[TIMSCAR20]

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/06/cusa-no ... 1407948199

UAB's fate with Conference USA will be decided in the fall. In other words, they'll have a chance at bringing back football, but should they fail, they're out.

I really hope it all works out for UAB football to stay viable. I don't see their fate linked to Liberty though. It just seems like the Sunbelt would rather disband rather than admit Liberty. CUSA may have a little interest but it isn't like Liberty is at the top of their list if they lost members. The MAC is rarely mentioned but that would be a great landing spot. Truthfully in hindsight, a move to the CAA 1st a few years ago would have positioned Liberty better for an FBS move. But once the FBS plans became public and so prominent, the CAA had 0 interest in Liberty.

[JK37]

I see that, Scar. But hear me out.

CAA could just jack up its admission and departure rates to multiple millions, knowing only Liberty can pay. That way they definitely get something from it.

Of course, that's predicated on the belief that such a move does greatly enhance Liberty's chances for an FBS move. I think it only marginally assists in that endeavor.

[TIMSCAR20]

I see that, Scar. But hear me out.

CAA could just jack up its admission and departure rates to multiple millions, knowing only Liberty can pay. That way they definitely get something from it.

Of course, that's predicated on the belief that such a move does greatly enhance Liberty's chances for an FBS move. I think it only marginally assists in that endeavor.

I could actually see that scenario playing out JK. That league only has 10 members right now. I would love to see Liberty and Coastal both go the CAA. That would give them 12 members with an even better FCS league with those 2 additions. As a basketball guy a move to the CAA is what I was pulling for back years ago anyway. But I didn't realize I would be unceremoniously pushed out the door anyway so I guess it didn't matter

[adam42381]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

[Humble_Opinion]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

In terms of academic prowess, on-field success and longevity, yes most are. But in terms of facilities and athletic operating budgets... no they are not way ahead of us.

[TIMSCAR20]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

In terms of academic prowess, on-field success and longevity, yes most are. But in terms of facilities and athletic operating budgets... no they are not way ahead of us.

Liberty's facilities are pretty solid and can compete with most in the nation with potential to even be better if needed. But do you want Carey Green to have to compete with UCONN and Geno Auriema in Women's hoops for a conference championship? Or how about McKay having to try to beat Cincinnati, UCONN, SMU and Tulsa every year? That is a HUGE jump in competition.

[VAGolf]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

In terms of academic prowess, on-field success and longevity, yes most are. But in terms of facilities and athletic operating budgets... no they are not way ahead of us.

And what have facilities and athletic operating budgets done for us in the Big South?

[SumItUp]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

In terms of academic prowess, on-field success and longevity, yes most are. But in terms of facilities and athletic operating budgets... no they are not way ahead of us.

Liberty's facilities are pretty solid and can compete with most in the nation with potential to even be better if needed. But do you want Carey Green to have to compete with UCONN and Geno Auriema in Women's hoops for a conference championship? Or how about McKay having to try to beat Cincinnati, UCONN, SMU and Tulsa every year? That is a HUGE jump in competition.

yes

[JakeP50]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

In terms of academic prowess, on-field success and longevity, yes most are. But in terms of facilities and athletic operating budgets... no they are not way ahead of us.

Liberty's facilities are pretty solid and can compete with most in the nation with potential to even be better if needed. But do you want Carey Green to have to compete with UCONN and Geno Auriema in Women's hoops for a conference championship? Or how about McKay having to try to beat Cincinnati, UCONN, SMU and Tulsa every year? That is a HUGE jump in competition.

Yeah that would get real ugly, real fast.

[Purple Haize]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

In terms of academic prowess, on-field success and longevity, yes most are. But in terms of facilities and athletic operating budgets... no they are not way ahead of us.

Liberty's facilities are pretty solid and can compete with most in the nation with potential to even be better if needed. But do you want Carey Green to have to compete with UCONN and Geno Auriema in Women's hoops for a conference championship? Or how about McKay having to try to beat Cincinnati, UCONN, SMU and Tulsa every year? That is a HUGE jump in competition.

More importantly, Facilities don't suit up and play.

Using your WBB example, no one else in the AAC can compete with UCONN either

[R i]

And what have facilities and athletic operating budgets done for us in the Big South?

Glad You asked.

2005 - Conference: 0-4, Overall: 1-10

2014 - Conference: 4-1, Overall: 9-5

[BJWilliams]

And in between those two diametrically opposed seasons: 2 outright conference championships, an FBS win and a state coach of the year (or two...did DR win it once?)

[ATrain]

More importantly, Facilities don't suit up and play.

Using your WBB example, no one in any conference can compete with UCONN either

FTFY

[From the class of 09]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

In terms of academic prowess, on-field success and longevity, yes most are. But in terms of facilities and athletic operating budgets... no they are not way ahead of us.

Liberty's facilities are pretty solid and can compete with most in the nation with potential to even be better if needed. But do you want Carey Green to have to compete with UCONN and Geno Auriema in Women's hoops for a conference championship? Or how about McKay having to try to beat Cincinnati, UCONN, SMU and Tulsa every year? That is a HUGE jump in competition.

Yes I do. I'm of the opinion that your conference limits how successful you can be as a program. If we hypothetically were part of the AAC you'd see another level of recruit be open to Liberty. As we all know basketball can upgrade the talent quickly.

