Nicholls: Three FBS Guarantee Games in '12

[TexasTerror]

Game at Tulsa, Oregon State and South Alabama... this is ridiculous.


“Part of what I want to do here at Nicholls is give our student-athletes a great experience,” said Nicholls football head coach Charlie Stubbs. “I had the pleasure of coaching at Oregon State for six years. This is now a wonderful opportunity for our student-athletes to compete against a Pac-12 school and see the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Beavers head coach Mike Riley runs a first-class operation and we're very much looking forward to the game.”

Oregon State is one of three FBS opponents on the Colonels' 2012 schedule. Nicholls is slated to play Tulsa and South Alabama in non-conference contests as well.

“As we're building our program, we need to play in these types of games,” said Coach Stubbs. “We're bringing in competitive student-athletes who are eager to see to how they stack up against high-level competition.”

http://www.geauxcolonels.com/news/2011/8/26/FB_0826114515.aspx?path=football

[dbackjon]

They might win two of those...

[BlueHenSinfonian]

South Alabama is barely FBS. Are the Jags going to be playing a full FBS schedule in 2013?

[dgtw]

They will be a full fledged FBS Sun Belt member in 2013. They will be in the second year of a two year stint as a FCS Independant in 2012. I don't know how many scholarships they'll have in 2012, but they won't be an FBS team that season.

[crossfire07]

Game at Tulsa, Oregon State and South Alabama... this is ridiculous.

“As we're building our program, we need to play in these types of games,” said Coach Stubbs. “ He is right though.

[3rd Coast Tiger]

Are they whoring themselves TT?

[dgtw]

Its not like they are playing Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State. Mobile isn't that far away and is a winnable game. Tulsa has a decent program despite being the smallest school in the FBS. Oregon State is medicore. They'll make some money, get their name out there without getting beat up too badly.

[TexasTerror]

Are they whoring themselves TT?

Yes and you will note that I jumped on them within 24 hours of this news.

I'm not a fan in the least bit of playing two FBS games, let alone three. This will represent the second time in three years (2010 schedule as well) in which the Colonels will play three guarantee games. In 2010, they played San Diego State, Western Michigan and South Alabama to open the season. The first two were FBS games with the USA game being a non-returnable trip to Mobile.


“As we're building our program, we need to play in these types of games,” said Coach Stubbs. “ He is right though.

If Nicholls does this in '12 and then cuts back on money games, that is fine.

If Stubbs is looking to play three guarantee games in order to get upgrades for facilities or something and just not indicating it, I guess it makes the blow easier to swallow. We all know the Colonels are behind the eight ball when it comes to facilities compared to their SLC counterparts.

Now, if this becomes an annual thing with three guarantee games (and let's remember it is the second time in three years), there are obviously some questions that need to be asked.


Its not like they are playing Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State. Mobile isn't that far away and is a winnable game. Tulsa has a decent program despite being the smallest school in the FBS. Oregon State is medicore. They'll make some money, get their name out there without getting beat up too badly.

Regardless of who they are playing... it is still three FBS guarantee games.

They are throwing in the towel on a playoff at-large essentially and as has become an annual situation, putting all their eggs for the postseason in winning the SLC title. It's a tough road when three of your four OOC games are on the road. Last year, three road games to open the season. Geez!

[dgtw]

South Alabama will not be FBS in 2012.

[TexasTerror]

South Alabama will not be FBS in 2012.

They will have 85 student-athletes on scholarships. Regardless of what they are classified by the NCAA, they will be more 'FBS' than 'FCS. Their 12-game schedule in '12 will only feature a single FCS foe (Nicholls) and it still remains a third guarantee game for Nicholls, who is probably getting low-to-mid-major FBS guarantee $$$ from the game.

[crossfire07]

TT, If Sam had the same budget issues Nicholls has, they might be doing the samething.

[BamaJag13]

South Alabama plays a 13 game schedule in 2012 with Nicholls State being the only non-FBS opponent. It's our last transitional year. We'll officially be an FCS independent, but we'll play 8 Sun Belt Conference games and count toward the conference standings and bowl eligibility for FBS teams. We just won't be eligible (which probably won't matter, anyway).

[LouiseBFree]

The sky is falling! The sky is falling! xrolleyesx

[TexasTerror]

TT, If Sam had the same budget issues Nicholls has, they might be doing the samething.

I am sure we would.

