[Purple Haize]

To say that the deregulation rule is a death blow to our FBS chances would be unwise to say.

Is the news disappointing? Yes it is, but I will continue to remain optimistic about Liberty's journey to FBS.

What we have to look for now (in no particular order):

* Liberty continuing to improve its football and men's basketball products.
* The "UAB effect" on other schools FBS schools. (Hawaii is rumored to have troubles hosing football, for example).
* The C-USA's decision on UAB. Do they reconsider their stance on every member having football?
* C-USA decision to go to 14 or 16.

All eyes point to C-USA right now. In the meantime, we have to continue to improve our "beauty" status to prospective conferences...

I have a few more, but you guys tend to not like some of my ideas, so I'll keep them to myself for now.

In regards to MBB, it's not like we can do worse!

Your second point is spot on. UAB will not be the last to drop FB This will give other schools the precedent to do the same

[bluejacket]

However, I can't seem to find any sort of information in either the CBS report or the ESPN article that actually leads me to believe it is ready to pass. Just Bowlsby being optimistic.

Agreed.

[bluejacket]

UAB is very likely out of C-USA on June 8th.

10 APRIL 2015 | 12:08 PM
Conference USA will make decision on UAB at June meeting in Dallas

By Harry Minium

Alabama-Birmingham’s future in Conference USA will be decided on June 8 when the league’s executive committee meets in Dallas, conference officials decided during a conference call earlier this week.

Yet the decision may be a foregone conclusion. Several conference officials, who asked not to be identified, said there appears to be a consensus that unless UAB does the unthinkable and announces it will revive football, the Blazers will be forced to leave C-USA.

Click Here for Full Story

[rmiller1959]

This ought to make a few conferences sit up and take notice:

http://www.libertyflamesnation.com/repo ... ttendance/

Not only does this make Liberty stand out among FCS schools and demonstrates they have deep pockets, it's got to give us a recruiting advantage at this level as well. I wonder how long before Coastal follows suit, since they seem to be ramping up their program as well, or would such a thing be harder for them because they're state supported?

[PAmedic]

This ought to make a few conferences sit up and take notice:

http://www.libertyflamesnation.com/repo ... ttendance/

Not only does this make Liberty stand out among FCS schools and demonstrates they have deep pockets, it's got to give us a recruiting advantage at this level as well. I wonder how long before Coastal follows suit, since they seem to be ramping up their program as well, or would such a thing be harder for them because they're state supported?

https://www.flamefans.com/forums/viewto ... 11&t=22870

Discussion ongoing here

[rmiller1959]

Thanks! Just thought it would be interesting to consider the realignment impact of such a decision.

[ballcoach15]

If Coastal does it, I would think that all other state supported schools in SC would want a piece of the pie from the state.

[SuperJon]

Coastal gets next to nothing from the state. If they do it, it's from fundraising and sponsorship.

[Humble_Opinion]

Coastal gets next to nothing from the state. If they do it, it's from fundraising and sponsorship.

The university as a whole or Athletics specifically?

[SuperJon]

The school. I think they're the least funded public university in the state. If not the least, they're one of the lowest.

[Humble_Opinion]

Yeah... a little over $10 million a year coming from the state it would appear. Roughly $1,100-1,200 per in-state student isn't all that much.

[rmiller1959]

ACC commissioner John Swofford reiterated Thursday that his league has no plans to change its current format if conference championship game deregulation passes.

Championship game deregulation is expected to be discussed at an NCAA football oversight committee meeting, chaired by Bowlsby, later this month. Legislation would then be vetted and passed on to the NCAA council for final approval.

"My impression is that there is support for it," Swofford said. "I would guess if that support is there, that it could be implemented as early as the '16 football season."

Swofford said the support is based primarily on principle, so don't expect much to change in the ACC -- at least for now.

"I think the fact that we were supporting this in principle and felt it was the right route to go, it gives people the impression that we have a specific direction we would take things in in our league that's different than what we're currently doing," Swofford said. "That's just not the case."

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... -divisions

[jlread]

Great COA article and Liberty wanting to moving up to fbs !!



http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/co ... /25825491/

[JK37]

The school. I think they're the least funded public university in the state. If not the least, they're one of the lowest.

Several schools in the state have this issue. When I worked there, College of Charleaton's budget was only about 7% state-funded.

[bluejacket]

JMU's perspective on realignment
https://jamesmadison.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1757921

[Sly Fox]

That may be the clearest evidence seen yet that JMU is not going to the Sun Belt under any circumstance. It sounds like it is CUSA, MAC or bust based on the inferences in the article.

And while the MAC has shown little interest in expansion after giving UMass their walking papers, you have to wonder if they might consider a two-team expansion with JMU and another school at some point. They don't need to make such a move but it might be intriguing to them.

[bluejacket]

And while the MAC has shown little interest in expansion after giving UMass their walking papers, you have to wonder if they might consider a two-team expansion with JMU and another school at some point. They don't need to make such a move but it might be intriguing to them.

The MAC is a puzzle to me. On one hand, I completely understand the reasons for staying at 12 schools. There are plenty of them and if I was their commissioner, I would probably tell the schools to stay at 12. On the other, I think that they would be clearly superior to C-USA if they added two quality candidates. The same could be said vice versa with C-USA. Right now, the two conferences are pretty even.

[LUGrad2000]

That may be the clearest evidence seen yet that JMU is not going to the Sun Belt under any circumstance. It sounds like it is CUSA, MAC or bust based on the inferences in the article.

And while the MAC has shown little interest in expansion after giving UMass their walking papers, you have to wonder if they might consider a two-team expansion with JMU and another school at some point. They don't need to make such a move but it might be intriguing to them.

Who would they consider along with JMU?

[SuperJon]

Not us.

[Sly Fox]

I agree that we or just about any FCS aside from JMU would be a long shot should they choose to go to 14. I wouldn't rule out one of CJ's alma maters possibly making a return based on their disenchantment with their CUSA experience.

[bluejacket]

I agree that we or just about any FCS aside from JMU would be a long shot should they choose to go to 14. I wouldn't rule out one of CJ's alma maters possibly making a return based on their disenchantment with their CUSA experience.

Western Kentucky would be a very good fit for the MAC. However, I don't think that WKU would leave because of men's basketball. Marshall has already been in the MAC for two separate periods, so I doubt that the member schools would be interested in another try with them.

[Neo]

There is a MAC school with mutual interest in C-USA. Don't be surprised if the MAC has a 12th spot open once CUSA makes it's moves. Then the JMU financial drama will really crank up. The MAC loves JMU, and the feeling is mutual.

[4everfsu]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... tudy-finds

[alabama24]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... tudy-finds

To come up with those numbers, they jerry rigged the scholarship costs granted to each player.

"They wrote that athletic scholarships cost UAB far less than their listed prices, as any tuition number assigned to that scholarship is not a hard cost to the university."

If tuition isn't a "hard cost," perhaps no one should have to pay it.

[bluejacket]

That study was dishonest from the beginning and it shows in the final report.