Interesting article on URI footall/Liam Coen to be a coach

[Brad82]

http://www.projo.com/uri/content/URI_Rams_football_Trainer_CAA_02-10-11_A4MDV3_v2.9cb96f.html

This article touches on a lot of subjects.

[Tribe4SF]

Ironic that URI will be leaving the CAA at a time when they have finally become competitive in the league. If Trainer stays, watch out NEC!

[aceinthehole]

I don't think NEC teams are too worried.

Teams like CCSU, RMU, Albany, Monmouth are ramping up schollys, have had recent success on the field, and are perceived by recruits as "up and coming" programs.

URI is being forced to reduce scholarships, they haven't had many wins on the field, and overall there is a a perception of "moving down."

The NEC contenders will have 2 more chances in the playoffs, while its very likely URI sits at home for 2 more years. It will be very difficult for URI to win in the CAA while they are reducing scholarships for the next 2 years, plus the difficulties of recruiting. Not to mention all NEC contenders will have 40 schollys in 2013.


URI must get to the NEC maximum of 40 scholarships in 2013. Bjorn said the team has had the equivalent of 59 full scholarships and will have 54 for 2011, 47 for 2012 and 40 in 2013. URI is shaving only five scholarships this year because Syracuse is on its schedule this season and Bowling Green next season, and URI must have a three-year average of 56 scholarship players for the game to count toward bowl eligibility for those FBS teams.

[401ks]

I don't think NEC teams are too worried.

Teams like CCSU, RMU, Albany, Monmouth and Duquesne are ramping up schollys, have had recent success on the field, and are perceived by recruits as "up and coming" programs.


Fixed it for you! ;)

[DFW HOYA]

Do NEC teams have a scholarship minimum?

[UAalum72]

Fixed it for you! ;)Has Duq made any announcement that they're going beyond 24 scholarships? (Game notes, page 4 http://www.goduquesne.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/duqu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/weekly-release - "Duquesne offered 18 scholarships beginning in February of 2008 and will increase that number by two through 2011" - That probably puts them behind most if not all the other NEC teams.

Hoya - this suggests that if there is a minimum it's 18, but I don't remember hearing of one.

[401ks]

Has Duq made any announcement that they're going beyond 24 scholarships? (Game notes, page 4 http://www.goduquesne.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/duqu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/weekly-release - "Duquesne offered 18 scholarships beginning in February of 2008 and will increase that number by two through 2011" - That probably puts them behind most if not all the other NEC teams.

Waiting for any announcement from the Duquesne Athletic Department regarding football is a fool's errand. :p

It is my firm understanding that even before Duquesne axed the four men's sports at this time last year, the Dukes had a target of 28-30 scholarships. The 24-by-2011 was an absolute minimum. The current (unofficial) goal is 32-36 ASAP. The "official", publicly-stated goal is 30. (see below) That may take another three or four years (and 40 is not in the cards at this time), but they are definitely not stopping at 24.

I know you've seen this quote from May of last year:

[Duquesne President Charles J. Dougherty] added that Duquesne eventually will be able to increase the number of football scholarships it can offer from 20 to 30, helping it to compete in the NEC. The conference plans to allow 40 scholarships per school next year.

"We have a plan to increase (scholarships) regularly, and this will allow us to actually accelerate it," he said. "We know we have to expand our commitment to football."

He obviously was understating the goals. (Increase from 20 to 30? When the official intention was already placed at least at 24?)

All that being said...

The original statement was: Teams like CCSU, RMU, Albany, Monmouth are ramping up schollys, have had recent success on the field, and are perceived by recruits as "up and coming" programs.

There is no doubt that Duquesne is "ramping up schollys"; has "had recent success on the field"; "and (is) perceived by recruits as (an) 'up and coming' program."

Scholarships are increasing year-by-year. The Dukes finished alone in 3rd place in the NEC in 2010 (ahead of Albany and Monmouth). And Duquesne is winning recruiting battles this year against FBS teams such as Marshall and Eastern Michigan as well as FCS teams such as Massachusetts.

Finally, I don't put a great deal of faith in the thought that a handful of scholarships makes that big of a difference on the field. May I remind you that I'm a Butler supporter, and counting the 2008 Ice Bowl loss by the boys from Florida, the non-scholarship PFL Champion beat the limited-scholarship NEC Champion in the Gridiron Classic three-out-of-four years.

[UAalum72]

Quit whining about the so-called "Ice Bowl". It wasn't 'icy'. I've read JU people saying Albany "watered the field" to freeze it over and make it different from Friday's practice. I've talked to the Albany grounds crew. It just didn't happen. Jacksonville just got their *** kicked.

[401ks]

Quit whining about the so-called "Ice Bowl". It wasn't 'icy'. I've read JU people saying Albany "watered the field" to freeze it over and make it different from Friday's practice. I've talked to the Albany grounds crew. It just didn't happen. Jacksonville just got their *** kicked.

C'mon man! You've got to be kidding me.

Out of my entire post, THAT is what you choose to focus on?

xrolleyesx

Did I say anything about Albany watering the field? JU embarrassed themselves and the PFL with that pitiful performance. I remember a quote from JU's QB, Josh MacGregor, who said that he had "never been so cold in his entire life" as he was during that game.

Thus "Ice (cold) Bowl".

To be absolutely clear... At this time, if any NEC team plays any PFL team (with the exception of Butler), I will be pulling for the NEC team. If Duquesne were to play Butler, I would be dressed in a Duquesne jersey with my younger son's number and be rooting for the Dukes the entire game.

Now, do you have anything relevant to add regarding the vast majority of my prior post about Duquesne?

[aceinthehole]

Do NEC teams have a scholarship minimum?