The budget issues that Nicholls have are very significant as they have the smallest budget in the SLC and clearly run into quite a few issues that impact scheduling in both basketballs and football in order to make their revenue equal their expenses. School is already on the threshold when it comes to sport sponsorships. Just a rough situation...

[crossfire07]

Them winning will help them a lot. I hope they are on the right track.

[TexasTerror]

Them winning will help them a lot. I hope they are on the right track.

I like the direction the program is going under Stubbs as witnessed by their SLC success last year.

However, makes it very difficult to win when you start behind the 8-ball with so many guarantee games and the disadvantage of playing as few as one OOC home game (which is becoming common theme in Thibodaux).

[GeauxLions94]

I like the direction the program is going under Stubbs as witnessed by their SLC success last year.

However, makes it very difficult to win when you start behind the 8-ball with so many guarantee games and the disadvantage of playing as few as one OOC home game (which is becoming common theme in Thibodaux).

There are some Sun Belt schools in the same situation with playing only one OOC game at home. If Nicholls, or any other FCS school wants to play three FBS opponents, so be it. It's still Division I

[BlueHenSinfonian]

If the administration at Nicholls State is requiring the football program to turn a profit or at least be self sufficient, they might not have much of a choice but to pile up the guarantee games. It's a shame that schools are forced into that position, but the only real paths to profitability, or even just sustainability, are building a large and dedicated fan base or getting paid to be a punching bag for other teams. Since LSU's Tiger Stadium is about 70 miles from Nicholls, and since Nicholls is just a minor regional school amongst many options in Louisiana, I don't see them being able to develop the steady 15K - 20k+ average attendance it would take for ticket sales, parking, and concessions to keep the football program afloat, at least not without a sudden breakout success and a string of FCS titles like Appy managed.

Though both Appy and Nicholls are overshadowed by larger, more well known in state schools, App State has about twice ths student population and isn't within an easy drive of a major SEC powerhouse. FBS games in and of themselves aren't bad, but at least IMO they should be scheduled only if there is some chance of victory, even if it's a stretch, as a way to help the program grow and potentially gain some great press. As far as that goes, Nicholls isn't doing too bad, South Alabama is probably a winnable game, and the other two wouldn't be insurmountable for a top tier FCS program. I think the problem is that Nicholls isn't exactly a top tier FCS program, and these games weren't scheduled to stretch the team's limits, but as a means of making enough to keep the lights on.

It seems that lately the FCS is experiencing a divide. Some teams have resources, skill, facilities, and funding that could easily place them in the FBS, while others are being treated like their host institutions wish they could just play Div II football and Div I in everything else.

[TexasTerror]

It seems that lately the FCS is experiencing a divide. Some teams have resources, skill, facilities, and funding that could easily place them in the FBS, while others are being treated like their host institutions wish they could just play Div II football and Div I in everything else.

I agree. There is a divide growing in FCS, just as there is an even more substantial divide growing in FBS as it relates to bottom line revenue and expenses. How the NCAA or should we dare say - the institutions/conferences - deal with this, will be intriguing to watch.

[crossfire07]

I know their game this year with Northwestern will be interesting after both schools playing FBS in back to back weeks. If Nicholls beats ULL, Northwestern won't be able to overcome the high them boys will be on.

DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET) Location Result
Thu, Sep 1st, 2011 Evangel 07:30 PM Guidry Stadium
Sat, Sep 10th, 2011 at Western_Mich 07:00 PM Waldo Stadium
Sat, Sep 17th, 2011 at Louisiana 07:00 PM Cajun Field
Sat, Sep 24th, 2011 Northwestern_St 04:00 PM John L. Guidry Stadium

[Hood]

I'll admit it's quite discouraging to see all of these "away" games on the schedule, but as alluded to, the budget requires the Coach to seek these games out. And I rather it be decent pay days that give the kids on the team a great experience than the nonsense of 2003 (away games at South Florida, Portland State, and Texas A&M-Kingsville, home game against Bethel College of TN). At least this time it's against all teams with 85 scholarships.

Last year was no fun with 3 guarantees, on top of installing a new offense, but the end of the season left us feeling some what happy.

We will *never* in our life times see NSU on the same level as LSU in football. Hell the victories in basketball & baseball the last few years, I wouldn't expect to see again anytime soon either.

