WT Football

[Brandon]

Majority of the time yes but most sports fans can tell you that St. Peters made the elite 8 in 2022 and 99% wouldn't be able to tell you (or care) who won the D2 championship.

In baseball you can have a stud pitcher overlooked that can take you to a super regional or college world series (stony brook, coastal carolina, etc.).

Maybe it was North Dakota State that had a tournament win.

I looked up some of the southland budgets. Doing the math Nicholls State operates on half that budget. Probably not ideal but....

I would love to see the Power 5 schools get the top 100 universities and leave all the rest to amateur athletics the way it was meant to be in a perfect world.

I guess its hard for me as a kid watching WT play Division 1 schools like OSU (beating them in 1980) and now watching the LSC struggle settling for teams based in Silver City, Alpine, and for a while in Canada.

Even harder to watch the old rivalries leave (ACU, Tarleton, and Commerce).

We both have great points. Fortunately for you and other WT fans on this board, WT has the type of leadership that likes to keep it quiet and status quo.

Either way go buffs.

I have never heard of St. Peters.

The dynamics would change if the top 100 budgets formed their own association.

Have you considered that Canyon could be perceived as the "Alpine" of D1?

[BuffaloChip]

I have never heard of St. Peters.

The dynamics would change if the top 100 budgets formed their own association.

Have you considered that Canyon could be perceived as the "Alpine" of D1?

Sometimes, you have to stand back and see the forest instead of the trees you're camped under.

If anyone on here watched McBroom's recent interview, his main "wish" was for D2 to have autonomy. The chaos of the P5 that is even now devouring its own has to find some kind of equilibrium, some kind of finality. Once that happens (please, for chrissakes), reality will hopefully set in with the lower and mid-level D1's. Then opportunities will open up for upper level D2's to make moves to more ambitious levels of competition.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

I have never heard of St. Peters.

The dynamics would change if the top 100 budgets formed their own association.

Have you considered that Canyon could be perceived as the "Alpine" of D1?

In some way yes but three retorts to that.

1) Canyon is only 10 miles away from Amarillo which is a 200,000+ city population center. Alpine and Silver City are literally in the middle of nowhere.
2) WT's basketball and football facilities would compare nicely if not better than a lot of facilities you would find at the FCS level especially in the Southland.
3) Look at Florida Gulf Coast and several other small schools and how enrollment went up when they were featured during the NCAA tournament. I doubt enrollment went up significantly when NW Missouri was winning football and basketball championships.

[ASUPops]

In some way yes but three retorts to that.

1) Canyon is only 10 miles away from Amarillo which is a 200,000+ city population center. Alpine and Silver City are literally in the middle of nowhere.
2) WT's basketball and football facilities would compare nicely if not better than a lot of facilities you would find at the FCS level especially in the Southland.
3) Look at Florida Gulf Coast and several other small schools and how enrollment went up when they were featured during the NCAA tournament. I doubt enrollment went up significantly when NW Missouri was winning football and basketball championships.

1. Some consider Amarillo an "Alpine". Just sayin'.

2. What does facilities have to do with being able to compete or winning championships? I'll answer for you, nothing!

3. I doubt being in the NCAA tourny had much, if anything to do with increased enrollment. "Mom, Dad, I decided to go to Florida Gulf Coast for my education because they were in the NCAA Tournament". Yeah, NO!

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

1. Some consider Amarillo an "Alpine". Just sayin'.

2. What does facilities have to do with being able to compete or winning championships? I'll answer for you, nothing!

3. I doubt being in the NCAA tourny had much, if anything to do with increased enrollment. "Mom, Dad, I decided to go to Florida Gulf Coast for my education because they were in the NCAA Tournament". Yeah, NO!

1. I wont argue that but give me Canyon/Amarillo any day than some of the schools in the LSC.
2. I think you know better than that. Upgrade weight rooms, indoor training facilities, etc.
3. I will leave this here for you for checkmate. March Madness Cinderella's Have Huge Impact on Admissions (heartlandcollegesports.com)

[Brandon]

In some way yes but three retorts to that.

1) Canyon is only 10 miles away from Amarillo which is a 200,000+ city population center. Alpine and Silver City are literally in the middle of nowhere.
2) WT's basketball and football facilities would compare nicely if not better than a lot of facilities you would find at the FCS level especially in the Southland.
3) Look at Florida Gulf Coast and several other small schools and how enrollment went up when they were featured during the NCAA tournament. I doubt enrollment went up significantly when NW Missouri was winning football and basketball championships.

