http://www.gohofstra.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=204843540

Another football program ending.

Maybe if the BCS boys are successful enough at sucking up all of the available football dollars. They'll be the only ones left. You don't think that's their plan do you????

I know, I know.....Hofstra is only FCS, but I have the feeling that the college football world is heading down this path.

For years there have been rumors that the FCS schools in the Northeast would form a football-only conference so they could save on travel costs. I can't believe they didn't try that before two schools gave up.

Don't be surprised if Rhode Island is next. They've been rumored to drop to 40 scholarship or non-scholarship football for a while now.

That's the second CAA team to drop football this year, after Northeastern.

If this the CAA dropping dead weight to prepare for a move to FBS?

I wonder if there is any truth to the rumor that they were so dispirited by their visit to Kalamazoo this year they decided to throw in the towel.

(12-03-2009 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  That's the second CAA team to drop football this year, after Northeastern.

If this the CAA dropping dead weight to prepare for a move to FBS?

Wow, that's a perfect radio-style lead in for Airport KC!

(12-03-2009 12:40 PM)BGSUalum1987 Wrote:  

(12-03-2009 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  That's the second CAA team to drop football this year, after Northeastern.

If this the CAA dropping dead weight to prepare for a move to FBS?

Wow, that's a perfect radio-style lead in for Airport KC!

(12-03-2009 12:40 PM)BGSUalum1987 Wrote:  

(12-03-2009 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  That's the second CAA team to drop football this year, after Northeastern.

If this the CAA dropping dead weight to prepare for a move to FBS?

Wow, that's a perfect radio-style lead in for Airport KC!

I'm sure he's out there adjusting his Big Board to take this into account, and he'll report in once he has figured out all the ramifications.

Having seen them play in September, there are a couple of good grabs on that squad that could fill a needed role on a MAC squad for a year or two. I believe when a football program goes belly-up like that, the NCAA allows kids to transfer without having to sit out a year.

(12-03-2009 12:55 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  

(12-03-2009 12:40 PM)BGSUalum1987 Wrote:  

(12-03-2009 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  That's the second CAA team to drop football this year, after Northeastern.

If this the CAA dropping dead weight to prepare for a move to FBS?

Wow, that's a perfect radio-style lead in for Airport KC!

I'm sure he's out there adjusting his Big Board to take this into account, and he'll report in once he has figured out all the ramifications.

Don't encourage him! He's probably in the lab, operating the domino model right now. By tonight, we'll have a scenario where 3 or 4 leagues will have re-aligned. Heck, we haven't had a conference re-alignment thread for at least a few days.

(12-03-2009 01:08 PM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Having seen them play in September, there are a couple of good grabs on that squad that could fill a needed role on a MAC squad for a year or two. I believe when a football program goes belly-up like that, the NCAA allows kids to transfer without having to sit out a year.

Yes,

Hofstra is honoring their scholarships and the NCAA will allow transfers with immediate eligibility. .

http://bull-run.blogspot.com/2009/12/hof...m-let.html

(12-03-2009 12:40 PM)BGSUalum1987 Wrote:  

(12-03-2009 12:38 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  That's the second CAA team to drop football this year, after Northeastern.

If this the CAA dropping dead weight to prepare for a move to FBS?

Wow, that's a perfect radio-style lead in for Airport KC!

haha.

I don't know if Hofstra/Northeastern dropping football means anything. The CAA has 5 other non-football playing members (George Mason, UNC Willmington, Drexel, Old Dominion, Georgia State). Old Dominion is about to enter the conference and Georgia State is moving into the CAA next year. There are currently 5 football only members (UMass, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Villanova)

If anything, you might see Northeastern leave the CAA for a more geographically friendly league. If the northern schools of the CAA continue to drop football, UMass might be forced to consider moving up to FBS to compete in the MAC as an interim solution.

Could the CAA move en-mass to FBS? For years it has been that Delaware and UMass were the only ones ready, now JMU has become more serious about football and Old Dominion is already averaging 19k. Georgia St is going to be playing its home games in the Georgia Dome and has plenty of in-state talent to work with.

The CAA programs that are FBS viable:

UMass
Delaware
JMU
ODU
GSU

This only gives the CAA 4 all-sport members that are truely capable of making the move upward. Maine and New Hampshire don't have the facilities and they play in the American East. Rhode Island has the same issue though playing in the Atlantic Ten.

While it is fashionable to have fun with KC's threads and posts on conference realignment, I do believe that discussion of CAA FB isn't some idle speculation.

Things are happening. Schools are dropping FB. Schools are ADDING FB.

I've maintained for some time now that we might see the core of the CAA + UNC Charlotte, Appy State, Ga. Southern or Ga. State, etc. move into a combined hoops/I-A FB conference around say 2013 - 15.

