Southland in trouble?

[txstatebobcat]

This is all rumors at this point, but this being off season it will make for good past time.

I just heard that Sam Houston unofficially announced their intentions to go FBS. Lamar itself is not far behind. If both of these schools make it to the bowl subdivision what becomes of the Southland? On top of that I also read that SLC commissioner Tom Burdett would be a leading candidate for the WAC commissioner job should the current commissioner leave for the Fiesta bowl position (as rumored).

SLC would be:

SFA
McNeese St
Nicholls St
Northwest Louisiana
SLU

A&M-Corpus Christi -non-football
UT Arlington - non-football

[panama]

I hope they mean to the WAC because there is not anywhere else for them to go.

[DFW HOYA]

What happened to Central Arkansas and TAMU-CC?

[professor8315]

Southland can consider FAMU from the MEAC, TSU from the OVC or Paire View State from the SWAC.

[BEAR]

What happened to Central Arkansas and TAMU-CC?

Apparently after playing in the conference since 2006..we just don't exist. LOL

[txstatebobcat]

What happened to Central Arkansas and TAMU-CC?

Oops, I forgot about Central Arkansas. When I wrote A&M-Kingsville I meant A&M-CC. FAMU would be awesome if they were closer. I always thought that Prairie View and TSU for that matter would be great additions to the SLC although I doubt neither one would be interested.

[DFW HOYA]

When I wrote A&M-Kingsville I meant A&M-CC.

Life was simpler when it was Texas A&I....

[citdog]

Southland in trouble? Somebody tell these guys and get that sherman tank fired up!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oNrGEbZjtPo/TDSQRRGARFI/AAAAAAAAD14/oqG75AgltKo/s1600/Civ+War+Reenactors+with+tank.jpg

[DG Cowboy]

So, at what point is the FBS polluted by so many teams moving up that it arbitrarily and capriciously polices itself into some type of FBS-FCS status again? Do not underestimate the BCS conferences and their greed. If they leave the NCAA, then what remains?

[BEAR]

Southland in trouble? Somebody tell these guys and get that sherman tank fired up!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oNrGEbZjtPo/TDSQRRGARFI/AAAAAAAAD14/oqG75AgltKo/s1600/Civ+War+Reenactors+with+tank.jpg

Why does the kid in red look like he really really doesn't want to be there? xsmilex

[txstatebobcat]

So, at what point is the FBS polluted by so many teams moving up that it arbitrarily and capriciously polices itself into some type of FBS-FCS status again? Do not underestimate the BCS conferences and their greed. If they leave the NCAA, then what remains?

Doesn't really matter. There is only so much room for a few FCS schools to move up anyway, with the current rules in place I don't think there will ever be more than 130 FBS schools (currently at 120). Unless of course everyone starts going to 16 team conferences which is doubtful since there is such a stigma for conferences to take on FCS programs.

[txstatebobcat]

WAC Commissioner Karl Benson is a candidate for a director's position over the Fiesta Bowl--not the Orange Bowl. And Sam Houston and Lamar are not moving up.

I went ahead and edited my post. thanks.

[OhioHen]

Southland in trouble? Somebody tell these guys and get that sherman tank fired up!



How ironic that citdog refers to a tank named for one of the greatest villains (in Southern eyes) of the War of Northern Aggression.

[TexasTerror]

Adding football schools must be the priority for the league, regardless of which members leave and which do not.

This league has a priority on football and if you add non-football schools, you are more likely to get 'stuck' with them as there is less interest from other conferences to take them (see Denver's pro-longed stay in the Sun Belt).

Candidate schools from the non-football variety will always start with Houston Baptist and UT-Pan American - both current Division I schools. UT-Pan American is a long haul from all the current SLC schools, has poor facilities and a track record of NCAA problems. HBU has facilities that need to be improved and are relatively new. Neither school has known aspirations of adding football.

