Conference?

[notkiotees]

What is the word on the street concerning a future home for Coyote football?

[Yote 53]

MVFC is going to be our only shot at a conference unless the Summit somehow forces the issue of which I am doubtful they are in a position to do so. The Big Sky is set with Cal Poly and UC-Davis and even if they did expand SUU is a better candidate based solely on their location.

Unless the MVFC takes us in we are looking at being an independant for the foreseeable future.

It does not look good.

[HadleyCoyote]

Copied from the Jack's board, from someone who copied from the UND board.

news.collegesportsinfo.com/2010/09/summit-league-football-dilemna-house-of.html

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

Actually, with USD's win over Minnesota, the word is that the MVFC took major notice and it's just a formality of when the Coyotes get an invite. Basically 2012 when the Coyotes are playoff eligible is about the time-frame. The MVFC could lose a team to the CAA if Villanova moves up, which is a very minor concern of losing a team to the CAA I think. Personally I don't think that happens.

But a deal could be worked out with The Summit League and the MVFC as well, so that is a big issue now I guess, even though I am less than optimistic about Summit League football.

Also, the Big Sky did take notice. Montana is still eyeing a possible move up, and the Big Sky would look to add a team there. There is a 50/50 shot there I think.

The Minnesota game was huge in terms of getting calls about how serious conferences are and Saylor wants there to be multiple offers and is going to milk the win over the Gophers to improve USD athletics as much as he can.

What would also help is a win over NDSU this weekend. I think a win over NDSU would basically make an invite from the MVFC a 100 percent possibility.

[Yote 53]

Actually, if you remember back to when the SU's were invited to the MVFC the conference only wanted SDSU because it was perceived that the Bison were too strong of a program with too good of facilites and the power schools in that conference did not want more top level competition. This was back when the Bison were beating FBS programs regularly, Centraal Michigan, U of M, and ball State all come to mind. They were ranked #1 or #2 while still in transition. SDSU got the invite but wouldn't come unless NDSU got the invite as well, so the story in blue/gold land goes.

That said, I don't think the Yotes are at that level, yet. We've got a good relationship with UNI, which helps, and beating NDSU this weekend should further emphasize that we belong and can hang in that conference.

[yotefan]

The inside scoop I have heard is this:

USD is angling for an invite from either the Big Sky or the MVFC. They will likely take whichever comes first.

The MVFC is preferred for obvious reasons. If the invite is secured the MVFC would likely be split in to two divisions, The Summit Division and the Missouri Valley Division.

The Summit would be composed of the 4 Dakota schools, SUU, and Western Illinois and The Valley would obviously be composed of the remaining Valley Schools.

Of course there are a million contingencies to this but that was the latest I heard as of Monday night following Coaches Corner.

[bisoninnwmn]

The MV commish has said 9 schools is a perfect # right now, but the FCS landscape is changing.

IMO, the MV should expand to 12 teams with 2 divisions of 6. The most likely 2 are UND and USD with the other being....?? Wichita State, if they start a team again, UNO....if they move up. I would not want SUU to come along with the UXDs....too much travel costs.

2 divisions could mean multiple playoff invites, plus bus trips are better than airline flights.

GO BISON

[GoYotes]

I would like to see either Nebraska Omaha or Mankato as the 12th member if USD and UND join the MVFC/Summit, but really don't see either making the move up in the near term. I think another good member would be Grand Valley State.

[Coyote Fan]

Oh my god Grand Valley, they are like the nightmare of every coach that has to prepare for them. USD was pretty good in 2006 but the Lakers completely schooled and outclassed USD when the two teams met. I think Ed learned alot about USD and where they needed to go by playing that game. If USD, UND and Grand Valley joined the MVFC is would be like the murderers row of FCS football. The conference could probably compete head to head with the FBS MAC (or whatever the conference is that has the directional Michigan schools).

That would be absolutely brutal. I think UNO could probably leave for D1 before Minnesota State. The financial situation in the Minnesota University system is in real trouble right now. There is a very good chance that St. Cloud State is going to cut football. That would be a sad day.

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

I have no idea if Grand Valley State, UNO and Mankato would ever make the jump. Mankato is cutting a program or two from what I know. UNO went broke a few years ago, but would've loved to make the jump a few years ago. But there is a lot of talk that UNL won't let them jump and would destroy them financially. Grand Valley State is very content being D-II considering the amount of D-I teams in Michigan. At least that's where I think they are from, so I would say they are out. So the 12th team would have to come from elsewhere.

