*Rumored Lamar to FBS discussion*

[Guest CardAmbassador]

Cards R Us wrote:

For everyone who's been riding this wave, get ready for more. No matter how dead in the water this topic is, it seems as though there's at least one Cardinal "Insider" who can find someone with 'secret' information from some 'source' to dredge this up again.

 

LAMAR TO THE WAC!!!!!

 

What does this mean? Is there someone that is well connected telling you Lamar will join the WAC? please let us know more. I don't want to know who your source is, just if they're in a position to know about the Lamar WAC status.

 

But then again it's probably just sarcasm.

[Guest bigred360]

CardAmbassador, the guy is being sarcastic in his remarks. I don't have any "inside information". However, I can tell you within 5 years Lamar will not be in the SLC.

[Guest Cards R Us]

I think the intent of this thread has taken a left hand turn.

 

SHOULD Lamar go to the WAC? OF COURSE THEY SHOULD...if the offer was seriously on the table and the school had the ability to make the leap and had all of the necessary NCAA regulations met to jump to FBS.

 

CAN Lamar go to the WAC? UNLIKELY...right now the offer to join the WAC (if there is one) is shaky at best. The school is not ready for the jump. The facilities, coaches, budgets, scholarships, etc. are no where near where they need to be to be competitive in the WAC (even the depleted WAC without Boise and Hawaii).

[Guest CardAmbassador]

Cards R Us wrote:

I think the intent of this thread has taken a left hand turn.

 

SHOULD Lamar go to the WAC? OF COURSE THEY SHOULD...if the offer was seriously on the table and the school had the ability to make the leap and had all of the necessary NCAA regulations met to jump to FBS.

 

CAN Lamar go to the WAC? UNLIKELY...right now the offer to join the WAC (if there is one) is shaky at best. The school is not ready for the jump. The facilities, coaches, budgets, scholarships, etc. are no where near where they need to be to be competitive in the WAC (even the depleted WAC without Boise and Hawaii).

 

I feel pretty confident through what I have heard in person that Lamar has been offered an invite. I'm not worried about the invite, it's there.

 

Lamar turning down the invite due to the reasons you listed, that is what I believe has either already happened, or will happen.

 

Maybe LU told Benson they would join if offered next year. Doubtful there will be a spot next year, but I think that is what may happen.

[Guest bigred360]

I appreciate all the updates on this topic from the ADMIN, coachacola, CardinalClaw, CardAmbassador, Cards R Us and anyone I may have left behind.

 

I'm not a lawyer so I don't know it this is a possibility but I'll throw it out anyway.

 

Can the administration go to the students for another vote on additional fees? Something like a campus improvement campaign that would include athletic facilities and giving the sororities and fraternities land and build them housing on campus. I don't know how many we are talking about but it is probaby 10 or more. Give each group $100,000 to build on campus and any additional expense would come from them.

 

I would go to the students with a $10 per credit hr fee for this improvement project and the the people who care the most and the least about this will vote. Those that care most will win the vote.

 

Most of us on here are alumni so the fee increase will only effect the students and their parents.

 

If they what to experience a top level college experience they will vote to pay the additional fees. If not, and there aren't alumni with deep pocket out there ready to write a check for a few million I'm not sure we can fund everything needed to be competitive in a FBS conference.

 

If this were legal we can be talking about an additional $1.3 million in fees each semester using credit hrs from 2008 and as we all know there has been an increase in the student population since then.

 

I would also have it mandatory for all freshman to live on campus. I think this could change the culture of Lamar University and if Dr. Simmons could get private investors to bring business to a 15 to 17 thousand student campus. Then add a few phases of Cardinal Village, Lamar would be a much different campus and not look at as a commuter school.

 

Also, if we could get into a mid-major FBS conference then this will bring in additional monies to the university.

 

Just a few random thoughts.

[Guest LU Lurker]

This is totally off the subject but 360, I wish Lamar wouldve built the Montagne Center where McDonald Gym sits. I think this woulve changed the student participation at games.

 

I also think Provost Umphrey would be much better if located around Vincent-Beck and golf range. The refinery background really stinks.......no pun intended.

[Guest bigred360]

Agree with all the above but I guess the administration back in the 1960's and 1980's didn't plan the location of the athletic facilities very well.

