Going to address somethings said and may come back late tonight or tomorrow with revisions.
1a. UMass Should never selected 1AA in 1977. UMass football had a long history and been in the Tangerine Bowl against Eastern Carolina in 1964. We had coach Dick Macpherson from 1971-1977 when UMass went for 1AA and left for Syracuse.
Code:
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
UMass Redmen/Minutemen (Yankee Conference) (1971–1977)
1971 UMass 4–4–1 3–1–1 T–1st
1972 UMass 9–2 5–0 1st W Boardwalk
1973 UMass 6–5 4–2 3rd
1974 UMass 5–6 4–2 T–1st
1975 UMass 8–2 4–1 2nd
1976 UMass 5–5 3–2 2nd
1977 UMass 8–3 5–0 1st L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
UMass: 45–27–1 27–8–1
1b. UMass won the 1AA Championship in 1998 and had inquires to move up by CUSA and the MAC. UMass also has defeat Appalachian State at home in OT since being FBS. UMass has lost to Georgia Southern in the FCS Championship game but has beaten them at home since moving up to FBS. UMass also beat BYU at BYU since moving up to FBS.
UMass has made terrible HC decisions with football starting with Don Brown departure and promoting Morris. WE went from an elite FCS program to a mediocre at best squad when we had a chancellor committed to FBS. The facilities where not FBS compliant with replay booth and had to go to Gillette for 2 years. However the Kraft group insisted on 4 years. Also went cheap on the FBS needed improvements with 36.5 Million but have since have made improvements and the IPF.
2. The MAC was considered a safety net if the A10 fell apart. The A10 beefed up ahead of the realignment and was the one that put in the all sports clause option in the MAC contract. No other FB only contract has been written with an all sports invite guarantee.
3. UMass considers itself an east coast team as Marshall considered itself as a southern team.
4. All sports MAC is not happening unless the A10 becomes a one bid conference, which think it was saved from with things shutting down due to Covid. The A10 continues to be weak and think it is a 2-3 bid conference. Favor the MAC over CUSA. Being independent is a head wind that a struggling program does not need and UMass will accept the a FB only from either. AAC is not happening.
5. The reason for FBS is to be like academic peers and most have FBS. Financially going FBS G5 losses similar amounts of money as FCS, but has a much more positive upside. We are not dropping down, but the AD and football staff have warm seats. The issue with that is have no confidence UMass will select a better AD or FB staff, especial as it is currently a less than ideal spot with independence and lack of performance.
6. Get why the MAC wants all sports members and no significant benefit adding UMass. However if the MAC every adds UMass as a FB only, we'd be stable and not looking for the first open door out. While UMass thinks itself as east coast, we are Northern like the MAC. No other G5 conference is northern.
7. Beat UConn this Saturday will do wonders for it's psyche and losing will be a very tough pill.