No minimum, just a maximum (34 for the 2011 season). Why does it sound like a good fit for G-town? :)

From the 2010-11 NEC Policy Manual:

All NEC football playing institutions are permitted to award a maximum financial aid amount of 32 full athletic grants-in-aid on an equivalency basis. Beginning in 2009-10, grants-in-aid may be increased by no more than two per year, capping at 40. There would continue to be no scholarship minimum.

[UAalum72]

C'mon man! You've got to be kidding me.

Did I say anything about Albany watering the field? JU embarrassed themselves and the PFL with that pitiful performance. I remember a quote from JU's QB, Josh MacGregor, who said that he had "never been so cold in his entire life" as he was during that game.

Thus "Ice (cold) Bowl".

To be absolutely clear... At this time, if any NEC team plays any PFL team (with the exception of Butler), I will be pulling for the NEC team. If Duquesne were to play Butler, I would be dressed in a Duquesne jersey with my younger son's number and be rooting for the Dukes the entire game.

Now, do you have anything relevant to add regarding the vast majority of my prior post about Duquesne?
No, because the" vast majority of your prior post" was relevant to my question.

But to say "counting" (as if you had a choice) "the Ice Bowl" (like there were unusual conditions, it wasn't 17 below in Green Bay) implied you still think they were a better team, if only they weren't forced to play in the Northeast in December.

As to the difference scholarships make, by most ratings five years ago the NEC and Pioneer were ranked virtually even, now the NEC has leapfrogged four or five conferences while the PFL has not. I don't think the addition of scholarships is a coincidence.

[401ks]

No, because the" vast majority of your prior post" was relevant to my question.

But to say "counting" (as if you had a choice) "the Ice Bowl" (like there were unusual conditions, it wasn't 17 below in Green Bay) implied you still think they were a better team, if only they weren't forced to play in the Northeast in December.

As to the difference scholarships make, by most ratings five years ago the NEC and Pioneer were ranked virtually even, now the NEC has leapfrogged four or five conferences while the PFL has not. I don't think the addition of scholarships is a coincidence.

xeyebrowx

My, I didn't expect to touch such a nerve!

Do I believe that JU would've played a substantially better game had the boys from Florida, most of whom had never been in, much less played football in freezing temperatures before, handled the weather conditions better than they did?

Yes.

As a past player, and current coach, do I believe that football players have to suck it up and play in whatever conditions are handed to them?

Yes.

Do I believe that Albany won the game fair and square?

Yes.

I will save you from having to read my mind (again). I will spell out exactly what I mean by "handful of scholarships".

The difference between 85 scholarships and 63 scholarships is NOT a "handful".

The difference between 63 scholarships and 40 scholarships is NOT a "handful".

The differnce between 40 scholarships and 0 scholarships is NOT a "handful".

The difference between 40 and 30-some-odd scholarships is a "handful".

The difference between 32 scholarships (what Albany had this past year?) and 22 scholarships (what Duquesne had this past year) is a "handful". (Final score: Duquesne 28, Albany 17)

The difference between the level of scholarships in the NEC a few years ago when it was just ramping up scholarships and the non-scholarship PFL (when the PFL won 3 out of 4 Gridiron Classic contests) was a "handful".

Final Fact of the Day:

I AM A HUGE SUPPORTER OF THE NEC, (but I do not wear blinders to reality in support of my chosen teams/programs/conferences/divisions).

xpeacex

[DFW HOYA]

No minimum, just a maximum (34 for the 2011 season). Why does it sound like a good fit for G-town? :)

From the 2010-11 NEC Policy Manual:

It may in a couple of years.

[M Ruler]

What was the differential in scholarships when Albany humiliated Duquesne 55-10? Was it a handful?

[401ks]

What was the differential in scholarships when Albany humiliated Duquesne 55-10? Was it a handful?

Nice first(?) post! xlolx

I never realized that the Albany folks were so touchy! :p Where is danefan when we need a voice of sanity from Upstate New York?

I'm not sure of the differential in scholarships when a fine Albany team beat the injury-riddled Duquesne team (that only had three victories the entire year) in 2009.

However, I'm pretty sure that the differential in scholarships was more than a handful when the non-scholarship Dayton Flyers "humiliated" the Albany Great Danes 42-21 in the Gridiron Classic. xwhistlex

Can we stop this silliness now?

This thread is about URI. I simply posted a tongue-in-cheek comment about Duquesne being left off of aceinthehole's list of NEC teams that should not be particularly worried about URI joining the NEC. I then cleared up UAalum72's misperception of the situation at Duquesne, and added a comment that even if the Dukes have a few fewer scholarships than some others in the NEC it wouldn't make a big difference on the field. Then... xnonono2x

Back on topic..................

I welcome URI's arrival in the NEC. Even if they hit the ground running with a full NEC complement of 40 scholarships they will run into a number of other NEC programs that have 40 scholarships, as well, and the programs like Duquesne that may have a handful less than the 40 maximum will still be able to give the Rams more than a run for their money.

xtwocentsx

[M Ruler]

Then there is no reason to mention the 2002 ECAC Classic or as Duquesne faithful like to call it..."The Mud Bowl" when Albany beat 24th ranked Duquesne like they committed a crime 24-0. Wasnt Leigh Bodden on that team? I heard the excuses that day as well. "The wind weas blowing too hard" Your right, ancient history and silly to bring it up.

I new the injury excuse would kick in with my last comment about the 2009 game. So I will say our young rebuilding 2010 squad with all of 5 Senior players lost to Duquesne. We still managed a 6-5 record.

UA will be a force this year as they are most years. 6-5 @ Albany is a bad season.

Getting back on topic...bring on Rhode Island as well.