Lamar: No Contact with WAC

[TexasTerror]

Lamar - "no contact" - this in light of a report out of Hawaii that leads one to believe that the WAC is looking into Texas and mentioned the Cardinals as a possibility...

North Texas will say 'no' again if Benson asks and if they want Louisiana-Lafayette, they'll be kidding themselves, since that school can not afford to compete in the Sun Belt, let alone the WAC...


“They have not contacted me,” Lamar president Jimmy Simmons said. “We had mentioned before that we’d be open to anything that would give us the ability to change direction and move up. At this point, until they make a definitive offer, there’s nothing to discuss.”

“I haven’t talked with anyone,” added Lamar athletic director Larry Tidwell.

The WAC Board of Directors will discuss conference expansion during a meeting Jan. 14 in San Antonio, the Star Advertiser reported.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson declined to discuss prospective schools but said Texas is in the WAC’s “footprint” and “we’re not going to rule out anyone in our footprint,” he told the newspaper.

http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/inthecards/2011/01/05/lamar-to-wac-not-so-fast-says-simmons/

[Redbird Ray]

Lamar seems like a good choice. Hasn't their admin been pretty forthright about wanting to eventually get back to FBS anyway?

Although there are plenty of reasons not to, I might also start courting the Dakota States if I were Benson. North Dakota State is more or less ready to jump right now, and South Dakota State has plans for an expanded stadium. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[TexasTerror]

Lamar seems like a good choice. Hasn't their admin been pretty forthright about wanting to eventually get back to FBS anyway?

Correct. Their President would like to be FBS by '15. Lamar is seemingly waiting for the auto-bid situation to be rectified at the NCAA Convention. If it is not, it could spell trouble. I do not think Lamar wants in earlier than 2013, but they may have no choice.

If Lamar does go FBS, they need to find a new head football coach...

[bigred360]

Naw, we just need better players. We were 5-6 our first year after the campus was without football for 21 years. Coach Woodard is going to be fine. Heck, last season we didn't even get into our new athletic complex until the season started so we were behind with weight training and conditioning.

http://www.americanfootballmonthly.com/Subaccess/articles.php?article_id=5523&output=article

[TexasTerror]

Until proven otherwise, I have some major doubts with Ray Woodard...

I do not think I have ever doubted a coach as much as Woodard and to date, he has done nothing to prove me wrong. Considering all the hype and even some of the actual names of people that applied, there is no question the school should have gone in a different direction.

They got what they signed up for - essentially the same thing, if not on a lower level than what they would have had Brad Franchione joined the fray. There's a reason Fran Jr. has not gotten a job despite his credentials and why his father has to usher him along...

[bigred360]

Really I don't care about your opinion on Ray Woodard. Ask Bearkat 41 what our problems were on offense and defense. It wasn't the Head Coach. It was our offensive and defensive line. Andre Bevil who started the season as our QB ended up on the bench due to TO's. As he had 14 INT's and 6 fumbles in 8 1/2 games and was replaced by a true freshman walk-on.

Yes, Billy Tubbs our former AD did talk to same big name people about the job at Lamar. However, I'm not going to list them here as I don't know if a job offer was made or Coach Tubbs was just gathering information.

Let's see how this upcoming season goes before having major doubts about our football coach. Believe me there are more Cardinal faithful worried about our MBB coach compared to the football coach.

[TexasTerror]

I've questioned the head coach of the MBB program since day one too... we'll see if we go 2-for-2 with Cardinals! ;)

[bigred360]

TexasTerror, why are you so concerned with Lamar and what goes on in Beaumont? I don't know your football or MBB coaches name. I really don't care enough to look it up. Does it make me less of a football fan or basketball fan? I don't think as you can check out both Lamar fan sites. The one that is Lamar only and one that is a regional sports message board and there isn't one thread about what is going on in Huntsville. Look for yourself as I know you are aware of the sites.

www.setxsports.com or www.bigredinsider.com.

BTW, TexasTerror, you must have forgot Billy Tubbs is the Special Assistant/Consultant to the President at Lamar and was in Dallas at the time the WAC was having their meeting.

So read between the lines of what President Simmons said in the article as he isn't going to say anything official to upset the commissioner of the SLC before we play football in the SLC in 2011.

