As reported by David Schultz of Locked on Sunbelt, ULM’s AD is stepping down and the school allegedly wants to cut their already league lowest $31m athletic budget by $5 to $9m (via Shane Mettlen, ODU reporter).

They can’t compete in FBS at $12-15m.

Recall that they also were the loudest voice sponsoring La Tech for membership.



https://x.com/shane_dnrsports/status/19 ... Bx6HyH9qbw

The available data on their budget: https://knightnewhousedata.org/fbs/sun- ... ana-monroe

APPdiesel wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 7:32 am

As reported by David Schultz of Locked on Sunbelt, ULM’s AD is stepping down and the school allegedly wants to cut their already league lowest $31m athletic budget by $5 to $9m (via Shane Mettlen, ODU reporter).

They can’t compete in FBS at $12-15m.

Recall that they also were the loudest voice sponsoring La Tech for membership.

https://x.com/shane_dnrsports/status/19 ... Bx6HyH9qbw

The available data on their budget: https://knightnewhousedata.org/fbs/sun- ... ana-monroe

They should drop down to FCS. I said the only way I would want La Tech is to get rid of ULM since we don't need 3 Louisiana schools.

Who knows...maybe that was part of the overall plan ...or it was expected to happen..so part of sbc plan..

Honestly, more teams need to drop down to FCS. No disrespect to ULM, but they just don't bring much to the table other than some cool uniforms.
However, I know that for a lot of schools, being terrible in FBS is still more profitable than being good in FCS, and money is all that really matters for most athletic programs.

Hopefully we aren’t trending in that downward direction but honestly what’s the point of probably a third (or more) of the current FBS teams remaining at this level? If the top 40-60 FBS teams move to a model of only playing each other with an expanded playoff system what are the bottom third even playing for? A mid December bowl game in Montgomery for 18,000 fans?

If this comes to fruition, the big problem is it puts the SB back at 13 members. ULM pushed to add LT. We could’ve dropped to 12 and stood firm for a while but in the future we would be forced to add again. WKU is the popular choice based on who’s been available but they’d like to stay tied to MTSU, and from what I’ve read, they’d like to be in the east, so that could force a Georgia school to go west. Thanks a lot ULM.

From csnbbs their is a poster with admin connections to Ark St who is characterizing the conversation as follows:

East schools worried about ulm viability, west schools starting to agree

East schools trying to implement minimum financial standards west schools have so far been resistant but this news from ulm might change some minds.

The east schools all have (by far) the biggest budgets so it’s a delicate political game.

IMO ulm should look heavily at dropping down. They had a ~$23MM budget for 2024.

For comparison the lowest school in the east had a $37mm budget.

Ulm total budget is far far closer to Apps football budget than it is to the lowest sbc east budget.

Since app joined the sun belt they have only 1 season they had a .500 record.

Bigdaddyg1 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 8:59 am

Hopefully we aren’t trending in that downward direction but honestly what’s the point of probably a third (or more) of the current FBS teams remaining at this level? If the top 40-60 FBS teams move to a model of only playing each other with an expanded playoff system what are the bottom third even playing for? A mid December bowl game in Montgomery for 18,000 fans?

I remember quite vividly the pro 1-A movement here constantly saying the regular season is where all the benefits would be found. And they aren't wrong, there have been a handful of home games we would never have gotten remaining in 1-AA. But the end result of the postseason has been and will continue to be a 99% chance to have our season completed no later than mid-December in a made-for-TV bowl game.

I wonder if La Tech is behind this move because they hate ULM so much.

Should have stayed at 13 and let them drop to FCS. Stupid move to add LA Tech that quickly.

rbarthle17 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:28 am

Bigdaddyg1 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 8:59 am

Hopefully we aren’t trending in that downward direction but honestly what’s the point of probably a third (or more) of the current FBS teams remaining at this level? If the top 40-60 FBS teams move to a model of only playing each other with an expanded playoff system what are the bottom third even playing for? A mid December bowl game in Montgomery for 18,000 fans?

I remember quite vividly the pro 1-A movement here constantly saying the regular season is where all the benefits would be found. And they aren't wrong, there have been a handful of home games we would never have gotten remaining in 1-AA. But the end result of the postseason has been and will continue to be a 99% chance to have our season completed no later than mid-December in a made-for-TV bowl game.

We wouldn’t have gotten 90% of our home games since fbs teams don’t play at FCs teams. No miami, unc, wf, Ncst (ostensibly)

We would have watched jmu and coastal get college gameday and top 25 rankings.

Instead of the tuneup game,etsu would be our marquee home game most years.

