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Post by retiredcat on Nov 29, 2023 9:12:02 GMT -5
I would have no problem with Gardner-Webb, Campbell, Elon and NC A&T joining the SoCon. All have good to excellent facilities and solid to decent academic resumes. Plus, they fit into the SoCon footprint. Charleston Southern offers very little. And...don't even think about adding non-football schools like College of Charleston and UNC-W. I wish there was some way to get rid of UNC-G. I agree that the SoCon should consider some expansion scenario as Chattanooga is likely to make a move soon. Not sure what Furman's administration if thinking, but their fans think they should make a move.
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Post by The Cats on Nov 29, 2023 9:51:29 GMT -5
I wonder if the Socon would be interested in either one of those two teams for football. I wouldn't mind playing Charleston Southern every year. Just my opinion, but I don't think either belong in the SoCon. We can schedule either or both as out of conference schools as much as the athletic department wants... Both are private schools, & would need publics to join to equal out... I don't think the other SoCon publics would agree to either. Of the two, GWU would be better, but in an interview, the new ETSU coach said one of the reasons he was interested in the SoCon was the lack of fiscal support at GWU, and I'm sure CSU is in the same boat. Those two private schools don't have the $$$ that Furman, Wofford, Samford, and Mercer have.
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Post by catamount87 on Nov 29, 2023 10:03:26 GMT -5
UTC has long been rumored as a potential OVC candidate. I don't recall UTC ever having made any such insinuations or overtures. From what I've seen, it's always been other OVC supporters. I've been hearing that NC A&T supporters are starting to question the CAA move. I few have expressed to me that they thought the SoCon would make a lot more sense. My thought is the same. I believe Campbell would be a good fit as well. Gardner-Webb is an interesting one but I am not sure they'd get enough support from the other SoCon schools to get an invite.
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Post by The Cats on Nov 29, 2023 10:22:22 GMT -5
UTC has long been rumored as a potential OVC candidate. I don't recall UTC ever having made any such insinuations or overtures. From what I've seen, it's always been other OVC supporters. I've been hearing that NC A&T supporters are starting to question the CAA move. I few have expressed to me that they thought the SoCon would make a lot more sense. My thought is the same. I believe Campbell would be a good fit as well. Gardner-Webb is an interesting one but I am not sure they'd get enough support from the other SoCon schools to get an invite.
I could go for NC A&T and Campbell as well. It would beef up the North Carolina numbers in the SoCon and add one public and one private. The new HC at ETSU (Lamb) said something to the effect (on a radio interview) that one of the reasons he wanted the ETSU job was it's in the SoCon, and has resources, and GWU just does not have the finances to go as far as he wants to go. (national championship)...
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Post by wcugrad95 on Nov 29, 2023 11:26:04 GMT -5
IMO there is no way the other SOCON schools would allow ChuckSouth in. Not sure about Gardner-Webb, but my guess is the SOCON is happy to stay at 9 football schools so we all play each other. Going to 10 just makes it a little harder to manage the schedules unless we want to play 9 conference games.
Expansion to me would mean going to 12 or more schools and having 2 divisions of at least 6 teams. Rotate each year playing 3 from the other division, so you play every team over each 2 year period. That would mean NC A&T, Campbell, and one more as good candidates. Not sure what all the SOCON schools think about that kind of addition, though. Seems like all that was possible when A&T and Campbell just went to the CAA and it didn't seem like the SOCON wanted to pursue that route.
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Post by The Cats on Nov 29, 2023 11:35:51 GMT -5
I've read on other boards that the SoCon is talking to two CAA schools. I have no idea if it's true or which two schools it might be. But I'd love to see W&M and Richmond back in the SoCon, doubtful it would happen, but it would up the value of SoCon membership.
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Post by wcugrad95 on Nov 29, 2023 12:02:53 GMT -5
I would expect that NC A&T and Campbell would be the more likely candidates. I think those 2 and North Alabama were the most popular choices on many threads/boards as possible SOCON additions during the more recent realignment moves. That would get the league to 12 teams, stay within the same current footprint, give Samford a more local rival that is also relatively close to UTC, and would add both public and private schools (although that would be 2 public ones). Of course I would love for Richmond and William & Mary to be part of a move, but as mentiond in other posts they left the SOCON because they weren't happy with some of the schools that got added in the past (like us, ETSU, and UTC). Not sure that matters now given that both are part of the 15-team CAA. But expanding to 12 teams makes so much sense that I expect it would never happen
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Post by wcatradio75 on Nov 29, 2023 12:03:14 GMT -5
I've read on other boards that the SoCon is talking to two CAA schools. I have no idea if it's true or which two schools it might be. But I'd love to see W&M and Richmond back in the SoCon, doubtful it would happen, but it would up the value of SoCon membership. Elon possibly?
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Post by catamount87 on Nov 29, 2023 12:54:03 GMT -5
I've read on other boards that the SoCon is talking to two CAA schools. I have no idea if it's true or which two schools it might be. But I'd love to see W&M and Richmond back in the SoCon, doubtful it would happen, but it would up the value of SoCon membership. Elon possibly? Elon seemed to hate being in the SoCon when they were here. Their fans often looked down on the rest of the SoCon as if all the other schools were inferior athletically and academically. So, they're probably a no for most of the SoCon.
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Post by catamountalum04 on Nov 29, 2023 13:22:06 GMT -5
UTC has long been rumored as a potential OVC candidate. I don't recall UTC ever having made any such insinuations or overtures. From what I've seen, it's always been other OVC supporters. I've been hearing that NC A&T supporters are starting to question the CAA move. I few have expressed to me that they thought the SoCon would make a lot more sense. My thought is the same. I believe Campbell would be a good fit as well. Gardner-Webb is an interesting one but I am not sure they'd get enough support from the other SoCon schools to get an invite.
I could go for NC A&T and Campbell as well. It would beef up the North Carolina numbers in the SoCon and add one public and one private. The new HC at ETSU (Lamb) said something to the effect (on a radio interview) that one of the reasons he wanted the ETSU job was it's in the SoCon, and has resources, and GWU just does not have the finances to go as far as he wants to go. (national championship)... I heard that he said that he felt ETSU had the funds and support to get a National Championship so I raise this question. Western had a good football year that shows we might be on the rise. Do you think WCU has the support and funds to make a run for a championship?
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