 

We are kind of stuck with where things are now due to just spending about $30 million on the renovation of Provost-Umphrey and the athletic complex.

 

If there were a need for a new construction instead of a renovation we're probably talking about an additional $10 million.

 

So, if Lamar were to ever gets to the point of wanting a few football stadium and athletic complex and be competitive in a FBS conference you could look to UNT and how much they are spending on their new complex. It is a lot!

 

I definitely agree about student participation if the Montagne Center was where McDonald Gym is.

 

The volleyball team gets great support at their home games!

[Guest CardinalClaw]

360 I think finding a way to giving the sororities and fraternities money to build on campus is a great idea an something I wish Dr. Simmons would look into doing. It would defiantly improve the collage experience on campus.

[coachacola]

I heard on Tidwell's radio show that he's got some ideas about building a wall behind the stadium. It's something they are definitely looking into since they can't move the stadium or arena. Lamar is built on an old tank farm so it started out in a bad part of town and that's where it'll stay.

 

I also looked at the latest board or regents meeting notes from November and Lamar is raising tuition and other fees this coming fall. And since the football fee just kicked in last year I doubt the students would be in a mood for another fee increase.

[Guest bigred360]

Thanks for both of your responses. They have to find a way to get students involved in the athletic programs and IMO the sororities and fraternities are the students that have the biggest influence on campus. Coachacola, I didn't realize tuition is going up at Lamar. You are problem right about another fee right now.

 

Things haven't been the same since they were kicked off campus (housing) and those houses were an eye sore anyway.

 

I just got back from our first spring (winter) practice and got a walk thru the athletic complex. Wow, there can't be a better facility in the SLC.

 

The team was just in helmets, T-shirts and shorts so it was hard to really tell how good are bad they were doing.

 

Offensively everything was ran either out of the shotgun (sprend) or the pistol. I love it. I brought up the pistol on the region board and a couple of guys were laughing. Asking who was going to be the new OC to run that offense. I guess we'll see who has the last laugh here. ;)

 

They were running a lot of option plays from both the shotgun and the pistol.

 

Some of us have been talking about Billy Chavis moving to defense. Well, he is still at TE for the moment.

 

The QB competition is going to be great as they all can throw well but Johnson can really fly.

 

On defense Blake Chavis really caught my attention as it is hard to really shine in a T-shirt and shorts on defense but he is definitely bigger than he was last year.

 

For some reason Coleman didn't work out today but it didn't appear to be anything serious as he was walking around fine.

 

Finally, the competition at PK is going to be pretty good. I think Stout has the stronger leg but the transfer from Navarro will push him as they both hit from forty yards.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

coachacola wrote:

I heard on Tidwell's radio show that he's got some ideas about building a wall behind the stadium. It's something they are definitely looking into since they can't move the stadium or arena. Lamar is built on an old tank farm so it started out in a bad part of town and that's where it'll stay.

 

I also looked at the latest board or regents meeting notes from November and Lamar is raising tuition and other fees this coming fall. And since the football fee just kicked in last year I doubt the students would be in a mood for another fee increase.

 

It's unfortunate that the state is forcing us into this position. Perry had almost $10 billion sitting in a rainy day fund and he wants to cut $5 billion from primary education and reduce higher ed spending to. I think all the Texas schools are raising tuition.

 

 

About the frat/sorority idea:

 

For the reasons stated above alone I don't think something like that would fly. The money could come from general purpose funds but I doubt non frat/sorority students would be thrilled about having to pay for someones house.

 

The administration needs to pick out a plot of land near the University and designate it as a Greek row area. Then frat/sorority alums could pitch in money to start buying up the land and constructing on it. There are a few frat houses right now, and zero sorority houses.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

One of my friends who is in a sorority told me that they couldn't buy a house until all of the sororities were at full membership, it had something to do with an unfair recruiting advantage.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

bigred360 wrote:

Thanks for both of your responses. They have to find a way to get students involved in the athletic programs and IMO the sororities and fraternities are the students that have the biggest influence on campus. Coachacola, I didn't realize tuition is going up at Lamar. You are problem right about another fee right now.

 

Things haven't been the same since they were kicked off campus (housing) and those houses were an eye sore anyway.

 

I just got back from our first spring (winter) practice and got a walk thru the athletic complex. Wow, there can't be a better facility in the SLC.

