Is I-AA getting deeper?

[Umass74]

Is I-AA getting deeper?

Is it just me or do other fans feel the same way?

I don’t see any dynasty teams out there right now. Don’t see any locks for the National Championship game in 2005, let alone two out the next three years.

Will we see runs like Youngstown State, GSU and Montana had ever again?

[Retro]

It certainly looks like more parity in the upper levels this year, but it's early.. The best teams will gell better and show it as we get toward the middle of the season... After most teams get into conference play, we should see some teams separate themselves..

[charliej]

I agree w/Retro.It's still early and it will take a few more weeks of consistant play to really find the better teams. I know Nova is better than they looked at Rutgers,JMU is probably a better team than CCU etc. What I don't know is if a team like URI,(3-0 vs all IAA opponents in big wins),or YSU are as good as they look so far.

Ask again in two-three weeks.

[SeattleGriz]

Expect to see nothing but more parity as the years progress. Kids are learning some really good athletic conditioning and coaching these days. It has really leveled the playing field. Now it is not just the exclusive teams that have strong conditioning programs.

[blukeys]

Expect to see nothing but more parity as the years progress. Kids are learning some really good athletic conditioning and coaching these days. It has really leveled the playing field. Now it is not just the exclusive teams that have strong conditioning programs.

Agreed. There are more camps, more weight training, more speed training being done with athletes at the high school and college level and everyone is doing it. No one has the attitude that we have arrived. All the schools are interested in moving up. this is great for I-AA. :)

[AgentOrange]

As a Kat fan, it would be wrong of me if I don't mention the Transfer factor.

More athletes on the I-A level are opting for the I-AA to play rather than attract dust on the benches of those other schools. I think the evolution of the game may close the gap a little over time.

[FlyBoy8]

The "transfer factor" is overrated. Which upsets this year were due to transfers? Coastal over JMU? Colgate over UMass? URI over William & Mary? Wofford over GSU? UC-Davis over Stanford?

Delaware St. has been taking a number of transfers recently and they just got smoked. Sac. St. took at least 3-4 this year and they're now 0-3.

Good teams win games, not transfers.

[McNeese75]

The "transfer factor" is overrated. Which upsets this year were due to transfers? Coastal over JMU? Colgate over UMass? URI over William & Mary? Wofford over GSU? UC-Davis over Stanford?

Delaware St. has been taking a number of transfers recently and they just got smoked. Sac. St. took at least 3-4 this year and they're now 0-3.

Good teams win games, not transfers.

Maybe Good Team with Good Transfers win games :D

(Although, transfers can ruin a good team as well)

[ChickenMan]

(Although, transfers can ruin a good team as well)


not if you take the right ones... ;)

[Bub]

Ask UNI. I think the transfers they are using have made a positive impact on their offense.

[PMB4Life]

I agree with Mr. Bub here. You just have to know what you're looking for. You can't just say "OOO!! I 1-A player wants to transfer here!" You have to look to see if they fit in your scheme, and if they are reliable. Such is the case with Benny Sapp, and now Jamie Goodwin and David Horne.

[LBPop]

I would submit that coaching is a key contributor to parity. While new to the world of I-AA, I believe that there are now more coaches who see I-AA as a head coaching career rather than merely a stop off before they get the big I-A job. That obviously builds consistency and it keeps more quality coaches in the ranks of I-AA.

[JMUfan2008]

fyi, Rascati was a transfer from louisville and he led out team to JMU's first NC and he's looking really good this season too. I think the "transfer factor" depends on the situation. In our's, it was pretty big...

[89Hen]

Don't know guys. While I agree there are some new faces in the tops of I-AA football... here's a list of the couple highest winning percentage teams in each playoff conference...

Delaware
Hofstra
UMass
UNH
JMU
Montana
Eastern Washington
Northern Iowa
Western Kentucky
North Dakota State
UC-Davis
Cal Poly
FAMU
SCState
TennesseeeSt
EKU
Jacksonville State
Lehigh
Colgate
Georgia Southern
AppSt
McNeese
Texas State
Northwestern State

The more things change, the more they stay the same. :D