THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPalum]

I'm saying the 4-year agreement takes IUP out of consideration for some other schools looking to schedule them. We're also handicapped that the only week we can do a non-conference game is Week 1. Those extended agreements can bite IUP, too, if it takes someone out of consideration past Ashland. I guess maybe the 3-year agreements like what Edinboro had with GV are harder than 4-year.

Scheduling Ashland is great now - but we don't know where they'll be 2-3 years from now. They could be an SOS anchor in 2024. Unlikely but possible.

Ashland is almost always competitive so I don't think it'll be an issue. As long as they are over .500 it's a help.

[Fightingscot82]

Not sure I follow. Ashland is certainly capable of playing with IUP. I keep reading on here how some think they are No. 1 in SR1 right now.

That is a premier 4-year agreement in an era where most only want cupcake games.

Granted, Ashland is loaded up this year with upperclassmen. They will take some heavy losses at the conclusion of this season.

I'm saying the 4-year agreement takes IUP out of consideration for some other schools looking to schedule them. We're also handicapped that the only week we can do a non-conference game is Week 1. Those extended agreements can bite IUP, too, if it takes someone out of consideration past Ashland. I guess maybe the 3-year agreements like what Edinboro had with GV are harder than 4-year.

Scheduling Ashland is great now - but we don't know where they'll be 2-3 years from now. They could be an SOS anchor in 2024. Unlikely but possible.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I don't think they're only now calling IUP to save face. Most schools are agreeing to 2-year agreements. These 3 and 4 year agreements we're starting to see screw this up somewhat because it limits who is available to schedule for the next 2 year period. Plus similar to what we see with P5/G5 scheduling, IUP isn't going to Franklin Pierce, but they also aren't going to Grand Valley without a guarantee that at least covers travel. I have to guess Tort also would have hesitated to schedule anyone who had anything close to 50/50 chance of winning (like a Grand Valley). An 11th game is ideal but starting 0-1 is not. There's a happy medium there for a school that will pay your expenses, is at least a 50/50 win, and won't be an OWP anchor.

Not sure I follow. Ashland is certainly capable of playing with IUP. I keep reading on here how some think they are No. 1 in SR1 right now.

That is a premier 4-year agreement in an era where most only want cupcake games.

Granted, Ashland is loaded up this year with upperclassmen. They will take some heavy losses at the conclusion of this season.

[Fightingscot82]

Isn't it a bit late now to ask IUP for a Week 1 game. Why are they calling him now?

The avoided IUP and now they can go **** themselves.

I don't think they're only now calling IUP to save face. Most schools are agreeing to 2-year agreements. These 3 and 4 year agreements we're starting to see screw this up somewhat because it limits who is available to schedule for the next 2 year period. Plus similar to what we see with P5/G5 scheduling, IUP isn't going to Franklin Pierce, but they also aren't going to Grand Valley without a guarantee that at least covers travel. I have to guess Tort also would have hesitated to schedule anyone who had anything close to 50/50 chance of winning (like a Grand Valley). An 11th game is ideal but starting 0-1 is not. There's a happy medium there for a school that will pay your expenses, is at least a 50/50 win, and won't be an OWP anchor.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Isn't it a bit late now to ask IUP for a Week 1 game. Why are they calling him now?

The avoided IUP and now they can go **** themselves.

Yes. Tort was very sarcastic when he told the story.

[IUPNation]

Aside from budgets, it creates a headache heading in to the next week. Instead of being home Saturday night, they are likely traveling all day Sunday instead of watching film and in the pool (or whatever they do for day-after-game recovery).

Thank goodness we don't have to hear about this Week 1 game for the next four years. Ashland is certainly a 'big boy opponent' to open each season.

Tort did say on his show a couple weeks ago that they are getting all kinds of calls for a Week 1 game (after people know they signed a 4-year deal). He said it's ironic they couldn't get a game for two years and now his phone is blowing up. Funny how that works. He also pointed out 8 of the Top 25 didn't play an 11th game.

Isn't it a bit late now to ask IUP for a Week 1 game. Why are they calling him now?

The avoided IUP and now they can go **** themselves.

[WarriorVoice]

Even if Torts wanted to travel beyond the region and play the big dogs in D2....the bean counters would squash it.

