

SLC EAST- Tri-state Division (Arkansas school, all the Louisiana schools, and one Texas school unless the SLC takes in another Louisiana school)
NWST
UCA
McNeese
Nicholls
SLU
SFA (or one other Texas school or Louisiana school if added)

SLC WEST- Texas Division
HBU
ACU
UIW
Lamar
SHSU
ADDITIONAL TEXAS SCHOOL or if Louisiana adds another school then SFA moves to here.

Eh, its a dartboard guided by regionalization. xeyebrowxxlolx

[Daytripper]

Two divisions in the SLC? No divisional trophies. You gotta win it all. xlolx

SLC EAST- Tri-state Division (Arkansas school, all the Louisiana schools, and one Texas school unless the SLC takes in another Louisiana school)
NWST
UCA
McNeese
Nicholls
SLU
SFA (or one other Texas school or Louisiana school if added)

SLC WEST- Texas Division
HBU
ACU
UIW
Lamar
SHSU
ADDITIONAL TEXAS SCHOOL or if Louisiana adds another school then SFA moves to here.

Eh, its a dartboard guided by regionalization. xeyebrowxxlolx

Geographically, it might make more sense to have Lamar in the East, but I guess there isn't that much difference.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Yeah, if we add more we would have to split the conference into two divisions... I'm okay with that as long as we get down to a maximum of 8 conference games per season.

.....BUT DEN YOUSE DON'T PLAY EVERAH-BODY......AN'........SOGONE..............WILL CRY.................CROTCHASAURUS TEARS.............AWK!

[Catatonic]

How would you decide a conference champion with a two division set up? Squeeze a championship game in between the end of the regular season and the play offs?

[MR. CHICKEN]

How would you decide a conference champion with a two division set up? Squeeze a championship game in between the end of the regular season and the play offs?

........JES' DO IT LIKE....BIG FLUFFY/CAACAN/NORFF DAKOTAH STATE FOOTBALL CONF...........JES'....PLAY YER GAMES...........EVERAH-THIN'.....WILL WORK OUT........xsighxxsighxxsighx......BRAWK!

[Daytripper]

.....BUT DEN YOUSE DON'T PLAY EVERAH-BODY......AN'........SOGONE..............WILL CRY.................CROTCHASAURUS TEARS.............AWK!

We already don't play everybody else every year. I guess we would play our division mates every year and rotate teams from the other division.

[MR. CHICKEN]

We already don't play everybody else every year. I guess we would play our division mates every year and rotate teams from the other division.

........WELL.....TELL CATATONIC......TA USE CONFERENCE TIE BREAKERS.......WHAA'S DUH 911.....xconfusedxxconfusedx......BRAWK!

[Outsider1]

How would you decide a conference champion with a two division set up? Squeeze a championship game in between the end of the regular season and the play offs?


SLC Conference Championship game baby!!! xdrunkyx

[Outsider1]

Two divisions in the SLC? No divisional trophies. You gotta win it all. xlolx

SLC EAST- Tri-state Division (Arkansas school, all the Louisiana schools, and one Texas school unless the SLC takes in another Louisiana school)
NWST
UCA
McNeese
Nicholls
SLU
SFA (or one other Texas school or Louisiana school if added)

SLC WEST- Texas Division
HBU
ACU
UIW
Lamar
SHSU
ADDITIONAL TEXAS SCHOOL or if Louisiana adds another school then SFA moves to here.

Eh, its a dartboard guided by regionalization. xeyebrowxxlolx

It's not that bad actually. I think you might have one or two changes like you say, but over-all it would work.

[MR. CHICKEN]

SLC Conference Championship game baby!!! xdrunkyx

.....YOUSE MEAN....DUH.....MCNEESE/SAMMY.........ANNUAL.......INVITATIONAL......AWQ!

[Outsider1]

.....YOUSE MEAN....DUH.....MCNEESE/SAMMY.........ANNUAL.......INVITATIONAL......AWQ!


LOL, I think we have enough competitive teams that we could spread the love around a little, but if the big boys can do conference championship games why not FCS?

**Edit: It's good marketing anyway.**

[Outsider1]

The bigger question is what would that mean for the FCS play-offs? Would it change bids and seeding at all? If so, how? I mean if more than one conference did it anyway...

[lionsrking2]

Yeah, if we add more we would have to split the conference into two divisions... I'm okay with that as long as we get down to a maximum of 8 conference games per season.
Supposedly we are dropping to 8 league games after next season.

[MR. CHICKEN]

LOL, I think we have enough competitive teams that we could spread the love around a little, but if the big boys can do conference championship games why not FCS?

**Edit: It's good marketing anyway.**


....BETTERAH......CHECK....DUH BACK ISSUES..........AWK!

[Outsider1]

....BETTERAH......CHECK....DUH BACK ISSUES..........AWK!

I think we're good ... maybe... yeah, we're good ... I mean I hope so...

[McNeese72]

Supposedly we are dropping to 8 league games after next season.

I thought that was going to be in 2021.

And, as far as a conference championship game, I thought the NCAA wouldn't let you have one of those and participate in the playoffs, too.

Doc

[Outsider1]

I thought that was going to be in 2021.

And, as far as a conference championship game, I thought the NCAA wouldn't let you have one of those and participate in the playoffs, too.

Doc

Didn't know about that rule, why did you have to go and get all official on us, lol.... :(

[BEAR]

I thought that was going to be in 2021.

And, as far as a conference championship game, I thought the NCAA wouldn't let you have one of those and participate in the playoffs, too.

Doc

My scenario was for just breaking up the teams in the regular season. I wouldn't want a championship game either. Also, what happens if the SLC East has multiple teams with the same record and they play only 2 SLC West teams? Hmmm... No good answer. xconfusedx

[Outsider1]

I just like to mix it up every now and then xthumbsupxxsmiley_wix I do wonder if a smaller field of teams in each division would help lower the chance of common records. It would mean definite change, but FBS conferences do it successfully. The FCS is just such a complex beast sometimes.

[McNeese72]

McNeese made the rumor that came out this morning official now.

https://mcneesesports.com/news/2018/12/5/sterlin-gilbert-named-head-football-coach-for-the-cowboys.aspx

Doc

[Outsider1]

McNeese made the rumor that came out this morning official now.

https://mcneesesports.com/news/2018/12/5/sterlin-gilbert-named-head-football-coach-for-the-cowboys.aspx

Doc

I wish ya'll all the best Doc, hopefully it will be a good recruiting season with him and a good transition year next year.

[BEAR]

Watching the Introduction Press Conference for the McNeese head coach: https://mcneesesports.com/watch/?Live=1678&type=Live

Fun Fact: Sterlin Gilbert worked as OC at South Florida under former UCA BEAR and Head Coach Charlie Strong.