THE IUP Football Thread

[Fightingscot82]

The WC walk ons with 8.33 .🤔

The East is still a mystery - but I've shared multiple times that there are some alternative strategies common for the East that don't count for athletic aid. These alternative strategies are offering housing & meal plan waivers as an athletic recruiting strategy. A housing & meal plan waiver dollar for dollar is equivalent to a full tuition scholarship. Since the waivers are also available to non-athletes, it doesn't count as athletic aid.

If an employee's kid is there on employee tuition waiver, it doesn't count. If an athlete also has an academic scholarship, it doesn't count. If a 5th year has a grad assistantship that waives tuition, it doesn't count, even if that assistantship is working in the football office. SRU has a program that discounts out of state tuition for students with a 3.0 high school GPA that doesn't count. They can also apply for a waiver to get full PA resident tuition that doesn't count.

[Ship69]

The WC walk ons with 8.33 .🤔

It's all very confusing, but I'd be shocked if West Chester, with its resources, is spending less on football than Ship. If the figures quoted are accurate, a couple of things are noticeable. It's not hard to see why the PSAC is getting aced in the national playoffs recently with those kinds of scholarship numbers. And you have to wonder why Mercyhurst and Gannon don't do better if they're truly giving out that kind of scholarship money.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The East is still a mystery - but I've shared multiple times that there are some alternative strategies common for the East that don't count for athletic aid. These alternative strategies are offering housing & meal plan waivers as an athletic recruiting strategy. A housing & meal plan waiver dollar for dollar is equivalent to a full tuition scholarship. Since the waivers are also available to non-athletes, it doesn't count as athletic aid.

If an employee's kid is there on employee tuition waiver, it doesn't count. If an athlete also has an academic scholarship, it doesn't count. If a 5th year has a grad assistantship that waives tuition, it doesn't count, even if that assistantship is working in the football office. SRU has a program that discounts out of state tuition for students with a 3.0 high school GPA that doesn't count. They can also apply for a waiver to get full PA resident tuition that doesn't count.

In a nutshell, what you're saying is that 'scholarship report' is a crock of shiz.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's all very confusing, but I'd be shocked if West Chester, with its resources, is spending less on football than Ship. If the figures quoted are accurate, a couple of things are noticeable. It's not hard to see why the PSAC is getting aced in the national playoffs recently with those kinds of scholarship numbers. And you have to wonder why Mercyhurst and Gannon don't do better if they're truly giving out that kind of scholarship money.

Until we could see actual dollars -- total dollars -- that report is pretty much meaningless. That 'scholarship report' is one piece of the pie. We aren't seeing the whole picture.

[IUP PSAC Fan]

Until we could see actual dollars -- total dollars -- that report is pretty much meaningless. That 'scholarship report' is one piece of the pie. We aren't seeing the whole picture.

Your also not seeing that Shep has 36 scholarships.

[Fightingscot82]

It's all very confusing, but I'd be shocked if West Chester, with its resources, is spending less on football than Ship. If the figures quoted are accurate, a couple of things are noticeable. It's not hard to see why the PSAC is getting aced in the national playoffs recently with those kinds of scholarship numbers. And you have to wonder why Mercyhurst and Gannon don't do better if they're truly giving out that kind of scholarship money.

I'd be interested to see how athletic spending has adjusted at West Chester as their enrollment grew. I have reason to believe Mercyhurst & Gannon don't do better because its hard to manage the discounting since its not real dollars. They're throwing offers around but in scale the students are often still paying more than at PASSHE so that makes it a harder sell. Nightlife at Mercyhurst is pretty dull (I'd compare it to Chatham in Pittsburgh). Gannon's is better but you're also adjacent to a dumpy part of downtown. Plus, Catholic education isn't for everyone. Truth be told, private schools don't always do well at this level. There has been only 1 private in the national championship game this century - and they lost.

[Bart]

The East is still a mystery - but I've shared multiple times that there are some alternative strategies common for the East that don't count for athletic aid. These alternative strategies are offering housing & meal plan waivers as an athletic recruiting strategy. A housing & meal plan waiver dollar for dollar is equivalent to a full tuition scholarship. Since the waivers are also available to non-athletes, it doesn't count as athletic aid.

If an employee's kid is there on employee tuition waiver, it doesn't count. If an athlete also has an academic scholarship, it doesn't count. If a 5th year has a grad assistantship that waives tuition, it doesn't count, even if that assistantship is working in the football office. SRU has a program that discounts out of state tuition for students with a 3.0 high school GPA that doesn't count. They can also apply for a waiver to get full PA resident tuition that doesn't count.

Does that mean a team can actually be using alternative aid to supplement past the 36 number of athletic aid? So #37 has an employee tuition waiver, #38 has an academic scholarship, # 39 has a grad assistantship,etc..

[iupgroundhog]

Does that mean a team can actually be using alternative aid to supplement past the 36 number of athletic aid? So #37 has an employee tuition waiver, #38 has an academic scholarship, # 39 has a grad assistantship,etc..

Eureka!

[Bart]

Eureka!

Ok Archimedes, let's drink to that.

[Iupgh]

In a nutshell, what you're saying is that 'scholarship report' is a crock of shiz.

Bottom line is if super region 1 was like the other regions they would also have strong national presence with 36 scholarships. I have said on this site before the PSAC west big 3 would be unreal with there coaches and history of solid recruiting. In the case of IUP there facilities also are a hindrance and they stay deliver.

[Iupgh]

Whoever is saying they do not want Naszhir Taylor #11 at IUP either doesn’t know the game of football or just does not watch. FACT. #11 is one of the best corners in the whole region. FACT.

Taylor does need to step it up a bit. He is actually being outplayed by the other corner who is a true freshman…just sayin

[iupgroundhog]

Ok Archimedes, let's drink to that.

I could have just typed "Bingo!" I do think you are on to something, though. PSAC teams have to work with the finances for all of the players, not just 20, 30, or 36, and the aid takes several forms. Scholarships certainly help. The big 3 in the West might not be that competitive without that advantage.

[Fightingscot82]

Bottom line is if super region 1 was like the other regions they would also have strong national presence with 36 scholarships. I have said on this site before the PSAC west big 3 would be unreal with there coaches and history of solid recruiting. In the case of IUP there facilities also are a hindrance and they stay deliver.

Yep. We're oversaturated with college football options between FCS, D2, and D3. Plus other state's schools recruiting PA kids. There are 52 college football teams in PA below FBS. That's 1 small college football team for every 246,233 residents. For comparison, since the top 2 teams in D2 are from Michigan, there are 20 college football teams in Michigan below FBS. That's 1 small college football team for every 499,621 residents. Almost double the ratio.

This also affects fundraising and attendance. There are only so many people willing and able to attend or donate to small college football so we split ourselves more.

[Matt Burglund]

I'd be interested to see how athletic spending has adjusted at West Chester as their enrollment grew.

It would take some time digging to find out how much WCU spent TOTAL on athletics in these years, but I don't have it. Here is the total athletic aid for alternating years back to 2010 (skipped 2020 for obvious reasons).

Year	Enrollment	Total Aid
2021	17,614	$1,401,114
2018	17,527	$1,440,427
2016	17,010	$1,388,110
2014	16,091	$1,084,167
2012	15,415	$950,157
2010	14,492	$864,104

[Pine Ridge]

And my source is Terri Steeb Gronau. Shep has 36 scholarships. FACT.

Ram Tough is correct; I saw the same thing from the AD and they're under 30.