Retro
June 6th, 2005, 11:15 AM
The below is taken from today's zem's gem's article on geauxcowboys.com
The Southland Conference football coaches gathered in Galveston last week to discuss some new proposals. Expansion was discussed, but no action was taken. The Sun Belt adopted some form of instant replay and this too was discussed by the SLC, but no action was taken. The most interesting topic discussed was the future of 1AA football. There is a discussion going around the country to have the AA dropped from the identity. The proposal would be to have two levels of Division 1 football. Those wishing to sponsor 85 scholarships and participate in the 'Bowl Series', and those universities wishing to participate in the 'Playoff Series'. The programs wishing to play in the playoffs would be allowed a total of 63 scholarships.
The 1AA schools are tired of the propaganda that 1A schools(the bottom tiered schools)are using during football recruiting. Many parents are mislead to believe that 1AA is D2. This is because many fans and coaches continue to refer to schools like Youngstown State,etc. as D2. The truth of the matter is that the 1AA programs vote in D1, follow D1 academic and transfer rules, and are governed by Division 1. The fact of the matter is they are D1. BCS schools do not worry about recruiting against 1AA programs, but many of the schools who average below 25,000 fans, are recruiting against 1AA programs.
Programs in the Midwest such as Ohio,Eastern Michigan,Ball State, Kent State, and Akron are struggling to remain in 1A and are increasingly being challenged in recruiting by up and coming programs like Southern Illinios, Illinois State,etc.I read an article on the 'ghost' of Kent State. The article was two years old, but it made a point that few recruit's parents would see. The local paper did an actual count of a game in 2003. The attendance was announced at 8,300, but an actual head count was listed as a little over 3,000. The football program lost 1.7 million dollars, but was asking for 13 million to upgrade the football stadium.
Delaware is a classic example of a school that fights the sterotype. The Blue Hens are successful, outdraw most of the 1A's they recruit against, and are in a great area near Philadephia. Local kids have to choose between a school that packs in 21,000 per opening, competes in a great conference(A-10), and plays for a national championship, or a program(Temple) that lost all 24 games it played in 2003 and 2004. Without doing research, I would guess Temple has won about 3 games in the past five years. Buffalo comes down in that area to recruit as well. Buffalo won one game in 2003 and 2004.
I could go into the Montana situation and compare Idaho, Idaho State, Utah State, and other 1A programs that they compete with in recruiting, but I won't. We all know about the great fans and facilities in Montana, but few realize that Utah State and Idaho went 1-22 in 2003 and were projected to go 0-22 in 2004.(I am using 2004 stats because I have them in magazines,etc.and it is quicker than doing Internet research). There are 1AA programs throughout the country that are equal in playing ability to some 1A's, but have to fight the negative recruiting due to the misuse of perception. The 1AA's may try to do something about it in legislation, but then again there will be some opposition.
NOTE: I already emailed him about the idaho state reference.
The Southland Conference football coaches gathered in Galveston last week to discuss some new proposals. Expansion was discussed, but no action was taken. The Sun Belt adopted some form of instant replay and this too was discussed by the SLC, but no action was taken. The most interesting topic discussed was the future of 1AA football. There is a discussion going around the country to have the AA dropped from the identity. The proposal would be to have two levels of Division 1 football. Those wishing to sponsor 85 scholarships and participate in the 'Bowl Series', and those universities wishing to participate in the 'Playoff Series'. The programs wishing to play in the playoffs would be allowed a total of 63 scholarships.
The 1AA schools are tired of the propaganda that 1A schools(the bottom tiered schools)are using during football recruiting. Many parents are mislead to believe that 1AA is D2. This is because many fans and coaches continue to refer to schools like Youngstown State,etc. as D2. The truth of the matter is that the 1AA programs vote in D1, follow D1 academic and transfer rules, and are governed by Division 1. The fact of the matter is they are D1. BCS schools do not worry about recruiting against 1AA programs, but many of the schools who average below 25,000 fans, are recruiting against 1AA programs.
Programs in the Midwest such as Ohio,Eastern Michigan,Ball State, Kent State, and Akron are struggling to remain in 1A and are increasingly being challenged in recruiting by up and coming programs like Southern Illinios, Illinois State,etc.I read an article on the 'ghost' of Kent State. The article was two years old, but it made a point that few recruit's parents would see. The local paper did an actual count of a game in 2003. The attendance was announced at 8,300, but an actual head count was listed as a little over 3,000. The football program lost 1.7 million dollars, but was asking for 13 million to upgrade the football stadium.
Delaware is a classic example of a school that fights the sterotype. The Blue Hens are successful, outdraw most of the 1A's they recruit against, and are in a great area near Philadephia. Local kids have to choose between a school that packs in 21,000 per opening, competes in a great conference(A-10), and plays for a national championship, or a program(Temple) that lost all 24 games it played in 2003 and 2004. Without doing research, I would guess Temple has won about 3 games in the past five years. Buffalo comes down in that area to recruit as well. Buffalo won one game in 2003 and 2004.
I could go into the Montana situation and compare Idaho, Idaho State, Utah State, and other 1A programs that they compete with in recruiting, but I won't. We all know about the great fans and facilities in Montana, but few realize that Utah State and Idaho went 1-22 in 2003 and were projected to go 0-22 in 2004.(I am using 2004 stats because I have them in magazines,etc.and it is quicker than doing Internet research). There are 1AA programs throughout the country that are equal in playing ability to some 1A's, but have to fight the negative recruiting due to the misuse of perception. The 1AA's may try to do something about it in legislation, but then again there will be some opposition.
NOTE: I already emailed him about the idaho state reference.