(12-16-2021 02:27 PM)TallTexan Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 09:57 PM)BlueDragon Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 03:41 PM)TallTexan Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 02:06 AM)Spolovilo4EVER Wrote:  SHSU has potential, but I think will struggle going FBS because of poor fan/student support for athletics. Fans and students for the most part would rather stay FCS and be a "bigger fish in a smaller pond" and have a chance at a playoff bid in FCS than maybe a very low profile bowl. SFA only hope is to join the TAMU System which is a possibility in the near future to have the cash to upgrade facilities and athletic budget to make the move, otherwise, they can not do it as a stand alone State U. Lamar is in a bit better position as they have upgraded facilities to make a move to FBS but still lack funding to sustain a move long term unless they get major support from doners/fans etc... Tarleton and ACU (and also IWU) have the best potential for going FBS in the near future. It will just depend on the desire of the big wigs ( and $$$ to upgrade facilities) to make it actually happen for it to do so.

There's so much wrong in here.

There's no benefit to SFA joining the A&M system. PUF checks only go to newly founded universities added to the system and A&M does a crap job of supporting the non PUF universities in it's system. We'd be giving up independence for no real additional money.

And Tarleton/ACU/UIW are best prepped to make the jump? That's the worst prediction I've ever heard. They're not even spending at SFA/Sam/Lamar levels yet. UIW had 11000 cumululative fans for the entire regular season.

Growing up in the Piney Woods north of SFA and watching it stagnate over the last two decades leads me to believe you are not thinking clearly when you believe that SFA would receive no benefit from joining the TAMU system. How do you think Tarleton and East Texas State/ now TAMUC have surpassed SFA in enrollment? Have you ever looked at what investments are being made into these schools and having the backing of a Heavyweight gets your school state funding. Sorry, SFA doesn't have the clout and schools like Tarleton, TAMUC and even WT will all be double the size of SFA if they continue on their current course of a stand alone. There is an old saying - There is safety in numbers.

Tarleton is a PUF school. SFA will not be, per the state constitution. Commerce isn't either. 4 or 5 A&M schools aren't and they aren't getting nearly the amount of investment that the A&M PUF schools do.

As far as growth, Commerce is mostly driven by being an hour drive from DFW. They're basically mirroring Sam Houston's growth from being an hour from Houston.

I wish it was as simple to fix some of the SFA issues as joining a uni system. But it's not, because largely the money still wouldn't be there. A little extra access to political power would be nice, but it's not gonna fix the core problems we're facing of low enrollment growth and being 2.5 hours from even a midsized city.

Valid points. I do believe there would be a better chance for infrastructure investments into the University. One thing that would never go over is the name TAMU Nacogdoches. The SFA name would have to stay if ever a move was made.

(12-16-2021 02:27 PM)TallTexan Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 09:57 PM)BlueDragon Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 03:41 PM)TallTexan Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 02:06 AM)Spolovilo4EVER Wrote:  SHSU has potential, but I think will struggle going FBS because of poor fan/student support for athletics. Fans and students for the most part would rather stay FCS and be a "bigger fish in a smaller pond" and have a chance at a playoff bid in FCS than maybe a very low profile bowl. SFA only hope is to join the TAMU System which is a possibility in the near future to have the cash to upgrade facilities and athletic budget to make the move, otherwise, they can not do it as a stand alone State U. Lamar is in a bit better position as they have upgraded facilities to make a move to FBS but still lack funding to sustain a move long term unless they get major support from doners/fans etc... Tarleton and ACU (and also IWU) have the best potential for going FBS in the near future. It will just depend on the desire of the big wigs ( and $$$ to upgrade facilities) to make it actually happen for it to do so.

There's so much wrong in here.

There's no benefit to SFA joining the A&M system. PUF checks only go to newly founded universities added to the system and A&M does a crap job of supporting the non PUF universities in it's system. We'd be giving up independence for no real additional money.

And Tarleton/ACU/UIW are best prepped to make the jump? That's the worst prediction I've ever heard. They're not even spending at SFA/Sam/Lamar levels yet. UIW had 11000 cumululative fans for the entire regular season.

Growing up in the Piney Woods north of SFA and watching it stagnate over the last two decades leads me to believe you are not thinking clearly when you believe that SFA would receive no benefit from joining the TAMU system. How do you think Tarleton and East Texas State/ now TAMUC have surpassed SFA in enrollment? Have you ever looked at what investments are being made into these schools and having the backing of a Heavyweight gets your school state funding. Sorry, SFA doesn't have the clout and schools like Tarleton, TAMUC and even WT will all be double the size of SFA if they continue on their current course of a stand alone. There is an old saying - There is safety in numbers.