Honestly, it doesn't matter how many home/away games NSU plays. The home games are populated by:

1. Student section full of bored students that didn't go home for the wekend, frat boys, 5-6 sets of band parents, 12 band alumni (*ahem*), and the band.
2. Visitor's section with varying amounts of visitors pending who the school is, where they are located, and the vested interest in the game with the Colonels.
3. Home side with a handful of professors, team parents, and die hard alumni.
4. Either home or away side will also have an assortment of biddy teams and their parents, little cheer squads, or whatever other youth recreation camp of the week that gets to go on the field with the dance team/band/cheer leaders/etc...

Very seldom do you see any casual fans or people that live in the Houma/Thibodaux area gearing up for the local University's football game. No, those people are prepping for the LSU game and if it's an early afternoon game, recovering from whatever high school game the night before.

So whether we have 5 home games or 7, the only time we exceed the above for home games is for homecoming or when we played Mcneese for the Southland title in 2005.

Away games are usually only attended by team parents, me, and a few other alumni. ONE game per year, if the budget allows, the band rents two buses and heads that way as well.


I don't like it to an extent, but it's the nature of the beast at present. I admit though it is pretty nifty seeing the team play some big names like Oregon State, but beyond the name recognition, we're just "Beaver bait" to them.

[appfan2008]

3 is too many IMO... you are setting yourself up for failure doing that...

[TexasTerror]

3 is too many IMO... you are setting yourself up for failure doing that...

And it is very difficult to build a fan base beyond the individuals Hood mentioned when your team is hardly at home...


We will *never* in our life times see NSU on the same level as LSU in football. Hell the victories in basketball & baseball the last few years, I wouldn't expect to see again anytime soon either.

Hood -

There is never a question that NSU won't be on the same level as LSU in football, but it is getting much more difficult for the school to get on the same level as some of the others within the SLC. Your school is already at the bottom in funding and no other school has to schedule to the extremes that yours does for budgetary reasons.

Outside of playing guarantee games, how do you improve that situation?

[crossfire07]

I think you made a very good point, they do have the lowest budget but they can travel to the Texas State that spends 20mil+ on their sports programs a year and beat that *** in overtime! How does Texas State improve that situation? lol

[Hood]

Outside of playing guarantee games, how do you improve that situation?I wish I knew the answer. As a public institution, we're at the mercy of the state's funding. Oh sure alumni could contribute, and I'm sure a lot do, but reality bites. If someone has to choose between paying the power bill and sending a few hundred bucks to the university, what will the average person do? And that's just alumni.

I'd be willing to bet they have rich folks sending money to universities they didn't even attend, that don't even need the additional funding.

I mean it's to the point that for funding purposes these Louisiana teams need to go set up lemonade stands along the "Future" I-49 corridor aka Highway 90. It's frustrating, and I feel like those in power, at all levels, aren't doing enough.

And as huge of a football fan that I am, it angers me further seeing top quality instructors having to leave NSU for better pastures at different universities (and in some cases, high schools) because they are not being paid equal or close to what they are worth. Listening to some people talk, students included, NSU is a sinking ship, and I don't like it.

I try to remain positive and as supportive as possible, but there's only so much good feelings will do. I'm no where near qualified to go bang on the president's door and start making demands and suggestions.

[TexasTerror]

I think you made a very good point, they do have the lowest budget but they can travel to the Texas State that spends 20mil+ on their sports programs a year and beat that *** in overtime! How does Texas State improve that situation? lol

That's not a fair example... they are playing for the paddle! When there is such emotion on the line for such a prized object, what do you expect? It's a flat our rivalry! I do love when the low-budget Colonels beat the Bobcats. Hoping for one more this year!


I try to remain positive and as supportive as possible, but there's only so much good feelings will do. I'm no where near qualified to go bang on the president's door and start making demands and suggestions.

Your institution is already forking over money to athletics, which in addition to the litany of guarantee games in football, men's hoops are keeping your program at the bare minimum of keeping your head above water at the Division I level. Not much more your President can do when as you stated, you are at the mercy of the state.

[TColonel]

Sorry to jump in on this thread a bit late, but I wanted to add something that Coach Stubbs told me directly. I was talking with him on Monday (8/29) and asked about the 3 FBS schools on next year's schedule and he told me that for the types of players he wants to recruit, he needs to schedule those types of games. Basically, he feels that the higher the competition that he plays, the better recruits he will be able to get and that this is not being done purely for payouts, although he will gladly take them. He told me that idealy he would like to play one FBS school for over a $500,000 payout, but right now he is likes his schedule especially with his ties to Oregon St. and Tulsa and does not mind playing 3 FBS schools.