1. "Middle of nowhere" is a matter of perspective.
3. You're making incorrect assumptions.

[ASUPops]

1. I wont argue that but give me Canyon/Amarillo any day than some of the schools in the LSC.
2. I think you know better than that. Upgrade weight rooms, indoor training facilities, etc.
3. I will leave this here for you for checkmate. March Madness Cinderella's Have Huge Impact on Admissions (heartlandcollegesports.com)

1. I agree
2. I stand by my comment. U of TEXAS has AMAZING facilities. In HS, Allen has maybe the best. But when Allen WAS a powerhouse, their old stadium & facilities were not great at all. WT has what I am told is the best D2 facility in the US and hasn't won the LSC in 11 years!
3. You are correct. This article backs up your statement. I am actually surprised it had enrollment impact.

[Fred]

Today I went to practice. My 2nd. The teams were in headgears and shoulder pads. I watched Lynn work the OL. I love the teaching, drills, and sophisticated schemes he had them running. Very brisk workout. Before they headed for O against D scrimmage, the OL and DL had a challenge contest. Very entertaining. Very competitive. The final round came down to the loser group doing the push-ups. The best DL went up against the best OL. The DL got pancaked. The OL group went crazy! It was a lot of fun to watch.

The scrimmage was interesting. We rolled out our new 13 on 13 scheme (just kidding-ha!). The offense was cooking pretty good. 3 pass and 4 rush TDs. 2 dropped pass TDs. I like the offense so far. More misdirection, quick inside traps, QB pass/run option plays. A couple of the freshmen QBs made plays, both with their legs and their arms. (I don't know who they were).

Going to practice tomorrow.

The freshmen QBs who really flashed were (especially) Ashton Dubose (San Antonio Brennan) and Canon Gibson (Wink). I noticed Dubose at the Tuesday practice. He's quick and has a big arm with a very nice spin. I think he's like 6'2 190. Very athletic. He's an all-time leading San Antonio area passer. Got a twin brother WR on the team..

Thanks for the update. Did they scrimmage Saturday??

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

1. "Middle of nowhere" is a matter of perspective.
3. You're making incorrect assumptions.

Here you go. March Madness Cinderella's Have Huge Impact on Admissions (heartlandcollegesports.com)

Amazes me why you think I am just going to pull random incorrect information out of my rear when you and your MIAA buddies could google it on the spot and prove me wrong.

I didn't need the article. I witnessed it first hand when I attended Corpus and they experienced their first application and attendance wave.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

1. I agree
2. I stand by my comment. U of TEXAS has AMAZING facilities. In HS, Allen has maybe the best. But when Allen WAS a powerhouse, their old stadium & facilities were not great at all. WT has what I am told is the best D2 facility in the US and hasn't won the LSC in 11 years!
3. You are correct. This article backs up your statement. I am actually surprised it had enrollment impact.

2. If you have a northern school that builds an indoor facility for practice it could make a difference in an impact recruit or two. Other than that I see your argument.
3. You would be amazed how attendance in Corpus went up after the 2006 tournament. Shortly thereafter they were constructing new academic buildings, apartments, and a parking garage on camps.

[Brandon]

Here you go. March Madness Cinderella's Have Huge Impact on Admissions (heartlandcollegesports.com)

Amazes me why you think I am just going to pull random incorrect information out of my rear when you and your MIAA buddies could google it on the spot and prove me wrong.

I didn't need the article. I witnessed it first hand when I attended Corpus and they experienced their first application and attendance wave.

What the **** is your problem? I didn't think you were pulling random information.

I was critical of assumptions you made. You said the following comment. "I doubt enrollment went up significantly when NW Missouri was winning football and basketball championships." The enrollments/interest went up. I was agreeing with you that success leads to more interest. You were just pissing on the fact that it can happen anywhere.

I didn't need the article, either.

[Buff Fan 05]

Thanks for the update. Did they scrimmage Saturday??

I was able to finally go and see a practice yesterday. My biggest take away from what I saw is the whole atmosphere is just lighter and way better than it ever was under Hughes.

Defensive line is not going to be 5'10" 220 anymore. They have actually recruited some size and will have way more depth. QB, seems like it's Kyle Brown's job to lose from my observation. The transfer from NMST didn't look great to me. The two freshmen Dubose and Gibson stood out, both have some wheels. Dubose also had several nice throws.

