People with a vision, a university with leadership, a community ready to back them...

MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama Board of Trustees approved the addition of football to the intercollegiate athletic program at its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday. The decision came after a recommendation from President Gordon Moulton based on input from student, faculty, alumni and community groups.

The intention is that the Jaguars will field a team in 2009 with a full transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision by 2013. USA is a charter member of the Sun Belt Conference.

In conjunction with the football announcement, the Board also approved the addition of a 200-member marching band program for the Department of Music.

The University of South Alabama over the past four decades has grown from a startup urban institution to a comprehensive university with an ever-increasing traditional and residential student body. Throughout the maturing of the institution to its present status as one of Alabama’s fastest growing universities, the issue of NCAA-sanctioned intercollegiate football has arisen at numerous junctures.

In 1999, not long after the current administration began, the University responded to requests from some of its constituencies and conducted a formal analysis of the football issue. USA, with the assistance of external consultants, undertook a comprehensive review of the costs and benefits of such a program and gauged community interest through various means, including a season ticket drive. At the time, the University and its board of trustees determined the timing was not right for the addition of NCAA-sanctioned football. As an offshoot of the 1999 process, a club football program was developed at the University.

The football issue again arose this summer and was independently fueled by the Student Government Association, The Vanguard student newspaper and a group named “Students who Stand.” During the fall semester, a petition was arranged and over 2,500 signatures were presented to Moulton at the basketball home opener on Nov. 11.

“This is an historic day for the University of South Alabama and our athletics department,” Director of Athletics Joe Gottfried said. “With the future of intercollegiate athletics driven by football, we are excited as we enter a new era. College football will have a major impact on our athletics program, our university, Mobile and the surrounding communities.

“I want to thank President Moulton and Board of Trustees for their vision to establish football at our institution.”

“This is a good day for the Sun Belt Conference,” Commissioner Wright Waters said. “We are prepared to do whatever we can to help South Alabama, including with scheduling. As soon as they get their Division I-A certification, they will walk in automatically as our 10th football member.”

The Jaguars will begin their schedule at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in downtown Mobile in the fall of 2009. The 40,000-seat facility is home to the GMAC Bowl and the Senior Bowl, plus numerous high school football games each year.

It coulda been ETSU . . . .

Kudos to South Alabama. Yet another school adds it, and doesn't plan on half-jacking things. It won't be long for them.