Mercer and Stetson will join PFL in 2013

[bonarae]

http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/news/news.aspx?id=4410936


St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Mercer and Stetson universities will return to the gridiron in 2013 as members of the Pioneer Football League, commissioner Patty Viverito announced Monday.

Membership in the non-scholarship PFL will increase to 12 teams at that time.

[TexasTerror]

With 12 teams... could we see divisions and a possible league championship game? It would give the PFL schools "something to play for".

WEST
Butler
Dayton
Drake
Morehead State
San Diego
Valpo

EAST
Mercer
Stetson
Campbell
Jacksonville
Davidson
Marist

[aztecjim]

I would think they'd go north south. Flip Morehead State and Marist.

[Model Citizen]

Agree with aztecjim. Marist would like to stay with the Midwestern schools.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

NORTH
Butler (Horizon)
Dayton (A-10)
Drake (Missouri Valley)
Marist (MAAC)
San Diego (WCC)
Valpo (Horizon)

Add Detroit Mercy and Cleveland State, and you have a a league that can plausibly either continue to call itself the Pioneer Football League - or the Horizon League, as it would have four members of the new conference.

SOUTH
Mercer (Atlantic Sun)
Stetson (Atlantic Sun)
Campbell (Big South, 2011)
Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun)
Davidson (SoCon)
Morehead State (OVC)

Add ETSU and North Florida and you have eight members of a brand-new non-scholarship Atlantic Sun Conference in football (assuming Kennesaw State will be going to the Big South in all sports rather than playing non-scholarship ball).

Finally, the Horizon and Atlantic Sun can play the "Gridiron Classic" for non-scholarship supremacy.

Sounds like a plan to me.

[Go...gate]

Congrats to the Pioneer - it is taking steps to ensure its future while the Patriot League stands pat.

[DetroitFlyer]

The PFL is not interested in a Gridiron Classic. We have applied for an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs and that is the ONLY thing on the radar.

[PaladinFan]

Not sure why you'd agree to play non-scholarship football, and then join a conference that virtually guarantees travel to every corner of the country.

I've read nothing to support my theory, but that conference looks ripe for teams to split off and form their own setup.

[TexasTerror]

[QUOTE=DetroitFlyer;1632991]The PFL is not interested in a Gridiron Classic. We have applied for an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs and that is the ONLY thing on the radar.[/QUOTE

If the NCAA continues to reject the automatic bid request - what will the Pioneer League do?

[superman7515]

If the NCAA continues to reject the automatic bid request - what will the Pioneer League do?

Split into two conferences of 6 teams each, the minimum for an autobid, with a scheduling agreement so they don't have to worry about looking for teams to play in the middle of everyone's conference schedule, and then both apply. The biggest thing holding them back is the rules say there have to be 50% automatic qualifiers in the playoffs. 24 teams makes a lot more sense than 20 or 22. Split in half and both apply, then the NCAA can add two more at-large bids and have a bracket that's logical. More teams than most would like to see, but it doesn't add any more weekends than already on the schedule and it balances the bracket. Short of the Ivy or SWAC deciding to join, there's limited options for the PFL.

[aceinthehole]

Not sure why you'd agree to play non-scholarship football, and then join a conference that virtually guarantees travel to every corner of the country.I've read nothing to support my theory, but that conference looks ripe for teams to split off and form their own setup.

Easy one. Travel is cheap and football helps diversity in enrollment.

1) Travel expenses are far less than the scholarships equivalents at these expensive private schools.
2) Football increases both male and minority enrollment at these schools.

PFL football is a win-win for these particular schools. The non-scholly model can work for certain institutions, but don't expect them to be very competative on the field against full-scholarship programs.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Hmmm, I like the idea of "splitting" the PFL into two non-scholarship football conferences and applying for autobids, under the banners of the Atlantic Sun and Horizon Conferences....

[DFW HOYA]

Hmmm, I like the idea of "splitting" the PFL into two non-scholarship football conferences and applying for autobids, under the banners of the Atlantic Sun and Horizon Conferences....

It may the only way to grow the non-scholarship wing of the subdivision. If schools like Xavier and Detroit see the PFL as "full", they may be less likely to consider it an option, and its's not like the PL is getting any calls from upstart programs.

[eiu1999]

Hmmm, I like the idea of "splitting" the PFL into two non-scholarship football conferences and applying for autobids, under the banners of the Atlantic Sun and Horizon Conferences....

