[bradyfan]

I don't know. I think Coastal is an absolute disaster right now in football. They have a really good baseball team and a competitive basketball team but the SoCon has always been more of a football conference. I also think W/L history isn't going to be the biggest factor with these exapansions. These conferences want a name brand and LU is huge. I really think we could be higher on their radar then people talk about.

[RVAparks]

You could be right. Like I said, the SoCon is pretty interesting just b/c they've been so steady and I'm not sure where they would look to expand. Liberty might entice them, especially since there wouldn't be any "political" run-ins with other Virginia schools.

[jcmanson]

Talk about the SoCon as much as you want, but we're not going there even if we're invited tomorrow.

[bradyfan]

Out of curiosity, why?

[Purple Haize]

Talk about the SoCon as much as you want, but we're not going there even if we're invited tomorrow.

Now, if we dropped the whole Baptist thing, and disavowed our founder and his vision, then the SoCon would be calling. They don't like us and we aren't exactly fond of them!

[jcmanson]

Out of curiosity, why?

The SoCon is too much of a parallel move that it's not worth moving.

What does the SoCon offer us that the Big South doesn’t?
Auto-bid to the FCS playoffs? No
Auto-bid to NCAA tourney? No
Access to FBS football? No
Access to larger TV markets? No
Access to more revenue? No
Reduce travel? No

[bradyfan]

Out of curiosity, why?

The SoCon is too much of a parallel move that it's not worth moving.

What does the SoCon offer us that the Big South doesn’t?
Auto-bid to the FCS playoffs? No
Auto-bid to NCAA tourney? No
Access to FBS football? No
Access to larger TV markets? No
Access to more revenue? No
Reduce travel? No

I agree with all of that. However, if the goal is to eventually get to the FBS and the only thing we're missing is quality wins, wouldn't it make sense to go to a better FCS conference? I could be wrong and I would never want to call the SoCon home, however I could also see the name brand advantages of a temporary move to a better FCS conference.

[jcmanson]

I agree with all of that. However, if the goal is to eventually get to the FBS and the only thing we're missing is quality wins, wouldn't it make sense to go to a better FCS conference? I could be wrong and I would never want to call the SoCon home, however I could also see the name brand advantages of a temporary move to a better FCS conference.

"Quality wins" is not what's keeping us from FBS. The only thing keeping us from FBS is who we are and what we stand for.

If we were fine being FCS forever, I'd be fine moving to the SoCon.

[D-ZasterLU]

I would rather Liberty be a good or great FCS program than a subpar BCS program in a more obscure conference. I happen to like FCS Football, The bowl system is ridiculous and focused soly on greed. I am ok with money but at least in FCS we get a play off and a clear title winner. What is the point of talking of moving up when we can't even clearly win the BS. And what about our Olympic sports?

[Helmickcd]

Out of curiosity, why?

The SoCon is too much of a parallel move that it's not worth moving.

What does the SoCon offer us that the Big South doesn’t?
Auto-bid to the FCS playoffs? No
Auto-bid to NCAA tourney? No
Access to FBS football? No
Access to larger TV markets? No
Access to more revenue? No
Reduce travel? No

This is my first post so excuse my youth but I disagree with this statement. I am an LU graduate living in Boone and have gotten the opportunity to watch Liberty play a few games as well as App St. play a few games first hand. I have watched every LU game that was broadcast of ESPN3 this year. I have been to almost all of Appalachian State's home games this year (including the GA Southern game) and I can honestly say that App St. and many in the SoCon are playing at a much higher level than the likes of the BSC. Watching App. dig in against a tremendous GA Southern team was better than most professional games I have been to. The atmosphere at "The Rock" is fantastic and I feel that Liberty is still a few steps behind them. The student body is CRAZY at App St. but the hundreds of them that were at EVERY game (including in the snow storms) was a sight to see. The devotion to these SoCon football teams by the fans is an amazing sight to see.

The biggest difference in moving to a conference such as the SoCon or CAA is that the BSC will not receive any At-Large Bids in the near future. The conference is just not strong enough (or big enough) to gain those extra bids. The SoCon sent 3 teams. The CAA sent 5 teams. The BSC sent 1. That is a huge difference.

I am not in favor of Liberty moving anywhere right now simply based on this season's results. Watching Stony Brook rip through a very weak Liberty Defense was painful. I think that Liberty still has 4-5 seasons to mature before they are ready to move anywhere.

Patience will bring excellence.

I am not a Stony Brook fan but every game they win in the playoffs boosts the image of Liberty so... I will cheer for them until they get knocked out. I think that they are a very high quality team right now but I am very interested in how they recruit in the next few off-seasons. Will their power running game be able to sustain the loss of Jackolski?

Thanks for letting me share!

Looking forward to becoming a poster (I have been a reader for a while).

Go Flames!

[jcmanson]

I would rather Liberty be a good or great FCS program than a subpar BCS program in a more obscure conference. I happen to like FCS Football, The bowl system is ridiculous and focused soly on greed. I am ok with money but at least in FCS we get a play off and a clear title winner. What is the point of talking of moving up when we can even clearly win the BS. And what about our Olympic sports?

I think you meant “what’s the point of talking of moving up when we can’t clearly win the BS.” And winning the BS has little to do with moving up.

And what about our Olympic sports? They’re ready and have been ready for years for a bigger and better conference. It’s our “money-makers” that seem to be dragging our program down (football and mens hoops).

[jcmanson]

Very good post Helmickcd.

[Purple Haize]

And so begins yet another thread debating a move to FBS full of misunderstandings and misrepresentations of what it takes and what will happen when we make such a move.

And for the record BYD I had nothing to do with starting it!