[VAGolf]

And what have facilities and athletic operating budgets done for us in the Big South?

Glad You asked.

2005 - Conference: 0-4, Overall: 1-10

2014 - Conference: 4-1, Overall: 9-5

OHHHHHH, you mean in 2005, we were awful because of our facilities and not because of our coach and our players. And in 2014, we were great because of our facilities and not because of our coach and players?

Those facilities have helped our Mens basketball program too! Only 84 losses in the past five years!

[R i]

Football facilities have been a part of the overhaul the past 10 years.

Several coaches and players would not be here if it were not for the facilites. You hear it in every news press conference by coaches.... " The commitment that Liberty is showing to athletics " , that means spending money on facilities.

I get your point, and I agree about players and coaches having a huge part in changing a culture, and basketball hasnt panned out, but to completely dismiss facilities isnt your best work.

[TIMSCAR20]

I agree that obviously you would be able to start recruiting AAC level of players once you got in the conference. I thought that was a given. My point was that it is a HUGE jump from the Big South and the AAC would not need to even consider any school coming from a conference as low as the Big South. Even with all the things that Liberty has to offer. It just isn't the type of quantum leap you see in collegiate athletics EVER.

[bluejacket]

My point was that it is a HUGE jump from the Big South and the AAC would not need to even consider any school coming from a conference as low as the Big South. Even with all the things that Liberty has to offer. It just isn't the type of quantum leap you see in collegiate athletics EVER.

Bingo.

[From the class of 09]

I agree that obviously you would be able to start recruiting AAC level of players once you got in the conference. I thought that was a given. My point was that it is a HUGE jump from the Big South and the AAC would not need to even consider any school coming from a conference as low as the Big South. Even with all the things that Liberty has to offer. It just isn't the type of quantum leap you see in collegiate athletics EVER.

Agreed but by page 198 we are running out of realistic things to talk about in conference realignment

[Humble_Opinion]

Yeah, those AAC schools are WAY ahead of Liberty for the most part.

In terms of academic prowess, on-field success and longevity, yes most are. But in terms of facilities and athletic operating budgets... no they are not way ahead of us.

And what have facilities and athletic operating budgets done for us in the Big South?

Better facilities and operating budgets attract better coaches and better athletes. If you can't see the correlation between the two then that's your issue. Does it ALWAYS translate into on-field success? No... not always, but recruiting is one of the three legs to collegiate athletic success. To directly answer your question though, I would say that our football program has seen the benefits of the added facilities and expanded budgets. We have one of the most experienced coaching staffs in all of FCS. In our third year with that staff, we finally broke through and made it to the playoffs AND we beat JMU @ JMU. Pretty big step I'd say...

In baseball, we hosted the Conference tournament and won the Big South Championship in our first season using the new stadium. We followed that up with an at-large. This year was a let-down, but I think that was due to a host of different issues... coaching among them.

To be honest, perhaps the best example to date would be softball. You don't think that brand spanking new state of the art softball field had something to do with getting Dot Richardson and her staff here? She could have gone a lot of other places in some bigger conferences to be sure, but she chose LU. And this past season was a huge turn-around compared to the previous, and that was in her first year. I think those that have seen our signing class this year are excited about the next few years.

[ATrain]

Facilities and bells and whistles are nice, but we must also remember another thing that attracts athletes/coaches to LU (as well as repels others)...our unique Christian mission.

[Humble_Opinion]

Facilities and bells and whistles are nice, but we must also remember another thing that attracts athletes/coaches to LU (as well as repels others)...our unique Christian mission.

For sure... that's part of the reason that administration is so eager to get to the next level. We have something that other schools can't offer to elite athletes that are also Christian. It's hard to take those students away from the P5 conferences right now, but if we were to get into CUSA, the thinking seems to be that the decision for said athlete to come to LU becomes a little easier... And I think they have it on good authority that this will be the case.

[VAGolf]

I never dismissed facilities all together. Obviously they help. But this idea that we would pair well with AAC schools because of our facilities is ridiculous. Charleston Southern and Longwood have some of the worst facilities in the country yet we can't beat them in basketball. AND CSU even beat us in football this past season. All I'm saying is that facilities have a much smaller effect on success than most LU fans would like to admit.

[BJWilliams]

Here's my thought:

I do not think the AAC would be a good move for us. When we do make a move to an FBS conference, and I do believe we will, it needs to be to someplace where we can be competitive within a fairly short time frame, and I don't think our losing to Charleston Southern in football or basketball has much bearing on that long term. all that means is that they were better than us on that day. we could go out next year and beat them by 4 TDs, does that somehow mean we are #FBSready? absolutely not...it means, once again, that we were better than them on that particular day. The same thing with Longwood. Just because they beat us in those games, does not affect our overall competitiveness in another conference.

The climate is very hostile toward us right now, with our very obvious desire to make a move, and the financial wherewithal, as well as the infrastructure either in place or in the works, to do well when an invite comes. inI the meanwhile, we need to build on thesuccess we have had in football, baseball and women's basketbal, build new success in men's basketball (with patience mind you) and prepare ourselves for what will come as a result.

[bluejacket]

I do not think the AAC would be a good move for us.

Why?