While I do not completey agree with his logic on scheduling those games, if it works for him and he does get the better players, then schedule three.

[danefan]

Completely opposite perspective here:

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/08/delaware-coach-no-fan-games-vs-fbs-teams


During the first Colonial Athletic Association teleconference of the season, Keeler expressed his desire to eliminate games against FBS teams.

The Blue Hens open the season Saturday at Navy.

"I'm not a fan of (games against FBS teams) and don't see the benefit," Keeler said. "In the future in seasons with just 11 regular-season games, we won't play (against an FBS team). In the seasons when we play 12 regular-season games, we'll pick up (a game against an FBS team)."

While a number of ODU fans have asked Wilder when they could expect the Monarchs to play a Virginia or Virginia Tech, Wilder has said he has no desire to play such games.

"The bottom line is you have to have enough wins to make the playoffs," Keeler said. "The goal should not be to win against (an FBS) team. The goal should be to win a national championship.

"When you listen to fans, you start being a fan. And I like my job."

FBS teams can have 85 players on full scholarship. Football Championship Subdivision teams are limited to 63 scholarships divided among 85 players. It's a decided advantage.

CAA teams will play six games this weekend against FBS opponents.

FCS teams typically play 11-game regular seasons but will play a 12-game regular season in 2013.

I'd say Keeler is doing pretty well recruiting at Delaware.

IMO, FCS recruiting is more a product of what conference you are in as opposed to what OOC schedule you play. But of course the most important thing for any team is to win. Racking up 3 FBS losses a year doesn't help. Its a great experience, but one a year is enough.

[TexasTerror]

While I do not completey agree with his logic on scheduling those games, if it works for him and he does get the better players, then schedule three.

I'm absolutely perplexed as well... on the bright side - if there is one - he is only playing one major BCS opponent. If he was playing two or three, then there would be a huge problem.

I think Stubbs is doing a good job in putting this whole situation in a positive light. Kudos to him on that, regardless of what I or anyone else thinks.

Now, if playing three FBS games does not amount to success in the SLC - who does that fall on? I guess, ultimately the coach - unless he's covering for an AD who has go to meet budget.


IMO, FCS recruiting is more a product of what conference you are in as opposed to what OOC schedule you play. But of course the most important thing for any team is to win. Racking up 3 FBS losses a year doesn't help. Its a great experience, but one a year is enough.

Agreed.

Does nothing to build momentum and much of anything else when you are 1-3 or 0-4 entering league play.

[TexasTerror]

One league coach's opinion on playing two games... and we all know that Nicholls plays three next year!


Southeastern Louisiana coach Mike Lucas said that budget concerns are the reason for the games, but playing a number of these games hurts FCS teams' chances at the postseason.

"It makes it difficult to achieve your goals and get into the playoffs. When you play two FBS teams, the only way to get into the playoff is to win the league. I think that is a disadvantage to the Southland (teams)," Lucas said. "So many of our teams are playing two of these games. When it comes playoff time, we only get one team in instead of two like other conferences. We do understand our budget goals and playing a couple FBS teams helps out. We have to do what our administration wants us to do. We get our budget goals and if we could do it by playing one (FBS team) then we would play one. This year we are playing two. I know next year we open with Georgia Tech and TCU the following year."

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20110916/ARTICLES/110919646/-1/opinion?p=2&tc=pg

[El Gato]

I think you made a very good point, they do have the lowest budget but they can travel to the Texas State that spends 20mil+ on their sports programs a year and beat that *** in overtime! How does Texas State improve that situation? lol
Awesome job, way to stay on topic. Man I wish I could be just like you one day!/sarcasm

[TexasTerror]

They continue to make this out to be a positive...


In 2012, Nicholls' non-conference schedule features three FBS programs, which not many schools at the FCS level choose to do based on the likeliness of acquiring losses. However, Coach Stubbs believes that the challenge of facing top competition can only help the program.

“If you look at our schedule, we'll open up 2012 at Oregon State, and we'll also play Tulsa and South Alabama before getting into our conference schedule, which is always challenging in itself,” Coach Stubbs said. “So I really believe that our prospects will see that we are challenging our players, and I think anyone who's a real competitor will look at our schedule and be excited to see where we stack up against those types of teams.”

http://www.geauxcolonels.com/news/2011/12/14/FB_1214114053.aspx?path=football