Is the SoCon keeping pace with the other FCS conferences? This, to me, highlights how terrible ETSU football ended up in 2019. Look at all the success out there and we’re not part of it. Our athletic budget is on par with several Sun Belt schools. Why not aim for NDSU, JMU, Montana, et al? We did beat the OVC champ if that’s any consolation. Our program MUST be taken up to be at least in the upper quarter of FCS football. Otherwise, why did we bring it back?


https://fbschedules.com/fcs-playoffs-201...-released/

(11-26-2019 04:39 PM)Buc66 Wrote:  Is the SoCon keeping pace with the other FCS conferences? This, to me, highlights how terrible ETSU football ended up in 2019. Look at all the success out there and we’re not part of it. Our athletic budget is on par with several Sun Belt schools. Why not aim for NDSU, JMU, Montana, et al? We did beat the OVC champ if that’s any consolation. Our program MUST be taken up to be at least in the upper quarter of FCS football. Otherwise, why did we bring it back?


https://fbschedules.com/fcs-playoffs-201...-released/

We have talent, but coaching and QB play must get better.

For Football the SoCon as a whole took a hit when 132 extra scholarships were added to schools like App, GaSo, ODU, Liberty, UNCC, an GaSt within the SoCon recruiting grounds. Plus if you look back further Samford, ETSU, Mercer, etc. adding 65 scholarships each.

The explosion of southeast FBS schools is the reason the CAA and SoCon now lag behind the MVFC and BigSky

(11-27-2019 04:40 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  For Football the SoCon as a whole took a hit when 132 extra scholarships were added to schools like App, GaSo, ODU, Liberty, UNCC, an GaSt within the SoCon recruiting grounds. Plus if you look back further Samford, ETSU, Mercer, etc. adding 65 scholarships each.

The explosion of southeast FBS schools is the reason the CAA and SoCon now lag behind the MVFC and BigSky

Never thought of it like this but I believe you are correct.

(11-27-2019 06:20 PM)brock20 Wrote:  

(11-27-2019 04:40 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  For Football the SoCon as a whole took a hit when 132 extra scholarships were added to schools like App, GaSo, ODU, Liberty, UNCC, an GaSt within the SoCon recruiting grounds. Plus if you look back further Samford, ETSU, Mercer, etc. adding 65 scholarships each.

The explosion of southeast FBS schools is the reason the CAA
and SoCon now lag behind the MVFC and BigSky

Never thought of it like this but I believe you are correct.

Logical.
Always thought ETSU was in a tough recruiting position. UT to the west. Virginia tech to the NE and Appy to the East. Even Carson Newman to the East. All football powers in their own right, historically. Hard to play catch up. I was hoping last year signaled a step in the right direction.
Interestingly none of those schools are historically basketball powers, despite some recent success.

(11-27-2019 06:20 PM)brock20 Wrote:  

(11-27-2019 04:40 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  For Football the SoCon as a whole took a hit when 132 extra scholarships were added to schools like App, GaSo, ODU, Liberty, UNCC, an GaSt within the SoCon recruiting grounds. Plus if you look back further Samford, ETSU, Mercer, etc. adding 65 scholarships each.

The explosion of southeast FBS schools is the reason the CAA and SoCon now lag behind the MVFC and BigSky

Never thought of it like this but I believe you are correct.

This explains a lot from the SoCon point of view and makes sense. But what is worrisome if that we can only put out the worst offense in the entire conference. All the other schools have the above stated recruiting challenges and we should be very competitive with all of them. We not longer are a start up team with freshmen. We have facilities like a first class weight room and training facility. Plus one of the best indoor practice facilites anywhere and a fine FCS stadium. And we have some of the best leadership on the conference. And yet we have the worst team in the league? Some major improvement must come next year.

(11-30-2019 10:49 AM)bucfan81 Wrote:  

(11-27-2019 06:20 PM)brock20 Wrote:  

(11-27-2019 04:40 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  For Football the SoCon as a whole took a hit when 132 extra scholarships were added to schools like App, GaSo, ODU, Liberty, UNCC, an GaSt within the SoCon recruiting grounds. Plus if you look back further Samford, ETSU, Mercer, etc. adding 65 scholarships each.

