LU to Sunbelt??

[Redrain07]

I'd just like to see the school win consistently at the fcs level in all sports before we jump to fbs again.

[jdcurran235]

I'd just like to see the school win consistently at the fcs level in all sports before we jump to fbs again.

 

No school wins consistently at any level. And we would miss out out on a huge opportunity by not pushing for this. JMHO

[BigNasty92]

I'd just like to see the school win consistently at the fcs level in all sports before we jump to fbs again.

 

No school wins consistently at any level. And we would miss out out on a huge opportunity by not pushing for this. JMHO

 

I agree. We can build a winning program in FBS just like we can in FCS. These opportunities don't come around all that often. We all should be pushing for a move like this.

[jdcurran235]

I'd just like to see the school win consistently at the fcs level in all sports before we jump to fbs again.

 

No school wins consistently at any level. And we would miss out out on a huge opportunity by not pushing for this. JMHO

 

I agree. We can build a winning program in FBS just like we can in FCS. These opportunities don't come around all that often. We all should be pushing for a move like this.

 

I believe we might be able to make a case that we bridge the gap between east and west with NMSU now in the league. Also we are one more school to help with travel subsidies. And this playoff system could end up being a good ROI if the Sunbelt can put some players in the game.

[coachacola]

Is Lamar even interested in moving these days? Do they have the money to move up? When Simmons and Tubbs were at Lamar they were talking about it. Lamar just hired a new president and Jason Henderson doesn't talk about it.

[jdcurran235]

Is Lamar even interested in moving these days? Do they have the money to move up? When Simmons and Tubbs were at Lamar they were talking about it. Lamar just hired a new president and Jason Henderson doesn't talk about it.

 

I don't know but I really hope they are.

[jdcurran235]

I wonder if someone would be willing to do a FOIA request on Lamar for conversations with the Slumbelt. ;)

[SunBelt City]

 

BTW, the Troy person has demontrated a lack of creditability by making this statement about UL; "They have been talking about a $100 million dollar face lift for 10 years." In fact the Cajuns just announced the stadium improvements in their "Master Plan" on 3-21-2013. (see link below)

 

http://www.ragincajuns.com/news/2013/3/21/ADMIN_0321130443.aspx?path=baseball

 

They have been talking about giving that dump a face-lift since the SWLA days. About the only thing they have done there is added the Field Turf and given the concession stands a fresh coat of paint. Lamar has a superior football stadium - right now. That's probably the big reason why ULL is so anti-Lamar. It has nothing to do with being part of the Southland - it has everything to do with being a Louisiana school stuck in the shadow of LSU.

 

LSU gets all of their funding from TAF. No way does ULL raise $10 million, let alone $100 million and until I see one bulldozer turn dirt in Lafayette I won't be convinced otherwise.

[Redrain07]

Furthermore if we mov up do you see the president making changes throughout the ad?

[jdcurran235]

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 1h

Sources within the #SunBelt have confirmed to me that #Liberty is no longer under consideration & is not expected to receive an invitation.

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 1h

#JMU continues to be the highly sought after addition for the #SunBelt. JMU will start a feasibility study in the next 30 to 90 days.

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 55m

@WACspartypants Liberty is no longer. Lamar would only be a future invite. They still have a ways to go before receiving an invite.

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 1h

One option is to continue to pursue #JMU post the June 1st deadline. Invitation not coming till May 2014 at the latest.

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 1h

Second option is to invite a 12th member now to the #SunBelt, outside of #JMU before the June 1 deadline.

[SunBelt City]

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 1h

Sources within the #SunBelt have confirmed to me that #Liberty is no longer under consideration & is not expected to receive an invitation.

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 1h

#JMU continues to be the highly sought after addition for the #SunBelt. JMU will start a feasibility study in the next 30 to 90 days.

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 55m

@WACspartypants Liberty is no longer. Lamar would only be a future invite. They still have a ways to go before receiving an invite.

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 1h

One option is to continue to pursue #JMU post the June 1st deadline. Invitation not coming till May 2014 at the latest.

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 1h

Second option is to invite a 12th member now to the #SunBelt, outside of #JMU before the June 1 deadline.

 

Time to put your Big Boy pants on. My source says that Liberty was never seriously considered. They just wanted JMU to move faster and that ploy didn't work. Now the shift turns to Lamar and Missouri State. I've maintained and will maintain, Lamar is getting leaned on to make the move back Jack Hawkins. He likes the school, the town and its geographic fit. Jack has had a meeting with one or more big LU boosters about the benefits of moving up.

 

JMU could get a future invite if Idaho finds a new home-they need to drop back down to the Big Sky. NMSU might go elsewhere and could open up a slot for an equally slow Missouri State.

