I just read it is not only a member of the Texas A&M system, but a founding member.
Kennesaw State to CUSA 2024?
- Thread starter ewglenn
- Start date
I’d much rather we go back to the Sun Belt but I don’t see that happening unfortunately so I still do believe, like many others, that the MAC would be our best bet for stability (and also better basketball bc let’s be honest that’s where we need to be focusing at this point).
The MAC is not a better basketball conference compared to CUSA 4.0
Neat read here. This whole mess has actually made me pay a bit closer attention to FCS.
herosports.com
5 FCS Teams That Could Immediately Compete In The FBS
With former FCS powerhouse JMU having immediate success at the FBS level, what other FCS programs could compete right away?
herosports.com
Forgive me but I have become highly sensitive to anything that uses the word “compete”.Neat read here. This whole mess has actually made me pay a bit closer attention to FCS.
5 FCS Teams That Could Immediately Compete In The FBS
With former FCS powerhouse JMU having immediate success at the FBS level, what other FCS programs could compete right away?
Neat read here. This whole mess has actually made me pay a bit closer attention to FCS.
5 FCS Teams That Could Immediately Compete In The FBS
With former FCS powerhouse JMU having immediate success at the FBS level, what other FCS programs could compete right away?
Would have been good adds.
Think outside the box - Stop inviting Kennesaw and strange no name programs from who the hell knows where, and build an actual competitive, well supported, well funded conference with teams that actually have fans.
The conference now stretches from Virginia to New Mexico, so geography should absolutely not be an issue. 4 hours on a plane vs 4 hours and 30 minutes on a plane should not be a determining factor.
If we’re going to go to 14 I’d be okay with Montana, Montana St, NDSU and SDSU. They have great fans and a history of success.
Would make a great Northern Plains pod:
Montana, Montana State, NDSU, SDSU
Add in an Atlantic pod:
Delaware, UMass, UConn, Liberty
Southeast Pod:
FIU, Jax, WKU, MT
Southwest Pod:
LT, SHSU, UTEP, NMSU
Sorry, Kennesaw, we changed our minds (or have a deathmatch between Kennesaw and Jax - loser gets to stay in CUSA). Or better yet, punt Jax and invite Missouri State.
4 tight regions (except for FIU) help with travel and scheduling, we could offer networks markets across timezones, inventory, and we have room to go to 20 if we see some real value programs. And we have teams that are supported by actual real live breathing fans.
Nah, Judy's not thinking past her next paycheck.
May as well throw in the Kansas and Iowa JC Last Chance U’s. The P5 talent level players would definitely be better entertainment for at least the two-year periods of their eligibility.
Every one of the teams named in that article - Montana, Montana St., ND and ND State (throw Jackson state in there I guess, but when Deion is gone, that place will tank) ALL are about a million times more respectable then what CUSA added or is looking at.
Montana, Montana St, ND, ND States > Tarleton state, Kennesaw, Jacksonville State
Great leadership Judy. We need to get out of the worst conference in athletics ASAP.
Montana, Montana St, ND, ND States > Tarleton state, Kennesaw, Jacksonville State
Great leadership Judy. We need to get out of the worst conference in athletics ASAP.
I've never been much of a football (soccer) fan, but started watching Welcome to Wrexham with Ryan Reynolds. The aspect of relegation is fantastic. I so wish there was something like this with American football. Would make things very interesting for the NDSUs, the MTs, and even the Vanderbilts and Indianas.
They've always been serious about football no matter what level they played on.
I agree and I like SHSU as well, along with NMSU. If NMSU wasn't so far away I would like their addition a lot just for their basketball program. I don't think people realize how successful NMSU hoops has been over the last decade or so. It's similar to the success we had under Kermit towards the end of his tenure but they didn't fizzle out when coaches changed, they kept on kicking @$$. I don't recall the exact number but I believe they averaged around 7k fans per game last year, which is amazing. They will easily be #1 in attendance for men's basketball in the new CUSA. Las Cruces supports that program big time..
