http://www.panthertalk.com/panthercut-ho...-football/

I am a Rice Owls (Houston, TX, C-USA and former SWC) alum.

As a longtime Atlanta area resident who grew up here and still lives here, I have seen many changes over the years. I remember when they were adding the third lane around I-285 which was supposed to solve the traffic problems in Atlanta permanently! Ha ha!

I also lived for a time in Orlando, FL next to UCF and visited their campus regularly for recreation in the early to mid 90's, right when they were growing and transitioning from FCS to FBS (then Div I-AA to I-A).

Having seen that, I think Kennesaw State more closely resembles UCF's model (and USF's, for that matter) than GA State.

Don't get me wrong, I'd really like to see GA State be more successful. I'd really like to see GA State in the C-USA so I could see my team come play here in Atlanta once in a while, instead of having to drive to Birmingham. (UAB is depressing, in my opinion.)

But, one of the raps against GA State is support and attendance. Fair or not, that is driving the perception from other schools/leagues around the country that would be interested in a school like GA State.

Of course, that can change in the future, and I hope it does. But I think since Kennesaw has the benefit of looking at both GA State and GA Southern (as well as UCF, USF and ODU to name a few others) and comparing them, they may be better able to achieve a consistent level than GA State has in a somewhat shorter time.

As far as the locations of the two schools, there's not a lot to do around Kennesaw compared to downtown Atlanta, but downtown is quite a drive away (and not so easily accessible by rail in many cases) for kids who live OTP, regardless of the school they attend.

And considering having to run the gauntlet of highway patrol and local police, and considering how college students in general like to "enjoy" themselves at events like sporting contests, I think Kennesaw stands an excellent chance at developing and growing a bigger support base locally than perhaps GA state has so for. Time will tell, of course.

I root for both your schools to be more successful. And for one of them someday to perhaps be in a conference with my school, Rice University, since we have been left behind by the bigger schools over the years. (Of course, I'd love Rice in the ACC with GA Tech, but that's probably less likely to happen than GA State or Kennesaw in C-USA someday.)

Thanks, Panama, for supporting your school on these boards Hope youy can get some more people to be interested in participating here.

GoodOwl (Go Rice U!)

They're not a threat for GSt in the immediate future. To Georgia Southern, no unless GSo does not get an invite to FBS. To Mercer, yes recruiting wise, but because the Bears are PFL, that puts them on the bottom talent wise, and when I say bottom, I mean bottom, to include UWG and VSU because they do offer scholarships and MU does not.
It will greatly depend on the new coach. I'm for Hatcher.
If they hire Chris Hatcher(Murray St, GSo, VSU), I believe he can build a strong program. He recruited some really good talent at Southern that CJM was able to capitalize on that carried the Eagle Defense these last three seasons. The fact that they switched from the 4-3 to the 3-4 had as much to do with the losses as anything else like instability at QB with the Antonio Henton experiment. Those classes had already been through three coaching regimes and three offenses with Mike Sewak (triple option), Van Gorder (multiple), and Hatcher (spread).
Comparing Hatcher's tenure at GSo to that of MuSt, those three seasons at each look strikingly similar. At Southern they were 3-8 the year prior and with Hatch they went 7-4 in '07, a season highlighted by knocking off #1 App State in Boone, narrowly missing the SoCon Championship and the playoffs with a wide field goal against FU, and the Walter Payton Award going to Jason Foster. By contrast CJM was also 7-4 regular season in his first campaign as the Eagles HC. In '08 & '09, they went 6-5, and 5-6. Down down and out the door.
At Murray State who was absolutely abysmal, but also 3-8 the year prior to his arrival, they then went 6-5 in 2010, 7-4 ('11) where they left 48 on the board in "da Dome", 5-6('12) and he's still there (today that is).
Building from the ground up, the "Hatch-Attack" could roll through the SoCon in a few years particularly if GaSo and App are gone. If hired, and he is able to sustain success as he did at VSU then another Georgia FBS program they can be within a decade. Nothing builds a program like success on the field, and with Fith Third Bank having nameing rights on the venue, I'm sure if they have packed games, that little stadium will expand. If I'm not mistaken it is expandable up to 20,000.
Like I said though, the right coach will determine how soon they are a threat.

Looks like you'll be adding Georgia Southern to the list of threats as well.

Although, I think that will actually help with GA State's attendance and general interest problems.

Georgia Southern to move to FBS, Sun Belt

March 26, 2013

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Southern’s move to the Sun Belt Conference is scheduled be announced at a news conference at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Statesboro, and the Eagles will be eligible to compete for all Sun Belt titles in 2014, according a person familiar with the negotiations.

After accepting an invitation to join, the conference is requiring that Georgia Southern declare its intention to the NCAA to move from the FCS level to the FBS level by June 1. Doing so will meet the NCAA’s deadline to be eligible to play on the FBS level by 2014, but it will also mean that the Eagles will be ineligible to compete for the FCS football championship in 2013.

(03-26-2013 05:01 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Looks like you'll be adding Georgia Southern to the list of threats as well.

Although, I think that will actually help with GA State's attendance and general interest problems.

Georgia Southern to move to FBS, Sun Belt

March 26, 2013

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Southern’s move to the Sun Belt Conference is scheduled be announced at a news conference at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Statesboro, and the Eagles will be eligible to compete for all Sun Belt titles in 2014, according a person familiar with the negotiations.

After accepting an invitation to join, the conference is requiring that Georgia Southern declare its intention to the NCAA to move from the FCS level to the FBS level by June 1. Doing so will meet the NCAA’s deadline to be eligible to play on the FBS level by 2014, but it will also mean that the Eagles will be ineligible to compete for the FCS football championship in 2013.

Its one home game every two years. Winning will cure our problems.

Only game State will draw well in their outdated crib.

Thanks for being obsessed.

Chris Hatcher is a terrible coach