New Programs that Evolved from Club Teams?

[TexasTerror]

I was wondering if anyone had information on the club football influence or history at some of these universities with new programs...

Did schools like Old Dominion, South Alabama or Lamar have club football teams that help bring about the existence of their current (or soon to be) Division I programs?

I see there are a few FBS and FCS schools that have club teams, even if they have a full scholarship entity at the Division I level - i.e. Miami (OH), Ohio State.

[Hoyadestroya85]

I don't know if Notre Dame has a club team.. but I do know that they have full tackle intramural football

[DaBigBlue]

ODU didn't have a club team. I think it would be harder going from a club team to FCS. Which parts do you use, coaches, field, equipment, I'm thinking it's better to start all new and you don't have to get past the club feeling & thinking.

[TexasTerror]

ODU didn't have a club team. I think it would be harder going from a club team to FCS. Which parts do you use, coaches, field, equipment, I'm thinking it's better to start all new and you don't have to get past the club feeling & thinking.

Club football's success in terms of support and sponsors could show a school that football has viability at a university...?

I am not saying that the coaches and players make the transition, but club football could be a vehicle for moving a program from that stage to the "next level"...

[BearsCountry]

Doing some research for UNO?

[GaSouthern]

I believe GSU played club ball for 1 or 2 years.

[dgreco]

I do not know the whole history, but Bryant started off with a few years as Club football. They wanted to see if it had support before they invested in the stadium.

[89Hen]

George Mason in the CAA has a club team. xpeacex

[TexasTerror]

I do not know the whole history, but Bryant started off with a few years as Club football. They wanted to see if it had support before they invested in the stadium.

When did Bryant start with a football team...?

[andy7171]

Mason has a club team, and if ODU takes off as expected...
I believe GMU is the largest VA school, I'm just sayin' xwhistlex

[dgreco]

When did Bryant start with a football team...?

I believe first varsity year was 1999/2000 and the club team was around 2 or 3 years before they went varsity. I do not know a lot because I was only in middle school/beginning high school and my father as an alum took me a few times. By the time I was at the school they were already a few seasons in and already had the stadium up.

[Monarch Nation]

Georgia State had a club team, and are slated to start playing FCS football in 2010. I don't know if their club team is playing this year or not, but I doubt it since all of their football energies are going into the FCS start-up.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I know this is going back a while, but all the original MAAC schools were an entire club league before going to FCS. Of the remaining schools from that now-defunct conference, Fordham, Georgetown and Marist all had club teams and now are FCS schools.

Before the I-AA split, there were a bunch of teams at the club level: Albany is a school that had club football before playing Division III - matter of fact, Bob Ford was the coach of that club team who played schools like Stony Brook, Hofstra, and Towson as well. St. Francis (PA) also had a club team, and I am sure there are others (CCSU?).

[aceinthehole]

I know this is going back a while, but all the original MAAC schools were an entire club league before going to FCS. Of the remaining schools from that now-defunct conference, Fordham, Georgetown and Marist all had club teams and now are FCS schools.

Before the I-AA split, there were a bunch of teams at the club level: Albany is a school that had club football before playing Division III - matter of fact, Bob Ford was the coach of that club team who played schools like Stony Brook, Hofstra, and Towson as well. St. Francis (PA) also had a club team, and I am sure there are others (CCSU?).

As far as I know, CCSU never had a club team. Varisty football records go back to 1935 season.

CCSU athletics were part of the NAIA until 1964, when they changed affiliation to to the NCAA Collge Division (D-II). They reclassified football to I-AA in 1993.

Central, unlike most of the "dayton rule" schools NEVER played football in D-III. Central was a longtime D-II football program, along with its sister school, Southern Connecticut State. Although Central played as Indepedent for most season with schools like Southern Connecticut, American International, Montclair State, and teams from the PSAC, they also regularly played teams like Maine, New Hampshire, and Northeastern in the 1970s.

When Central reclassified its athletic department to Division I for the 1986-87 season, football remained in D-II until 1993.

[ButlerGSU]

I believe GSU played club ball for 1 or 2 years.

Yes, the program Erk built evolved from Club Sports. In fact, they played at Statesboro High School till Paulson could be completed.

[DFW HOYA]

I know this is going back a while, but all the original MAAC schools were an entire club league before going to FCS. Of the remaining schools from that now-defunct conference, Fordham, Georgetown and Marist all had club teams and now are FCS schools.


There is a distinction, of course. Georgetown, Fordham, Duquesne, etc, moved from varsity to club and back to varsity, while Marist and much of the former MAAC began as club sports.

[Appfan_in_CAAland]

My dad tells me his alma mater, Xavier, has a bunch of big money boosters who see their club team as a gateway to returning to varsity (or at least non-scholarship) football.