|
ASUN
Jul 3, 2021 6:28:57 GMT -6
Post by gemofthehills on Jul 3, 2021 6:28:57 GMT -6
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 3, 2021 9:08:06 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Cleburneslim on Jul 3, 2021 9:08:06 GMT -6
So will this be the lasting divisional setup.
West JSU EKU tUNA UCA Lipscomb and Bellermine
East KSU liberty Jacksonville north Fla. Stetson and FGCU
If so I like it except I'd prefer KSU in our division, but I guess some concession need be made. Perhaps we can have a permanent crossover arrangement.
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 4, 2021 15:27:19 GMT -6
Post by Whup Em All on Jul 4, 2021 15:27:19 GMT -6
So will this be the lasting divisional setup. West JSU EKU tUNA UCA Lipscomb and Bellermine East KSU liberty Jacksonville north Fla. Stetson and FGCU If so I like it except I'd prefer KSU in our division, but I guess some concession need be made. Perhaps we can have a permanent crossover arrangement. I'm OK with this. It's not perfect, but it's workable. With 12 teams, the chances that we'd play home-and-home with East teams (including KSU) are still pretty high. Hopefully, if the ASUN expands to enough teams that home-and-homes are reserved for divisional foes, the mix of new teams would allow JSU, UNA, and KSU to be in the same division. (UTC, too, if they're one of the expansion teams.)
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 4, 2021 20:34:13 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Cleburneslim on Jul 4, 2021 20:34:13 GMT -6
That's the division I want.
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 5, 2021 13:51:46 GMT -6
Post by Whup Em All on Jul 5, 2021 13:51:46 GMT -6
A totally unsubstantiated rumor on the UNA board says "per source" that UTC is out, and that the two invitations from the ASUN will go to UWF and Peay.
If true, that'd add two strong teams to ASUN Football, but would really mess up the current East-West divisions for OLY sports.
How would you break it down?
I know some of the regulars on the ASUN board have suggested in the past putting UWF in with the other Florida teams, but that doesn't make much sense if you know and understand the geography and culture of Florida. Pensacola is far more closely related to Alabama than it is anywhere on the Peninsula. I'd keep them in the West, I think. Maybe break it down this way??
EAST: EKU, Liberty, Bellarmine, JU, UNF, Stetson, FGCU
WEST: KSU, JSU, UNA, UWF, Peay, Lipscomb, UCA
If you went with more of a North-South split, you'd almost certainly have to separate UNA and JSU, so let's just trash that idea.
And 14 teams wouldn't break down into three or four equal divisions, so none of those plans would work.
Your opinion?
|
|
|
Post by troysux on Jul 5, 2021 15:17:12 GMT -6
UWF being so far from everyone else it doesn’t matter if they are in a proper geographic division.
Not a fan of a D2 call-up but they have done well in football in their short history. That gives us seven football members. We will have to wait out UWF’s transition, but we still have six to qualify for a football autobid. Now we just need one more to get to eight and split off.
That also knocks the OVC down to six for football and nine for Olympic sports. Not ideal but certainly manageable.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 5, 2021 17:48:47 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Cleburneslim on Jul 5, 2021 17:48:47 GMT -6
East: Liberty Eku KSU Stetson U N. fla FL gulf coast Jacksonville
West:
Bellarmine Lipscomb A peay UCA tUNA Jax St UWF
This seems the best to me. I'd like KSU and/then EKU but it is what it is.
What do we have to do to entice NCa&t and western Carolina. And why is McNeese not wanted. Is it only because of their lack or funding?
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 6, 2021 5:55:46 GMT -6
Post by gemofthehills on Jul 6, 2021 5:55:46 GMT -6
Always like McNeese and their following. If the new administration get them back on the right track the Cowboys could be a good addition. Plus with several small FBS schools in the state of LA, McNeese cold be looking to move. The Cowboys could catch La-Lafayette and ULM real quick.
UTC is an odd bird when it comes to take a step to grow. Probably explains why the program doesnt draw. The fans surely want to add some excitement and the Southern conference has had any excitement in awhile. If App and GaSo were still in the conference it would be understandable and the ASUN probably would have never even invited.
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 6, 2021 8:59:23 GMT -6
Post by Whup Em All on Jul 6, 2021 8:59:23 GMT -6
A look at some of the remaining candidates:
NCAT - Would be a VERY attractive addition, but they'd just moved to the Big South shortly before the ASUN Football announcement was made last spring. Just bad timing. Given their stated goals in football, it's probably just a matter of time before they move to the ASUN, but it's not going to be for 2-3 years at least.
WCU - Absolutely will not move from the SoCon. Some of their fans were even resistant to moving EVEN IF the ASUN had landed UTC. UTC may make terrible decisions for their future, but at least in the SoCon their fans can say, "Thank God for the Catamounts." They make the Mocs look wise by comparison.
ETSU - ETSU would only move back to the ASUN if UTC and WCU moved first, and then, it'd take a lot to convince them. That says everything you need to know about ETSU's chances.
McNeese - Way, way outside the ASUN footprint. (Only 45 minutes from the Texas border, and at 440 miles, they're not much closer to UCA than we are.) They've taken some funding hits recently (along with the other Louisiana schools) and despite having one of my favorite fan bases in the FCS, they wouldn't bring much to the ASUN other than now-mediocre football. Other than softball (2021 SLC champs), their non-football sports are terrible.
