Bluefield State College Football

[SW_Mustang]

Back to the beginning. The number of AA students at BSC is 7%. Nationwide AA students are 13% of all undergraduates. Historically HBCU, yes. Actually HBCU, not even close for a number of years. Might those numbers change with the addition of 12 sports, absolutely. However I don't see a great boost from ACROBATICS, W GOLF, W TENNIS and M/W SWIMMING & DIVING. Time will tell.

I agree with you - my original point was that the term "HBCU" is an official designation given out by the federal government based on their set of criteria. It's not a marketing tactic that schools can just adopt at-will.

My guess is the federal government would have to rewrite the criteria in order for BSC to be dropped as an HBCU - or add a new classification that drops the historical aspect that can be shifted based on enrollment. I don't know enough about it to really go down that road, though.

[boatcapt]

Yeah, I read up on the history of Bluefield State a few years ago. It was a calculated move and got the results they were looking for at that time.

It will be interesting to see how many flock to the school with the new sports offerings and on campus living. I look at Chowan as a test case. Not an HBCU, but after joining the CIAA they altered their recruitment strategy and are now majority African American.

First year...I think it brings in 250 the first year which is a BIG increase in enrolement for them! Long term, I think they would be happy with slow stead growth (50-100 per year beyond the 250).

They have a SHORT lead time to start football (2021 as in one year from now!!). I would imagine that they will want to have spring practice in in SEVEN months. That's a TIGHT window to hire a coach and staff and get players in. Because of the compressed schedule, I would think they will bring in a lot of JUCO transfers...at least for the first couple of years. 2021 could be an odd year for transfers. Quite probably football players will be given an extra year of eligibility so D1's will have a glut of good returning players coupled with the 3, 4 and 5 star guys coming in from HS. D1's will take the cream off the JUCO class but probably at a much lower rate than most years. Only way to get them a spot on the team will be for D1's to "not renew" the scholly for the former 3 star who just didn't pan out for them. Long and short, Ithink there will be a bumper crop of quality D1 transfers that got cut and JUCO transfers that didn't get the D1 offer that they might have gotten in years past.

I think the Presidents goal here is to create a buzz in the community and as much as possible, the nation. Think about it, everything with college athletics and college in general is doom and gloom right now...except at a tiny little HBCU in West Virginia which is adding TWELVE intercollegiate sports INCLUDING football!! Will it work? I don't know...maybe?? But you got to give Capehart credit for having stones the size of watermelons!!