The future of FCS football

[Paytonlives]

So in the last year:

JMU is talking to the MAC
Delaware is talking to the MAC
NDSU is talking FBS
ODU to FBS in 2013
App State is thinking CUSA
Liberty is moving to FBS
Charlotte FBS 2015
Georgia Southern is making plans to move to FBS
Texas State is moving this summer to FBS
UMASS is going MAC
UT Arlington to FBS
South Alabama is moving up

Are they all stupid, or do they know something?

 

[Paytonlives]

A fox sports report:

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/05/02/in-fcs-huddle-how-many-hits-can-fcs-take/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[EverettGriz]

Soon, FCS is going to consist of the BSC, the nonscholarships, and the Ivys. Schedules will consist of an all DII nonconf. 3-8 records are a lock for the playoffs. The BSC winner is the "national champion" every year.

Fun.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtgrizrule]

I really am beginning to get concerned if the state of Montana can even be at a competitive level. With the way the things are going, I have a question, one which is far fetched, but may be our state's reality at some point.

If within the next 10 years, NCAA football gets to the point of, whatever would take the GRIZ and Cats back a few notches in football, what would you be willing to accept, and support?

Keeping Montana and Montana State at the lower level (whatever that level might be)?
OR , committing to supporting 1 DIV 1 program at a higher level than now? Basically, similar to Wyoming, and Nebraska do. After getting through the politics of it, I for one would love supporting 1 program to be the best it can be, for the whole state.

 

[billings_poke]

So in the last year:

JMU is talking to the MAC
Delaware is talking to the MAC
NDSU is talking FBS
ODU to FBS in 2013
App State is thinking CUSA
Liberty is moving to FBS
Charlotte FBS 2015
Georgia Southern is making plans to move to FBS
Texas State is moving this summer to FBS
UMASS is going MAC
UT Arlington to FBS
South Alabama is moving up

Are they all stupid, or do they know something?

They understand that the teams left in the MWC, CUSA, MAC, Sunbelt and maybe a few other castoffs are not coming down to FCS (other then maybe Idaho). They are willing to invest in their programs and move up to those 4 conferences. A new layer in the FBS is forming, well not really new but a clearer line is being drawn by the top 4 conferences. FBS leagues, not in the top 4, will focus on regional rivalries and attempt to keep fans coming in despite no chance at top bowls or playoffs.

These teams are choosing a better regular season schedule and opponents over a post season playoff in FCS. It is interesting to watch. Now I know money is a part as CUSA and MWC are now making about $2 million in TV deals and in BB these are multiple bid conferences who get better seeding. I think a few of these programs are moving up to improve their BB programs.

 

[Tokyogriz]

So in the last year:

JMU is talking to the MAC
Delaware is talking to the MAC
NDSU is talking FBS
ODU to FBS in 2013
App State is thinking CUSA
Liberty is moving to FBS
Charlotte FBS 2015
Georgia Southern is making plans to move to FBS
Texas State is moving this summer to FBS
UMASS is going MAC
UT Arlington to FBS
South Alabama is moving up

Are they all stupid, or do they know something?

Were is the University of Montana on this list? It seems we have a engstom and the femi nazis out to dismantle UM football rather than actually create a bright future atm.

With Oday getting fired by Engstrom UM truely has ZERO leadership atm in both athletics and UMs sense of direction in general. Engstrom is no leader thats for sure.

 

[MrTitleist]

It appears that the schools that some posters on eGriz consider to be Montana's "peers" are not looking to stay in FCS... why on Earth would Montana remain on the same path when our "peers" are moving up or strongly considering it. Granted, we can't move to the NFL like NDSU thinks they will, but FBS would be reasonable.

 

[poiuyter]

UT-Arlington has no football team. South Alabama started one to play fbs. UNCC started theres to be fbs. CUSA only will take Appalachian State if they need one more team. Georgia Southern not interested in fbs. Liberty is wishing. JMU and Delaware, I'll take one comment on twitter for fact when Idaho joins the PAC.

FCS is not going away anytime soon.

 

[ordigger]

It appears that the schools that some posters on eGriz consider to be Montana's "peers" are not looking to stay in FCS... why on Earth would Montana remain on the same path when our "peers" are moving up or strongly considering it. Granted, we can't move to the NFL like NDSU thinks they will, but FBS would be reasonable.

I know for a fact that at least one of these schools has a long term plan, UMass. When they first were discussing the move to FBS, the goal was to use the MAC only as a stepping stone to something better and grander. UMass really wants to be in the Big East, but they recognize it will take a number of years to get there - perhaps even 15-20, but at least they have a plan - in fact a very detailed long range plan.

 

[kemajic]

FCS is not going away anytime soon.

Probably not; a level which is the residue of unambitious programs is needed. It will become difficult to distinguish from DII.

 

[mtgrizrule]

FCS is not going away anytime soon.

Probably not; a level which is the residue of unambitious programs is needed. It will become difficult to distinguish from DII.

Very likely. I do not want the GRIZ to be any part of whatever that is.

 

[GrizLA]

It appears that the schools that some posters on eGriz consider to be Montana's "peers" are not looking to stay in FCS... why on Earth would Montana remain on the same path when our "peers" are moving up or strongly considering it. Granted, we can't move to the NFL like NDSU thinks they will, but FBS would be reasonable.

I see only 4 schools on that list that might be considered "peers" to UM. Most are typical Southern schools where football is the primary focus, and academics merely adequate...

