[Ill flame]

True, but if no other conference ever takes us in - we can be the Gonzaga of all those sports in theory and if we do it - then perception of our athletic is well - Gonzaga like - they don’t get much ridicule that I have seen. Yes they had to prove it a few years to get the seeding they deserved. The main factor is , does it effect the quality of recruits in these sports and i just don’t think it does. 85 % of revenue and perception is tied to Football regardless . Making conference decisions based on anything other than football at this level is fatalistic.

Not only does Gonzaga rarely get ridiculed but they've proven time and again that they belong and it doesn't matter what conference you belong in. Them along with some other programs have forced people to respect standout programs from bad conferences. For this reason I'm fine being in one of the worst d1 conferences. We've already proven we could get to the NCAA tournament and even win games. Now we just have to take that next step forward to really gain respect and get seeded better.

I really think we would be fine anywhere we go. The only difference from a non football perspective is the bigger name opponents in c-usa

[cruzan_flame13]

I know I'm about to mention another conference, but I hope the realignment reorganize all the conferences. I would like our chances with the A10 for a better basketball conference. Football can remain independent and grow at whatever pace we want to go and the other Olympic sports can grow and play post seasons hopefully every year. Sounds like a better step until the another realignment (possibly in the 2030's).

[Purple Haize]

True, but if no other conference ever takes us in - we can be the Gonzaga of all those sports in theory and if we do it - then perception of our athletic is well - Gonzaga like - they don’t get much ridicule that I have seen. Yes they had to prove it a few years to get the seeding they deserved. The main factor is , does it effect the quality of recruits in these sports and i just don’t think it does. 85 % of revenue and perception is tied to Football regardless . Making conference decisions based on anything other than football at this level is fatalistic.

Not only does Gonzaga rarely get ridiculed but they've proven time and again that they belong and it doesn't matter what conference you belong in. Them along with some other programs have forced people to respect standout programs from bad conferences. For this reason I'm fine being in one of the worst d1 conferences. We've already proven we could get to the NCAA tournament and even win games. Now we just have to take that next step forward to really gain respect and get seeded better.

I really think we would be fine anywhere we go. The only difference from a non football perspective is the bigger name opponents in c-usa

The WCC has a pretty good history of basketball going back decades. It’s a solid hoops conference from the LMU days. While it’s certainly not deep it’s always been competitive. It’s far from the bottom of hoops Conferences. Gonzaga would not be “Gonzaga” if it were in the ASUN.

[Ill flame]

[https://www.collegerpi.com/subs/histssn.html] here's a link to a website that has all the conference rpi's since 1993. The WCC was better than I gave them credit for but they were still a 1 bid league

Gonzaga is not the only example out there of a school that has made a name for themselves with basketball in 1 bid leagues. Butler, St Louis, VCU, Wichita St, George Washington, Murray st and fgcu come to mind. Obviously all of those had a varying amount of success in varying quality of conferences but it can be done wherever we are.

[thepostman]

Comparing the ASUN to the WCC isn't a fair comparison. The WCC is far superior and has been for decades. Even if Gonzanga was removed.

I don't think Liberty basketball can become the Gonzaga of the East in the ASun. I don't know if it would be possible in CUSA but it seems more likely.

[cruzan_flame13]

Comparing the ASUN to the WCC isn't a fair comparison. The WCC is far superior and has been for decades. Even if Gonzanga was removed.

I don't think Liberty basketball can become the Gonzaga of the East in the ASun. I don't know if it would be possible in CUSA but it seems more likely.

But the A10....just saying

[sstaedtler]

Conference USA, overall, to me, is a better conference than the Sun Belt and is much more geographically friendly to Liberty. The best would be a reorganization of both conferences that included App. State and Coastal Carolina, but outside of that, I think Conference USA is better conference to join of the two.

[ballcoach15]

Just keep it in the southern part of the country. Don't go north of the James River.

[Cider Jim]

Just keep it in the southern part of the country. Don't go north of the James River.

I love how Ballcoach thinks that Madison Heights (aka, Hog Town) is in the NORTH.

