St. Francis PA committed to football!

[aceinthehole]

Here's 2 good articles on the SFPA football program:

St. Francis gets new locker room facility - http://www.tribune-democrat.com/collegesports/local_story_230001258.html

A new field house has been constructed and is located at the end of DeGol Field, the multi-sport facility that is home to the football, track and field, lacrosse, and field hockey teams.

The facility will be ready for use with the teams that compete in the fall.

The field hockey team will be the first to use the facility, but the football team may see the most significant improvement in game situations. In previous years, the two teams dressed at the Maurice Stokes Athletics Center, which is located across the campus from DeGol Field, and walked across campus or rode the bus there. The field is located in what is known as the Pine Bowl. The teams would stay under tents or under the bleachers at halftime.

Now, the teams will dress in the field house and will have their halftime meetings in the facility. Training rooms will also provide help to the athletes prior to and after the games.

“It is just another sign that the university is serious about improving the facilities so that we can be on a level playing field in the Northeast Conference,” Opfar said. “Certainly, this is going to help with recruiting. It shows the players that they have their own home, and this building will help us develop into a competitive program.”

Red Flash need cash to compete - http://www.tribune-democrat.com/collegesports/local_story_230001938.html

The reason that Opfar’s record has not kept pace with the talent level of his players is because everyone else is improving for one reason: Scholarships.

For Opfar to continue to make progress, St. Francis has to take the next step to ensure that the program is competitive.

“The presidents just voted to increase the scholarship level to 40, and that goes hand-in-hand with the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs in 2010,” Athletic Director Bob Krimmel said. “Starting with next year, the scholarships will increase by two per year for five years. This will be a challenge for those schools like St. Francis that are currently under 30. We are awarding about 21 right now. Some schools in the conference are at 30 now, while a couple of others are in the low 20s. That is going to be our biggest challenge.”

“We have looked at a guarantee game as a way of generating revenue,” Krimmel said. “We are committed to football, and the new facilities will help this. We have to give football the resources that it needs to make it successful.”

[danefan]

Good to hear. Everyone in the conference needs to raise the bar in order for the conference to get some respect. It can't just be the big 3.


Now if only Sacred Heart would take a hint.

[DetroitFlyer]

Go Red Flash!

I never had a doubt. I know that this year SFUP landed a recruit over my Flyers. I really hope that the Dayton and SFUP can get another series going. The last one was a home and home and SFUP got thumped bad both times. I think in 2008 and beyond, a Dayton / SFUP game would be much more competitive. Maybe once we are done with Central State in a few years, we could get SFUP back on the schedule. I for one will not be surprised to see SFUP pull off a "shocker" or two this season.

It is also interesting to see a NEC team detail specifically the number of scholarships being offered currently. Most NEC and even PL teams dance around this question and never really come out with a specific number. 21 now and hoping to increase going forward. Good for them!

Glad to see my second favorite FCS team on the move up! Watch out NEC! The Red Flash are coming!!!!!

[DetroitFlyer]

Go Red Flash!

I never had a doubt. I know that this year SFUP landed a recruit over my Flyers. I really hope that the Dayton and SFUP can get another series going. The last one was a home and home and SFUP got thumped bad both times. I think in 2008 and beyond, a Dayton / SFUP game would be much more competitive. Maybe once we are done with Central State in a few years, we could get SFUP back on the schedule. I for one will not be surprised to see SFUP pull off a "shocker" or two this season.

It is also interesting to see a NEC team detail specifically the number of scholarships being offered currently. Most NEC and even PL teams dance around this question and never really come out with a specific number. 21 now and hoping to increase going forward. Good for them!

Glad to see my second favorite FCS team on the move up! Watch out NEC! The Red Flash are coming!!!!!

[danefan]

Go Red Flash!

I never had a doubt. I know that this year SFUP landed a recruit over my Flyers. I really hope that the Dayton and SFUP can get another series going. The last one was a home and home and SFUP got thumped bad both times. I think in 2008 and beyond, a Dayton / SFUP game would be much more competitive. Maybe once we are done with Central State in a few years, we could get SFUP back on the schedule. I for one will not be surprised to see SFUP pull off a "shocker" or two this season.

It is also interesting to see a NEC team detail specifically the number of scholarships being offered currently. Most NEC and even PL teams dance around this question and never really come out with a specific number. 21 now and hoping to increase going forward. Good for them!

Glad to see my second favorite FCS team on the move up! Watch out NEC! The Red Flash are coming!!!!!

I don't think the NEC teams are dancing around the question. I just think the question was never really asked of them. Most of the coaches were pretty candid in the NEC teleconference Q&A session. Coach Ford stated re: scholarships that Albany has its first kid on a full ride this season. I believe we are now at 30 with 1 full ride.

[crusader11]

Flyer- There is no dancing around the question from the PL with regard to number of scholarships; the league is non-scholarship. Is this dancing just a figment of your wild imagination, just like you thinking that the PFL is just as good as the PL?

[DetroitFlyer]

Flyer- There is no dancing around the question from the PL with regard to number of scholarships; the league is non-scholarship. Is this dancing just a figment of your wild imagination, just like you thinking that the PFL is just as good as the PL?

Well, not according to the NCAA. Only the Ivy League and the Pioneer Football League are "non-scholarship" in the eyes of the NCAA.

The Patriot League's aid is considered to be "athletic scholarship equivalents" by the NCAA. Generally speaking, most folks here seem to believe that schools such as Fordham provide about 55 athletic scholarship equivalents while Georgetown is somewhere way below that level. Just try getting anyone in the PL to admit the exact number of athletic scholarship equivalents their program offers....

