Busy weekend ahead

[AustinLewis]

MT has 25 or so guys coming to campus this weekend (FWIW, we usually had ~8 per weekend when I was in CFB). BUSY weekend for the staff.

With the portal losses, graduates, etc, I believe MT will be able to sign ~40 guys.

 

[mtfblue]

I hope they sign 10 portal Oline, 8 HS online, 6 portal Dline, 2 Hs dline

 

[Matt Dossett]

Austin and I will have wall to wall coverage.

 

[Sommy]

Priority

1. Portal
2.Portal
3. High School
4. JUCO

If we hit on a good HS player, he will transfer out the following year. If we hit on a portal player (and he’s not a Graduate), then we have a better chance of keeping him because he won’t want to sit out a year If he transfers. We need to focus efforts on the portal.

 

[sWiley]

Priority

1. Portal
2.Portal
3. High School
4. JUCO

If we hit on a good HS player, he will transfer out the following year. If we hit on a portal player (and he’s not a Graduate), then we have a better chance of keeping him because he won’t want to sit out a year If he transfers. We need to focus efforts on the portal.

Sadly you are right.....which is so frustrating. I can't stand the direction CFB has taken. I am much less interested with each passing season.

I don't mind the players getting paid. But the nonstop transferring, which has effectively made G5's glorified JUCO's, has ruined the sport.

 

[ewglenn]

Priority

1. Portal
2.Portal
3. High School
4. JUCO

If we hit on a good HS player, he will transfer out the following year. If we hit on a portal player (and he’s not a Graduate), then we have a better chance of keeping him because he won’t want to sit out a year If he transfers. We need to focus efforts on the portal.

The sitting a year might not hold up. A judge ruled against it this week and it’s currently not being inforced. I fear they will give up on it.

 

[Brew_Raider]

That will be one of the positives of direct pay for players. If players are salary then they can be treated like employees, which opens non-compete restrictions. The downside is players will unionize and collectively bargain salary caps and revenue sharing (which schools don’t want to do).

I have no idea what will happen for schools like us that are unable to pay. Most of the left out schools may not see the value in subsidizing 85 scholarships and may drop down to FCS for cost cutting. Maybe they form their own division and have a sanctioned playoff. NIL will still exist and with transfers, but will the demand be as high, except for the best players moving to the pay league. What is the current player movement situation in FCS/D2?

 

[TRUEBLUE73]

That will be one of the positives of direct pay for players. If players are salary then they can be treated like employees, which opens non-compete restrictions. The downside is players will unionize and collectively bargain salary caps and revenue sharing (which schools don’t want to do).

I have no idea what will happen for schools like us that are unable to pay. Most of the left out schools may not see the value in subsidizing 85 scholarships and may drop down to FCS for cost cutting. Maybe they form their own division and have a sanctioned playoff. NIL will still exist and with transfers, but will the demand be as high, except for the best players moving to the pay league. What is the current player movement situation in FCS/D2?

I agree with everything you wrote. If MT does not figure out away to win and put buts in the stands. If we do not get this done. We will be relegated to to FCS.

 

[Sommy]

It’s become free agency, but everyone is on 1 year contracts. that would be crazy even in the NFL, so imagine where college athletics is heading. Who the hell is the governing body looking at the bigger picture? Seems like nobody, but we can all agree this is heading off a cliff.

 

[blueraiderJT]

I gotta be honest. I've been watching the FCS playoffs and it's been really fun. SDSU's stadium is impressive and I have always been a Montana fan. I think FCS is now what FBS used to be.

Even Stock talked about how Clemson's facilities didn't really get improved until the new buildings were finished in 2009. They are a huge program and they had basic facilities until then. The money being dumped everywhere now is just crazy. Every team will be different every year now. Even the P5 schools.

 

[AustinLewis]

A few notes :

1) Big changes seem to be on the horizon. Everything from the Alabama / Penn State / Tennessee‘s going off to do their own on thing (and leaving the Wake Forest’s / Vandy’s to do their own thing) to 3-4 mega conferences

2) MT is behind. That’s why SAPC is / was so desperately needed. BuildBlueNow needs to get fully funded ASAP (And under construction). And honestly, MT will likely need to upgrade fan experience soon after #BuildBlue is finished.