Like seriously, get this. Since 2011-2012 season, NMSU has went to the NCAA tournament eight times, only missing the NCAA tournament twice over that time period. That's 8 out of 10 years making the NCAA tournament.....Last year, they won 27 games and made it to the second round after they bounced Uconn in the first round and only lost by 5 points to Arkansas in the second round. They won 30 games in the 2018-2019 season.
And check this, guess when NMSU last won less than 20 games ? (Covid 20/21 year doesn't count).....
2010-2011....they only won 16 games....big down year for them. NMSU has just insane basketball success and moving into CUSA should make them even stronger on the hardwood. Going to be some brutal trips out west to play NMSU & UTEP.
SHSU is an App. St. like hopeful. I see Judy trying to take a page out of the Sun Belt's book here by calling up strong FCS programs. To be fair, it was the only option CUSA had. But that's the plan. Call up some FCS juggernauts and hope they can keep it going.
I really think, overall, the 4 additions were pretty good. We might see a slight dip in football in the beginning, but basketball gets better immediately. A lot will depend on the commitment of the schools going forward. How much is SHSU really committed to spending ? They are in a great location in Texas and could easily be another UTSA but they have got to increase their athletic budget significantly if they wanna truly do this FBS thing. NMSU will always just be a basketball school, and that's okay. Jacksonville State is decent in both football and basketball but doesn't excel at either. They need an identity and need to get better in one or the other. Liberty is Liberty. They are going to out-spend and likely outgrow everyone in this conference, but their reputation might keep them from leaving CUSA for greener pastures.
Ultimately, I think CUSA's biggest problem is everyone wants out. Greener grass type thinking. I think if all schools really stayed put and tried to make it a great league, it would happen. But the reality is, the second anyone has any success and an opportunity to go to another conference arises, they'll be gone gone gone. And that's where things start to feel a little futile.
At the end of the day, we have to worry about us. Cream will rise to the top. We need the best facilities we can possibly afford and we have to start winning some championships in the 2 sports that matter.
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Jax State is 6 - 1 this year with a convincing win over Stephen F Austin. Ray Harper may have been released at Western, but has made State into a fine basketball program. They won 21 last year, & Ray has over 500 victories in his career so far. Not shabby
Or if not by the seat of her pants, at least flying by the seat of her mini super cool pedal car
This is the most LOGICAL decision. Which, of course, is probably why it wasn't made. I do NOT get the KSU addition. Football stadium isn't close to FBS worthy & ,as I understand it, they have promised NOT to raise student fees to make the move / upgrades...How do they plan on getting an 8000 seat stadium to 22000-24000 seats? Or do they plan on playing "home games" at the Braves stadium (15 miles south, but 30-45 minute drive)?
My understanding is they own a property that they are planning to use for athletics. 30k seat stadium with Cobb County pitching in to build.
Their stadium is set for expansion, much like Charlotte's. Atlanta United 2 soccer plays there too, so it's set up as multi-use. That'll help with the $ as well.
KSU has a stadium expansion already approved in their master plan. Just needed the resources.
Their endowment has doubled in just over 2 years. It’s now as large or larger than ours.
The state is actually flush with money. So much so that when the UGS system cut the mandatory special institutional fee this year ($300 per student per semester), the state could easily compensate so that tuition was not changed. Some politicians have talked about adding the mandatory SIF back in as tuition instead of student fees, so it’s covered by HOPE.
The Owl fund had a record year. KSU is in better financial situation than us, they have better corporate sponsorships, their student attendance is booming and it’s closer to a faster growing region.
Fifth Third stadium is nice and once the expansion is completed it will have a lot in common with Jerry Richardson stadium in Charlotte.
The growth and planned growth at both campuses is ambitious and seems to be continual.
I already have family attending there and if my kids are not UGA/GT bound, I suspect they will end up there as well.
Their endowment has doubled in just over 2 years. It’s now as large or larger than ours.
