WVU Tech Reinstating Football

[GSCfan1275]

[boatcapt]

Give them two years in starting the program and they will be better than West Liberty!

Uhhhh...Wheeling almost beat us the first year they played a DII schedule!

[boatcapt]

Got to love a place nicknamed "The Rock Pile!"

As for which one I'd prefer in the MEC...Both are moving in the right direction but neither are there, yet. But the MEC seems to have no desire to move beyond 12 teams which is were they are with UNCP the 12th for Football and D&E the 12th for everything else. If it were me, I'd bring BSC in as an associate member in several sports now with a hand shake agreement that in a couple of years, if they continue to grow enrolement and facilities, they get a full invite. Tech I'd do a "scheduling alliance" agreement for a couple of years and another handshake agreement that if they continue to grow and improve, after the start football, the MEC will be their sponsor to move back to DII.

[boatcapt]

SHU is north and I'm certain a deal could be worked out !!

I was thinking more like Gannon...OR Cal! I'm sure the ARSC would be rocking for Gary Sancom's return...as would McDonough!!!!

[crixus]

Good for WVU Tech.

????
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??When it comes to college football in West Virginia...the more the merrier!

[ctrabs74]

I certainly wish WVU Tech the best of luck, but Bluefield State, despite being without a conference, at least has been a relatively stable D2 member post-WVIAC (at least compared to WVU Tech), so they'd be an ideal fit should the MEC need to expand in the short term.

[Eagle74]

Both WVU-Tec and Bluefield State are potential candidates for expansion of Conference Carolinas (which will more than likely change it's name).

[boatcapt]

Both WVU-Tec and Bluefield State are potential candidates for expansion of Conference Carolinas (which will more than likely change it's name).

Is there a source on this or is it speculation on your part?

[ctrabs74]

Is there a source on this or is it speculation on your part?

It feels like speculation to me. I don't know if there is any interest by WVU Tech to return to D2 (unless I missed something).

[ctrabs74]

Got to love a place nicknamed "The Rock Pile!"

As for which one I'd prefer in the MEC...Both are moving in the right direction but neither are there, yet. But the MEC seems to have no desire to move beyond 12 teams which is were they are with UNCP the 12th for Football and D&E the 12th for everything else. If it were me, I'd bring BSC in as an associate member in several sports now with a hand shake agreement that in a couple of years, if they continue to grow enrolement and facilities, they get a full invite. Tech I'd do a "scheduling alliance" agreement for a couple of years and another handshake agreement that if they continue to grow and improve, after the start football, the MEC will be their sponsor to move back to DII.

How much longer will UNCP be a part of the MEC, though? It's only a matter of time before ConfCar finally launches their own football league, especially with UNCP now a full member of that league. If/when UNCP returns home to ConfCar for football (other CC schools which sponsor football: Barton, Chowan, Erskine and North Grennville), which likely happens with one more CC school starting football - or CC plucking a school with a football program away from the SAC or even D3, that opens up a spot for Bluefield State.

[FormerCrusader#84]

How much longer will UNCP be a part of the MEC, though? It's only a matter of time before ConfCar finally launches their own football league, especially with UNCP now a full member of that league. If/when UNCP returns home to ConfCar for football (other CC schools which sponsor football: Barton, Chowan, Erskine and North Grennville), which likely happens with one more CC school starting football - or CC plucking a school with a football program away from the SAC or even D3, that opens up a spot for Bluefield State.

Something I brought up on the GSC board was that a CC merger with the GSC in football makes the most sense because as it stands now CC needs at least one other school to join with football. Whereas a football merger could be accomplished quicker and that would put the GSC at 12 schools with East/West divisions. Also, Barton and Erskine have a scheduling alliance with the SAC that could turn into football, or full, membership in the future especially when Anderson University (SC) starts football. That would bring the SAC up to 12 schools. Right now CC could kind of force existing members with football to play in the GSC much like we saw between the ASUN and Big South at the FCS level.

[ctrabs74]

Something I brought up on the GSC board was that a CC merger with the GSC in football makes the most sense because as it stands now CC needs at least one other school to join with football. Whereas a football merger could be accomplished quicker and that would put the GSC at 12 schools with East/West divisions. Also, Barton and Erskine have a scheduling alliance with the SAC that could turn into football, or full, membership in the future especially when Anderson University (SC) starts football. That would bring the SAC up to 12 schools. Right now CC could kind of force existing members with football to play in the GSC much like we saw between the ASUN and Big South at the FCS level.

To me, a CC/GSC football merger simply escalates the differences between the haves (GSC) and have nots (CC). No disrespect to the CC schools, but I'd argue that even the most neutral D2 observer would see that a western division of a combined league, which would likely be GSC schools such as Valdosta, West Florida and West Georgia, would be much stronger than an eastern division of (potentially) Chowan, Barton and UNC Pembroke. Picture the current imbalance within the B1G between East (Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, etc.) and West (Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska, etc.) and that's what you're looking at with a potential CC/GSC merger.

Without North Greenville, the GSC is already at seven full members sponsoring football, so adding the other four CC football schools (noting that Chowan currently plays football in the CIAA, which was their previous full-time conference).

Also, even with their existing scheduling alliance with Barton and Erskine, plus the addition of Emory and Henry to the league, the SAC is already at 12 schools even before Anderson launches football.

[Tech Boys]

Barton and Erskine are affiliates, not scheduling alliance, and currently the deal is for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Anderson is scheduled to start in 2024. The SAC will have 11 in '24 or 13 if the affiliations are extended.

[FormerCrusader#84]

To me, a CC/GSC football merger simply escalates the differences between the haves (GSC) and have nots (CC). No disrespect to the CC schools, but I'd argue that even the most neutral D2 observer would see that a western division of a combined league, which would likely be GSC schools such as Valdosta, West Florida and West Georgia, would be much stronger than an eastern division of (potentially) Chowan, Barton and UNC Pembroke. Picture the current imbalance within the B1G between East (Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, etc.) and West (Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska, etc.) and that's what you're looking at with a potential CC/GSC merger.

Without North Greenville, the GSC is already at seven full members sponsoring football, so adding the other four CC football schools (noting that Chowan currently plays football in the CIAA, which was their previous full-time conference).

Also, even with their existing scheduling alliance with Barton and Erskine, plus the addition of Emory and Henry to the league, the SAC is already at 12 schools even before Anderson launches football.

I understand that there would be an escalation between the haves and have nots. My point was merely that a merger makes more sense than trying to find another member with football. Currently, at the D2 level, a private college has just as much ability to secure funds as a small, regional state supported institution. In the South, these small public schools do not necessarily have a lot of money at their disposal - but I still understand your point.

The reality is that schools currently in the SAC are not likely to leave to join the CC. There are a few NAIA schools in the region that could make the move but do they want to? NAIA schools transitioning to D2 usually take a while to get up to speed so to speak. The D3 schools in the geographic area are not looking to move up to D2. So, the best case scenario is either a merger for football between the GSC/CC or everything stays the same. I personally do not have a problem with how things are currently.

[FormerCrusader#84]

Barton and Erskine are affiliates, not scheduling alliance, and currently the deal is for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Anderson is scheduled to start in 2024. The SAC will have 11 in '24 or 13 if the affiliations are extended.

Tech Boys,

You are correct. I said scheduling alliance in my previous post and should not have done so.