(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech

In sports? I don't think Tulane makes the top 3 in LA sports rep.

(03-08-2013 11:40 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  i had to go Arky State... the only other D1 competition in the "immediate" area is arkansas. So you're going after the #2 university in the state.

While I like WKU, you're sandwiched in with L'ville and Kentucky, putting you third in the state, so let's break with the 'appearances' of taking a 3rd school.

Alabama: 'bama, 'burn, UAB
Mississippi: Ole Miss, Miss State, USM
Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech
Florida: Way too many to count - then FIU/FAU
Oklahoma: OU, Okie State, Tulsa
Texas: Way too many to count - then UTEP/UTSA/UNT
Tennessee: UTenn, Memphis, MTSU
Virginia - Va, Vtech, ... (not sure how many others), ODU

So let's match our "level" in W. Virginia in the pecking order
W. Virginia - WVU, Marshall
SO you go with
Kentucky: KY, L'Ville, WKU
or Arkansas: Arkansas, ASU

I say go with Arkansas State.

There isn't really an obvious 3rd right now in Virginia football, ODU hopes to become that with our FBS move.

I think it's becoming obvious. But before we moved to FBS, no it was pretty wide-open amongst the FCS teams in the state.

(03-09-2013 12:49 AM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech

In sports? I don't think Tulane makes the top 3 in LA sports rep.

Replace Tulane with Louisiana.

(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  i had to go Arky State... the only other D1 competition in the "immediate" area is arkansas. So you're going after the #2 university in the state.

While I like WKU, you're sandwiched in with L'ville and Kentucky, putting you third in the state, so let's break with the 'appearances' of taking a 3rd school.

Alabama: 'bama, 'burn, UAB
Mississippi: Ole Miss, Miss State, USM
Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech
Florida: Way too many to count - then FIU/FAU
Oklahoma: OU, Okie State, Tulsa
Texas: Way too many to count - then UTEP/UTSA/UNT
Tennessee: UTenn, Memphis, MTSU
Virginia - Va, Vtech, ... (not sure how many others), ODU

So let's match our "level" in W. Virginia in the pecking order
W. Virginia - WVU, Marshall
SO you go with
Kentucky: KY, L'Ville, WKU
or Arkansas: Arkansas, ASU

I say go with Arkansas State.

While I live in Arkansas and would choose ASU. . . . I don't think this is a good way to go about it. Arkansas has about half the population of Kentucky. To pick ASU because it is the second-ranked athletic school in the state (which it definitely is) kind of strikes me like choosing a CFL team over an NFL team because the CFL team was runner up for the Grey Cup, while the NFL team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. New Mexico State is the #2 athletic university in the state, but I don't hear people clamoring to add it. Texas Tech is probably the #5 athletic university in the state right now, but most of us would be thrilled to add it to C-USA.

My 2 cents.

(03-07-2013 09:01 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  Who do you like and why? Pick one replacement or pick "other" and write who you would like to see added.

This poll needs to add a "None" option. All we need is 12. Even if we lose a program we will still have 13.

(03-09-2013 10:50 AM)Lee Moses Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  i had to go Arky State... the only other D1 competition in the "immediate" area is arkansas. So you're going after the #2 university in the state.

While I like WKU, you're sandwiched in with L'ville and Kentucky, putting you third in the state, so let's break with the 'appearances' of taking a 3rd school.

Alabama: 'bama, 'burn, UAB
Mississippi: Ole Miss, Miss State, USM
Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech
Florida: Way too many to count - then FIU/FAU
Oklahoma: OU, Okie State, Tulsa
Texas: Way too many to count - then UTEP/UTSA/UNT
Tennessee: UTenn, Memphis, MTSU
Virginia - Va, Vtech, ... (not sure how many others), ODU

So let's match our "level" in W. Virginia in the pecking order
W. Virginia - WVU, Marshall
SO you go with
Kentucky: KY, L'Ville, WKU
or Arkansas: Arkansas, ASU

I say go with Arkansas State.

