To “B” or not to “B”??

[Bearhof]

Bears are close to being elite which is what it takes to win it all. Right now it’s the intangibles and being solid at all aspects of the game. Most teams that win it all have special players in key positions. Coaches that know were the weakest link is and recruit to fill in those positions with great players. Its not easy and takes a whole lot of time and money especially with the nil debacle. Great facilities and food and housing are a must too. LR fills in the blanks on several of these necessities and the key will be to correct all the areas that can make us elite IF POSSIBLE. NWMS did it for several years and now Ferris State is doing it. Maybe you have to have that one thing we can’t get STATE. What was the last team to win D2 that didn’t have State in it.

[BearFan1]

Bearof, you are making some really good points. Perhaps that is why, if I am correct, that no private university has won the D2 Championship since the NCAA took over.
It is my belief that the private schools are simply at a big financial disadvantage.

Having said that, Lenoir Rhyne, and, perhaps a few other private and smaller schools, are making great strides in closing the gap. But I also believe that if one of the private schools is to make it to the mountain top they must have a Goldsmith, a Houston, a Cronic at the head of the ship. Currently LR does not. Unfortunately. Good does not equal Great. And Great is what we had and need again to reach the Mountain Top.

I truly pray that I am proven wrong.

[SW_Mustang]

Bears are close to being elite which is what it takes to win it all. Right now it’s the intangibles and being solid at all aspects of the game. Most teams that win it all have special players in key positions. Coaches that know were the weakest link is and recruit to fill in those positions with great players. Its not easy and takes a whole lot of time and money especially with the nil debacle. Great facilities and food and housing are a must too. LR fills in the blanks on several of these necessities and the key will be to correct all the areas that can make us elite IF POSSIBLE. NWMS did it for several years and now Ferris State is doing it. Maybe you have to have that one thing we can’t get STATE. What was the last team to win D2 that didn’t have State in it.

I was actually curious about this, and the answer was pretty interesting.

The last school to win without "state" in their name was UWF in 2019. There were three private schools to win in the title game era - Mississippi College in 1989, Delaware in 1979 and LeHigh in 1977.

Mississippi College was forced to vacate the 1989 title due to infractions, and Delaware is technically a private school, but is state-supported fwiw.