[jlread]

Think you Ole'blessed1 for that helpful insight. I wasn't sure about that FAS restriction thing, but now it makes more sense. It seems to sorta treat the CAA teams like an independent if they have intentions of leaving. On another note I mentioned this before and ill say it again "has anyone attempted to ask what the new recruits are being told by coach Gill". Maybe via tweet or email? They see like some high caliber talent I'd be interested to know if their being informed of an FBS move we don't know about

[BiggAl57]

Think you Ole'blessed1 for that helpful insight. I wasn't sure about that FAS restriction thing, but now it makes more sense. It seems to sorta treat the CAA teams like an independent if they have intentions of leaving. On another note I mentioned this before and ill say it again "has anyone attempted to ask what the new recruits are being told by coach Gill". Maybe via tweet or email? They see like some high caliber talent I'd be interested to know if their being informed of an FBS move we don't know about

I believe that there are certain rules that are in place regarding contacting recruits espically if you are a Flames Club Booster. I think they are posted on the Athletics page

[Sly Fox]

BiggAl57 is correct. Although there is nothing stopping anyone from following potential recruits on Twitter.

[Blessed1]

Western Athletic Conference considers becoming a non-football league

By Irv Moss
The Denver Post

The Western Athletic Conference is exploring an option that would take the league into a future without football beginning in 2013.

Conference interim commissioner Jeff Hurd stipulated this week the WAC must make a decision on a future course in the next few weeks. Hurd noted that the conference's board of directors has a number of options available for consideration, one of which would be to proceed as a nonfootball league. The conference will play the 2012 season as is, before being ripped apart with defections a year from now.

"We definitely have to have our plan for the 2013-14 year in place by the end of the summer," Hurd said. "In our case, sooner is better than later."

The University of Denver and Seattle are joining the conference for the upcoming year as nonfootball members. The WAC will have an 18-game conference basketball schedule. DU's hockey program will remain in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Hurd said he couldn't offer an opinion about the most likely direction the conference will take beyond the upcoming school year.

"It's anyone's guess right now. We're actively and aggressively trying to make that determination," Hurd said. "Conference alignment is a fluid situation across the board. Change and change on short notice seems like almost a daily occurrence. It's definitely our intent for the conference to continue well after the upcoming season."

For 2012-13, the WAC members are Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Texas State, Utah State and Texas-San Antonio with football and Denver, Seattle and Texas-Arlington as nonfootball members. Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada departed for the Mountain West after the 2011-12 school year ended. Hawaii joins the Mountain West in football only. San Jose State and Utah State are leaving for the Mountain West a year from now. Louisiana Tech and Texas-San Antonio are moving to Conference USA and Texas State to the Sun Belt Conference after the 2012-13 school year.
http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_2 ... all-league

Here's another nugget I found from another board....

Some one on APP State Rivals site posted this on 7-3-12.

"Listened to Jeff Hurd, acting WAC commissioner as he was interviewed on Sirius XM college sports nation (Ch. 91) last night. He was asked about expansion efforts in light of departures from the WAC and whether any progress had been made. I'm paraphrasing, but he said that progress has been made but not to the point where he would like to be at this point. (Hurd) said that he's hopeful that in approx 3-4 weeks time, or around the end of July, that there would be more concrete information to share. He did say that any expansion efforts would likely have to come outside of the west coast and that it would likely have to involve FCS programs looking to move up. He basically apologized for not being able to mention specific schools and said that had to do with confidentiality agreements. But he did say that there have been discussions that have taken place with prospective members. Sorry this is so vague but he basically had to talk around the specifics due to confidentiality but at least I thought I'd share this."

[Cider Jim]

I just had a parent of an Honors student email this MAP, suggesting that we find a conference located in the RED section: http://www.valpo.edu/geomet/pics/geo200 ... bodies.gif

[LUconn]

Now that is an interesting map. Did you notice Lynchburg is the only county/city in our area that is marked as being above 50% Baptist? And what's the deal with all of the catholics in the midwest?

[jlread]

Sweet find Ole'Blessed ONE . I think that this little nugget will turn into an 8 piece WAC value MEAL soon(FLAME BROILDED...LOL)!!!!

[LUaddict]

Here's another nugget I found from another board....

Some one on APP State Rivals site posted this on 7-3-12.