I've proposed calling it the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Confernce but there is already a MAC and MACC so I'll assume the CAA would assimilate the other schools and the CAA would remain the CAA to avoid further confusion and what the heck, they have the trademark (CAA).

The sucess of Temple in football may led to UMass moving football only to the MAC. That could solve the 13 team issue. MAC has BCS bowl access and the money that comes with that. The success of Boise St and TCU may lead to schools thinking that just getting into a FBS conference is the way to go.

(12-04-2009 08:54 AM)emu steve Wrote:  I do believe that discussion of CAA FB isn't some idle speculation

It is until the discussion moves beyond fan message boards.

(12-04-2009 08:54 AM)emu steve Wrote:  While it is fashionable to have fun with KC's threads and posts on conference realignment, I do believe that discussion of CAA FB isn't some idle speculation.

Things are happening. Schools are dropping FB. Schools are ADDING FB.

I've maintained for some time now that we might see the core of the CAA + UNC Charlotte, Appy State, Ga. Southern or Ga. State, etc. move into a combined hoops/I-A FB conference around say 2013 - 15.

I've proposed calling it the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Confernce but there is already a MAC and MACC so I'll assume the CAA would assimilate the other schools and the CAA would remain the CAA to avoid further confusion and what the heck, they have the trademark (CAA).

UNC Charlotte is scheduled to move up to FCS in 2013. They are looking a building an on campus stadium with 15,000 seats. I'm not sure as to what that says about their long term FBS ambitions.

I'm not sure at this point if we are going to see an entire migration upward to FBS football from the CAA. The economy right now is in shambles. It could be that a couple of schools move up to CUSA. There has been some talk of expanding CUSA to 16 schools to help reduce travel costs.

Right now you have a handful of CAA teams with FBS ambition or potential.

JMU
GA State
ODU
UMass
Delaware

Then you have the other mid-Atlantic/southern schools that may be looking at FBS: App State, Georgia Southern, Charlotte. If those 8 schools move together, they could form a viable FBS conference.

(12-05-2009 06:25 AM)rufus Wrote:  Right now you have a handful of CAA teams with FBS ambition or potential.

JMU
GA State
ODU
UMass
Delaware

Then you have the other mid-Atlantic/southern schools that may be looking at FBS: App State, Georgia Southern, Charlotte. If those 8 schools move together, they could form a viable FBS conference.

You are absolutely correct.

This could be a VERY NICE I-A upstart conference which immediately surpasses the SunBelt Conf and could give the MAC a run for its money "On any given Saturday..."

Perhaps I-A and I-AA programs will be like trees in the neighborhood. Some will get pruned and other will bud.

Some new blood in I-A wouldn't be a bad thing.

And to put a MAC spin on it: There will be more opportunities for home and home with new I-A schools.

(12-05-2009 07:20 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(12-05-2009 06:25 AM)rufus Wrote:  Right now you have a handful of CAA teams with FBS ambition or potential.

JMU
GA State
ODU
UMass
Delaware

Then you have the other mid-Atlantic/southern schools that may be looking at FBS: App State, Georgia Southern, Charlotte. If those 8 schools move together, they could form a viable FBS conference.

You are absolutely correct.

This could be a VERY NICE I-A upstart conference which immediately surpasses the SunBelt Conf and could give the MAC a run for its money "On any given Saturday..."

Perhaps I-A and I-AA programs will be like trees in the neighborhood. Some will get pruned and other will bud.

Some new blood in I-A wouldn't be a bad thing.

And to put a MAC spin on it: There will be more opportunities for home and home with new I-A schools.

Or another spin: They can replace the MAC in FBS when it decides to move down to FCS.

ADs from Maine, URI, UMass, and UNH meet with CAA Commish

(12-22-2009 10:47 AM)uakronkid Wrote:  ADs from Maine, URI, UMass, and UNH meet with CAA Commish

From the article, main points:

-Maine likes the competitive advantage of CAA football, the best FCS conference. They also feel like its important to stay at the highest levels of FCS football because Maine football represents the whole state. They would be more than comfortable staying in the CAA if Delaware and Villanova agree to move North.

-Rhode Island is far behind on infrastructure and doesn't see the value that 3 additional plane trips south would bring. They appear to be leaning toward leaving the CAA for a limited scholarship conference with other Northeast schools after 2010. It sounds like a good cost cutting alternative to dropping the program.

-No word from UNH or UMass but I would have to think their position is going to be similar to Maine's, in that provided the CAA is willing to committ to geographical changes things should be fine.

-The article mentions Fordham interested in moving up, also Stoney Brook which plays in the Big South wants to upgrade. Either one in CAA football would be a great asset to the Northern schools.