Benson speaks

[Dmanuhone]

http://www.953theticket.com/?p=4864

[PhillyApp1]

http://www.953theticket.com/?p=4864

Can you give us a recap?
i don't have 18+ minutes

[AtlantaMountaineer]

Basically, he was on to talk about tonight's game between ULL and Ark State on ESPN2. When asked about the possibility of GS getting a bowl game, he seemed agitated and said the NCAA rule probihiting bowl games for transition teams had been in existence for years and other teams had qualified for bowl games in the past and were left out due to the rule. He was not supportive of GS getting a bowl game at all and said I am here to talk about ULL/Ark State. He seems to have lost his enthusiam for a Championship game. He also stated that the Sunbelt conference game schedule would be the same for 2015 with teams playing the same teams at opposite locations. He sounded really rough like he had a hard day/night and was not in a coversive mood at all.

[ASUMountaineer]

Basically, he was on to talk about tonight's game between ULL and Ark State on ESPN2. When asked about the possibility of GS getting a bowl game, he seemed agitated and said the NCAA rule probihiting bowl games for transition teams had been in existence for years and other teams had qualified for bowl games in the past and were left out due to the rule. He was not supportive of GS getting a bowl game at all and said I am here to talk about ULL/Ark State. He seems to have lost his enthusiam for a Championship game. He also stated that the Sunbelt conference game schedule would be the same for 2015 with teams playing the same teams at opposite locations. He sounded really rough like he had a hard day/night and was not in a coversive mood at all.

Yeah, it was a bad interview. I don't think the interviewers helped themselves. When discussing the possibility that GS could win the conference and not go to a bowl, the interviewer said, "this is more a statement than a question," and then proceeded to say that they should request the NCAA changes the rules. He seemed like he was grandstanding, and by saying it wasn't a question, he wanted to be able to say what he wanted without Benson responding. I think that's what agitated Benson, and it would have agitated me if I were in his shoes.

GS performing so well is a catch 22. It makes the rest of the league look weak, but also makes GS look like a great addition. Tonight was supposed to be the Sun Belt's marquee game for this season on national TV, yet he has to deal with the real possibility that the Sun Belt champion may not be eligible to go to a bowl. That's a tough pill to swallow after having several bowl-eligible teams last season but not all going to bowls.

[sixtoes9134]

I liken Georgia Southern's upperclassmen depth and quality of players to what we had in 2007.

If GS were still FCS this year, no doubt they win a national championship even with NDSU looking like they could run the table.

We will see how good Willie Fritz is when Georgia Southern's senior laden squad is gone. Yes, they have recruited well, but as we have seen, youth is still youth no matter how good they are on paper.

[AppinATL]

Another question that I haven't seen asked is the lack of balance in the scheduling. If Southern wins the conference it will be without having played either of the top two teams. While they have the weakest rated schedule in the league, we have the toughest and now apparently that will be true for two years in a row making the whole thing that much worse. I hope he hasent lost his enthusiasm for a 12th team because we need one badly.

[AppinVA]

I'm sure that's not the first time he's had to answer that question over the last couple of weeks. We all know how Georgia Southern fans can get under our skins. We are immune to "Me and Ed", and have put them in their place more than they have us, but others have not had that satisfaction of watching Georgia Southern's vaunted triple option not work, and their fans' response out of frustration.

The others haven't...yet.

[appstate2007]

It was a interesting interview I thought. It really sounded like the SBC is not aggressively searching for a 12th member. Benson stated something along the lines of if there was another Georgia Southern out there then we would take me but there isn't. He did seem to react snobby to the statement made by the interviewer regarding GS but the interviewer stated "that stinks" when saying that GS could play for the SBC championship but not get into a bowl game and the SBC wouldn't do anything to help them get into a bowl game. However this isn't the first time Benson and this interviewer have kind of reacted to each other this way. The same happened a couple months ago when Benson was on this same program after Liberty AD was on. Benson specifically informed interviewer not to bring up Liberty at all when talking to him and interview tried to slid it in and Benson got upset, so there is history here. Benson also stated that the P5 conference are looking into changing the rules for the CCG and that 12 teams may not be needed. So it all sounds like the SBC does not see a 12th member out there currently. Makes me wonder what they will do if the Big 12 expands and the fall out reaches the SBC again? If there is not any school currently, then how will it change if this expansion happens as rumored?

[bigdaddyg]

If the SBC were to expand again to 12 members who would they take? Isn't there a criteria in order to move to FBS (like average attendance)? I looked at a few of the good FCS programs- Villanova for example but if the box score is correct they had less than 4K in attendance for their last home game and less than 12K for the JMU game. Doesnt' look like there is much out there to choose from except for maybe Liberty. The divide between the P5 conferences and the other 5 is getting larger. The NCAA should just put in a mini playoff for the bottom 5 to incorporate second tier bowls.

[appstate2007]

In regards to avg attendance, I thought the same thing, but I am quickly learning that is not the case. Look at all the newcomers to FBS that are start up FB programs, they did not have a avg attendance (Ex. Georgia St, UTSA, ODU, UNCC).

[bigdaddyg]

Basic eligibility requirements to move up to FBS from FCS
1.Sponsor a minimum of 16 varsity intercollegiate sports, including football, based on the
minimum sports sponsorship and scheduling requirements set forth in Bylaw 20.
Sponsorship shall include a minimum six sports involving all male teams or mixed teams
(males and females), and a minimum of eight varsity intercollegiate teams involving all
female teams. Institutions may use up to two emerging sports to satisfy the required eight
varsity intercollegiate sports involving all female teams. [Bylaw 20.9.7.1]
2. Schedule and play at least 60 percent of its football contests against members of Football
Bowl Subdivision. Institutions shall schedule and play at least five regular season home
contests against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents. [Bylaw 20.9.7.2]
3. Average at least 15,000 in actual or paid attendance for all home football contests over a
rolling two-year period. [Bylaw 20.9.7.3]4. Provide an average of at least 90 percent of the permissible maximum number of overall
football grants-in-aid per year over a rolling two-year period. [Bylaw 20.9.7.4-(a)]
5. Annually offer a minimum of 200 athletics grants-in-aid or expend at least four million dollars on grants-in-aid to student-athletes in athletics programs. [Bylaw 20.9.7.4-(b)]
Source: NCAA.com

[luvyosef]

Benson is the same idiot who let WAC football die so the fact that he is over the SBC makes me cringe. I do like the fact that the same teams will play in 2015, only locations reversed. That definitely means best home schedule in YEARS. Not counting Howard, we have Wyoming, Troy, ULL, Ark State and stink all in Boone next year. Nice! Go App!

[AppinVA]

Benson is the same idiot who let WAC football die so the fact that he is over the SBC makes me cringe. I do like the fact that the same teams will play in 2015, only locations reversed. That definitely means best home schedule in YEARS. Not counting Howard, we have Wyoming, Troy, ULL, Ark State and stink all in Boone next year. Nice! Go App!

It's the best home schedule I've seen since I started following in 1992.