MercerFan
Orange & Black
Posts: 3,395
Joined: Apr 2005
Reputation: 48
I Root For: The Bears
Location: USA
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Expansion Rumors / Football Futures
After hearing more rumors and reading some pages on the internet there's a few interesting things to note.
- It still appears Mercer is a front runner for SoCon membership.
- A lot of SoCon Presidents don't want ETSU back. Their exit still hits a soft spot.
- Most still think ETSU will be picked due to lack of other choices
- Kennesaw remains a strong candidate. I guess it's their location and enrollment, because it's certainly not their win totals.
- Mercer football expected to go scholarship sooner rather than later. Jacksonville also considering this possibility.
- Atlantic Sun discussing sponsoring football (barf)
- Atlantic Sun discussing merger with Big South for football (double barf)
(This post was last modified: 03-16-2013 08:15 PM by MercerFan.)
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03-16-2013 08:13 PM |
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MercerFan
Orange & Black
Posts: 3,395
Joined: Apr 2005
Reputation: 48
I Root For: The Bears
Location: USA
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RE: Expansion Rumors / Football Futures
The Atlantic Sun does have some positives, but I prefer Mercer to move to a new home and start fresh. I really don't want to be associated with anything Big South.
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03-16-2013 08:14 PM |
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ETSUfan1
SoCon / ETSU Mod
Posts: 12,624
Joined: Apr 2005
Reputation: 93
I Root For: ETSU Football
Location: Abingdon, VA
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RE: Expansion Rumors / Football Futures
The Big South needs football schools and the ASUN needs members and stability. I guess it makes sense for the leagues to work together, but neither is a really desirable place to be.
(This post was last modified: 03-17-2013 07:24 AM by ETSUfan1.)
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03-17-2013 07:23 AM |
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mikeinsec127
1st String
Posts: 1,992
Joined: Jul 2009
Reputation: 118
I Root For: Rutgers
Location:
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RE: Expansion Rumors / Football Futures
I'm just glad to see all these schools moving towards scholarship football. The Southeast has really gone through a surge of schools starting football and moving up quickly. I have family down in Ga and I'm already talking to my nephew about looking at Kennesaw and ETSU.
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03-17-2013 06:02 PM |
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MercerFan
Orange & Black
Posts: 3,395
Joined: Apr 2005
Reputation: 48
I Root For: The Bears
Location: USA
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RE: Expansion Rumors / Football Futures
I agree, it's great that so many schools are adding football! I want to clarify that I don't like the Atlantic Sun sponsoring football because I think they missed the boat a long time ago. It would be "Atlantic Sun" football, but half the teams would have to be from other leagues like the Big South. It would be a makeshift conference structure since there's only a few A-SUN available teams. My other gripe with this is that it's virtually a guarantee that the A-Sun can't convince all the football teams to stay. So it would be the leftovers, and I don't want Mercer in a group of leftovers.
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03-17-2013 06:57 PM |
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chargeradio
Vamos Morados
Posts: 7,483
Joined: Mar 2007
Reputation: 122
I Root For: ALA, KY, USA
Location: Louisville, KY
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Expansion Rumors / Football Futures
If Mercer, Stetson, and Jacksonville go scholarship, the A-Sun could start inviting football-playing schools from Division II. The problem is that the SoCon has room at the inn, which probably snuffs out any chance at the A-Sun getting enough teams.
The possible serendipitous moment might be if the SoCon trashes Big South football beyond recovery:
SoCon takes Coastal Carolina, Gardner-Webb, VMI
CAA takes Monmouth
At this point Big South football is down to Liberty and Presbyterian.
Atlantic Sun (*plays FCS football)
Northern Kentucky
ETSU*
Lipscomb
USC Upstate
North Alabama*
Kennesaw State*
Mercer*
Jacksonville*
Stetson*
Columbus (GA) State
Florida Gulf Coast
North Florida
Liberty* (football only)
Presbyterian* (football only)
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03-17-2013 09:41 PM |
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