The combination of JT Cavendar and Jimmy Harrison could be fun to watch at LB. Harrison is undersized but made several big plays on defense, should have known since he was all conference MIAA. Looks like the secondary lost Shuva from last year's team at CB, not sure when he left but he was really good as a freshman last year. There will be a lot of new faces with the transfers they brought in.

The offense will be way more balanced and multi dimensional, a refreshing site for WT fans. I think the biggest question on offense will be at RB. The offensive line is going to have good size and plenty of depth this year. Receivers should also be a strength with a few new faces and good returning players.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

What the **** is your problem? I didn't think you were pulling random information.

I was critical of assumptions you made. You said the following comment. "I doubt enrollment went up significantly when NW Missouri was winning football and basketball championships." The enrollments/interest went up. I was agreeing with you that success leads to more interest. You were just pissing on the fact that it can happen anywhere.

I didn't need the article, either.

I dont have a problem with this topic but I will defend myself when someone is accusing me of making incorrect assumptions.

You said I was making incorrect assumptions as a whole, you didnt break it out between current D1 schools and Northwest Missouri.

Now I went through preliminary numbers. Northwest Missouri looks to have had enrollment at 7,870 students in 2021 and now has 8,505 students in 2023. I will concede that is a 9.5% increase and significant for D2 in a span of two years. Some of the schools I referenced were small and experienced an uptick of 20%+ plus in one year. Did the basketball championships have an impact on those attendance numbers at Northwest Missouri? Who knows but probably not. The D2 championship game is tucked away on CBS sports network last time I checked.

Where I do have an issue is when LSC posters past, present, and future show interest in their schools going D1 and are genuinely excited when that happens but you passive aggressive predict gloom and doom because they have to operate on a 15 million dollar budget. Its great that WT, Grand Valley, and Northwest win multiple championships in different sports. I have no issue with others that want to see their schools stay D2. For me I want to see that next step but respect others opinions that want to stay D2.

I will disengage for any future D1 discussions and just stick to the actual football games.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

NDSU was a d1 school playing in d2 for a really long time. That said,, they have been d1 for about 20 years, so I wouldn't call that a recent move.

I am kind of torn on the whole thing.
on one hand, I dislike the idea of teams who choose to play at a level they never plan to compete at. Every level is full of teams who are only playing at that division out of vanity and are doing nothing to attempt to compete.

Otoh, it is more forgivable at the lower levels because sports are only a part of the college experience.

Fbs and d1 basketball are professional sports, and really shouldn't be tied to schools at all.

Pitting true, amateur college teams against that week in and week out, in the hopes that they don't get mauled 1 year out every 20 is a dangerous and irresponsible level of greed. Schools who move up do that should have all of their administration tortured publicly to discourage others.

I see your points and agree.

I point to Incarnate Word to being a recent school moving up and having success in Football FCS.

The NIL and transfer portal have really ruined the environment for me.

[Brandon]

1. Now I went through preliminary numbers. Northwest Missouri looks to have had enrollment at 7,870 students in 2021 and now has 8,505 students in 2023. I will concede that is a 9.5% increase and significant for D2 in a span of two years. Some of the schools I referenced were small and experienced an uptick of 20%+ plus in one year. Did the basketball championships have an impact on those attendance numbers at Northwest Missouri? Who knows but probably not.

2. The D2 championship game is tucked away on CBS sports network last time I checked.

3. Where I do have an issue is when LSC posters past, present, and future show interest in their schools going D1 and are genuinely excited when that happens but you passive aggressive predict gloom and doom because they have to operate on a 15 million dollar budget. Its great that WT, Grand Valley, and Northwest win multiple championships in different sports. I have no issue with others that want to see their schools stay D2. For me I want to see that next step but respect others opinions that want to stay D2.

4. I will disengage for any future D1 discussions and just stick to the actual football games.

1. It's a big increase and the same thing happened when they were winning football national championships. You assume the exposure had no impact. It did.

2. It's on CBS.

3. I pose points that are contrary to the sunshine you're pumping. A transition is neither impossible or easy. It's not all good or all bad. There are many factors to be weighed and I'm presenting some of the difficulties.

You clearly have not paid attention to what I've written because I've stated it's easier for a school like Tarleton to transition because they've never really won anything. Now they can say they're losing to SFA instead of TAMUK and nothing is lost.

If WT ever transitions, I will root for them to succeed. There are countless people that I like that are associated with WT.

4. You can talk about whatever you want and I can disagree. That's fun.