"Listened to Jeff Hurd, acting WAC commissioner as he was interviewed on Sirius XM college sports nation (Ch. 91) last night. He was asked about expansion efforts in light of departures from the WAC and whether any progress had been made. I'm paraphrasing, but he said that progress has been made but not to the point where he would like to be at this point. (Hurd) said that he's hopeful that in approx 3-4 weeks time, or around the end of July, that there would be more concrete information to share. He did say that any expansion efforts would likely have to come outside of the west coast and that it would likely have to involve FCS programs looking to move up. He basically apologized for not being able to mention specific schools and said that had to do with confidentiality agreements. But he did say that there have been discussions that have taken place with prospective members. Sorry this is so vague but he basically had to talk around the specifics due to confidentiality but at least I thought I'd share this."

I feel that this does give little hope to those like myself. We will have to wait and see what happens. This is a piece of information that allows for people to see that FCS move ups are still on the table and a possibility at best. Here is to hoping!

[Sly Fox]

It is interesting because most of the discussion in WAC circles had shifted to D2 move-ups to save Olympic sports. Perhaps the fact that they haven't invited the Great West schools has to do with getting these football issues ironed out.

[LUaddict]

Another departure? With conference realignment in full force, Boise State's Olympic sports programs could be WAC's next defection
By Jason Groves/jgroves@lcsun-news.com
Posted: 07/03/2012 06:42:17 PM MDT

Click photo to enlarge
As it stands today, New Mexico State will host Boise State once again... (Robin Zielinski/Sun-News)
LAS CRUCES - Jeff Hurd said that Boise State doesn't know what the Western Athletic Conference will look like in the future.

BSU is not alone in that regard.

Following the Broncos official departure of its successful football program from the Mountain West Conference to the Big East over the weekend, the Broncos' Olympic-sports programs are still tied to the WAC, although loosely, for the 2013 year.

"Boise State has made it public that it is pursuing membership in the Big West and what that means is for the Big West to ultimately decide," said Hurd, the WAC's interim commissioner. "I have had conversations with everyone involved and I could see three to six weeks before it plays itself out."

The Big West presidents are holding a meeting later this summer to likely determine Boise State's inclusion into the league beginning July 1, 2013.

But as it stands currently, the Broncos' Olympic sports are tied to the WAC in 2013. New Mexico State, Idaho, Seattle (non-football) and Denver (non-football) are the others, a configuration that ultimately falls short of membership requirements for a Division I athletics conference.

Mention of FCS Move ups to the WAC next

The situation is even murkier for football, where New Mexico State and Idaho are the lone football-playing schools scheduled to be in the WAC for the 2013-14 campaign. Hurd said expansion talks currently involves football and non-football members, but he would not comment if that means picking up Football Championship Subdivision schools to join NMSU and Idaho as WAC football teams in 2013. FCS members mentioned in the past connected with the WAC include Georgia Southern, Liberty, Jacksonville State, Montana, Montana State, Eastern Washington, Portland State and Appalachian State.

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-sp ... ise-states

[LUaddict]

If The WAC drops football entirely, the WAC will assist Idaho with scheduling if they become independent football program. Hearing news like this not good for FCS schools wanting to join the WAC. I just for all our sakes this just journalistic hogwash. Unfortunately, the independence rumors for NMSU and Idaho seems to be mentioned often lately an is gaining steam.

WAC to help Vandals if football ends in 2013
By Chris Nettleton
Story Updated: Jul 6, 2012

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colorado (KBOI) - The Denver Post reported this week that the Western Athletic Conference is considering, among several options, dropping football all-together.

The move almost looks like a necessity once you realize the WAC will lose all but two of their football-playing members to other conferences next summer.

Interim WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd told KBOI 2 Sports Friday afternoon that all options are on the table,and the timeline for making decisions about the future of the conference is extremely short.

He said while conference expansion has slowed, it isn't done, and the WAC continues expansion conversations with several schools.

If football goes away in 2013 the conference will do its best to help Idaho and New Mexico State get off the ground as independents.

"The biggest thing the conference can do especially if you're in an independent status for a year or two as an FBS school is to assist in scheduling. Because that's certainly the biggest challenge involved for any independent, but particularly for independents not named Notre Dame. But then trying to arrange situation where you have an adequate number of home games becomes difficult also, but it's certainly not impossible and that's where the conference office can play a role," said Hurd.

As KBOI 2 Sports reported on Tuesday, Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said they could make it work as an Independent FBS team, but would need to play three money games, and figure out the rest of the schedule.

The news that the WAC may help Idaho fill some of the holes in an Independent schedule, breathes new life into the Vandal football program.

