[Jonathan Carone]

By Liberty's definition, they wouldn't be a Christian school. But from everything I know, there's still quite a bit of faith based stuff there. I had a student go there 4-5 years ago. It's super expensive though so he only spent a year there so I don't have a ton of background.

It's not a beat you over the head Christian school but there are options there for those who want it and it's not frowned upon.

They're also ranked the 4th best Christian school in the south so there's that.

[VarsityLu]

Here's a few things to think about:

1. The BSC wasn't going to let LU stay as a full member. Not exactly sure what that does or doesn't mean, but I get the impression that associate members don't get voting rights on decisions and can be kicked out without much reason. Not good for stability of LU athletics.

2. A full FBS conference invite would have been ideal, but that hasn't happened. Personally, I like the idea of being football independent rather than being in a lower conference like Sunbelt or CUSA. I think we have the chance to schedule better football games by being independent. Ultimately, I'd like to see us hold out and try to get into the American Conference like in 2025 or something like that.

3. If BSC and FBS conference were not really options, what other conference was available? Here are the non-football D1 conferences: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_N ... onferences As you can see, the only two real options geographically are ASUN or A10. Horizon, maybe, but not really. There's no way we were going to get an invite from the Big East and the A10 was not very likely either as they already have 14 members.

So, the decision to got to the ASUN is probably a pretty good one if you ask me. I like that we are switching both football and conference the same year. Feels right to start over with everything rather than to stagger things.

[LUDad]

I think this can be wonderful and exciting venture. My only concern is being unequally yoked and the overt and covert pressures that can and will be brought to bare to have LU "tone" down their faith, to go along to get along in a secular setting. I have heard all the arguments that Christians make when they want to marry a non-christian. Yet, it is tipically the Christian that ends up compromising their faith instead of converting the spouse. How many institute's of learning that started as bastions of the faith are now Christian in name only, or even hostile to the faith. LU needs to be respectful but firm in resisting efforts to conform us.

Hasn't seemed to hurt Lipscomb.

The A-sun is a stepping stone. The destination is nothing less than a P5 conference. That is the journey LU is on.

[cruzan_flame13]

We have about seven season to build up our basketball programs. Football can work on being a strong independent team, but basketball is the main sport to gain more attention from markets, school presidents and commissioners. I will add that academia is big too which Liberty has been doing well in. finally, I hope that other sports like softball, golf, lacrosse and track/field will continue to progress especially with the expanded recruiting pipeline.

*Edit*: Can I also say how incredible IM is as an AD! This man spent one year in UMASS and already gain a P-5 position in just one year at Baylor! I know this was discussed already but we have to reel this back in with this move. I see some great things coming out of this for the next few years and I wouldn't be shocked to see IM and JLFJR having some long talks and private meetings with presidents/commissioners in the BIG EAST and even BIG 12 (if it would even exist in the next realignment).

[ballcoach15]

We might make our mark in baseball and softball, more than basketball.

Basketball has some potential, but we have to elevate our recruiting, and bring in bigger, faster and stronger players.

[jcmanson]

Something I just noticed - FIU, UCF, FAU, and Troy have all jumped from the ASUN to FBS conferences in recent years. Other former members also include Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and UTSA who jumped to another FCS conference before eventually landing in an FBS home.

[A Sea of Red]

We've updated our original post on the ASUN move to include quotes from AD McCaw and some observations from Thursday's press conference

http://www.aseaofred.com/liberty-to-mak ... ouncement/

[A Sea of Red]

ASUN move seen as one to increase Liberty's brand

http://www.aseaofred.com/asun-move-seen ... tys-brand/

[flameshaw]

We have about seven season to build up our basketball programs. Football can work on being a strong independent team, but basketball is the main sport to gain more attention from markets, school presidents and commissioners. I will add that academia is big too which Liberty has been doing well in. finally, I hope that other sports like softball, golf, lacrosse and track/field will continue to progress especially with the expanded recruiting pipeline.

*Edit*: Can I also say how incredible IM is as an AD! This man spent one year in UMASS and already gain a P-5 position in just one year at Baylor! I know this was discussed already but we have to reel this back in with this move. I see some great things coming out of this for the next few years and I wouldn't be shocked to see IM and JLFJR having some long talks and private meetings with presidents/commissioners in the BIG EAST and even BIG 12 (if it would even exist in the next realignment).

I agree, especially since we only vetted him for a few days/weeks before we hired him. Boy did Jr. ever luck out on that hire.