Not buying that...It's more likely that the payout isn't enough to justify the trip.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Absolutely. Remember a sizeable part of the athletic department's budget comes from the Co-Op fee that all students pay. With enrollment down, that means far less $$$. Throw in the increased cost to travel, you can see why Tort isn't flying the team to Portland State like Frank did.

I'd just like to see them get the donor money increased. IUP Football is going to continue to do well in SR1 with 18-22 equivalencies. But, outside of SR1 ... well, that becomes a major problem (as we see yearly in the Final Four when SR1 teams usually get embarrassed).

Jumping to 35 would take some major donors to get involved. Getting to 28 would be a big step. The quality depth would improve dramatically.

[Matt Burglund]

Players also miss extra class time. ... So all for the low low price of $15-20k net you can have a long weekend trip where players miss two days of class.

That's a nice sentiment, but I've never heard any coach, at IUP or elsewhere, say that's a reason they wouldn't make a trip like that.

[Matt Burglund]

I can imagine the budgets are much tighter than they were 30 years ago.

Absolutely. Remember a sizeable part of the athletic department's budget comes from the Co-Op fee that all students pay. With enrollment down, that means far less $$$. Throw in the increased cost to travel, you can see why Tort isn't flying the team to Portland State like Frank did.

[Fightingscot82]

Aside from budgets, it creates a headache heading in to the next week. Instead of being home Saturday night, they are likely traveling all day Sunday instead of watching film and in the pool (or whatever they do for day-after-game recovery).

Thank goodness we don't have to hear about this Week 1 game for the next four years. Ashland is certainly a 'big boy opponent' to open each season.

Tort did say on his show a couple weeks ago that they are getting all kinds of calls for a Week 1 game (after people know they signed a 4-year deal). He said it's ironic they couldn't get a game for two years and now his phone is blowing up. Funny how that works. He also pointed out 8 of the Top 25 didn't play an 11th game.

Players also miss extra class time. Let's say Grand Valley pays IUP $25k to play them Labor Day weekend. I'd bet that trip costs half that guarantee - but that's an 8 hour coach bus trip plus stops (they pay for player meals along the way) and they probably leave on Thursday so the team can have a full practice on Friday. That's probably $10-15k to take IUP's travel roster. So all for the low low price of $15-20k net you can have a long weekend trip where players miss two days of class.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Each team gets its own budget for things like travel and equipment. They spend it at their discretion.

But unless whatever MIAA or GSC school we're talking about paid for IUP's expenses, I doubt Tort would do it because it would break the travel budget. Some faraway schools have offered a guarantee to play, but it's not enough to cover IUP's travel costs.

Aside from budgets, it creates a headache heading in to the next week. Instead of being home Saturday night, they are likely traveling all day Sunday instead of watching film and in the pool (or whatever they do for day-after-game recovery).

Thank goodness we don't have to hear about this Week 1 game for the next four years. Ashland is certainly a 'big boy opponent' to open each season.

Tort did say on his show a couple weeks ago that they are getting all kinds of calls for a Week 1 game (after people know they signed a 4-year deal). He said it's ironic they couldn't get a game for two years and now his phone is blowing up. Funny how that works. He also pointed out 8 of the Top 25 didn't play an 11th game.

[IUPNation]

Each team gets its own budget for things like travel and equipment. They spend it at their discretion.

But unless whatever MIAA or GSC school we're talking about paid for IUP's expenses, I doubt Tort would do it because it would break the travel budget. Some faraway schools have offered a guarantee to play, but it's not enough to cover IUP's travel costs.

I can imagine the budgets are much tighter than they were 30 years ago.

[Matt Burglund]

You are saying Sutton Hall would pay for the foosball team to travel to MIAA and GSC country for a regular season game?

Each team gets its own budget for things like travel and equipment. They spend it at their discretion.

But unless whatever MIAA or GSC school we're talking about paid for IUP's expenses, I doubt Tort would do it because it would break the travel budget. Some faraway schools have offered a guarantee to play, but it's not enough to cover IUP's travel costs.

[IUPNation]

Not true.

You are saying Sutton Hall would pay for the foosball team to travel to MIAA and GSC country for a regular season game?

The band can’t even finds a bus to take the 60 of them to an away game.