Tarleton is a PUF school. SFA will not be, per the state constitution. Commerce isn't either. 4 or 5 A&M schools aren't and they aren't getting nearly the amount of investment that the A&M PUF schools do.

As far as growth, Commerce is mostly driven by being an hour drive from DFW. They're basically mirroring Sam Houston's growth from being an hour from Houston.

I wish it was as simple to fix some of the SFA issues as joining a uni system. But it's not, because largely the money still wouldn't be there. A little extra access to political power would be nice, but it's not gonna fix the core problems we're facing of low enrollment growth and being 2.5 hours from even a midsized city.

Commerce got a SLC invite, right? What about West Texas? Do they want to move up?

(12-16-2021 11:44 PM)Hilldog Wrote:  

(12-16-2021 02:27 PM)TallTexan Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 09:57 PM)BlueDragon Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 03:41 PM)TallTexan Wrote:  

(12-15-2021 02:06 AM)Spolovilo4EVER Wrote:  SHSU has potential, but I think will struggle going FBS because of poor fan/student support for athletics. Fans and students for the most part would rather stay FCS and be a "bigger fish in a smaller pond" and have a chance at a playoff bid in FCS than maybe a very low profile bowl. SFA only hope is to join the TAMU System which is a possibility in the near future to have the cash to upgrade facilities and athletic budget to make the move, otherwise, they can not do it as a stand alone State U. Lamar is in a bit better position as they have upgraded facilities to make a move to FBS but still lack funding to sustain a move long term unless they get major support from doners/fans etc... Tarleton and ACU (and also IWU) have the best potential for going FBS in the near future. It will just depend on the desire of the big wigs ( and $$$ to upgrade facilities) to make it actually happen for it to do so.

There's so much wrong in here.

There's no benefit to SFA joining the A&M system. PUF checks only go to newly founded universities added to the system and A&M does a crap job of supporting the non PUF universities in it's system. We'd be giving up independence for no real additional money.

And Tarleton/ACU/UIW are best prepped to make the jump? That's the worst prediction I've ever heard. They're not even spending at SFA/Sam/Lamar levels yet. UIW had 11000 cumululative fans for the entire regular season.

Growing up in the Piney Woods north of SFA and watching it stagnate over the last two decades leads me to believe you are not thinking clearly when you believe that SFA would receive no benefit from joining the TAMU system. How do you think Tarleton and East Texas State/ now TAMUC have surpassed SFA in enrollment? Have you ever looked at what investments are being made into these schools and having the backing of a Heavyweight gets your school state funding. Sorry, SFA doesn't have the clout and schools like Tarleton, TAMUC and even WT will all be double the size of SFA if they continue on their current course of a stand alone. There is an old saying - There is safety in numbers.

Tarleton is a PUF school. SFA will not be, per the state constitution. Commerce isn't either. 4 or 5 A&M schools aren't and they aren't getting nearly the amount of investment that the A&M PUF schools do.

As far as growth, Commerce is mostly driven by being an hour drive from DFW. They're basically mirroring Sam Houston's growth from being an hour from Houston.

I wish it was as simple to fix some of the SFA issues as joining a uni system. But it's not, because largely the money still wouldn't be there. A little extra access to political power would be nice, but it's not gonna fix the core problems we're facing of low enrollment growth and being 2.5 hours from even a midsized city.

Commerce got a SLC invite, right? What about West Texas? Do they want to move up?

From what I hear from both WT fans and conf expansion reporters, WT has no plans to move up. They'd be a good get though if they're willing to invest.

(12-16-2021 11:29 PM)BlueDragon Wrote:  Valid points. I do believe there would be a better chance for infrastructure investments into the University. One thing that would never go over is the name TAMU Nacogdoches. The SFA name would have to stay if ever a move was made.

Thanks to Gov Perry, that is state law for some reason. Was part of his 2010 re-election campaign or something.

We're getting decent infra upgrades right now, Campus has changed a lot since I graduated a decade ago.

New Math/Science building, new freshman housing, 25 million dollar basketball performance center, brand new 80 million dollar music, theater, art building is halfway done. Sometime soon the old cafe is getting torn down for a new dorm/food complex.

I'm not saying there aren't advantages to systems, it just doesn't fix all our immediate problems. What would probably help SFA as much as anything is making sure every TX Lege person in our East Texas area is an SFA grad.

Ironically, they polled faculty about a decade ago on which system they'd prefer if we joined one and the favorite among faculty was Tech.