3) Players have always (well, almost always) been on 1 year contracts (as I understand it), but they still couldn’t transfer without a penalty. Portal / NIL is just an overcorrection to an existing problem

4) MT fans / community need to step up NIL / cooperative / funding for players specifically. MT (as I understand it) is the last CUSA school without CO-OP and NIL needs $$$ as well.

 

[MT01]

A few notes :

1) Big changes seem to be on the horizon. Everything from the Alabama / Penn State / Tennessee‘s going off to do their own on thing (and leaving the Wake Forest’s / Vandy’s to do their own thing) to 3-4 mega conferences

I have yet to hear anyone state how this is going to happen without massive litigation and getting around anti-trust laws.

It's one thing to redistrict lower resourced G5 schools. It's another to do it to charter members of these power conferences.

 

[AustinLewis]

I have yet to hear anyone state how this is going to happen without massive litigation and getting around anti-trust laws.

It's one thing to redistrict lower resourced G5 schools. It's another to do it to charter members of these power conferences.

Fair point. But I'll leave that to the lawyers & courts to decide.

 

[RaiderDoug]

A few notes :

1) Big changes seem to be on the horizon. Everything from the Alabama / Penn State / Tennessee‘s going off to do their own on thing (and leaving the Wake Forest’s / Vandy’s to do their own thing) to 3-4 mega conferences

2) MT is behind. That’s why SAPC is / was so desperately needed. BuildBlueNow needs to get fully funded ASAP (And under construction). And honestly, MT will likely need to upgrade fan experience soon after #BuildBlue is finished.

3) Players have always (well, almost always) been on 1 year contracts (as I understand it), but they still couldn’t transfer without a penalty. Portal / NIL is just an overcorrection to an existing problem

4) MT fans / community need to step up NIL / cooperative / funding for players specifically. MT (as I understand it) is the last CUSA school without CO-OP and NIL needs $$$ as well.

1. Nothing we can do about that. We aren’t going to make that cut. And much bigger schools will be left out as well if that happens.

2. Better late than never.

3. Portal I think is good for us. It’s good for any staff that’s aggressive and knows how to work it. It will open up more doors than it will close for us, imho.

4. I don’t think a school can start a collective. It has to be done by a third party to avoid the official “pay for play wink wink” troubles with the NCAA. I don’t know if we have that willing third party just yet.

 

[MTsumner92]

A few notes :

1) Big changes seem to be on the horizon. Everything from the Alabama / Penn State / Tennessee‘s going off to do their own on thing (and leaving the Wake Forest’s / Vandy’s to do their own thing) to 3-4 mega conferences

2) MT is behind. That’s why SAPC is / was so desperately needed. BuildBlueNow needs to get fully funded ASAP (And under construction). And honestly, MT will likely need to upgrade fan experience soon after #BuildBlue is finished.

3) Players have always (well, almost always) been on 1 year contracts (as I understand it), but they still couldn’t transfer without a penalty. Portal / NIL is just an overcorrection to an existing problem

4) MT fans / community need to step up NIL / cooperative / funding for players specifically. MT (as I understand it) is the last CUSA school without CO-OP and NIL needs $$$ as well.

Alumni won't get behind this until McPhee is replaced by someone who understands alumni relationship building. He has set us back 10 years.

 

[TRUEBLUE73]

We better start now or you will not have a program.

 

[AustinLewis]

1. Nothing we can do about that. We aren’t going to make that cut. And much bigger schools will be left out as well if that happens.

2. Better late than never.

3. Portal I think is good for us. It’s good for any staff that’s aggressive and knows how to work it. It will open up more doors than it will close for us, imho.

4. I don’t think a school can start a collective. It has to be done by a third party to avoid the official “pay for play wink wink” troubles with the NCAA. I don’t know if we have that willing third party just yet.

Yes to all of those.

I think there are MT fans willing to start a collective & invest in NIL, but have been hesitant to invest for a couple of reasons (Stockstill, unsure how important NIL was or how much of an impact it would make).

Just for comparison : WKU probably doesn't keep Austin Reed, Corley, and a few others without a massive investment by their NIL / Co-op. If MT wants guys like Marley Cook & other portal losses to remain "True Blue", they gotta get more $$$ for NIL / Co-op.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

I also think Mason has the right idea (how it should be anyway but we all know how recruiting works) that you use NIL to keep guys here, not get them here.

If I had the initial $ for start up I'd absolutely do it. TrueBlueTrust. Monthly giveaways of merchandise, signed items by member players, meet and greets, etc. Be like WVU CountryRoadsTrust that bought a suite and gives it away each game.