While I live in Arkansas and would choose ASU. . . . I don't think this is a good way to go about it. Arkansas has about half the population of Kentucky. To pick ASU because it is the second-ranked athletic school in the state (which it definitely is) kind of strikes me like choosing a CFL team over an NFL team because the CFL team was runner up for the Grey Cup, while the NFL team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. New Mexico State is the #2 athletic university in the state, but I don't hear people clamoring to add it. Texas Tech is probably the #5 athletic university in the state right now, but most of us would be thrilled to add it to C-USA.

My 2 cents.

You are correct in the sense that no one criteria should be the reason you select a program for your conference.

But, being one of only two FBS programs in a state is ONE of the reasons.

(NMSU isn't back-to-back champs in their conference either)

WKU makes the most sense for all sports, though I'd be even more interested in seeing the Blue Hens transition to FBS than I already am to see ODU.

I like WKU to replace Tulsa and be hopeful that Delaware changes their minds about moving up

(03-09-2013 03:36 PM)Psicosis Wrote:  WKU makes the most sense for all sports, though I'd be even more interested in seeing the Blue Hens transition to FBS than I already am to see ODU.

(03-09-2013 03:46 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  I like WKU to replace Tulsa and be hopeful that Delaware changes their minds about moving up

Please . . . No more 1-AA moveups directly into C-USA. There are other conferences where they can go and grow into a true 1-A team. Once they've done that, then consider them for membership.

Er, WKU has been FBS for like half a decade and I'm pretty sure they've been to multiple bowl games.

(03-09-2013 10:07 PM)Psicosis Wrote:  Er, WKU has been FBS for like half a decade and I'm pretty sure they've been to multiple bowl games.

I think he was talking about the Delaware portion of those posts.

(03-09-2013 10:07 PM)Psicosis Wrote:  Er, WKU has been FBS for like half a decade and I'm pretty sure they've been to multiple bowl games.

WKU just finished it's 4th year of FBS. We went 7-5 in year 3 and finished 2nd in the SBC but didn't get a Bowl invite. This year, year 4, we were 7-5 again but did go to a Bowl.

Fwiw, WKU has had winning seasons 14 of the last 17 years, but we've only been FBS for 4 years now.

(03-09-2013 10:07 PM)Psicosis Wrote:  Er, WKU has been FBS for like half a decade and I'm pretty sure they've been to multiple bowl games.

Im pretty sure he was talking about Delaware not WKU.

(03-09-2013 10:19 PM)Saint Greg Wrote:  

(03-09-2013 10:07 PM)Psicosis Wrote:  Er, WKU has been FBS for like half a decade and I'm pretty sure they've been to multiple bowl games.

I think he was talking about the Delaware portion of those posts.

Yep, I was referring specifically to Delaware.

I'm not crazy about WKU either, but I can certainly see reasons they would be a good addition. I do like the tamales at their stadium.

(03-09-2013 10:50 AM)Lee Moses Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  i had to go Arky State... the only other D1 competition in the "immediate" area is arkansas. So you're going after the #2 university in the state.

While I like WKU, you're sandwiched in with L'ville and Kentucky, putting you third in the state, so let's break with the 'appearances' of taking a 3rd school.

Alabama: 'bama, 'burn, UAB
Mississippi: Ole Miss, Miss State, USM
Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech
Florida: Way too many to count - then FIU/FAU
Oklahoma: OU, Okie State, Tulsa
Texas: Way too many to count - then UTEP/UTSA/UNT
Tennessee: UTenn, Memphis, MTSU
Virginia - Va, Vtech, ... (not sure how many others), ODU

So let's match our "level" in W. Virginia in the pecking order
W. Virginia - WVU, Marshall
SO you go with
Kentucky: KY, L'Ville, WKU
or Arkansas: Arkansas, ASU

I say go with Arkansas State.

While I live in Arkansas and would choose ASU. . . . I don't think this is a good way to go about it. Arkansas has about half the population of Kentucky. To pick ASU because it is the second-ranked athletic school in the state (which it definitely is) kind of strikes me like choosing a CFL team over an NFL team because the CFL team was runner up for the Grey Cup

Again, as noted, there are only two competing universities in Arkansas... you get a better chance at recruiting by bringing in ASU then you would have in recruiting in KY by bringing in WKY.

And again, I'm not knocking either school, this would just be my personal criteria which says ASU would be the pick over WKY,.