[GeauxLions94]

TT, I wouldn't worry about Woodard. He's a good guy who will build a good program in Beaumont over the next few years. Not bad to get five wins for a first-year team (really hate that second one LU got ... let's keep that opponent nameless LOL!)

Now as for Roccaforte and men's hoops, well that's another story. Don't know if moving back to the East Division will make a huge impact.

[LouiseBFree]

Not to worry if Billy Tubbs is in charge of this operation. Just look what he's done with Lamar hoops since he's returned as AD/Coach/AD:

NOTHING!




TexasTerror, why are you so concerned with Lamar and what goes on in Beaumont? I don't know your football or MBB coaches name. I really don't care enough to look it up. Does it make me less of a football fan or basketball fan? I don't think as you can check out both Lamar fan sites. The one that is Lamar only and one that is a regional sports message board and there isn't one thread about what is going on in Huntsville. Look for yourself as I know you are aware of the sites.

www.setxsports.com or www.bigredinsider.com.

BTW, TexasTerror, you must have forgot Billy Tubbs is the Special Assistant/Consultant to the President at Lamar and was in Dallas at the time the WAC was having their meeting.

So read between the lines of what President Simmons said in the article as he isn't going to say anything official to upset the commissioner of the SLC before we play football in the SLC in 2011.

[JBB]

Straight from the Saturday Blitz, College Football Insights and Analysis:


The best option not yet discussed is North Dakota State, a program coming off a run to the FCS semifinals and boasting top 10 national attendance. For those reasons, NDSU could be an attractive option for FBS partnership while WAC membership would benefit the university by placing all its sports under one umbrella. Currently, Bison teams are spread among the Missouri Valley in football, and Summit League for other sports.
http://saturdayblitz.blogspot.com/2011/01/bushwacd.html

[bigred360]

Not to worry if Billy Tubbs is in charge of this operation. Just look what he's done with Lamar hoops since he's returned as AD/Coach/AD:

NOTHING!

Actually, he is the reason football is back at Lamar. He hired our current AD/WBB Head Coach, the Head Football Coach, soccer coach, volleyball coach, golf coach, track and field, cross country head coach, director of tennis operations, several members of the athletic development department, Associate AD - Compliance, Assistant AD - Academics, Assistant AD - Business, Academic Specialist, Assistant AD - Marketing & Promotions and Media Relations department. So his footprint is all over our athletic department. His best hire IMO was Coach Tidwell who is now AD/WBB Head Coach. He is also the Head Coach for the Bahamas senior national women's basketball team.

Coach Tubbs is in the SLC Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. He is 38th All-Time with over 600 career wins as a Head Men's basketball Coach. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_college_men%27s_basketball_coaches_with_60 0_wins

Now he is in a new role for Lamar University.

http://advancement.lamar.edu/billy-tubbs-tidwell-interim-ad

[LouiseBFree]

So, while that all sounds great, you're not disputing the state of Lamar basketball since Tubbs returned to Beaumont?

[bigred360]

No, one co-championship in the SLC in the last 10 years doesn't sit well with the Cardinal Faithful. However, isn't this a football site?

BTW, Coach Tubbs is also a Sports Legend in the museum of the Gulf Coast.

http://www.museumofthegulfcoast.org/personalities-sports-legends.html

[TexasTerror]

No, one co-championship in the SLC in the last 10 years doesn't sit well with the Cardinal Faithful. However, isn't this a football site?

Lamar is a basketball school, always has been... when justifying the hiring capabilities of the athletic department at that school, you start with basketball before moving to football and baseball.

[bigred360]

Well, you entitled to your opinion but we wouldn't be looking at a move to the WAC if we didn't have a football program. In the past, yes Lamar was known as a basketball school for the run of NCAA and NIT births in the late 70's and early 80's.

I don't think you can say that today.

[centexguy]

So, while that all sounds great, you're not disputing the state of Lamar basketball since Tubbs returned to Beaumont?

Are you arguing that the state of Lamar basketball has declined since Tubbs took over as AD? You must not have been paying much attention to the basketball program the last 20 years. The basketball program didn't decline under Tubbs, it was already down. But Tubbs is no longer the AD so where Lamar goes from here will now fall on Tidwell's shoulders.

