Serious Conference Realignment Discussion

[johnnylightnin]

They're still in C-USA, so, what is your point?

They won’t be when those recruits see the field…that’s the point.

[DONW]

We pushed hard to join the belt -

And USL and NLU both supported our inclusion

We only looked at rebuilding CUSA after all the doors closed to Belt inclusion for this go around

I'm glad they didn't take us. I don't want to be in a conference with ULM. I was told that our number one priority was rebuilding C-USA.

[DONW]

Actually we did reach out to the Sun Belt AFTER Southern Miss' imminent invitation. The western SBC didn't want to go to 14, but App was threatening to leave if they didn't. The western division tried to compromise to go 2 and 2 west and east (USM/LaTech in the west, Marshall/ODU in the east) but App wouldn't compromise. They wanted 3 in the East SBC and 1 in the West SBC, or App was going to leave and join ODU and Marshall in CUSA. There was support from most of the Western SBC for the 2 west/2 east arrangement, except for Troy...who wanted to change divisions and play in the west with in-state foe, South Alabama. Adding 3 new schools in the east fixed that issue, also.


That's why it appeared to many that Marshall was stringing the SBC along...they were waiting to see if App would get their demands met. They did...and Marshall and ODU agreed to move to the Belt.

WOW, I'm surprised the belt let you in on the negotiations.

[ChuckK3]

WOW, I'm surprised the belt let you in on the negotiations.

I paid premium $$ for the seat. Plus who do you think delivered our fruit baskets?

[DONW]

They didn't, Don. But several AD's from our league (including Dr Wood) and from the SBC have spoken publicly about how the events went down in various interviews. I'm basing my understanding on what they've said.

haha

[Dwayne From Minden]

I'm glad they didn't take us. I don't want to be in a conference with ULM. I was told that our number one priority was rebuilding C-USA.

I'm not -

Short-term it looks like CUSA 8.0 will be ok in basketball and baseball, I think it will be a lot worse in football

I don't think the revamped AAC which is CUSA 5.0 is the answer either

I predict that within 5 years we will be in what amounts to SBC West right now

If folks think our TV is bad now - wait till they revamp it based on the recent realignment

I'd take NLU over NMST any day of the week and twice on Sunday

To be linked with USL, A-State, USM and USA doesn't bother me one iota

[techman05]

Not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, I am glad we didn’t make it in this round because I got the impression we were little brother begging to be let into the tree fort. If we are invited in the future, I want it to be because they realize they need our membership because of our value and not just fill an opening because we were the slow, fat kid that always gets picked last on the playground anyway. Does that make sense?

[DONW]

I'm not -

Short-term it looks like CUSA 8.0 will be ok in basketball and baseball, I think it will be a lot worse in football

I don't think the revamped AAC with is CUSA 5.0 is the answer either

I predict that within 5 years we will be in what amounts to SBC West right now

If folks think our TV is bad now - wait till they revamp it based on the recent realignment

I'd take NLU over NMST any day of the week and twice on Sunday

To be linked with USL, A-State, USM and USA doesn't bother me one iota

I don't see any of the teams in the new C-USA going anywhere. The AAC will never expand again because the Big 12 will never expand again, so there's nowhere to go. I think 9 teams are good for a conference, but, I would try to get ASU and Missouri state. This would put ASU in a regional conference and they would have 4 schools they could drive to in Tech, WKU, MTSU, and Missouri State. I know for sure ASU would love to be in a conference with Tech again. If we get in the belt with ULM, there will be a lot of us that quit donating to LTAC. Why should we make them relevant again when we don't need to?

[champion110]

I won't get into all the reasons, but the day Tech goes to the belt is the day our hopes are over. The belt got a boost by being pro-active, but they are still the belt. Those teams like Southern Miss will fall in national perception the day they enter. It was a stupid move for anyone to join the belt - except an FCS team wanting to move up. Yes, CUSA took a hit, but it will either recover or we will all end up in a new alignment. The Belt will not get us anywhere we want to go.

[Bone_afide_Dawg]

Tech simply needs to play like an Independent within CUSA, schedule higher tier schools and beat them. Be the epitome of the best in CUSA and things will take care of themselves by and by. What we must never ever do again is play down to our competition. Never take our boot heel off the throat of an opponent when we have them down.

[The Historian]

]I don't see any of the teams in the new C-USA going anywhere.[/B] The AAC will never expand again because the Big 12 will never expand again, so there's nowhere to go.

Actually, there is one school that may leave the AAC regardless and that's SMU.

They are either headed to the Big 12 or the MWC. And that's why they didn't oppose North Texas' move to the AAC.

[Dawgonit]

Actually, there is one school that may leave the AAC regardless and that's SMU.

They are either headed to the Big 12 or the MWC. And that's why they didn't oppose North Texas' move to the AAC.

And one other school will go with them most likely.

The question is though, if the other school is from the AAC and they are left with 12, will they see the need to expand?

[DONW]

Actually, there is one school that may leave the AAC regardless and that's SMU.

They are either headed to the Big 12 or the MWC. And that's why they didn't oppose North Texas' move to the AAC.

What would be nice if the MWC took SMU, Tulsa, Memphis, and Tech.

[inudesu]

I don't see any of the teams in the new C-USA going anywhere. The AAC will never expand again because the Big 12 will never expand again, so there's nowhere to go. I think 9 teams are good for a conference, but, I would try to get ASU and Missouri state. This would put ASU in a regional conference and they would have 4 schools they could drive to in Tech, WKU, MTSU, and Missouri State. I know for sure ASU would love to be in a conference with Tech again. If we get in the belt with ULM, there will be a lot of us that quit donating to LTAC. Why should we make them relevant again when we don't need to?

Any team in the new CUSA would leave in a second.

WKU really wanted to join the MAC. If MTSU had been on-board they'd have been gone. Tech, FIU, MTSU, WKU would all have taken a spot in the SB or AAC. I don't think the SB or AAC would have wanted UTEP or NMSU, but they'd have joined in a second. They'd certainly love to join the MWC if they could. The new FCS schools (and Liberty) didn't have any other options, but they'd have likely taken them if they did. And will if they happen in the future.

9 teams is ideal for a conference (in my mind and contrary to industry trends) but that's about all the new CUSA has gong for it (well, that and shedding some weight in basketball and baseball I guess at the bottom).

It's ok for now. But when realignment happens, we'd be happy to leave.

[CajunDave1]

We pushed hard to join the belt -

And USL and NLU both supported our inclusion

We only looked at rebuilding CUSA after all the doors closed to Belt inclusion for this go around

Some apparently don't believe this, but Dwayne speaks the truth! Y'all know that I come here and occasionally post what some would consider crap, but I personally would have welcomed Tech into the Belt.