(03-10-2013 12:07 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(03-09-2013 10:50 AM)Lee Moses Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  i had to go Arky State... the only other D1 competition in the "immediate" area is arkansas. So you're going after the #2 university in the state.

While I like WKU, you're sandwiched in with L'ville and Kentucky, putting you third in the state, so let's break with the 'appearances' of taking a 3rd school.

Alabama: 'bama, 'burn, UAB
Mississippi: Ole Miss, Miss State, USM
Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech
Florida: Way too many to count - then FIU/FAU
Oklahoma: OU, Okie State, Tulsa
Texas: Way too many to count - then UTEP/UTSA/UNT
Tennessee: UTenn, Memphis, MTSU
Virginia - Va, Vtech, ... (not sure how many others), ODU

So let's match our "level" in W. Virginia in the pecking order
W. Virginia - WVU, Marshall
SO you go with
Kentucky: KY, L'Ville, WKU
or Arkansas: Arkansas, ASU

I say go with Arkansas State.

While I live in Arkansas and would choose ASU. . . . I don't think this is a good way to go about it. Arkansas has about half the population of Kentucky. To pick ASU because it is the second-ranked athletic school in the state (which it definitely is) kind of strikes me like choosing a CFL team over an NFL team because the CFL team was runner up for the Grey Cup

Again, as noted, there are only two competing universities in Arkansas... you get a better chance at recruiting by bringing in ASU then you would have in recruiting in KY by bringing in WKY.

And again, I'm not knocking either school, this would just be my personal criteria which says ASU would be the pick over WKY,.

Just to be totally humorous here but since Kentucky is not a football state like Arkansas and since the University of Kentucky is a perennial cellar dweller in their conference, WKU could arguably fill the vast void that is UK football and be top two with Louisville as far as FBS football goes in Kentucky. Yes, I'm just kidding but only slightly.

(03-10-2013 12:07 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  

(03-09-2013 10:50 AM)Lee Moses Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 06:51 PM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  i had to go Arky State... the only other D1 competition in the "immediate" area is arkansas. So you're going after the #2 university in the state.

While I like WKU, you're sandwiched in with L'ville and Kentucky, putting you third in the state, so let's break with the 'appearances' of taking a 3rd school.

Alabama: 'bama, 'burn, UAB
Mississippi: Ole Miss, Miss State, USM
Louisiana; LSU, Tulane, LaTech
Florida: Way too many to count - then FIU/FAU
Oklahoma: OU, Okie State, Tulsa
Texas: Way too many to count - then UTEP/UTSA/UNT
Tennessee: UTenn, Memphis, MTSU
Virginia - Va, Vtech, ... (not sure how many others), ODU

So let's match our "level" in W. Virginia in the pecking order
W. Virginia - WVU, Marshall
SO you go with
Kentucky: KY, L'Ville, WKU
or Arkansas: Arkansas, ASU

I say go with Arkansas State.

While I live in Arkansas and would choose ASU. . . . I don't think this is a good way to go about it. Arkansas has about half the population of Kentucky. To pick ASU because it is the second-ranked athletic school in the state (which it definitely is) kind of strikes me like choosing a CFL team over an NFL team because the CFL team was runner up for the Grey Cup

Again, as noted, there are only two competing universities in Arkansas... you get a better chance at recruiting by bringing in ASU then you would have in recruiting in KY by bringing in WKY.

And again, I'm not knocking either school, this would just be my personal criteria which says ASU would be the pick over WKY,.

I wouldn't use recruiting Arkansas as a reason to add stAte. Tech is very close to Arkansas and already recruits there. The Razorbacks take what they want and there isn't much left when they are done. stAte only signed three players from Arkansas this year. Tech didn't sign any. We did get a great player in Kenneth Dixon out of there last year but if Arkansas hadn't already signed two RBs, I don't think we'd have him.