But back to football and the WAC. I predict Lamar will receive their WAC invite within the next couple of months and will accept the offer. Dr. Simmons has stated that Lamar wants to be FBS by 2015. By joining the WAC in 2012, they will be fully FBS in 2015.

[TexasTerror]

Is the WAC going to be around to the extend the offer? With SJSU, USU, Idaho making pitches to the MWC and La Tech doing everything in their power to go C-USA, not sure what to expect... just about everyone wants out except the 'Texas Twins' of TXST and UTSA and that's because the WAC was the only league that wanted them...

As Tidwell said, sure to be quite a few shifts in the next few months as it relates to FBS conferences at the lower levels. Several are keeping tabs on Lamar and SHSU, amongst others, because there are no other schools in position to move up - and that's not saying much because neither Lamar or SHSU are ready.

[Bison_Kent]

Per this story, SJSU & USU (with two current CUSA TX schools) are being evaluated in the MWC. No metion of Idaho. If those two leave the WAC, I wonder if the come back to the Big Sky.

http://www.mercurynews.com/sjsu-spartans/ci_17131570?nclick_check=1

[TexasTerror]

I wonder how legitimate a chance that the Univ of Houston has at getting in the Big East...

They are like TCU in that they have a footprint in a major city, but do not exactly deliver that metropolitan area from a media perspective. Major difference is that TCU has had marked success across the board. Having a travel partner with Houston may not be that bad for the Big East.

[JSU02]

I wonder how legitimate a chance that the Univ of Houston has at getting in the Big East...

They are like TCU in that they have a footprint in a major city, but do not exactly deliver that metropolitan area from a media perspective. Major difference is that TCU has had marked success across the board. Having a travel partner with Houston may not be that bad for the Big East.

If i were the big east, i'd take Houston to be a travel partner for TCU and take UCF to be a travel partner for USF. I'd also split away from the basketball only schools, but unfortunately I don't think thats gonna happen.

[Sly Fox]

I think UH has turned into a very attractive option for both the Big East & Big XII (and MWC for that matter). The Coogs get plenty of media attention when they are relevant. That just hasn't happened much since the run & shoot glory days. But Briles & Sumlin have restored enough luster to the football program that if they were in a BCS league I am confident that they would score better local media attention that the Frogs muster in DFW.

UH pushed out plans for a new stadium this summer to make sure they were a player in the realignment talk probably before they had their ducks in a row. But the fact remains that they have the necessary ingredients to fit in the Big East. And I can assure you that the last thing UT, A&M, OU or LSU wants to see is a BCS school in the Bayou City.

[Cat79]

The WAC is in a much stronger position after the NCAA rules changes. All FCS teams have to be sponsored by a FBS conference. The MWC is not expanding with Utah State and San Jose State. I would expect Lamar to get an offer in April. The WAC is also looking for eastern FCS teams like Jacksonville State, James Madison, App State, Georgia Southern and moving the footprint east for divisions. Lamar would be FCS in 2012, FBS transitional in counting as FBS games to WAC teams in 2013 and bowl eligible in 2014. Texas State is FCS in 2011, FBS transitional counting as FBS for WAC teams in 2012 and bowl eligible in 2013.

TT
You are so wrong. The WAC was not the only conference interested in Texas State and UTSA. The difference is the WAC is the only conference that wanted FCS teams. The reason is simple both universities finances were there to make the move and the WAC needed both teams. That is your problem at Sam Houston no money to make the move. Lamar is about to leave Sam Houston in the dust.

[TexasTerror]

The WAC is in a much stronger position after the NCAA rules changes. All FCS teams have to be sponsored by a FBS conference. The MWC is not expanding with Utah State and San Jose State. I would expect Lamar to get an offer in April. The WAC is also looking for eastern FCS teams like Jacksonville State, James Madison, App State, Georgia Southern and moving the footprint east for divisions. Lamar would be FCS in 2012, FBS transitional in counting as FBS games to WAC teams in 2013 and bowl eligible in 2014. Texas State is FCS in 2011, FBS transitional counting as FBS for WAC teams in 2012 and bowl eligible in 2013.

If the WAC is looking that far east, they are in trouble. That league would be a very legitimate mess! A league from California to North Carolina will not succeed, unless you are talking about USC and UNC in the same league. We're talking some of the most poorly funded FBS programs having to travel across the conference and making no revenue is doing so. It's not like SJSU would be flying to Georgia to get paid a million. It's mandatory!