Football schools - Tarleton State, Central Oklahoma, Delta State and North Alabama - all come to mind. Perhaps Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Kingsville? For many, comes down to dollars and cents. Delta State for instance will not be anywhere near as successful as they are at the Div II level at the Div I level. They have several key sports that might not make the transition due to lack of sponsorship in the SLC (i.e. swim/dive) that are nationally ranked while WBB might not be able to maintain its stature. North Alabama is obviously an OVC pick-up if that occurs while I am not sure where Tarleton or UCO stand nowadays.

[DFW HOYA]

Adding football schools must be the priority for the league, regardless of which members leave and which do not.
This league has a priority on football and if you add non-football schools, you are more likely to get 'stuck' with them as there is less interest from other conferences to take them (see Denver's pro-longed stay in the Sun Belt).

Niot that it would happen, but adding PVA&M and TSU to the discussion would introduce some new excitement in the SLC and reduce the travel footprint. Otherwise, your football options are probably Incarnate Word and Tarleton State.

[TexasTerror]

Niot that it would happen, but adding PVA&M and TSU to the discussion would introduce some new excitement in the SLC and reduce the travel footprint. Otherwise, your football options are probably Incarnate Word and Tarleton State.

It was brought to my attention yesterday that with several of the SWAC schools at the bottom of the barrel financially - with further cuts on the way - that perhaps a few of the SWAC schools would drop down to Division II with the remainders being possible SLC additions.

I do not see that happening because the SWAC schools - regardless of their funds or lack their of - maintain themselves as Division I schools at all costs - see Valley, who would have a budget at the bottom of several Div II leagues.

[AZGrizFan]

Why doesn't the remnants of the SLC just join the BSC? Everybody else did....

[Catatonic]

The frequently most asked question among D2 schools about moving up to the Southland is this:

Why?

The application alone will cost 1.3 million before the additional operational costs associated with additional scholarships and improvements to facilities and so forth.

All this for what might actually be a less exciting product. Lower NCAA requirements for D2 schools provides schools at that level with more latitude when recruiting stellar athletes; players they will be unable to recruit by moving to the Southland. ACU has three players on current NFL rosters and one player drafted this year in the 4th round. I doubt that any of these players would have been eligible to play for ACU if we had been a member of a FCS conference.

Bottom line: Is it really worth paying the cost to trade home/away games with Texas A&M Kingsville for home/away games with Sam Houston State? (no offense intended to SHSU supporters).

I am interested in the perspective of those of you who are fans of the FCS. I will hang up and await responses.

[DG Cowboy]

Really, many FCS teams choose FCS because they can be good in FCS rather than a door mat in FBS. So it is perfectly logical that many choose D-2 because of what Catatonic points out. I'll be a paying McNeese guy wherever we end up. I think Sam, Lamar, and SFA will watch what happens to Texas State before they commit. Nobody cares what UTSA does. I don't think a WAC with 5 ex-SLC teams in its membership is going to be that impressive. That may get the Sun Belt out of the prestige cellar among FBS conferences. I believe you could put together the top teams in the CAA and Southern, move them up to BCS as a conference, and it would be more impressive than the WAC.

OK, I have the bullseye on my chest. Go ahead.

[TexasTerror]

Real quick... Jack of BobcatReport is stating that Lamar and SHSU were amongst the schools discussed for WAC expansion. He did acknowledge that Seattle is the only school of the group discussed - that also includes a few Big Sky schools - that has the votes necessary to get membership.


Why?

You are exactly right...

Abilene Christian is a "player" nationally in several sports - a few that they are very well known in various circles for (i.e. T&F). They would have a hard time maintaining that success at the Div I level. The Division II level provides an excellent opportunity to have athletic success due to the ease of access to the postseason while doing so at an affordable level.

Outside of not playing the "big boys" and not getting the exposure, Division II not a bad route by any means.

How much does a full-ride cost the athletic department at Abilene Christian? Would think the amount would be significant compared to other sports in the Southland.

One caveat of being a private school in the Southland would be the sports like baseball and football where equivalents really come into play. With the change in the economy, you really got some binds going on. Can you imagine if Tulane were in the Southland? Costs 45-50k to go there a year. You could give a kid 25% to pay $13M of that a year and their remaining cost for the single year would be pretty close to what they could pay for four years in the SLC if they were on their own.