D1 recruits by state:

Texas - 368
Florida - 350
California - 349
Georgia - 184
Ohio - 151
Louisiana - 89
Alabama - 88
Illinois - 82
North Carolina - 81
Pennsylvania - 67
New Jersey - 63
Michigan - 62
Virginia - 58
Mississippi - 51
Maryland - 48
Tennessee - 45
Utah - 45
Oklahoma - 40
Arizona - 39
Missouri - 39
Indiana - 38
South Carolina - 34
Washington - 29
Colorado - 26
Hawaii - 26
New York - 25
Wisconsin - 25
Kansas - 21
Kentucky - 18
Nevada - 17
Oregon - 17
Arkansas - 15
Iowa - 13
Minnesota - 13
Connecticut - 9
Massachusetts - 9
Washington, DC - 9
Nebraska - 8
Idaho - 7
Delaware - 3
New Mexico - 3
West Virginia - 3
South Dakota - 2
Alaska - 1
Montana - 1
Wyoming - 1
Maine - 0
New Hampshire - 0
North Dakota - 0
Rhode Island - 0
Vermont - 0

http://www.maxpreps.com/football-signing...l/home.htm

If you accept it should be a C-USA criteria for universities to be 2nd in their states behind the state "flagship", I could argue three univeristies listed as 3rd will be 2nd in the near future:

LaTech - possibly already 2nd behind LSU; C-USA will help LT advance

MT - moving to 2nd behind UT; passing Memphis & Vandy due to large alumni base, strategic centralized location, & commitment to football in a football-centric state; C-USA will help MT advance (comparison to the state of North Carolina: UT=UNC, MT=NCSU, Memphis=ECU, Vandy=Duke)

USM - rich history & tradition place it at least equal to MSU; SEC membership props up MSU

It wouldn't surprise me if FIU, ODU, Charlotte & UTSA build very strong, well-rounded athletic programs in time. Marshall, UTEP & UAB should be respected for what they've accomplished. UNT & FAU will be solid adds, guaranteed.

We all need to step up, but this version of C-USA has a nice mix of tradition & growth potential IMO.

I'm just curious on what it would take from a conference expansion stand point to keep UAB in the East? Would CUSA expand to 16 and add WKU, ASU, & ULL if Tulsa leaves. I'm from Alabama and selfishly I would love to make the trip every other year to Birmingham to play UAB in B-Ball and Football.

What's the likely hood of this conference expanding to 18 teams? Perhaps two of the following Georgia State, James Madison, or South Alabama. I do like the idea of having a tight 16 team conference.

(03-10-2013 10:32 AM)TruBlu Wrote:  If you accept it should be a C-USA criteria for universities to be 2nd in their states behind the state "flagship", I could argue three univeristies listed as 3rd will be 2nd in the near future:

LaTech - possibly already 2nd behind LSU; C-USA will help LT advance

MT - moving to 2nd behind UT; passing Memphis & Vandy due to large alumni base, strategic centralized location, & commitment to football in a football-centric state; C-USA will help MT advance (comparison to the state of North Carolina: UT=UNC, MT=NCSU, Memphis=ECU, Vandy=Duke)

USM - rich history & tradition place it at least equal to MSU; SEC membership props up MSU

It wouldn't surprise me if FIU, ODU, Charlotte & UTSA build very strong, well-rounded athletic programs in time. Marshall, UTEP & UAB should be respected for what they've accomplished. UNT & FAU will be solid adds, guaranteed.

We all need to step up, but this version of C-USA has a nice mix of tradition & growth potential IMO.

As much as I would love for it to be true, Southern Miss isn't catching MSU any time soon. In fact, they had a Eustachy-Tyndall deal of their own happen in their athletic director office: Arizona hired away the good young one they had, and they simply got another young guy who turned out even better. At one point here in the last few years they had several donors angry at them over completion dates for some of their athletic facility projects. It turns out that the dates were what they were because MSU couldn't find enough construction crews in East Mississippi to keep all the projects going at full capacity all at once. By the time they are through, their football facilities will be as nice as what anyone in the SEC has, with an indoor practice facility, dedicated wieght rooms and study areas, and a nice stadium upgrade which will surpass Vaught-Hemingway as the largest stadium in the state (Southern Miss-MSU in 2014 will be the first game played after they finish it). They are also building these for basketball, and baseball will also have its own facilities including an indoor practice facility once football moves out of the building they currently share. They also have some upgrades for their women's sports planned.

I guarantee you no university located in a town of 20,000 rednecks in the middle of a giant cotton field will have nicer facilities anywhere in the country.