The state is actually flush with money. So much so that when the UGS system cut the mandatory special institutional fee this year ($300 per student per semester), the state could easily compensate so that tuition was not changed. Some politicians have talked about adding the mandatory SIF back in as tuition instead of student fees, so it’s covered by HOPE.
The Owl fund had a record year. KSU is in better financial situation than us, they have better corporate sponsorships, their student attendance is booming and it’s closer to a faster growing region.
Fifth Third stadium is nice and once the expansion is completed it will have a lot in common with Jerry Richardson stadium in Charlotte.
The growth and planned growth at both campuses is ambitious and seems to be continual.
I already have family attending there and if my kids are not UGA/GT bound, I suspect they will end up there as well.
So in other words, they will pass MT by in 10 years if not sooner.
I disagree with that. They are down this year, but in the last 5 seasons, they went 24-2 conference and won the Big South 4 times. In those years, they played 1 non-D1 school a year (except 2017 with 2). We play 1 non-FBS a year, so it’s the same thing. They also won a FCS playoff game in 4 of those years and made the quarterfinals twice. We had not made the FCS (D-1AA) playoffs in the 5 years when we jumped.
KSU is not JMU, App or Marshall, but they bring more to the table now than we did in 99.
KSU brings more than Charlotte, UTSA and ODU did as well. None of those teams did much in FCS before the jump. For that matter, SHSU, Jax and KSU bring more than most of the teams called up in 2014.
I never looked that way at it I guess.
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they have power 5 money and they spend power 5 money. Their basketball program is pretty good too. Very athletic, good looking b ball players. If it wasn’t for their “issues” Liberty would be far and beyond CUSA. From a purely sports perspective, we are fortunate to share a conference with them.
And some people on the WVU message boards are pulling for him to take over for Brown. Yeah, right. Brown only makes $3.5m and it will be a heck of a lot easier to keep winning at Liberty than in Morgantown. Part of the delusional Mountaineer fans.
No but there is a major push for it if he doesn't make a bowl. Even more so after today's loss. Word around here is that boosters are ready to pony up for a lump negotiated buyout when the time comes. His staggered amount if fired before the end of calendar year is $20.5m. Thing is people are calling for the AD too for giving him the extension last year. It literally is the exact same thing as here just with 4 years instead of 16.
Wow! We really got CRS for a bargain!
bargain basement results as well
I don't see Freeze leaving for anything other than an SEC job (or maybe Clemson). There's no reason for him to. Liberty pays $5 million. He'll win 10 games a year in CUSA and cement himself as the greatest coach in Liberty history.
And honestly, if he's already been to the "top of the mountain" at Ole Miss, does he want to return to the craziness that is being an SEC HC? Is an extra $1 million to be HC at Auburn to deal with the disfunction that is Auburn football?
Liberty is going to run through CUSA with Freeze.
And honestly, if he's already been to the "top of the mountain" at Ole Miss, does he want to return to the craziness that is being an SEC HC? Is an extra $1 million to be HC at Auburn to deal with the disfunction that is Auburn football?
Liberty is going to run through CUSA with Freeze.
Austin Peay's Gerald Harrison wants Govs in FBS football by 2025. Here's the plan
Austin Peay athletics director Gerald Harrison continues to push the Govs into uncharted territory with desire for FBS football.
www.theleafchronicle.com
I try not to think about the utter failure of leadership of MT, and then this. Serenity Now!
Austin Peay's Gerald Harrison wants Govs in FBS football by 2025. Here's the plan
Austin Peay athletics director Gerald Harrison continues to push the Govs into uncharted territory with desire for FBS football.www.theleafchronicle.com
MT leaders fail to see the obvious that APSU leadership clearly states:
"It was easy to be comfortable. I don't know any successful business that survives just being comfortable."
The above quote from the article could use MT Football as a picture to completely capture that sentiment, particularly a picture of Floyd Stadium stands during a MT Football game on any given Saturday during Oct or Nov.
If any doubts about the failure of leadership, MT takes a 25-year head start only to still end up in same place as newly rising Austin Peay. Somebody, please make all this insanity stop.
