Tuskegee - Div I-AA?

[TexasTerror]

Why doesn't Tuskegee go I-AA? They beat two SWAC schools (Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Alabama State) this year. 10-1 this year, 8-1 in the SIAC. Seems pretty solid and a team that could easily transition into I-AA.

Have there been talks and I'm just missing it? Seems like a perfect fit for the SWAC since they beat on SWAC teams as a Div II school. Hard to measure them against Div IIs or I-AAs from outside their conference as the only two OOC are SWAC schools and they beat them.

[SU Jag]

People have been talking about it for sometime now! Tuskegee has had more than its share of 10-win seasons in the last decade and they have owned Alabama State and Alabama A&M in that time period as well. I really don't know why they havent moved up. Maybe one of the guys on here can research it!

[TexasTerror]

People have been talking about it for sometime now! Tuskegee has had more than its share of 10-win seasons in the last decade and they have owned Alabama State and Alabama A&M in that time period as well. I really don't know why they havent moved up. Maybe one of the guys on here can research it!

Seems like a solid candidate. Would SWAC not want to hit the 11 member mark? Would mess things up. Any nearby HBCUs that could move up as well?

SWAC does have some travel issues though as it's a long drive from one side to the other and no one flies in the conference to conference foes. How far is Tuskegee from PVA&M and TxSo?

[SU Jag]

There are 12 schools in the SWAC, and they're divided up into two 6 team divisions. I know that there was talk around my senior year in HS(2000) about the SWAC adding Tuskegee and Morris Brown. Nothing ever happend though.

[SU Jag]

Seems like a solid candidate. Would SWAC not want to hit the 11 member mark? Would mess things up. Any nearby HBCUs that could move up as well?

SWAC does have some travel issues though as it's a long drive from one side to the other and no one flies in the conference to conference foes. How far is Tuskegee from PVA&M and TxSo?

Its about the same distance from as Bama State is from those two. TU is only abot a 20 minute drive from ASU.

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Tuskegee has not owned AA&MU.

I know the SWAC officials have sought Tuskegee as a potential expansion member, as well as a few others to expand to 12 members. The alums are split on such a move. They have an older president that has been at the helm for a long time. He is near retirement and has not expressed any interest in such a move. The major reason that many alums are against such a move is based on the fact that they want to make sure the have the ability to offer the maximum or near maximum scholarship limit for just about every sport. It is my understanding that there is a group of alumni that are prepared to provide the money necessary to make the move to NCAA Division I-AA/Division I. We shall see.

[TexasTerror]

It is my understanding that there is a group of alumni that are prepared to provide the money necessary to make the move to NCAA Division I-AA/Division I. We shall see.

Tell them to get it done!

I'm all about more schools joining I-AA, though I do still have my beef about the playoffs/SWAC issue...

[Jafus (Thinker)]

There are 12 schools in the SWAC, and they're divided up into two 6 team divisions. I know that there was talk around my senior year in HS(2000) about the SWAC adding Tuskegee and Morris Brown. Nothing ever happend though.

????

There are not 12 teams in the SWAC nor is it divided up into two 6 team divisions.

There are 10 teams in the SWAC and ever sport other than men's and women's basketball is split into two 5 team divisions.

Southwestern Athletic Conference
http://www.swac.org/index.htm

East Division
1)Alabama A&M
2)Alabama State
3)Alcorn State
4)Jackson State
5)Miss. Valley State

West Division
6)Grambling State
7)Prairie View A&M
8)Texas Southern
9)Southern
10)Ark.-Pine Bluff

[*****]

There are 12 schools in the SWAC, and they're divided up into two 6 team divisions...Getting it mixed up with the A-10 which has 12 teams and two six-team divisions.

[TexasTerror]

East Division
1)Alabama A&M
2)Alabama State
3)Alcorn State
4)Jackson State
5)Miss. Valley State

West Division
6)Grambling State
7)Prairie View A&M
8)Texas Southern
9)Southern
10)Ark.-Pine Bluff

So, there is an issue...

If the SWAC increases in membership, how would you do the divisions? The West makes perfect sense, but would you really want to throw a Mississippi school in there? Or some odd ball? SWAC would have to re-think things if they added a Tuskegee as they'd want them in the east.

Of course, SLC is having some expansion issues. Does Lamar or SFA go to the east? SHSU doesn't wanna lose either foe. NW St doesn't wanna lose SFA. McNeese likes Lamar...

[UAalum72]

Near as I can tell Tuskegee only sponsors twelve sports. Division I requires fourteen, so besides the extra scholarships for I-AA they'll also have to start up a couple more, probably women's to help Title IX as well - soccer? golf? lacrosse? field hockey?

[TexasTerror]

Near as I can tell Tuskegee only sponsors twelve sports. Division I requires fourteen, so besides the extra scholarships for I-AA they'll also have to start up a couple more, probably women's to help Title IX as well - golf? lacrosse? field hockey?

12 sports? I count 14...

1. BASEBALL
2. BASKETBALL-Men
3. BASKETBALL-Women
4/5. CROSS COUNTRY-Men &Women
6. FOOTBALL
7. SOFTBALL
8/9. TENNIS-Men&Women
10/11/12/13.TRACK-Men&Women
14. VOLLEYBALL

Remember, T&F is indoor and outdoor for each sex. That's how lots of schools meet the requirement. It's two teams, four sports...

[SU Jag]

????

There are not 12 teams in the SWAC nor is it divided up into two 6 team divisions.

There are 10 teams in the SWAC and ever sport other than men's and women's basketball is split into two 5 team divisions.

Southwestern Athletic Conference
http://www.swac.org/index.htm

East Division
1)Alabama A&M
2)Alabama State
3)Alcorn State
4)Jackson State
5)Miss. Valley State

West Division
6)Grambling State
7)Prairie View A&M
8)Texas Southern
9)Southern
10)Ark.-Pine Bluff

O, damn my bad. I keep thinking about all the other conferences that have a title game in football.

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Posted by Deuce on the MEACFANS site

. . . . . . When Doug Williams coached Morehouse he squared off against Comegy. Williams also coached in the SWAC for six seasons at Grambling State. He spoke highly of Comegy but said just because he beat Alabama State regularly while at Tuskegee doesn't necessarily mean he can do the same at JSU.

"It's different when you're playing an Alabama State every week as opposed to just once a year," said Williams, now a personnel executive for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. "You've got Southern, Grambling, Alabama A&M ... he's going to have to have his team ready to play every week."

Williams also pointed out that some rules make it easier to recruit players to Division II schools.

For example, junior college players must graduate from their two-year schools to be eligible to play at a Division I-AA school. That is not a requirement for Division II schools, making it easier for Comegy to bring juco talent to Tuskegee.

Transfers have been a big part of Comegy's programs, beginning with Central State of Ohio, where he won the 1995 NAIA championship.

This year's Tuskegee team has 22 transfers, including quarterback Robert Huff, the Golden Tigers' best player. Huff played at Jones County Junior College.

"And he's the athletic director at Tuskegee, so he's been able to call his own shots," Alabama State defensive coordinator Tony Pierce said. "It's going to be a different challenge for him.

The article goes on to point out that I-AA does have considerably more scholarships than Div. II.

Click below for full article.

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/p.../512020374/1073