For now we still have a shot at the cfp. It’s difficult yes but we’ve been on the precipice before.

rbarthle17 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:28 am

Bigdaddyg1 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 8:59 am

Hopefully we aren’t trending in that downward direction but honestly what’s the point of probably a third (or more) of the current FBS teams remaining at this level? If the top 40-60 FBS teams move to a model of only playing each other with an expanded playoff system what are the bottom third even playing for? A mid December bowl game in Montgomery for 18,000 fans?

I remember quite vividly the pro 1-A movement here constantly saying the regular season is where all the benefits would be found. And they aren't wrong, there have been a handful of home games we would never have gotten remaining in 1-AA. But the end result of the postseason has been and will continue to be a 99% chance to have our season completed no later than mid-December in a made-for-TV bowl game.

And I’m okay with that.

BallantyneApp wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:40 am

rbarthle17 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:28 am

Bigdaddyg1 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 8:59 am

Hopefully we aren’t trending in that downward direction but honestly what’s the point of probably a third (or more) of the current FBS teams remaining at this level? If the top 40-60 FBS teams move to a model of only playing each other with an expanded playoff system what are the bottom third even playing for? A mid December bowl game in Montgomery for 18,000 fans?

I remember quite vividly the pro 1-A movement here constantly saying the regular season is where all the benefits would be found. And they aren't wrong, there have been a handful of home games we would never have gotten remaining in 1-AA. But the end result of the postseason has been and will continue to be a 99% chance to have our season completed no later than mid-December in a made-for-TV bowl game.

We wouldn’t have gotten 90% of our home games since fbs teams don’t play at FCs teams. No miami, unc, wf, Ncst (ostensibly)

We would have watched jmu and coastal get college gameday and top 25 rankings.

Instead of the tuneup game,etsu would be our marquee home game most years.

For now we still have a shot at the cfp. It’s difficult yes but we’ve been on the precipice before.

When you say precipice, do you mean a hazardous situation? https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precipice

I say we have not only been on the mountain top but have owned that mountain as well.

I should have added that I don’t include App State in that theoretical lower third. Just a few years ago in my opinion we were solidly in the top 3rd if you go with 40 teams per third. I think we’d all agree that App was a solid top 40 program. Now it’s all about knowing how to reload 20-30 (or more) roster spots every year and to be able to bring pretty much a new roster together quickly.

Mettlen is backtracking, saying the immediate cuts are now closer to $2 mil and from admin positions.

The initial stuff about cutting $6 million to $9 million sounds like a vendetta by another Sun Belt AD and I wouldn't be surprised if it's Gillin.

T-Dog wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 10:36 am

Mettlen is backtracking, saying the immediate cuts are now closer to $2 mil and from admin positions.

The initial stuff about cutting $6 million to $9 million sounds like a vendetta by another Sun Belt AD and I wouldn't be surprised if it's Gillin.

Hope you have evidence for that claim.

Bigdaddyg1 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 10:19 am

I should have added that I don’t include App State in that theoretical lower third. Just a few years ago in my opinion we were solidly in the top 3rd if you go with 40 teams per third. I think we’d all agree that App was a solid top 40 program. Now it’s all about knowing how to reload 20-30 (or more) roster spots every year and to be able to bring pretty much a new roster together quickly.

I think we are in that middle area, but we are closer to the bottom third than we are to the top third. Another bad season or two would put us squarely in that bottom zone. How we do with the annual reloading we will have to do, as you noted, will determine where we end up. I just don't see how having to do that constant reloading will be maintainable with the limits we will have financially, especially if we end up anything close to good at it we will be reloading coaching staffs with regularity and hoping we don't hit a dud there.

The big fish/smaller pond vs. small fish in the ocean argument is going to have to be dealt with for all but those top 40 schools, probably within a decade if I had to guess. And we won't be in that top 40 I don't think. I'm sure that's an unpopular opinion around here, but I think it's very realistic.

T-Dog wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 05, 2025 10:36 am

Mettlen is backtracking, saying the immediate cuts are now closer to $2 mil and from admin positions.

The initial stuff about cutting $6 million to $9 million sounds like a vendetta by another Sun Belt AD and I wouldn't be surprised if it's Gillin.

$2MM is ~10% of their actual budget. Thats a huge amount. That will put them in ~median FCS budget. They are barely above fcs budget as it is.

They have named their football coach interim AD.

Why did we let this program lead the charge to advocate for LA Tech again?

Nothing telegraphs financial security like having your head football coach moonlight as the AD just 3 weeks before the season.