Sun Belt to Discuss Our Membership March 9th

[Kgfish]

I worry about nonrevenue sports such as wrestling. Apps athletic budget is going to increase, one way to save money is to cut sports, got a feeling wrestling would be at the top of the list.

The Sun Belt does not sponsor soccer so wrestling may have a shot at sticking. The SoCon already has to fill the "conference" with GW, VMI, Campbell and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

My "source" also tells me JMU doesn't think they can make the SunBelt work. It will be fine with me if ASU, JMU and UD was brought in for f'ball only and we joined the CAA in all other sports.

[Kgfish]

It looks like Delware is having alot of financial problems, they are dropping next years ticket prices, trying to get fans back in the seats, and their stadium is old and in need of repairs. It looks like they are at a low point in terms of interest in the athletics, and fundraising. Get the feeling they are not going anywhere. As far as JM, I would love to be in a conference with them, I'll take them over GS anytime, but unless we both end up in the MAC (highly unlikely) or USA, probably not going to happen.

I find it hard to believe UD is having financial issues considering it is one of the wealthiest and most heavily endowed public universities in the country. UD released a plan to renovate and expand their stadium a few years back. Attendance is down mainly because Keeler was not very popular with the fans.

[Saint3333]

I'm not concerned about UD's money. Their culture is much more of a MAC fit than Belt. JMU is in the middle culturally.

The only reason JMU would make the move would be pressure as a result of ODU moving.

The same could be said for our decision as well. ODU, UNCC, and now likely GSU moving has put a lot of pressure on us to not get left behind.

[GoApps70]

You mean not left behind again. We were left behind years ago when East Carolina was begging us to go with them.

[Goapps15]

If those truly are the 4 options then I feel good about the prospects of a move-up. I prefer option 4, but would take a hybrid of options 3 and 4. Add JMU, GSU, ASU to the East and add NMSU to the West. This allows for a better balance and gives App two regional rivals in JMU and GSU. Like others have said Delaware and Idaho are in similar situations, in that they are really left on an island. Neither are really a part of the Sun Belt's footprint and have problems fielding competitive teams as of late. Another problem they share is that they both are not putting people in the seats consistently. I hope they add 4 preferably with a more East based footprint, but if App and GSU are involved I will be pleased.

I also have seen these tweets from players about one more chance before we move up, etc.

[Saint3333]

You mean not left behind again. We were left behind years ago when East Carolina was begging us to go with them.

We were not ready to make a move at that time. Our fanbase has matured quite a bit since then, financially we had minimal to no support coming in from donors.

[Gonzo]

You mean not left behind again. We were left behind years ago when East Carolina was begging us to go with them.

We were not ready to make a move at that time. Our fanbase has matured quite a bit since then, financially we had minimal to no support coming in from donors.

We would have grown into it. It would have saved us 30 years of JV football and countless amounts of respect within our state.

[GlassOnion]

If we were to be transitional this year, we could add 10 to our total scholarship offers after this season, and take about 20, and then take another 20 the next year, keeping them spread out, BUT, we'd be playing our 2014 season, which would be our FBS transitional season with 7 FBS teams on the schedule, maybe even 8 with Michigan, down about 10 scholarships.

If we wanted to play the FBS transitional with the full allotment, we'd have to take somewhere around 30 commits next offseason.

The quality of the recruits would probably be higher over two years, but playing an FBS schedul with 73 scholarships could be brutal.

If we wait till after June 1, we'd be playoff eligable, have two years to add the scholarships, BUT we'd be playing Michigan as an FCS transitional, still down 10 scholarships to them, and probably not getting the extra $250,000 or so that was in the contract if we were FBS at the time.

Alot of variables here, both with good points and bad. It will be interesting to see what Cobb works out.

[AppScott89]

I would like one more run at the National Championship. I think the team we put on the field next year has the potential.

[GlassOnion]

I would like one more run at the National Championship. I think the team we put on the field next year has the potential.

Im wary of the "potential" argument. Our team last year should have had enough talent to at least get to the semi-finals, if the defense hadnt just gone MIA after a pretty good 2011 season.

[Saint3333]

You mean not left behind again. We were left behind years ago when East Carolina was begging us to go with them.

We were not ready to make a move at that time. Our fanbase has matured quite a bit since then, financially we had minimal to no support coming in from donors.

We would have grown into it. It would have saved us 30 years of JV football and countless amounts of respect within our state.

I disagree. We could not have competed at that level with the resources available and we did not have support of our leaders to raise that support at that time. Go look at ECU's record their first 20 years at that level, ours would have been even worse.

[appst89]

You mean not left behind again. We were left behind years ago when East Carolina was begging us to go with them.