[Yote 53]

It never hurt GVSU all those years that they played in a weak GLIAC, racked up a great regular season record and home field playoff seeding and all the teams had to travel to them. That year USD was jeckyll and hyde when on the road vs at home. If that game was played at the Dome there is no doubt in my mind the Yotes would have beat GVSU.

In keeping with the thread I think there is a chance UNO could move up. Their AD Trev Alberts has been very outspoken about their need to move up. They are starting to pull in some big donors at UNO. finally, I don't think UNL is as threatened as people think. UNL is seeing a resurgence in their program, they are in the Big Ten and they are king in that state nothing is going to change that.

[yotefan]

Does anyone else think there are already too many FCS schools as it is?

We have schools like Prairie View, Stoney Brook, Furman, Colgate, Austin Peay, Bucknell, Lehigh, etc..? Even Lamar, who we'll play to end our season. (yes, I know they have played well so far this year) But, none of these schools can match the history that the 4 Dakota schools have for all sports, let alone for football.

My point, can anyone here list where the 8 non-Dakota FCS schools I listed above are without using Google?

Yes, some of them have good teams this year, but they don't have the tradition or the name recognition that comes with being a UXD or XDSU. Adding more FCS schools just detracts from who's already there.

And yes Bison and Jack fans, we royally screwed up by not going D-1 at the same time you did.

[Deleted]

Sept 23, 2010 8:12:38 GMT -6 yotefan said:

Does anyone else think there are already too many FCS schools as it is?

We have schools like Prairie View, Stoney Brook, Furman, Colgate, Austin Peay, Bucknell, Lehigh, etc..? Even Lamar, who we'll play to end our season. (yes, I know they have played well so far this year) But, none of these schools can match the history that the 4 Dakota schools have for all sports, let alone for football.

My point, can anyone here list where the 8 non-Dakota FCS schools I listed above are without using Google?

Yes, some of them have good teams this year, but they don't have the tradition or the name recognition that comes with being a UXD or XDSU. Adding more FCS schools just detracts from who's already there.

And yes Bison and Jack fans, we royally screwed up by not going D-1 at the same time you did.

Prarie View Texas in between Houston and College Station.
Stoney Brook COnnecticut
Colgate, New York
Furman North Carolina They are in same conference as Georgia Southern.
Colgate, New York
Austin Peay Tennessee
Lehigh Pennsylvania
Bucknell, North Carolina
Lamar Beaumont Texas

I might ad that Colgate, Furman Lehigh and Bucknell had big programs in the 1950's. The networks often carreid their scores, and you never heard a Dakota school score, so I would beg differ on some of these listed not having a past legacy.

St Mary's in California who was a Great West member for a few months before they decided to drop football, had won a major bowl game. Not sure which one it was, but some of these small ones have from time to time ran with the big boys. Also they had a big game annually with Vince Lombari Fordham College at Giants Staduim.

If I recall correctly about the mid 1970's some of these schools cut back their programs when they made the D1A and D1AA splits. You have a lot of schools who also dropped their programs all together about this time as well and many wanted to drop to D3, and NCAA did not approve this after Dayton U won the D3 National championship two or three times. I believe this is what gave birth to the Pioneer Conference and many other D-1AA programs that are not funded with Scholarships.

BTW, my gut feeling tells me that USD and UND will become members of the MVFC in the near future. I think the movement of the BSC to add the California schools as football only member will push the MVFC to abdandon this notion of the ideal size of nine for a conference. They may not care about the Cal schools but two bus ride schools for most of the current members, can not be ignored if this conference is to continue into the future. I think the idea of Summit League Football is dead on arrival.

[yotefan]

Nidaros...or should I say Rain-man,
If you truly didn't have to google those answers you need to go on Jeopardy. 99.99% of America has no clue who or where those schools are.

[Yote 53]

USD fans have no idea who those schools are because they aren't fluent in the FCS language yet.

Spend some time over at www.anygivensaturday.com and it will become very apparent that USD is the small fish in the Big FCS pond and that schools like Furman, Lehigh, and Colgate have fervent followings.

It took the Minnesota win for most of those people to realize USD was now FCS.