 

The team was just in helmets, T-shirts and shorts so it was hard to really tell how good are bad they were doing.

 

Offensively everything was ran either out of the shotgun (sprend) or the pistol. I love it. I brought up the pistol on the region board and a couple of guys were laughing. Asking who was going to be the new OC to run that offense. I guess we'll see who has the last laugh here. ;)

 

They were running a lot of option plays from both the shotgun and the pistol.

 

Some of us have been talking about Billy Chavis moving to defense. Well, he is still at TE for the moment.

 

The QB competition is going to be great as they all can throw well but Johnson can really fly.

 

On defense Blake Chavis really caught my attention as it is hard to really shine in a T-shirt and shorts on defense but he is definitely bigger than he was last year.

 

For some reason Coleman didn't work out today but it didn't appear to be anything serious as he was walking around fine.

 

Finally, the competition at PK is going to be pretty good. I think Stout has the stronger leg but the transfer from Navarro will push him as they both hit from forty yards.

 

Thanks for the update, did you find out when full pads practices will be held?

 

Chavis needs to go back to defense, the few times he was thrown to last year he didn't do too much. We have 3 other players at the TE position that can step up to fill that position.

[Guest bigred360]

CardAmbassador, to be honest I was too much in awe of the athletic complex that I forgot to ask Coach McGallion when they were going to put on the pads.

 

But, this will answer your question and a few more.

 

http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/inthecards/

[Guest CardAmbassador]

bigred360 wrote:

CardAmbassador, to be honest I was too much in awe of the athletic complex that I forgot to ask Coach McGallion when they were going to put on the pads.

 

But, this will answer your question and a few more.

 

http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/inthecards/

 

That helped quite a bit, I know Prewitt stepped up for us in a big way at the end of the season but I still see the depth chart going like this:

 

1. JJ

2. K Smith

3. Prewitt (if Prewitt was 6-5 instead of 5-11 I would swap him with Smith but it's really hard to be effective at QB in college at 5-11)

 

When the big boy from Nederland gets here he will likely fall into place at no. 4 and hopefully decide to switch positions. Forney could play TE or linebacker if he gets a bit quicker.

[Guest LU4LIFE]

I honestly think that LAMAR would like to go head and join the SLC this upcoming season so that the seniors on the team would have one season to compete for something, and then make a announcement after the season about switching conferences. I don't think that to many of the senior player would like that they came to LAMAR and used their last years of eligibility to compete for nothing.(IMO)

[Guest bigred360]

I know a lot of people will think I'm crazy but Forney is 6-5, 250. Look at his HS numbers and he just ain't a college QB. Coach Woodard has to tell the kid he "could" have a shot at the next level as a DT or NT, red-shirt him and put 50 pounds on that 6-5 frame and he could be something special at that position.

 

He played some TE in High School but I don't recall him putting up big numbers and we just recruited two TE's.

 

There is a Top 25 FBS school that recruits TE's in high school and converts them to O-lineman. I can't remember the school right now but a lot of times kids change positions in college. However, I have to admit I have never heard of a QB being moved to the D-line.

 

Just my opinion. Either way I hope he is a hard worker!

[Guest CardinalClaw]

LU4LIFE wrote:

I honestly think that LAMAR would like to go head and join the SLC this upcoming season so that the seniors on the team would have one season to compete for something, and then make a announcement after the season about switching conferences. I don't think that to many of the senior player would like that they came to LAMAR and used their last years of eligibility to compete for nothing.(IMO)

 

That is a interesting point of view, you could say the same thing about the juniors too.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

bigred360 wrote:

I know a lot of people will think I'm crazy but Forney is 6-5, 250. Look at his HS numbers and he just ain't a college QB. Coach Woodard has to tell the kid he "could" have a shot at the next level as a DT or NT, red-shirt him and put 50 pounds on that 6-5 frame and he could be something special at that position.

 

He played some TE in High School but I don't recall him putting up big numbers and we just recruited two TE's.

 

There is a Top 25 FBS school that recruits TE's in high school and converts them to O-lineman. I can't remember the school right now but a lot of times kids change positions in college. However, I have to admit I have never heard of a QB being moved to the D-line.

 

Just my opinion. Either way I hope he is a hard worker!

 

I didn't say D-line I said linebacker. I don't know how fast he is but I think if he sheds 10 or 15 pounds he could be a beast at Middle line backer.