Agreed, that makes a ton of sense.

[Model Citizen]

Agree with aztecjim. Marist would like to stay with the Midwestern schools.

I'll retract that comment.

It looks like Terror has the correct divisional split. ...according to a Florida newspaper.

[gophoenix]

And with schools like Winthrop, High Point and those types eyeing a non-scholarship staretup, it could only help the presence in the Southeast.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2011/06/mercer-and-stetson-flap-their-wings-and.html

I wrote a blog posting on this very subject. That's a good point on Winthrop and High Point - I might add that to the original blog post.

[maristdb89]

Not sure why you'd agree to play non-scholarship football, and then join a conference that virtually guarantees travel to every corner of the country.

I've read nothing to support my theory, but that conference looks ripe for teams to split off and form their own setup.

Paladin - As I understand it from discussions with the Marist folks, the cost of travel in mitigated (Thursday travel; limited squad 55 players, etc.) but significant. That said, compared to going scholarship it is a less expensive option. Finally, for potential recruits the notion of playing decent football and traveling around the country rather than the 5 - 6 hour bus rides is appealing. Right now it is working at Marist.

[maristdb89]

Easy one. Travel is cheap and football helps diversity in enrollment.

1) Travel expenses are far less than the scholarships equivalents at these expensive private schools.
2) Football increases both male and minority enrollment at these schools.

PFL football is a win-win for these particular schools. The non-scholly model can work for certain institutions, but don't expect them to be very competative on the field against full-scholarship programs.

Good Answer!!! - Exception being last comment. There are PFL teams (Jville & Dayton last year) that were/are competitive.

[superman7515]

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2011/06/mercer-and-stetson-flap-their-wings-and.html

I wrote a blog posting on this very subject. That's a good point on Winthrop and High Point - I might add that to the original blog post.

You're welcome for the blog idea. Outside the box thinking is a free service provided here on AGS. Unless you're a cop.

[Model Citizen]

Might Drake be tempted by all-sports membership in the Horizon instead of football in the Horizon, and the Missouri Valley for all other sports? With five non-scholarship schools and the Horizon nudging up ahead of the Missouri Valley Conference in terms of hoops rankings, might the Bulldogs be tempted by their football vision - which seems more in line with their school than the full-scholarship football publics in the Missouri Valley?

I think you mean Butler-Horizon. Or did you mean Drake-PFL? The Horizon doesn't sponsor football.

Also, the Florida PFL school is Jacksonville University, not the University of Jacksonville.

[OhioHen]

NORTH
Butler (Horizon)
Dayton (A-10)
Drake (Missouri Valley)
Marist (MAAC)
San Diego (WCC)
Valpo (Horizon)

Add Detroit Mercy and Cleveland State, and you have a a league that can plausibly either continue to call itself the Pioneer Football League - or the Horizon League, as it would have four members of the new conference.


Wright State is your best fit:

1) WSU already has a club football team (started in the 2009 season) that has had some success (reached #1 in the club football rankings in 2010 before a loss to New Orleans).
2) The Raiders are in the Horizon League for all sports, so they would be a fit with Butler and Valpo.
3) Geographic proximity (a 15 minute drive) to that other UD (the Flyers) would set up a natural rivalry.
4) The school is named for the Wright Brothers - pioneers of aviation, thus a fit with the Pioneer Football League name.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Wright State is your best fit:

1) WSU already has a club football team (started in the 2009 season) that has had some success (reached #1 in the club football rankings in 2010 before a loss to New Orleans).
2) The Raiders are in the Horizon League for all sports, so they would be a fit with Butler and Valpo.
3) Geographic proximity (a 15 minute drive) to that other UD (the Flyers) would set up a natural rivalry.
4) The school is named for the Wright Brothers - pioneers of aviation, thus a fit with the Pioneer Football League name.

Thanks - I agree!

I also came to that conclusion in my blog posting, too:

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2011/06/mercer-and-stetson-flap-their-wings-and.html

With a core of Butler, Detroit Mercy, Valpo, Wright State and Cleveland State, the possibility is there for the Horizon to sponsor the remaining schools of "PFL North" if the southern schools form their own conference. Five is the magic number for conference sponsorship.

[Model Citizen]

Not only are those state schools not starting football, but the Horizon also used to sponsor the PFL, but lost interest in it. They aren't going back.