 

The whole ULL to the CUSA had no weight to it and with the new revenue share plan, why have more than 12 teams? CUSA will struggle to maintain themselves. The non-rev sports travel will eat them alive. UTEP@F_U in any sport will generate zero revenue or interest.

[coachacola]

Here's what I've found in the land of Twitter:

 

Rob Lee ‏@eelbor 21 Apr @Sunbeltinsider:Lamar, Mo State, Sam Houston State, Liberty, Illinois State and JMU are all on the SUN BELT radar and has been contacted.

 

 

Brent Thibodeaux ‏@BrentThibodeaux 11h

@damfar2323 They will make some serious decisions on May 20. Well more like the #SunBelt current members, but it still counts.

 

[coachacola]

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider 1h Illinois State turns down Sun Belt Conference

 

 

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider 21m

Missouri St, Jacksonville St, Sam Houston St, Lamar, Liberty and JMU all left for possible invite to Sun Belt Conference.

 

 

Gary Johnson ‏@SunBeltInsider 19m

Illinois St and Indiana St was long shots anyway for may wait on a possible invite from MAC.

[BigNasty92]

"Big bucks, no whammies!"

 

I soo hope LU can make this happen.

[Guest Cardinal Nation]

So that's six schools for 2 spots correct? And I thought Liberty was already ruled out

[geezer]

Historically basketball is the bigger sport in Illinois and Indiana. With that said both of those schools are in a stronger basketball confernce than the Sunbelt so it would make sense to stay put and wait for a MAC opening possibly as the travel costs would be less.

[ThePrisoner]

I'd just like to see the school win consistently at the fcs level in all sports before we jump to fbs again.

 

No school wins consistently at any level. And we would miss out out on a huge opportunity by not pushing for this. JMHO

 

I agree. We can build a winning program in FBS just like we can in FCS. These opportunities don't come around all that often. We all should be pushing for a move like this.

 

I believe we might be able to make a case that we bridge the gap between east and west with NMSU now in the league. Also we are one more school to help with travel subsidies. And this playoff system could end up being a good ROI if the Sunbelt can put some players in the game.

 

I also agree. FCS is going nowhere and getting worse. Lamar has the potential to successfully move up to FBS and the SBC is looking for an extra school. Yet, all's quiet. Now's the time to be aggressive and deal.

[jdcurran235]

I wonder how much longer till we hear something from the sunbelt?

[coachacola]

I wonder how much longer till we hear something from the sunbelt?

 

I think near the end of May the Sun Belt is having another meeting. The TSUS board of regents will meet around the same time so we'll see if anything related to the Sun Belt will be discussed.

[jdcurran235]

http://www.hcpress.com/sports/boosted-by-sun-belt-conf-invitation-asu-athletics-fundraising-arm-has-record-month-in-april-434370.html

 

[jdcurran235]

Brent of bobcat report is saying the sunbelt says we are a few years from ready. I dont know if i buy this.

[coachacola]

Brent of bobcat report is saying the sunbelt says we are a few years from ready. I dont know if i buy this.

 

I think he's been pretty accurate so far. We haven't heard a peep from anyone at Lamar for a while about moving up so I wouldn't be surprised if we have to wait a few more years for the move. I think Lamar would need to proceed right away with a stadium expansion and I doubt they have the money to do that now.

[jdcurran235]

I just dont get that people can say jsu is ready but lamar isnt. But maybe so. And our stadium does meet the fbs minimum now. I think we would have time to upgrade.

[jdcurran235]

As a side note if we had a 30k stadium we would probably be fbs already.

[LUSportsFan]

As a side note if we had a 30k stadium we would probably be fbs already.

 

Agree

 

Back in the day, when the division was being split, we would have met the attendance requirement if we had a 30,000 capacity stadium. We could have stayed in Division I-A (now FBS).

 

One of the requirements was to have at least 17,000 in attendance in one game over a four year span if the stadium held 30,000. According to the 2012 Lamar Football Guide, we had 17,222 vs the Ragin' Cajuns in 1977, 17,250 vs West Texas State in 1979, 17,600 vs Louisiana Tech in 1979, and 18,500 vs Baylor in 1980. I was lucky enough to have season tickets during that period (as well as through the time football was dropped).

 

Having a stadium under 30,000 capacity we needed to average 17,000 over the four years. That didn't happen. Interesting to note that McNeese met the 17,000 average attendance requirement back then, but chose to play in I-AA (currently the FCS sub-division).

 

The stadium capacity route was later dropped. The requirement is currently an average attendance of at least 15,000 during one year of a rolling two year period.