Southeastern Louisiana - A much better geographical fit for the ASUN footprint, especially if the rumors are true about UWF. (Hammond is only 215 miles from Pensacola.) SLU's football has been strong in recent years, but like McNeese, funding has taken a toll in other sports. Only softball and volleyball would bring much of anything competitively to the ASUN. SLU was in the Gulf South Conference with JSU and UNA in the 1970s. SLU is the 3rd largest university in Louisiana, behind only LA-La and that school with the tiger.
Nicholls - An even better geographical fit for the ASUN footprint than SLU, and even stronger football. That's all I have good to say about Nicholls.
NWSU - No. Just no.
Other OVC schools - There are some other OVC candidates besides Peay. Each has strengths and weaknesses, except for the couple that have only weaknesses. But you all should be familiar enough with the OVC that I won't waste anymore time talking about them.
Other D-IIs - UWF is the only really attractive one. I'd rank Valdosta State next, followed by West Georgia at a distant 3rd. That's it for D-II. Let's please look elsewhere if at all possible.
Other Carolina schools - CSU does not have the funding or support for a move to a higher profile conference. Some of the basketball-only schools in NC have been mentioned by some other ASUN fans, but I just don't know enough about any of them. Other than NCAT, I don't think any other public schools in the Carolinas would bring much (if anything) to football, so I'm lukewarm at best on most of these. I'd be on board with bringing in a Carolina school with strong hoops, though. We'd just have to pry them from whatever conference they currently call home.
Virginia(-area) schools - JMU, Richmond, and Delaware are the only ones I've heard mentioned, and I think all three are pipe dreams. Could it happen? Sure. But I think the ASUN would need at least 5 years to clearly establish itself as "the SEC of the FCS" before they'd do anything other than laugh in our faces. If a conference-wide move to FBS begins to look imminent, things could change, but even then, I just don't see these schools coming on board.
|
|
|
Post by Cleburneslim on Jul 6, 2021 15:13:46 GMT -6
The Louisiana schools seem they would be eager to leave. Sela would be good with me. I why is it such a difficult thing for ncat to move over with tUNA. They would fit nicely in my opinion.
I'm not to interested in more OVC schools. And I avoided the pipe dreams on purpose, those three are ready for the sec aren't they.
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 18, 2021 18:24:27 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Cleburneslim on Jul 18, 2021 18:24:27 GMT -6
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 19, 2021 8:30:17 GMT -6
Post by Whup Em All on Jul 19, 2021 8:30:17 GMT -6
I'd certainly be open to McNeese, if they wanted to make the move. But they would need to make a commitment to improving in other sports. As I said earlier, other than softball, they're really, REALLY awful across the board. It'd balance out, somewhat, if they were still a Top 10 football program, but they're not, and haven't been since that smack we laid down on them in CBC's lone season as coach.
If we're going for football-only membership, I'd be very happy with McNeese and SLU. I know Nicholls is strong, but I just don't like them. And I don't like NWSU at all. If we took all four, on top of the rumored Peay-UWF, it'd give us a whopping 11 schools in ASUN Football, which is honestly two too many.
A football-only invitation for McNeese and SLU would be the ideal. Nicholls and NWSU could go north to the OVC to bolster its football cred.
That'd leave us with this:
JSU UNA KSU EKU UCA Peay UWF McNeese SLU
That would be one helluva football conference.
Edit: In this scenario, only McNeese and SLU would be football-only. Everyone else would be in the ASUN for all sports. That would bring total conference membership to 14, which is just about perfect.
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 19, 2021 9:33:20 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Cleburneslim on Jul 19, 2021 9:33:20 GMT -6
This seems very workable/acceptable. I wish we had more concrete info on where the other potential additions stood. (Chatty, wcu, etsu,. Are they definite No's. I would think these SLC schools and AP would be an easy get. I'm sure if McNeese and or SLU were interested in the wac or were wanted by the wac they would have left with the 4 tx schools. I don't think they were wanted.
It looks like the ASUN would have these three or a few more begging to be let in to get out of their current falling conferences. Does this mean were thinking someone bigger is on the way.
It just doesn't seem it would be that hard to fill up.
|
|
|
Post by troysux on Jul 19, 2021 11:10:19 GMT -6
Not in favor of football only members.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
|
|
|
ASUN
Jul 19, 2021 11:46:59 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by JSUSoutherner on Jul 19, 2021 11:46:59 GMT -6
This seems very workable/acceptable. I wish we had more concrete info on where the other potential additions stood. (Chatty, wcu, etsu,. Are they definite No's. I would think these SLC schools and AP would be an easy get. I'm sure if McNeese and or SLU were interested in the wac or were wanted by the wac they would have left with the 4 tx schools. I don't think they were wanted. It looks like the ASUN would have these three or a few more begging to be let in to get out of their current falling conferences. Does this mean were thinking someone bigger is on the way. It just doesn't seem it would be that hard to fill up. More info would be nice but we're not going to know anything until there's either a membership announcement or a credible leak from someone in the know. Personally, I think we're about to get screwed and they're going to bring in some nobody.
|
|