Did they find a new conference? Are they staying FBS?

What happened to Hartwick?

Hartwick is still a small college near cooperstown.

UMass still cares more about basketball than the revenue potential of their football program.

From MAC Media Day- Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher talks UMass' departure.

Quote:With Temple's decision, the conference could have altered its contract with UMass right then and there, he commissioner said, but decided against it due to the uncertainty of ongoing realignment.

"We wanted to step back, because of what was going on in the environment. There were a lot of changes going on and we felt there was some safety in numbers," he said. "We thought there might be a possibility of maybe there was someone else we might want to bring in that made some sense."

That never happened and the conference stuck at 13 teams and two uneven divisions of six and seven members. Faced with the eventual decision to commit, UMass declined, citing considerable financial and geographic issues.

Steinbrecher acknowledged there was little hope UMass would reconsider.

"It got down to the point where it was like 'Look, if you want to come all in, that's great. If you don't, we'll understand and we'll go our separate ways,'" he said. "Certainly, for the next two years, we'd like to think UMass will feel like an insider and we know they'll be treated in that fashion.

"But yes, it's challenging. I know (UMass athletic director) John McCutcheon and his staff are working hard to come up with solutions."

Though UMass faces an uncertain future – one that more and more realistically features the potential for some measure of independency – Steinbrecher still believes the school to be an attractive target for potential suitors.

The Minutemen's growing basketball clout is an important piece. An improved football product under new coach Mark Whipple will help more.

http://www.masslive.com/umassfootball/in...14_ma.html

Quote:UMass declined, citing considerable financial and geographic issues.

I don't understand, how is the MAC a geographic issue for UMass? With the MAC you've got 12 schools between 600-1,000 miles away. The range for CUSA schools is 750-2,300 miles and only 1 school is within the MAC range (Marshall). With the American UConn and Temple are closer than any MAC school and Cinci and maybe ECU are within the MAC range, but then the rest of the teams are in FL and TX and such. The average distance is still going to be much larger. (Its worth noting that neither CUSA or AAC have any interest in adding UMass.)

Name a conference in FBS that has an average travel distance shorter than the MAC does for UMass. I think UMass is hung up on the dream of being "big time" and aren't facing the facts.

Obvious political speak.

With the Sunbelt not providing a spot, they'll be Indy by the time they leave the MAC.....unless a change of heart and the reality of playing FBS football hits them and joing the MAC in full. Then I can see a #14 school like Missouri St or NDSU in?

(07-24-2014 09:39 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  With the Sunbelt not providing a spot, they'll be Indy by the time they leave the MAC.....unless a change of heart and the reality of playing FBS football hits them and joing the MAC in full. Then I can see a #14 school like Missouri St or NDSU in?

No to NDSU, maybe yes to Missouri or JMU..

(07-24-2014 09:39 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  With the Sunbelt not providing a spot, they'll be Indy by the time they leave the MAC.....unless a change of heart and the reality of playing FBS football hits them and joing the MAC in full. Then I can see a #14 school like Missouri St or NDSU in?

That ship has sailed.

Massachusetts may reconsider joining at some point, but I think (hope) that the MAC will not be receptive.

Wrong tense ... question is what is happening to UMass. They are likely still sorting out how to schedule as an independent starting in Fall 2016.

(07-23-2014 01:51 PM)TARDledo Wrote:  What happened to Hartwick?

Unlike UMass, Hartwick joined the Sunbelt as an affiliate.

(07-24-2014 12:48 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  Wrong tense ... question is what is happening to UMass. They are likely still sorting out how to schedule as an independent starting in Fall 2016.

(07-23-2014 01:51 PM)TARDledo Wrote:  What happened to Hartwick?

Unlike UMass, Hartwick joined the Sunbelt as an affiliate.

That's going to be interesting, scheduling as an independent.

(07-24-2014 12:59 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  That's going to be interesting, scheduling as an independent.

I bow to a master of understatement.

(07-24-2014 01:02 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-24-2014 12:59 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  That's going to be interesting, scheduling as an independent.

I bow to a master of understatement.

LOL, yea, I just remember what it was like when NIU was an independent. Yikes. And there were more options then.

(07-24-2014 12:15 PM)TARDledo Wrote:  

(07-24-2014 09:39 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  With the Sunbelt not providing a spot, they'll be Indy by the time they leave the MAC.....unless a change of heart and the reality of playing FBS football hits them and joing the MAC in full. Then I can see a #14 school like Missouri St or NDSU in?

That ship has sailed.

Massachusetts may reconsider joining at some point, but I think (hope) that the MAC will not be receptive.

Hey if UMass wanted to join the MAC for everything and the buyout is right to keep them in for 5-10 years I'd welcome them back. They and JMU/Delaware would give the conference a very nice mid-atlantic / ne footprint.

What happened to UMass, well we are going to shock the media's perception of low attendance and performance this year. We should have the best attendance for a MAC home game on Aug 30th.

This should be the last season of all P5 OOC opponents. The MAC sadistically schedule game #5, our home coming back on campus for the first time in 3 years, with the MAC #1 preseason team pick and MAC Championship BGSU.

The first 5 games will be challenging and we should be better prepare and able to perform on the field.

This is football alumni week end, where past UMass football players are getting a tour of the new football facilities. Yesterday there was a golf outing.







Here is the UMass Football Alumni facebook photo gallery.
Facebook Photo Gallery Link

Here is one from the gallery with the goal post installed.

(07-26-2014 11:24 AM)Steve1981 Wrote:  The first 5 12 games will be challenging...

FIFY.

(07-26-2014 11:48 AM)TARDledo Wrote:  

(07-26-2014 11:24 AM)Steve1981 Wrote:  The first 5 12 games will be challenging...

FIFY.

But after the first 12 games, then the challenge will ease up until 2015.

Yes, in 2015 we'll have an IPF aka practice bubble for all teams. Think you really meant 2016. We want to be competing to earn our 24th conference championship, which is not possible if we are independent.

Mock us now for not being competitive as that will be changing soon. By 2016 we should be a solid team and think we'll show a competitive jump this year and keep growing.

Most recruits dream of the NFL and realize they will need to compete in cold climates. UMass has a lot to offer as a university and recruits like having coaches that have coached at the next level, the NFL.

(07-26-2014 10:33 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Yes, in 2015 we'll have an IPF aka practice bubble for all teams. Think you really meant 2016. We want to be competing to earn our 24th conference championship, which is not possible if we are independent.

Mock us now for not being competitive as that will be changing soon. By 2016 we should be a solid team and think we'll show a competitive jump this year and keep growing.

Most recruits dream of the NFL and realize they will need to compete in cold climates. UMass has a lot to offer as a university and recruits like having coaches that have coached at the next level, the NFL.

sounds like Temple from a few years back..