You are so wrong. The WAC was not the only conference interested in Texas State and UTSA. The difference is the WAC is the only conference that wanted FCS teams. The reason is simple both universities finances were there to make the move and the WAC needed both teams. That is your problem at Sam Houston no money to make the move. Lamar is about to leave Sam Houston in the dust.

Explain... which conference was interested in TXST and UTSA? You follow up by saying the WAC is the only conference that wanted FCS teams. Well, isn't that the same thing? Sure, the Great West would have taken TXST and UTSA in a heart beat, but that's not a football league!

SHSU is not ready to make the move up - no question there. Never said we were in position at this point...

[LouiseBFree]

The WAC still has a pulse, but let's not go crazy. Truly a cat with nine lives, and about eight of them are spent. The WAC is still a phone call or two from dissolving. Latech, UTah st. and San Jose would clearly leave in an instant, and I'm sure they are working on that nonstop. Further, it appeared that Idaho was preparing for a return to the Big Sky, similar to NMSU's likely return to the Sun Belt.

Be thankful that the Mountain West didn't kill you off this week.



The WAC is in a much stronger position after the NCAA rules changes. All FCS teams have to be sponsored by a FBS conference. The MWC is not expanding with Utah State and San Jose State. I would expect Lamar to get an offer in April. The WAC is also looking for eastern FCS teams like Jacksonville State, James Madison, App State, Georgia Southern and moving the footprint east for divisions. Lamar would be FCS in 2012, FBS transitional in counting as FBS games to WAC teams in 2013 and bowl eligible in 2014. Texas State is FCS in 2011, FBS transitional counting as FBS for WAC teams in 2012 and bowl eligible in 2013.

TT
You are so wrong. The WAC was not the only conference interested in Texas State and UTSA. The difference is the WAC is the only conference that wanted FCS teams. The reason is simple both universities finances were there to make the move and the WAC needed both teams. That is your problem at Sam Houston no money to make the move. Lamar is about to leave Sam Houston in the dust.

[Cat79]

Lamar University is soon to be next WAC team.

[TexasTerror]

Lamar University is soon to be next WAC team.

All indications are this is happening... I hope SHSU reacts to this in some form or fashion. To have both Lamar and TXST make the move up to FBS will not be beneficial for the Bearkat cause. Though we are not ready (nor is Lamar really at this point, but they have more financial resources to lean on), we need to get back 'up to speed' with those other schools.

I know we'd prefer C-USA or Sun Belt - but a regionalized WAC with mostly travel in TX and LA would not be that bad.

[LouiseBFree]

Please share what these "indications" are. Please, we're dying to know.


All indications are this is happening... I hope SHSU reacts to this in some form or fashion. To have both Lamar and TXST make the move up to FBS will not be beneficial for the Bearkat cause. Though we are not ready (nor is Lamar really at this point, but they have more financial resources to lean on), we need to get back 'up to speed' with those other schools.

I know we'd prefer C-USA or Sun Belt - but a regionalized WAC with mostly travel in TX and LA would not be that bad.

[TexasTerror]

Please share what these "indications" are. Please, we're dying to know.

The Golden Triangle clan is doing their best impersonation of Utah State fan on the MWC board by making it pretty clear they are going WAC. In fact, all the folks in Beaumont are saying on their forums that the rumors are getting louder from 'sources' within the athletic department.

[LouiseBFree]

And all that type of out of touch message board chatter got Utah State in the MWC, didn't it????

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.




The Golden Triangle clan is doing their best impersonation of Utah State fan on the MWC board by making it pretty clear they are going WAC. In fact, all the folks in Beaumont are saying on their forums that the rumors are getting louder from 'sources' within the athletic department.

[NoCoDanny]

What is the Lamar stadium situation like?

[Sly Fox]

Not bad ... but it would definitely need expansion to be ready for the WAC.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5039005422_3e709d6e89.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs382.ash2/66081_162152807146448_107657622595967_419755_30147 35_n.jpg

[LUFAN1]

We just completed a $25 million+ rennovation of our staduim. From the rumblings that I have heard we already have the donors lined up for the costs to move to the WAC. I am not 100% sure on this as it is hersey, but we are in the middle of a fundraising campaign and we have now raised 76 Million on the 100 million goal.