West Coast Football

[IronOre]

That's kinda neat. It's those small things that build the community.

I should specify that they all reached out regarding donations...

[tsull]

I should specify that they all reached out regarding donations...

One thing CWU has impressed me with athletically is their ability to get into the Puget Sound for football recruits, especially Tacoma. Portland athletes snub WOU big time, it's too small or something. Sheesh, it's only an hour on mostly a freeway to Portland. CWU is 90 miles from Seattle with a big mountain pass to cross. Having lived in Portland I'd say a lot of people there have a false sense of entitlement.

[IronOre]

One thing CWU has impressed me with athletically is their ability to get into the Puget Sound for football recruits, especially Tacoma. Portland athletes snub WOU big time, it's too small or something. Sheesh, it's only an hour on mostly a freeway to Portland. CWU is 90 miles from Seattle with a big mountain pass to cross. Having lived in Portland I'd say a lot of people there have a false sense of entitlement.

No FCS school (with football) on the West Side of WA helps too.

[tsull]

No FCS school (with football) on the West Side of WA helps too.

Yeah, most likely helps. Just impressed with the talent I've seen over the years at CWU from the west side, like Wolves-killer Johnny Spevak, dude always careered-out vs. Western Oregon. I think he was a Tacoma guy, if I recall correctly. They've had a number of great RB's and DB's from over there, it seems.

[Runnin' Cat]

Yeah, most likely helps. Just impressed with the talent I've seen over the years at CWU from the west side, like Wolves-killer Johnny Spevak, dude always careered-out vs. Western Oregon. I think he was a Tacoma guy, if I recall correctly. They've had a number of great RB's and DB's from over there, it seems.

The SPSL which encompasses part of Tacoma and south King County is a hot bed for football. Narrows League as well. Top to bottom the best in HS football in WA State. Lots of talent that CWU has been able to mine effectively, along with their ability to find the small school guys that grew in to a CWU role (Bighill, Woods)

Spevak was from Puyallup. He was an Accounting major. CWU has a fantastic Accounting program. When Spevak had a FA shot at the NFL, a writer asked him what he would do if that didn't pan out. He replied" I will go and be an Accountant". Great line.

[Pounder]

[tsull]

What I think is cool is that over the last few decades Western Oregon's players have come from some very small high schools. Two NFL guys from smaller schools. and some of their best players from very small towns around Eugene, up in Scappoose, Burns, and other places. I know it's really hard to just depend on small school kids, but I'm impressed that the Western Oregon coaching staff can find these hidden gems.

On Central Washington University, I like that they can go into into Tacoma and get players, and the players aren't so arrogant that they think they shouldn't be playing in Ellensburg. I get the feeling but I'm not sure that Portland kids think they're too good for Monmouth.

[HardRockin'Nerd]

My personal choice for the best school in the country is SD Mines - a "Backwater State" on the surface whose graduates at one point out-earned Harvard grads on starting salary. They sponsor football. A few years back I heard someone affiliated with the team pleased as punch about how they might not win the most games, but they were the best in the conference academically. Those kids are smart, and they like football, and they probably would have gone somewhere else if it weren't for the opportunity to play. Something these west coast schools need to consider.

You, I like you

[SW_Mustang]

You, I like you

Awe, shucks!

Mines is the star atop the South Dakota Higher Ed Christmas tree, IMO. It's a wonderful institution from everything I've read and heard. I don't think it gets enough credit nationally, but they also probably don't need it. One of these summers I plan to road-trip out to West River and I intend to make them a stop.

I'd actually considered them for transfer before I ultimately ended up staying. Heather Wilson was the President at that time, right before she became the Secretary of the Air Force. Now she's the President at UTEP. I don't know anything about her other than that, but I thought it was cool how Mines had such an esteemed person running their institution.

[Wildcat Khan]

This is in general section, but is also pertinent to this thread from a Tri-Cities radio station: https://newstalk870.am/ewu-mulling-a...ping-football/

EWU mulling options that include moving to D2 or D3 to help keep football there.