Have a $19.11 per month membership. Then keep going up in teirs. Make it worth someone's while to join.

I fully believe there will be a split. We won't be in the top level, and neither will some current Power schools. But I think with the right people in place we can absolutely compete in the next level. But it has to be started yesterday.

 

[RaiderDoug]

I also think Mason has the right idea (how it should be anyway but we all know how recruiting works) that you use NIL to keep guys here, not get them here.

If I had the initial $ for start up I'd absolutely do it. TrueBlueTrust. Monthly giveaways of merchandise, signed items by member players, meet and greets, etc. Be like WVU CountryRoadsTrust that bought a suite and gives it away each game.

Have a $19.11 per month membership. Then keep going up in teirs. Make it worth someone's while to join.

I fully believe there will be a split. We won't be in the top level, and neither will some current Power schools. But I think with the right people in place we can absolutely compete in the next level. But it has to be started yesterday.

There’s plenty of examples of how it would work.

But you’re asking someone to essentially start a small business. One with a very dubious rate if return, if you’re looking at it with an objective eye (small, non engaged fan base and a business model that at the core is giving away a significant percentage of every dollar brought in).

I really don’t see it working unless you’re willing to risk some capital and bet on the future of MT athletics.

 

[crposton]

There’s plenty of examples of how it would work.

But you’re asking someone to essentially start a small business. One with a very dubious rate if return, if you’re looking at it with an objective eye (small, non engaged fan base and a business model that at the core is giving away a significant percentage of every dollar brought in).

I really don’t see it working unless you’re willing to risk some capital and bet on the future of MT athletics.

Someone needs to do it. Why aren’t some of the larger donors who already tun businesses and know how all of that works being approached about starting it? The school can’t do it, but can they advise on steps to take?

 

[Tyler Pellom]

I also think Mason has the right idea (how it should be anyway but we all know how recruiting works) that you use NIL to keep guys here, not get them here.

If I had the initial $ for start up I'd absolutely do it. TrueBlueTrust. Monthly giveaways of merchandise, signed items by member players, meet and greets, etc. Be like WVU CountryRoadsTrust that bought a suite and gives it away each game.

Have a $19.11 per month membership. Then keep going up in teirs. Make it worth someone's while to join.

I fully believe there will be a split. We won't be in the top level, and neither will some current Power schools. But I think with the right people in place we can absolutely compete in the next level. But it has to be started yesterday.

The hope most schools like MT have is once that second tier is built, they won’t have to pay NIL at all.

 

[Riyah]

Does anyone have the list of all 25 visitors this weekend?

 

[MTTim]

Someone needs to do it. Why aren’t some of the larger donors who already tun businesses and know how all of that works being approached about starting it? The school can’t do it, but can they advise on steps to take?

Given the leadership at MT, a smart business person would not risk their money on a venture that hinges on the success of our current athletic dept and admin.

 

[AustinLewis]

Does anyone have the list of all 25 visitors this weekend?

We’ve tried to piece together some things. It’s in Lightning’s Lounge

 

[ewglenn]

Yes to all of those.

I think there are MT fans willing to start a collective & invest in NIL, but have been hesitant to invest for a couple of reasons (Stockstill, unsure how important NIL was or how much of an impact it would make).

Just for comparison : WKU probably doesn't keep Austin Reed, Corley, and a few others without a massive investment by their NIL / Co-op. If MT wants guys like Marley Cook & other portal losses to remain "True Blue", they gotta get more $$$ for NIL / Co-op.

WKU paid massive money to go 7-5. I will invest in our school not players pockets. Buildings are a solid investment compared to an athlete with no tie to MTSU other than a measly salary for a year. Now if we paid a transfer and they had to spend the rest of their time with us I would be open to it. I’m not paying anyone for 1 year. That is a stupid contract.

 

[AustinLewis]

WKU paid massive money to go 7-5. I will invest in our school not players pockets. Buildings are a solid investment compared to an athlete with no tie to MTSU other than a measly salary for a year. Now if we paid a transfer and they had to spend the rest of their time with us I would be open to it. I’m not paying anyone for 1 year. That is a stupid contract.

Yeah. 7-5 was a bit of a disappointment for WKU with Reed / Corley returning.

But here’s the thing : if you want Mt to recruit and retain FBS G5 talent, you gotta be able to pay $25k to recruit / retain