[chris leedlelee]

I just find it quite funny how after being rebuffed before our FBS move, I'm sure C-USA execs would LOVE to see $24 million in their coffers during a trying time economically like this. Unfortunately for them however, we are now able to negotiate from a position of strength. That being said, I would favor C-USA membership considering it would improve the profile of our other sports (specifically men's basketball), and make football scheduling a little more consistent.

[Ill flame]

I'm really warming up to the idea of playing Marshall, odu, Western Kentucky and Charlotte every year. Making a yearly Florida trip and playing some non conference games against app St, coastal Carolina and the occasional Georgia school. Combine that with 2 p5's and an FCS game and that's not a bad schedule until realignment. I don't see us doing much better than that as an independent anymore.

[Purple Haize]

This thread has gotten a lot of traction based on a post on a message board that has been debunked and shown no signs of being remotely true.
But after all this talk I’m convinced that CUSA WOULD be a great fit for both LU and the conference

[tyndal23]

Probably why we tried to buy in the first time. Other than Members being another couple years more miserable At being G5 - what has changed since the first rebuff that would make them want us now?

[thepostman]

I know the rumor has zero truth but I'd love it so much and it seems to have more support on here than I thought it would which is interesting. At the end of the day, it is pretty clear CUSA isn't really within the vision of our current AD.

[Ill flame]

I know the rumor has zero truth but I'd love it so much and it seems to have more support on here than I thought it would which is interesting. At the end of the day, it is pretty clear CUSA isn't really within the vision of our current AD.

Has he said what his vision is? I get the whole "Evangelical Notre Dame" thing but I hope they have a more attainable vision in mind than that.

[LUOrange]

I've got mixed emotions about CUSA. I'd love to regularly play ODU, Charlotte, & Marshall, but otherwise, I'd want to tell them to pound sand. But I'm spiteful that way. However, the prospect of bolting the ASUN would prevent me from saying no. Although, if we could, I'd love to join CUSA with JMU, as they'd make the best rival IMO.

[ballcoach15]

JMU is a FCS team. They would not make our best rival.

When we go to a bigger conference, I think it will be AAC or.............Big 12.

[LUOrange]

JMU is a FCS team. They would not make our best rival.

When we go to a bigger conference, I think it will be AAC or.............Big 12.

I hope you're right about the AAC.

[Jonathan Carone]

I know the rumor has zero truth but I'd love it so much and it seems to have more support on here than I thought it would which is interesting. At the end of the day, it is pretty clear CUSA isn't really within the vision of our current AD.

Has he said what his vision is? I get the whole "Evangelical Notre Dame" thing but I hope they have a more attainable vision in mind than that.

The goal is top 50 athletic program.

[Purple Haize]

I know the rumor has zero truth but I'd love it so much and it seems to have more support on here than I thought it would which is interesting. At the end of the day, it is pretty clear CUSA isn't really within the vision of our current AD.

Has he said what his vision is? I get the whole "Evangelical Notre Dame" thing but I hope they have a more attainable vision in mind than that.

The goal is top 50 athletic program.

I don’t think LU gets there being Indy in FB

[ballcoach15]

JMU is a FCS team. They would not make our best rival.

When we go to a bigger conference, I think it will be AAC or.............Big 12.

I hope you're right about the AAC.

Sources have told me, the AAC had representative at the Cure Bowl, scouting Liberty.

[Ill flame]

The goal is top 50 athletic program.

Top 50 in every sport? Top 50 in revenue? This is the first time I'm hearing of this

I think that is attainable in our non football sports given time. We would need a lot of things to go our way to achieve that in football though.

[olldflame]

JMU is a FCS team. They would not make our best rival.

When we go to a bigger conference, I think it will be AAC or.............Big 12.

Uhhhhhhhhh. JMU would not be an FCS team if they joined C-USA.

[thepostman]

The goal is top 50 athletic program.

Top 50 in every sport? Top 50 in revenue? This is the first time I'm hearing of this

I think that is attainable in our non football sports given time. We would need a lot of things to go our way to achieve that in football though.

I'll have to dig it up but I seem to remember Ian saying that in a press conference at some point. Top 50 overall is what he referenced if I remember right.

[tyndal23]

Is App state top 50 in football?