[tsull]

This is in general section, but is also pertinent to this thread from a Tri-Cities radio station: https://newstalk870.am/ewu-mulling-a...ping-football/

EWU mulling options that include moving to D2 or D3 to help keep football there.

Tons of errors in that poorly written story. One comment had Central Washington University as the only Division II School in Oregon or Washington. We know that is wrong.

Two, it said Eastern Washington is highly successful at the highest levels of college football. They do not play in the highest level of college football.

Three, it said they've been to several NCAA men's basketball tournaments. I believe they've been to two.

The story said if they dropped football they would have the option of going to the WCC That is not an option, never will be an option, it is only for private schools.

They said they had the option of going Division 3. The Northwest conference is not an option, never will be an option, and is restricted to private schools.

Incredibly lazy journalism.

[Wildcat Khan]

Tons of errors in that poorly written story. One comment had Central Washington University as the only Division II School in Oregon or Washington. We know that is wrong.

Two, it said Eastern Washington is highly successful at the highest levels of college football. They do not play in the highest level of college football.

Three, it said they've been to several NCAA men's basketball tournaments. I believe they've been to two.

The story said if they dropped football they would have the option of going to the WCC That is not an option, never will be an option, it is only for private schools.

They said they had the option of going Division 3. The Northwest conference is not an option, never will be an option, and is restricted to private schools.

Incredibly lazy journalism.

I agree! Link to the Spokesman Review in it I found didn't have the same thoughts. I think I see the reason why KFLD no longer has the WSU games and only the Tri-City WHL and NWL games reading it. As for WCC, even if they went past religious schools like they did for Seattle I doubt Gonzaga would go for it with Cheney being so close to Spokane.

I also agree on the Northwest Conference, but Frontier Conference might be an option at NAIA as we've even talked about it for the GNAC football schools. I doubt they'd want to do that though. What I see happening is the boosters raise enough money for them to stay Big Sky and have multiple NFL players that could donate... Even if one is a nightmare when the Seahawks play the Rams.

[tsull]

Yeah, no one is going NAIA, not even d2 schools, and not even just for football. These D2 and other schools spent a lot of time and money to rebrand themselves in the NCAA and not be viewed as a small college. Whether that is right or not can be debated but I don't see anyone anyone going back to NAIA, especially Eastern Washington.

The trick for division two schools on the West Coast is to find some institutions that are committed to Division II foptball and athletics. College of Idaho with their 24 football scholarships and fully funded basketball and other sports would be the ideal candidate. They have their rival which is D2 and seven miles away. They've obviously done some research and for some reason division 2 doesn't fit what they want, same with Eastern Oregon and Southern Oregon.

People just aren't rejoining NAI, and the WCC is never taking Eastern Washington and the Northwest conference will never take Eastern washington. Eastern Oregon played in the Northwest conference one year and they kicked them out because they were a state school. It's really not hard to find this information.

[tsull]

Oh in this post it said football crazy Mormons in Idaho? This year the state produced zero FBS scholarship players. Maybe one and he's going to gray shirt at Boise State.

Two years ago the state produced one division one basketball player and he went to Eastern Washington.

I live in Idaho and work in the schools when I look at the parents way down the list of priorities for them is getting their kid into youth sports.

The myth of the athletic Mormon in Idaho is just that, a myth. Boise State makes its living in football off of Texans and Californians.

[stealth]

This is in general section, but is also pertinent to this thread from a Tri-Cities radio station: https://newstalk870.am/ewu-mulling-a...ping-football/

EWU mulling options that include moving to D2 or D3 to help keep football there.

I find it interesting that the options didn't suggest the Pioneer Football League with U of San Diego. Seem like that is the logical place for EWU. Moving to D2 for football is ridiculous given that the GNAC only has 3 teams and is 3 teams away from a tiny conference. The thing is with only 3 teams, the GNAC isn't an option for anyone anymore.

CWU should either move to DI and do Pioneer football or join the big sky.
SFU needs to move to DI if they are allowed.
WOU needs to take a long look at the NAIA or drop football.