Welcome to the board HELM

[RVAparks]

I do agree with JC that moving to the SoCon would be a pretty lateral move, especially beyond football.

[LUconn]

I would rather Liberty be a good or great FCS program than a subpar BCS program in a more obscure conference. I happen to like FCS Football

Well, if you can donate every once in a while to LU what we could make in a bowl every once in a while. And don't forget the revenue from a potential big name paying AT Liberty. And the money you'd have to pour into marketing to make up for the exposure we'd get get at the FBS level, and countless other sources of money that we're missing out on. If you can come up with that kind of cash to give to the school on a consistent basis, and the trust to do so after you're dead, then it will matter that you are the only one on earth that would rather be in FCS football. Would you give a lick about FCS if LU moved out of it? I doubt it.

[logic]

Olympic Sports (really every other sport besides football) are already playing programs with FBS football on a regular basis, a lot of them are winning, and have been for years.

[D-ZasterLU]

I would rather Liberty be a good or great FCS program than a subpar BCS program in a more obscure conference. I happen to like FCS Football

Well, if you can donate every once in a while to LU what we could make in a bowl every once in a while. And don't forget the revenue from a potential big name paying AT Liberty. And the money you'd have to pour into marketing to make up for the exposure we'd get get at the FBS level, and countless other sources of money that we're missing out on. If you can come up with that kind of cash to give to the school on a consistent basis, and the trust to do so after you're dead, then it will matter that you are the only one on earth that would rather be in FCS football. Would you give a lick about FCS if LU moved out of it? I doubt it.

Hey now no need to get offended. Your right I would be much less inclined to take much notice of FCS if we weren't in it. My point is that we don't have an FBS caliber program. We have a mediocre FCS Program. Don't forget all that money at FBS level also cost to compete in FBS requires more money than FCS. I know that the benefit greatly out weighs the reward though the point still stands. I don't want Liberty to stay FCS I won't us to have a stadium the size of Michigan St. Fans like NEBRASKA and the SEC (i.e. sell out every game super committed) and win like BAMA (in resent history). I just don't think we are at the level to even begin to compete with those guys.

[D-ZasterLU]

Olympic Sports (really every other sport besides football) are already playing programs with FBS football on a regular basis, a lot of them are winning, and have been for years.

I know that MOST of our sports other than Football are quite good, and have been for a while. But to talk like that would imply that we should be winning the BSC every year in every sport in a largely uncontested manner, because the BSC is, as most of us agree, a sub par conference. The fact is we just aren't. I know volleyball and women's basketball are some of our shinning lights, and there are probably others I am not thinking of. But we aren't consistently winning titles in every sport.

Perhaps I am completly off base but I am just not in a hurry. I would like a stronger football conference to play in and thats it for now. I agree with Helmickcd just relax, mature as a program a little while longer and allow

patience to bring excellence

[bradyfan]

I would rather Liberty be a good or great FCS program than a subpar BCS program in a more obscure conference. I happen to like FCS Football

Well, if you can donate every once in a while to LU what we could make in a bowl every once in a while. And don't forget the revenue from a potential big name paying AT Liberty. And the money you'd have to pour into marketing to make up for the exposure we'd get get at the FBS level, and countless other sources of money that we're missing out on. If you can come up with that kind of cash to give to the school on a consistent basis, and the trust to do so after you're dead, then it will matter that you are the only one on earth that would rather be in FCS football. Would you give a lick about FCS if LU moved out of it? I doubt it.

Hey now no need to get offended. Your right I would be much less inclined to take much notice of FCS if we weren't in it. My point is that we don't have an FBS caliber program. We have a mediocre FCS Program. Don't forget all that money at FBS level also cost to compete in FBS requires more money than FCS. I know that the benefit greatly out weighs the reward though the point still stands. I don't want Liberty to stay FCS I won't us to have a stadium the size of Michigan St. Fans like NEBRASKA and the SEC (i.e. sell out every game super committed) and win like BAMA (in resent history). I just don't think we are at the level to even begin to compete with those guys.

If you're implying that we need to wait until we get as competitive as Bama or Nebraska before we move to FBS, then forget us ever making the move. Part of moving to the Sun-Belt or C-USA is so that we can build to become that competitive. I can't stand Boise State but look at what they've done over the past 15 or so years. It wasn't that long ago that they were competing in FCS, now they're moving to a AQ conference and they're a consistent top 15 program. They weren't really successful at the FCS level before they made the move, however they had the money and fans to do it, so they did it.

I'm going to end my argument on us moving to the FBS and on whether or not Rocco should stay by posting this video. It's a speech by our very own, Art Williams. I'm sure you're familiar with the speech, but just for a refreshment, please watch.

[D-ZasterLU]

I stand corrected.

[logic]

Dzaster,


Do not forget two very important points -

1. With FBS membership comes 20 or so more scholarships
2. Also expanded recruiting opportunities


Top high school football talent doesn't grow up saying "I cant wait for to play for James Madison," they say they can't wait to play for VT. FCS programs get the kids who for the most part would have sat and never seen the field at FBS programs or simply weren't good enough to play at that level.

Can't really compare FCS to FBS - two very different games from an administrative standpoint. But all of this is pointless banter. We will move up at first opportunity, the question is not if, but when.

[BJWilliams]

Purple comes and shreds the above^^^ in 5...4...3...2...1...

[jcmanson]

Sweat thanks for posting that video. That's awesome

[TH Spangler]

Man, can't we get Art to speak at LU?

Now .... bring him in to coach and "maybe" I'll get off the Rocco bandwagon!

[Sly Fox]

I moved the LU to FBS discussion in this thread into the more appropriate 'Liberty & Realignment' thread in the General Discussion forum.

We'll leave this one for Stony Brook and their potential move.