 

[kemajic]

It appears that the schools that some posters on eGriz consider to be Montana's "peers" are not looking to stay in FCS... why on Earth would Montana remain on the same path when our "peers" are moving up or strongly considering it. Granted, we can't move to the NFL like NDSU thinks they will, but FBS would be reasonable.

I see only 4 schools on that list that might be considered "peers" to UM. Most are typical Southern schools where football is the primary focus, and academics merely adequate...

So how many schools that might be considered "peers" to UM do you see in the BSC?

 

[bobadams]

...and then one day, I looked around and all these people that I thought were my friends had left. I realized my desire to be a big fish in a small pond was just that...and now I was the only fish left. For years I took pleasure in bullying my friends who I thought were just small and meek. I always beat them down and took much pleasure in it. But now I see there is a bigger pond, with bigger and smarter fish that have grown physically and intellectually. My friends had what I was not given, the desire to rise up above my level and become greater. I thought I was at the top, I was the best, but I was too dumb to realize there is a big world out there and my little place in it was completely anonymous.

 

[OrgonGriz]

This news is interesting! I wonder if the FCS level will be going away? Think about it really. I think the plan of having two FBS levels is the overall goal. You will have the FBS-1 consisting of the current BCS schools then you will have the FBS-2 schools with conf such as the MAC, CUSA, MWC, SBC in which both geoups would be considered Div-I programs. Could it be that any school in an FCS conf not decide to move up is reduced to Div-II?

In talking once with Don Read we discussed the Griz going to what was Div-IA at the time. Don thought it would happen. Don even made mention of the entire BSC going to Div-IA. Maybe that is Foolertons plan in all this. Maybe he see the death of the WAC in football and the entire BSC make a move

 

[Spanky]

News Flash: Many people now think FCS is Division 2. Those prepared to allow Mr. Bobcat to decide the destiny of UM athletics deserve the outcome.

 

[griz4life]

The Griz are in a strange spot brought about by increasing its fan base and spending money on football. Fans and money are not the norm in FCS. If they were, attendance of 25K and facility improvements every three to four years would be no big deal. Look at Richmond, Villanova, EWU, Sam Houston--all champs or contenders with tiny fan bases and pathetic facilities.
So , you draw some fans and make some improvements and suddenly you're a big fish. That's not a reflection on UM as much as it is about how tiny the FCS pond is.
There is no real broad interest across the FCS or even across conferenes like The Big Sky, CAA, Mo. Valley, Southern or Southland to make the kind of improvements in fan bases and money needed to "merge" even the best FCS conferences with the lower tier FBS. And no FBS conference wants the shame of being sent to the kids table.
If you want to move up, you have to go it alone. Sure, Don Read said when Nevada left and the Idahos were going that the Big Sky would probably all move up together in a few years. Well, that was 20 years ago and if the Big Sky went FBS today it would easily be the shittiest conference at that level.
The will always be an FCS level because there will always be schools who don't give a crap about fans or money and just want to play other DI sports. And schools that do spend money and do draw fans will always look like oddballs.

 

[GlassOnion]

UT-Arlington has no football team. South Alabama started one to play fbs. UNCC started theres to be fbs. CUSA only will take Appalachian State if they need one more team. Georgia Southern not interested in fbs. Liberty is wishing. JMU and Delaware, I'll take one comment on twitter for fact when Idaho joins the PAC.

FCS is not going away anytime soon.

Ga Southern has indeed already come out and stated FBS as their objective. Since Ga St jumped to the Sun Belt, Southern has been in hyperdrive, as has Appalachian after UNCC got their invite. The ADs from APP and Ga South have been in discussions with FBS conferences for over a month, and eachother, and there is much talk of them going up as a pair to the Sun Belt after this years' June 1 deadline, although App is still aggressively seeking a CUSA invite.

The Sun Belt needs 2 for a Championsip game, which would mean more money.

The MAC is at 13 and needs at least 1, maybe as many as 3.

CUSA wants to go to anywhere from 18-24 teams. Middle Tenn, FAU, and App are on the list.

ODU is already gone.

 

[Silvertip]

The upper echelons of FCS are currently engaged in a serious game of musical chairs and when the music finally stops, considering the leadership void at all levels of MT's higher education, the Griz will be left standing alone in an empty room with their thumb hidden "nowhere to be seen"...Case in point. After spending a bundle on new stadium lights Montana has yet to schedule its first night game...Griz athletics, all dressed up and nowhere to go... a rudderless ship no less...pathetic

And for those disillusioned souls who take comfort believing that they'll always be an FCS..take a look at the bottom 2/3rd's of its membership. It is and always has been safe haven for marginal programs, many non-scholarship programs playing in high school stadiums in front of 600 to 1,500 friends and family. If that's the brand of company you prefer you are a terminally clueless bottom-feeder.

 

[mtgrizrule]

The upper echelons of FCS are currently engaged in a serious game of musical chairs and when the music finally stops, considering the leadership void at all levels of MT's higher education, the Griz will be left standing alone in an empty room with their thumb hidden "nowhere to be seen"...Case in point. After spending a bundle on new stadium lights Montana has yet to schedule its first night game...Griz athletics, all dressed up and nowhere to go... a rudderless ship no less...pathetic

And for those disillusioned souls who take comfort believing that they'll always be an FCS..take a look at the bottom 2/3rd's of its membership. It is and always has been safe haven for marginal programs, many non-scholarship programs playing in high school stadiums in front of 600 to 1,500 friends and family. If that's the brand of company you prefer you are a terminally clueless bottom-feeder.

Sad, but true, and very much a reality.