JSU eyes FBS

[Redbirdz]

Anniston, Alabama Star wrote:
Jaynes: FBS meeting had no inf luence on his decision to retire

JACKSONVILLE — The athletic committee of Jacksonville State’s board of trustees met Tuesday in Birmingham to assert its commitment to moving into the Football Bowl Subdivision, but athletics director Oval Jaynes said Thursday that meeting had “nothing to do” with his decision to retire.
Jaynes announced his retirement Wednesday, effective April 30, saying that, after more than 50 years in collegiate athletics, the time simply had come to leave. He handed his letter to university president Bill Meehan Tuesday after the two returned from the athletic committee meeting.
“My retirement had nothing to do with that,” Jaynes said, surpressing any notion his hand was forced over some perceived lack of support for the proposed move.
He cited a desire to spend more time with his wife, Pricilla, and family back in North Carolina.

[JSU02]

The article is for subscribers only. Here are the high points:

The article goes on to say that we are conducting a nationwide search for an AD but (and as I have been hearing whispers of) Johnny Williams is favored by the board of trustees (former Troy AD who led the consulting firm we hired to study our move).

They are uncertain if Associate AD David Farrar will be a candidate.

A trustee on the Athletic Committee and big FBS proponent, Jim Coxwell, described the meeting as a "teaching meeting" to review our strategic plan.

The plan compared our budgets and academics to both SunBelt and C-USA schools.

A sample timeline given indicated we would have to notify the OVC of our departure by May 1, two year prior to our departure. Say we wanted to get going this year. We would tell them May 1, 2011, Leave June 30 2013, and become full FBS July 1, 2014. There would be a 200K fee to exit early.

Coxwell says we are "commited to going Division I" (I know, I know... xrolleyesx) when everything is ready and this meeting was to let FBS conferences know our intention.

He said that we need to be as competative as we can possibly be to better position ourselves to take advantage of any opportunities that develop.

[superman7515]

So who, if anyone, is rumored to be extending JSU an invite?

[JSU02]

So who, if anyone, is rumored to be extending JSU an invite?

The Sunbelt

[Redbird Ray]

Good for JSU! 6 FBS schools in Alabama does seem a bit excessive, but if the state is that bananas for college football, than I suppose it will work.

[superman7515]

The Sunbelt

It's against the Sun Belt's by-laws to invite anymore FCS teams. That was done after they brought up Western Kentucky because the Presidents and AD's were tired of looking like a bottom feeder conference.

[JSU02]

It's against the Sun Belt's by-laws to invite anymore FCS teams. That was done after they brought up Western Kentucky because the Presidents and AD's were tired of looking like a bottom feeder conference.

I know that. But those rules can and will be changed, when the time is right. Wright Waters (Sunbelt Commish) stays in close contact with our Athletic Department, and its not just to shoot the *****.

[Cocky]

There has also been contact with CUSA.

[JSU02]

There has also been contact with CUSA.
True, but I don't see that happening...

[wr70beh]

There has also been contact with CUSA.

Well they did play UAB on December 1st in men's hoops. I guess you could call that "contact".

[Cocky]

Well they did play UAB on December 1st in men's hoops. I guess you could call that "contact".
Probably could or you could call it anything you want, your choice