We were not ready to make a move at that time. Our fanbase has matured quite a bit since then, financially we had minimal to no support coming in from donors.

We would have grown into it. It would have saved us 30 years of JV football and countless amounts of respect within our state.

We would have gone broke. Regardless of how much we try to make it so, we weren't ready, or financially able, to move when ECU did.

[AppinVA]

If we were to be transitional this year, we could add 10 to our total scholarship offers after this season, and take about 20, and then take another 20 the next year, keeping them spread out, BUT, we'd be playing our 2014 season, which would be our FBS transitional season with 7 FBS teams on the schedule, maybe even 8 with Michigan, down about 10 scholarships.

If we wanted to play the FBS transitional with the full allotment, we'd have to take somewhere around 30 commits next offseason.

The quality of the recruits would probably be higher over two years, but playing an FBS schedul with 73 scholarships could be brutal.

If we wait till after June 1, we'd be playoff eligable, have two years to add the scholarships, BUT we'd be playing Michigan as an FCS transitional, still down 10 scholarships to them, and probably not getting the extra $250,000 or so that was in the contract if we were FBS at the time.

Alot of variables here, both with good points and bad. It will be interesting to see what Cobb works out.

Of course, if you balance the extra $250,000 with the additional scholarships, we wouldn't come out that far ahead. That said, I don't see the possibility of playing for one more championship as a reason to delay submitting the paperwork. The only thing that will make it worth its while is actually winning the National Championship. We should poll Old Dominion to see how they now feel about that. They're a year behind in the process, and have no NC to show for it.

As you said, a lot of points, both pro and pro the other way.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

I worry about nonrevenue sports such as wrestling. Apps athletic budget is going to increase, one way to save money is to cut sports, got a feeling wrestling would be at the top of the list.

The SoCon needs us for wrestling. I think we have a home there. They may get pissy about it, but VMI is in for wrestling still, and a few more have been added. If wrestling is dropped I don't think it will be for the extra cost, as the cost should be more or less the same if we stay SoCon for wrestling.

[Saint3333]

We will have 22 more men's scholarships, that will have to come from a combination of adding women's scholarships for under funded women's sports and/or cutting men's scholarships.

Cutting sports is not a preferred option for me personally.

Wrestling at App, like at so many other schools, may become a casaulty of title IX. As of today there are 77 division one schools that have wrestling, for perspective over 350 have basketball.

[newtoasu]

I think the decision by Olympics to drop wrestling will also hurt the chances for the sport as well.

[Yosef]

That said, I don't see the possibility of playing for one more championship as a reason to delay submitting the paperwork.

I agree. With our luck, we'll try to delay to play for one more championship and then all hell will break loose and the Sunbelt will rescind their invitation to us and we'll get stuck in the FCS again. I say file the day after the invite comes.

[GoAppsGo92]

I'm not concerned about UD's money. Their culture is much more of a MAC fit than Belt. JMU is in the middle culturally.

The only reason JMU would make the move would be pressure as a result of ODU moving.

The same could be said for our decision as well. ODU, UNCC, and now likely GSU moving has put a lot of pressure on us to not get left behind.

So, if we start with the assumption that a scenario exists out there that includes ASU, GSU, JMU, and UD that will be placed before the SB membership for discussion and possible vote... one would think that discussions took place between both the conference and the candidates to guage interest. The Sunbelt is not the Big 10. I doubt that there would be a university president's meeting on potential candidates to talk about schools who expressed no interest in joining.

Cultural fit? I'd say that App, JMU, and UD change the culture of the conference in a significant way.

Footprint? I'd say UD would be no more of an outlier in SB as they would the MAC. They are either in the extreme north, or extreme east of both options.

Again, running with the assumption that they are an option as several sources suggest... it could also indicate that doors to the MAC and CUSA are firmly closed to additional move-ups. I would assume there is a least somewhat of a "lay of the land" that the various conference and university officials have been able to piece together. Could be that the option to move to the next level runs though the Sunbelt, and if these schools want to move up, this is the time.

That being said, I also see a lot of value to a block of schools like GSU, ASU, UD and JMU moving up together as options develop in the future.

[GoAppsGo92]

That said, I don't see the possibility of playing for one more championship as a reason to delay submitting the paperwork.

I agree. With our luck, we'll try to delay to play for one more championship and then all hell will break loose and the Sunbelt will rescind their invitation to us and we'll get stuck in the FCS again. I say file the day after the invite comes.

I don't know what our chances of a FCS NC are this year. Could be good, but odds are we have work to do. It's not like we have made it to the Semis the last couple years and fell just short. We have been "one and done".

I tend to agree: let's focus on getting a head start on the future.

[Saint3333]

Delaware has zero interest in the Sun Belt.