[Guest LU4LIFE]

According to a Admin on a Texas State message board a WAC official told a source last week that the conference is looking to add Lamar, Seattle and Utah Valley St. in another wave of expansion.

 

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=542&sid=03cb4d6b99898d3f63b6421ea4b83e58

[Guest CardAmbassador]

LU4LIFE wrote:

According to a Admin on a Texas State message board a WAC official told a source last week that the conference is looking to add Lamar, Seattle and Utah Valley St. in another wave of expansion.

 

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=542&sid=03cb4d6b99898d3f63b6421ea4b83e58

 

Neat, I'm pretty sure the WAC wants us. My biggest concern is the budget. I know Lamar can afford it but do they want to? I think Dr. Simmons has a tough decision to make because the budget situation in Texas is not good at the moment.

[Guest CardinalClaw]

CardAmbassador wrote:

LU4LIFE wrote:

According to a Admin on a Texas State message board a WAC official told a source last week that the conference is looking to add Lamar, Seattle and Utah Valley St. in another wave of expansion.

 

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=542&sid=03cb4d6b99898d3f63b6421ea4b83e58

 

Neat, I'm pretty sure the WAC wants us. My biggest concern is the budget. I know Lamar can afford it but do they want to? I think Dr. Simmons has a tough decision to make because the budget situation in Texas is not good at the moment.

 

I thought that in Texas college athletics did not get funds from the state, if that is true (if that isn't true please let me know)then would the state budget problems really effect the athletic side of the university. If we were to consider making a move to the WAC increasing the athletic budget would defiantly be a topic that needs to be talked about

[lcm2007ms]

bigred360 wrote:

I know a lot of people will think I'm crazy but Forney is 6-5, 250. Look at his HS numbers and he just ain't a college QB. Coach Woodard has to tell the kid he "could" have a shot at the next level as a DT or NT, red-shirt him and put 50 pounds on that 6-5 frame and he could be something special at that position.

 

He played some TE in High School but I don't recall him putting up big numbers and we just recruited two TE's.

 

There is a Top 25 FBS school that recruits TE's in high school and converts them to O-lineman. I can't remember the school right now but a lot of times kids change positions in college. However, I have to admit I have never heard of a QB being moved to the D-line.

 

Just my opinion. Either way I hope he is a hard worker!

 

I believe DE was his original position before he moved to QB at Nederland so I see no reason why he can't go back. He has the build for it and I think it's his natural position.

[Guest CardAmbassador]

CardinalClaw wrote:

CardAmbassador wrote:

LU4LIFE wrote:

According to a Admin on a Texas State message board a WAC official told a source last week that the conference is looking to add Lamar, Seattle and Utah Valley St. in another wave of expansion.

 

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=542&sid=03cb4d6b99898d3f63b6421ea4b83e58

 

Neat, I'm pretty sure the WAC wants us. My biggest concern is the budget. I know Lamar can afford it but do they want to? I think Dr. Simmons has a tough decision to make because the budget situation in Texas is not good at the moment.

 

I thought that in Texas college athletics did not get funds from the state, if that is true (if that isn't true please let me know)then would the state budget problems really effect the athletic side of the university. If we were to consider making a move to the WAC increasing the athletic budget would defiantly be a topic that needs to be talked about

 

You are right state funds do not directly fund athletics. But think of university funding as a giant box, money comes in from various sources: Taxpayers, Tuition and Fees, Grants and Alumni.

 

Now when funding from one of those sources stops up it can affect other things. The athletic department gets direct funding from the university through what is called "institutional support" this is basically university revenue, that money doesn't have to go to athletics (some of it does if it's earmarked endowment funds but not all of it). So when the state tightens its belt it can indirectly affect sports because the university might have to take some of the sports funding (that comes from general alumni support, and tuition and fees) and put it into paying teacher salaries and so forth.

 

Note:I'm not talking about athletic fees, that money always goes to the athletic department.

 

I don't know what Lamar is going to do, but there is less money in that giant box once the legislature gets done with their current session.

[coachacola]

I hope Lamar doesn't blow this chance to join the WAC because it's not guaranteed that they'll get another chance. My hope is that Dr. Simmons has lined up a few big donors that will help out with this move. Going FBS should get people excited and bring in more donations and ticket sales. We should find out in the next month or two, or at least I hope so.