The explosion of southeast FBS schools is the reason the CAA and SoCon now lag behind the MVFC and BigSky

Never thought of it like this but I believe you are correct.

This explains a lot from the SoCon point of view and makes sense. But what is worrisome if that we can only put out the worst offense in the entire conference. All the other schools have the above stated recruiting challenges and we should be very competitive with all of them. We not longer are a start up team with freshmen. We have facilities like a first class weight room and training facility. Plus one of the best indoor practice facilites anywhere and a fine FCS stadium. And we have some of the best leadership on the conference. And yet we have the worst team in the league? Some major improvement must come next year.

And to add to the misery —- the SoCon took another DIVE today, both teams eliminated in the first round. The Big South has now passed the SoCon in football. Not long ago, the Big South was the little brother of the SoCon. In fact, the SoCon was one of the best I-AA conferences not that long ago. For an old guy like me, this new reality is hard to take, especially seeing the big winner of the two start up programs, that being Kennesaw the winner with ETSU presently holding the short end of that stick. This is simply unacceptable by any measure. ETSU should own SoCon football given our athletic budget and the sorry state of conference football. Is Sanders on notice?

(11-30-2019 07:05 PM)Buc66 Wrote:  

(11-30-2019 10:49 AM)bucfan81 Wrote:  

(11-27-2019 06:20 PM)brock20 Wrote:  

(11-27-2019 04:40 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  For Football the SoCon as a whole took a hit when 132 extra scholarships were added to schools like App, GaSo, ODU, Liberty, UNCC, an GaSt within the SoCon recruiting grounds. Plus if you look back further Samford, ETSU, Mercer, etc. adding 65 scholarships each.

The explosion of southeast FBS schools is the reason the CAA and SoCon now lag behind the MVFC and BigSky

Never thought of it like this but I believe you are correct.

This explains a lot from the SoCon point of view and makes sense. But what is worrisome if that we can only put out the worst offense in the entire conference. All the other schools have the above stated recruiting challenges and we should be very competitive with all of them. We not longer are a start up team with freshmen. We have facilities like a first class weight room and training facility. Plus one of the best indoor practice facilites anywhere and a fine FCS stadium. And we have some of the best leadership on the conference. And yet we have the worst team in the league? Some major improvement must come next year.

And to add to the misery —- the SoCon took another DIVE today, both teams eliminated in the first round. The Big South has now passed the SoCon in football. Not long ago, the Big South was the little brother of the SoCon. In fact, the SoCon was one of the best I-AA conferences not that long ago. For an old guy like me, this new reality is hard to take, especially seeing the big winner of the two start up programs, that being Kennesaw the winner with ETSU presently holding the short end of that stick. This is simply unacceptable by any measure. ETSU should own SoCon football given our athletic budget and the sorry state of conference football. Is Sanders on notice?

Sanders should definitely be getting some flak from the media after this season.

(11-30-2019 07:05 PM)Buc66 Wrote:  And to add to the misery —- the SoCon took another DIVE today, both teams eliminated in the first round. The Big South has now passed the SoCon in football. N

Socon has become a basketball league and I'm okay with that.

(11-30-2019 11:50 PM)Bucster Wrote:  

(11-30-2019 07:05 PM)Buc66 Wrote:  And to add to the misery —- the SoCon took another DIVE today, both teams eliminated in the first round. The Big South has now passed the SoCon in football. N

Socon has become a basketball league and I'm okay with that.

Been there, seen that, done that - it’s called the ASUN. If SoCon is going to play FCS football, it needs to do it first class. If ETSU is going to play FCS football, then it needs to join the ranks of all those state schools now in the playoffs and be there year in and year out.

Until Randy Sanders is willing to adapt and change, nothing will get better.

(12-01-2019 06:32 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Until Randy Sanders is willing to adapt and change, nothing will get better.

If that’s the situation, then how long will this administration tolerate that??

(12-03-2019 08:43 AM)Buc66 Wrote:  

(12-01-2019 06:32 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Until Randy Sanders is willing to adapt and change, nothing will get better.

If that’s the situation, then how long will this administration tolerate that??