[jimflamesfan]

One of the thing that would make Appy scared to jump is what happens to their olympic sports? The SoCon requires football. So for the wac east to happen, I think you would need a couple more non-football schools from the East side to move up, so that you could have 8 teams in the west and Eight teams in the east. Let's say Idaho, New Mexico, Lamar, Liberty, Appy State, Jacksonville State, Georgia Southern, and Montana make up the 8 football schools. Then for olympic sports, Montana, Lamar, NM, and Iowa would all play in the WAC west with the other wac schools. Liberty, Appy, Georgia Southern, Jacksonville State would be the East, but they would need four more d2 or d1 independents to move up to get to 8. What 4 schools could they get? If Winthrop was ever serious about starting football, it would be better for them to be in the wac. Didnt American want to restart football? Maybe they would come over...are there any indy d1 schools in the east schools like Longwood before they joined the big south that woukd be looking for an olympic sports home?

[4everfsu]

WAC football is dead.

+1

[jbock13]

Guys, remember, we're just supposed to write off everything that's not good for us as "journalistic hogwash."

[Blessed1]

@jimflamesfan

I think the 4 most logical choices based on geography and proximity would be Delaware, James Madison, Towson, and William & Mary.

I seriously doubt Delaware and JMU moves unless: 1) the MAC offers them FB-only invites and they can keep their Olympic sports in the CAA or 2) they can spearhead a regional FBS conference that has been rumored on the Internet as the new eastern conference.

If Towson and W&M threw you off a bit, let me explain. Before ODU joined C-USA, supposedly ODU AD discussed the WAC's expansion plan and mentioned that the WAC was trying to gauge Towson's interest in joining an eastern wing along with ODU, Delaware, JMU, App St, Jax St and Liberty. http://www.championshipsubdivision.com/ ... 0&start=25

As for W&M, someone started a thread saying that a generous donor left a large cash donation for W&M to upgrade its football program and its stadium to seat up to 18,000. http://boards.caazone.com/showthread.ph ... rd-looking

While I do not doubt that a donor gave money to upgrade W&M's football program, I have to take the original poster's post as a grain of salt.

Who would be the other 4 eastern schools to go with Liberty, App St, GSU and Jax St? Realistically, it would be hard to come up with 4 other schools, especially if the CAA schools I mentioned decides to stay. I would have to think Youngstown St would be one. However, I'm not sure how strong their FBS aspiration are these days.

If the WAC decides to merge or expand with the Great West conference, you could put NJIT and Chicago St in the east. However Chicago St. athletically and academically is a mess right now. I doubt they would be included. NJIT would make more sense though.

So if YSU and NJIT were in the fold with Liberty and the others, the only other schools that could fill the eastern side would be Lamar and Sam Houston St. I think Lamar would be ready for FBS, but SHSU is another story. Their situation is similar to Georgia Southern. They both want to move to FBS, but financially they may need to wait a couple more years.

[NotAJerry]

Don't forget that there's been talk of both Marshall and Ohio considering joining a more Eastern conference if it were to emerge. It may not take a full 8 from the East moving up, but 6 if a couple of current FBS teams have the itch to move.

[RVAparks]

The SoCon requires football.

Am I missing something? Charleston and Greensboro do not have football and Davidson plays Pioneer League football.

I doubt App State is too worried about Olympic sports, I'm sure the ASun or Big South would be more than happy to welcome them. Especially with Lipscomb continually trying to go to the OVC, and Liberty, Coastal, and Kennesaw St with one foot out the door at their respective conferences

[Chris Lang]

Montana is not moving up. Nor is Montana State. Or any of the other Big Sky schools discussed.

William & Mary has zero intentions of moving to FBS. It's a small, academically minded private school that would have no interest being involved in some far-flung conference that features road trips to Moscow, Idaho. William & Mary would go Patriot League before it went FBS. Georgia Southern announced an eight-year plan for a transition to FBS. It does not have the money or the facilities to make the move now. It's not taking a chance on a league model that features exorbitant costs.

For Delaware to go, it would require a lot of maneuvering within the state education system. The only way UD goes up is if it can move to the MAC. James Madison isn't doing anything until the new academic administration settles in. I haven't even heard Towson being mentioned, but considering Towson is part of the UMd. system and Maryland just dropped seven sports for financial reasons, I don't understand why anyone would think Towson would be in on this. If Villanova is going to go FBS, it will play in the Big East. Why would VU entertain playing in a league with Idaho and NMSU when it has a standing invite from a conference in which it is an all-sports member?

Everyone is just going to have to exhibit a tremendous amount of patience with this. The WAC east model is unfavorable for everyone else involved other than Liberty because of the costs involved. The more and more I read, the less and less I think that it's even option D for the WAC at this point.