About the only thing that seems certain is that the Patriot League is below "counter" level. Counter level for an FBS team to count a win over an FCS team for bowl eligibility is about 57 athletic scholarship equivalents.

As to the PFL being "better" than the PL.... Not yet, but we are gaining! Dayton was better than your champion in 2007.... Drake at Lehigh should be an interesting game this fall. Drake was really making progress until Rob Ash went to Montana State. The interim coach last year was just odd. With a stable coach, Drake should be on the way back. Fordham at Dayton will also be a great game. I'm also looking forward to Davidson and Georgetown getting back together in the future. As I have said before, I hope to see more PFL/PL games in the future.

[aceinthehole]

I don't think the NEC teams are dancing around the question. I just think the question was never really asked of them. Most of the coaches were pretty candid in the NEC teleconference Q&A session. Coach Ford stated re: scholarships that Albany has its first kid on a full ride this season. I believe we are now at 30 with 1 full ride.

Agreed. The media teleconference spilled some details. If I recall correctly, every NEC team (with the exception of SFPA and SHU) were near the limit of 30. I fairly certain CCSU indicated that we are at new max of 32 for this year, but I don't know how many are full schollys.

The Red Flash and the Pioneers were reported to both be in the low 20s. So basically that means even RMU and Wagner have now fully embraced the schollys idea and are trying to go after Central, Albany, and Monmouth to win the NEC and compete in the playoffs.

SHU has questions to answer in NEC - http://www.connpost.com/sports/ci_10183253

The other change announced by the conference is the addition of two scholarships per season, starting this season, to bring the total allowed up to 40. Six of the eight teams in the NEC are 30-scholarship squads, while Sacred Heart and St. Francis, Pa., offer between 15-20.

[Go...gate]

Well, not according to the NCAA. Only the Ivy League and the Pioneer Football League are "non-scholarship" in the eyes of the NCAA.

The Patriot League's aid is considered to be "athletic scholarship equivalents" by the NCAA. Generally speaking, most folks here seem to believe that schools such as Fordham provide about 55 athletic scholarship equivalents while Georgetown is somewhere way below that level. Just try getting anyone in the PL to admit the exact number of athletic scholarship equivalents their program offers....
About the only thing that seems certain is that the Patriot League is below "counter" level. Counter level for an FBS team to count a win over an FCS team for bowl eligibility is about 57 athletic scholarship equivalents.

As to the PFL being "better" than the PL.... Not yet, but we are gaining! Dayton was better than your champion in 2007.... Drake at Lehigh should be an interesting game this fall. Drake was really making progress until Rob Ash went to Montana State. The interim coach last year was just odd. With a stable coach, Drake should be on the way back. Fordham at Dayton will also be a great game. I'm also looking forward to Davidson and Georgetown getting back together in the future. As I have said before, I hope to see more PFL/PL games in the future.

You missed a previous thread on this "back in the day". As of about 2004-05, Fordham was indeed at 55 equivalencies. Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh were 52-55, while Bucknell was about 47. Georgetown was estimated to be in the mid-high 30's at that time.

[Go...gate]

Well, not according to the NCAA. Only the Ivy League and the Pioneer Football League are "non-scholarship" in the eyes of the NCAA.

The Patriot League's aid is considered to be "athletic scholarship equivalents" by the NCAA. Generally speaking, most folks here seem to believe that schools such as Fordham provide about 55 athletic scholarship equivalents while Georgetown is somewhere way below that level. Just try getting anyone in the PL to admit the exact number of athletic scholarship equivalents their program offers....

About the only thing that seems certain is that the Patriot League is below "counter" level. Counter level for an FBS team to count a win over an FCS team for bowl eligibility is about 57 athletic scholarship equivalents.

As to the PFL being "better" than the PL.... Not yet, but we are gaining! Dayton was better than your champion in 2007.... Drake at Lehigh should be an interesting game this fall. Drake was really making progress until Rob Ash went to Montana State. The interim coach last year was just odd. With a stable coach, Drake should be on the way back. Fordham at Dayton will also be a great game. I'm also looking forward to Davidson and Georgetown getting back together in the future. As I have said before, I hope to see more PFL/PL games in the future.

And that rule, IMO, is the biggest chicken***** NCAA rule of recent years. Funny how they passed it not long after "non-counter" Colgate murdered Buffalo (one season after "non-counter" Lehigh had scored a similar victory) and "non-counter" Holy Cross kicked Army's azz.

[DFW HOYA]

You missed a previous thread on this "back in the day". As of about 2004-05, Fordham was indeed at 55 equivalencies. Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh were 52-55, while Bucknell was about 47. Georgetown was estimated to be in the mid-high 30's at that time.

I'm guessing that last number was somewhat less than that. Georgetown's budget (with higher operating costs) was less than half that of LU or LC...and still is.

[downbythebeach]

I was gonna post this also

Certainly surprised to see that all the NEC teams had doled out so many schollies

I expect that number to keep growing
Sfu head coach just said that they are going to start playing 1 guarantee game a year to help fund the schollies..........hey, everyone else is doing it, why not us?

[Seawolf97]

Godd luck with your scholarship program and that money game. Its good to see another NEC team stepping up.

[TheBisonator]

St. Francis' average home attendance last year was 1,236 which was last in FCS. Let's hope they can raise that number this year.

I have seen that they put in new field turf and a new grandstand at their stadium. It looks like they're definitely in this for the long haul.