[Purple Haize]

Something I just noticed - FIU, UCF, FAU, and Troy have all jumped from the ASUN to FBS conferences in recent years. Other former members also include Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and UTSA who jumped to another FCS conference before eventually landing in an FBS home.

Bing Bing Bing Bing. Which is why it’s a great move for LU and a logical next step.

Geez, you should write for a Spoting Blog or something

[g-webb1994]

One side note for you guys. If the A-Sun keeps their hoops tournaments the same format, it is high seed hosts each round, placing a lot more emphasis on conference record. They staggered the mens tournament to a Monday, Thursday, Sunday format last year. Travel is tricky, but not as brutal as in previous years when they would have a Wed, Fri, Sun format.

Also, my mom went to Stetson a long time ago (actually was there when Ted Cassidy, later Lurch on the Addams Family, was playing hoops), and it still is a stout academic school with a beautiful campus, Deland is smack dab between Orlando and Daytona, y'all take your pick where you want to stay and sin.

[ballcoach15]

ASUNDER needs to find a site for basketball tournaments.

[JK37]

They won’t anytime soon. Once upon a time I worked for an ASun school. Travel distance between sites makes it tricky to find one site to which fans will travel. They want crowds, so it’ll be at home sites.

[Purple Haize]

They won’t anytime soon. Once upon a time I worked for an ASun school. Travel distance between sites makes it tricky to find one site to which fans will travel. They want crowds, so it’ll be at home sites.

Even if there WAS one site for a Tournament he’d complain that it gave School X an unfair home advantage

[JK37]

Haha, good point!

[ballcoach15]

For basketball tournaments the NCAA needs to have a rule that no school can host on their own court. It gives home team unfair advantage. Play all tournaments on neutral court.

[Chris Lang]

Then play better in the regular season so you don't have to go on the road. Didn't hurt Lipscomb last year. Didn't hurt UMBC last year. The better team has earned that advantage.

[JK37]

For basketball tournaments the NCAA needs to have a rule that no school can host on their own court. It gives home team unfair advantage. Play all tournaments on neutral court.

How would a team host on any other court?

It’s not an unfair advantage if that team earns it by winning during the season to be the regular season and/or the higher seed.

[thepostman]

For basketball tournaments the NCAA needs to have a rule that no school can host on their own court. It gives home team unfair advantage. Play all tournaments on neutral court.

*Unless it's LU because their facilities are literally the best in the world

[olldflame]

For basketball tournaments the NCAA needs to have a rule that no school can host on their own court. It gives home team unfair advantage. Play all tournaments on neutral court.

*Unless it's LU because their facilities are literally the best in the world

The BSC tried that in baseball for a couple of years recently, and it did not go well because the venue was bad, even though the location was good. Tried it in basketball as well way back in the day. I personally liked the idea of a single site neutral venue for the BSC, because the schools were all located in a relatively small footprint. They tried, but they struggled to find quality venues that wanted to host. As has been stated, the A-Sun is a MUCH different situation because of the distance between schools. Any neutral site you pick will be a long haul for a ton of fans. Atlanta would be a fairly central location, but it would give KSU a pretty big edge, which would not have been earned. Bottom line is, the A-Sun needs to keep doing it the way they are if they don't want to play their conference tournaments in front of empty seats.

[olldflame]

For basketball tournaments the NCAA needs to have a rule that no school can host on their own court. It gives home team unfair advantage. Play all tournaments on neutral court.

If giving the higher seed home court advantage is "unfair", why is it not "unfair" to give the top seed the HUGE advantage of playing the last seed in the first round, or even give high seeds a bye sometimes? Let's just throw all the names in a hat, draw the match-ups and play it in an empty gym. That would be totally "fair" ..... right?

[TH Spangler]

With the NCAA basketball scandal getting cleaned up, might we see the talent spread around more. I wonder if the ASUN will benefit much?

[TLocke88]

So I have heard High Point might be coming with. But who else? If I were them I would go after Winthrop.

I assume they will attempt to get a school between us and NJIT. I have looked around and there are some larger schools in PA
that are worth inviting (IUP, WCU). Look at the PSAC conference.

[JK37]

What about Howard?

[ballcoach15]

When tournaments start, playing field/court should be level.

"They earned it" is the term I hate most in sports, when pertaining to hosting a tournament.

Only thing any team earns is the right to play in the tournament.