I understand Liberty fans are antsy, but unless Conference USA snags another couple of schools from the Sun Belt, or the SBC presidents vote to go to 12, the Flames are probably going to have to be content in the Big South for now.

[NotAJerry]

Are we seriously even mentioning William and Mary now? And schools that don't have football? There aren't enough face palms for some of this stuff.

The non football schools are for the olympic sports schedule if the WAC-E happens. It's a pretty simple thing that allows more western schools to get to where they need to be to move up for football a few years down the line while allowing a more regional schedule for everything other than football.

[logic]

Liberty placed second among all SunBelt schools in the final standings of the Director's cup, only bested by Denver, who is of course leaving. That would leave Liberty with the best overall athletics department in the Sun Belt in 2013....they really don't know what they're missing. Mediocre league with mediocre facilities, budgets, and athletic programs. The fact that they turned us down is rather insulting considering we're flat out better than their entire conference. IF that sounds arrogant so be it. Sour grapes? Perhaps, but show me a Sun Belt school with our potential, facilities, funding, etc.

[jbock13]

Liberty placed second among all SunBelt schools in the final standings of the Director's cup, only bested by Denver, who is of course leaving. That would leave Liberty with the best overall athletics department in the Sun Belt in 2013....they really don't know what they're missing. Mediocre league with mediocre facilities, budgets, and athletic programs. The fact that they turned us down is rather insulting considering we're flat out better than their entire conference. IF that sounds arrogant so be it. Sour grapes? Perhaps, but show me a Sun Belt school with our potential, facilities, funding, etc.

That doesn't change the fact that they don't want us.

[NotAJerry]

Liberty placed second among all SunBelt schools in the final standings of the Director's cup, only bested by Denver, who is of course leaving. That would leave Liberty with the best overall athletics department in the Sun Belt in 2013....they really don't know what they're missing. Mediocre league with mediocre facilities, budgets, and athletic programs. The fact that they turned us down is rather insulting considering we're flat out better than their entire conference. IF that sounds arrogant so be it. Sour grapes? Perhaps, but show me a Sun Belt school with our potential, facilities, funding, etc.

I'd take the situation at FAU and Georgia State over ours for the near future and maybe the long term. Great locations, FAU has a great new football stadium, and they've both got the jump on being at the FBS level. Texas State is also in a good spot. The Sun Belt has been steadily improving and should still do so despite losing FIU and North Texas. It would be a great league to get our programs over the hump though.

[logic]

True, but at the very least we can rest knowing that we did better than all but one of their schools and it happens to be one who is leaving.

[logic]

Liberty placed second among all SunBelt schools in the final standings of the Director's cup, only bested by Denver, who is of course leaving. That would leave Liberty with the best overall athletics department in the Sun Belt in 2013....they really don't know what they're missing. Mediocre league with mediocre facilities, budgets, and athletic programs. The fact that they turned us down is rather insulting considering we're flat out better than their entire conference. IF that sounds arrogant so be it. Sour grapes? Perhaps, but show me a Sun Belt school with our potential, facilities, funding, etc.

I'd take the situation at FAU and Georgia State over ours for the near future and maybe the long term. Great locations, FAU has a great new football stadium, and they've both got the jump on being at the FBS level. Texas State is also in a good spot. The Sun Belt has been steadily improving and should still do so despite losing FIU and North Texas. It would be a great league to get our programs over the hump though.

I could list 25 reasons why our "situation" is better than all three of those schools listed and another 10 reasons as to why the President's of the Sun Belt were too clueless to realize it.

Florida Atlantic with a 15 million dollar budget...you really think they're ready for big-time FBS anything? They will wallow in mediocrity as the 5th most important school in Florida and a last resort for kids who didn't get picked up by Florida, Florida State, Miami, South Florida, Central Florida, any other SEC or ACC school.

I could go on and on....Florida Atlantic? Really? They scored 0 points in the Director's Cup standings this year....meaning they were not represented at any NCAA Post-Season tournament or scoring...

I mean even Louisiana-Monroe scored 25 points to finish 242...tell me again why FAU is a better situation?

[ballah09]

WAC football has an about 70-80% survival. heard this from a a reliable friend of mine who worked the nike training camp a couple weeks back so he deals with college coaches, as i said before, i believe.

They're looking a west coast team or two to go with NMSU and Idaho. Both don't want to independent and WAC sure doesn't want to help pay them if they do go that route, both end up losing a lot of $$$. They want to redistribute potential money and tv deals $$. Non-football schools want this too. For non football schools i don't know...he didn't hear a thing about that. I'm assuming they will go after a few d2 schools who are ready or committed.

problem here is finding a west coast team looking to move. everyone is content.