My guess is that depends on the severity of the loss, and ticket sales. If we have another season like this past season, I don't think Sanders can survive that. If we are middle of the pack in the conference and our ticket sales keep up, he might survive it. Ticket sales are a big deal, remember that ultimately was what got Fulmer fired. My hope, and expectation, is that we are a top 3 team in the league next year and he keeps his job. If he can make the playoffs again next year, he will get a raise. Needless to say, this upcoming season is very important for everyone involved.

(12-03-2019 06:03 PM)etsubuc Wrote:  

(12-03-2019 08:43 AM)Buc66 Wrote:  

(12-01-2019 06:32 PM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  Until Randy Sanders is willing to adapt and change, nothing will get better.

If that’s the situation, then how long will this administration tolerate that??

My guess is that depends on the severity of the loss, and ticket sales. If we have another season like this past season, I don't think Sanders can survive that. If we are middle of the pack in the conference and our ticket sales keep up, he might survive it. Ticket sales are a big deal, remember that ultimately was what got Fulmer fired. My hope, and expectation, is that we are a top 3 team in the league next year and he keeps his job. If he can make the playoffs again next year, he will get a raise. Needless to say, this upcoming season is very important for everyone involved.

Cannot argue with any of that.

How do James Madison, a few other exceptions, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, and the Big Sky Conference leave the rest of FCS football in their dust with RECRUITING?

(12-14-2019 08:21 PM)Buc66 Wrote:  How do James Madison, a few other exceptions, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, and the Big Sky Conference leave the rest of FCS football in their dust with RECRUITING?

I want to see us recruit with the best of the SoCon teams right now. We have the platform and the facilities and the support to do so. Next year will be telling. A pathetic last place is intolerable.

(12-14-2019 08:21 PM)Buc66 Wrote:  How do James Madison, a few other exceptions, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, and the Big Sky Conference leave the rest of FCS football in their dust with RECRUITING?

My guess is the sheer number of teams in those regions. The Southeast has way more football teams to compete for recruits with. JMU plays in an FBS stadium.

Success is related to funding for scholarships & facilities.

According to The Knight Commission the median FCsBudget for the year 2012 was $ 12,876,798. For 2017 it was $15,629,362.

Lets compare several FCS Budgets. 2012 first. 2017 second.

ETSU. $12,554,534. $18,870,608
WCU. $11,087,825. $13,723,606
UTC. $15,110,268. $17,804,067
James Mad $34,593,223. $48,210.400
ND state. $16,825,511. $27,267,507
Austin Peay $15,629,362. $15,770,585
Kennesaw. $12,922,054. $25,526,240

The report did not list Wofford, Furman etc because they are private.

With better funding comes more success.

(12-15-2019 12:27 PM)Etsuwins Wrote:  Success is related to funding for scholarships & facilities.

According to The Knight Commission the median FCsBudget for the year 2012 was $ 12,876,798. For 2017 it was $15,629,362.

Lets compare several FCS Budgets. 2012 first. 2017 second.

ETSU. $12,554,534. $18,870,608
WCU. $11,087,825. $13,723,606
UTC. $15,110,268. $17,804,067
James Mad $34,593,223. $48,210.400
ND state. $16,825,511. $27,267,507
Austin Peay $15,629,362. $15,770,585
Kennesaw. $12,922,054. $25,526,240

The report did not list Wofford, Furman etc because they are private.

With better funding comes more success.

Do you have the numbers broken down for just football? It would be interesting to see how we stack up with WCU, UTC, etc.

(12-15-2019 12:27 PM)Etsuwins Wrote:  Success is related to funding for scholarships & facilities.

According to The Knight Commission the median FCsBudget for the year 2012 was $ 12,876,798. For 2017 it was $15,629,362.

Lets compare several FCS Budgets. 2012 first. 2017 second.

ETSU. $12,554,534. $18,870,608
WCU. $11,087,825. $13,723,606
UTC. $15,110,268. $17,804,067
James Mad $34,593,223. $48,210.400
ND state. $16,825,511. $27,267,507
Austin Peay $15,629,362. $15,770,585
Kennesaw. $12,922,054. $25,526,240

The report did not list Wofford, Furman etc because they are private.

With better funding comes more success.

Check out USA Today on Kennesaw’s funding. They have very little ticket sales and donations. It’s all student fees. It’s ridiculous.