Quote:ETSU will likely have to leave the Atlantic Sun Conference and join a league that sponsors football. The Bucs will play at the Football Championship Subdivision, the same level as the former NCAA Division I-AA in which they used to play.

Sander said the school would “move quickly” to find a new conference, adding that he’s talked to four or five leagues.

“We’re gonna try to be the best we can be in FCS and see where that all leads,” Sander said. “I can tell you the only thing I know for certain is in six years, the landscape of college athletics is going to be significantly different than it is right now, so you just have to do the best you can where you are.”

Read more: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Sports/a...z2PaJTDDXo

So which conference do we end up moving to? Has anyone heard any recent news on this topic? Obviously SoCon is up there because of the recent vacancies. Personally, I would rather us go to OVC if we can get UTC to come with us.

Did I just hear on the Sports Monster that Avento wrote an article in the Press stating the ASUN is now considering football? Too little too late I hope.

(04-05-2013 05:50 AM)PreseasonChamps Wrote:  Did I just hear on the Sports Monster that Avento wrote an article in the Press stating the ASUN is now considering football? Too little too late I hope.

yeah I agree....too little too late. probably because of the recent success of FGCU, who has mentioned they are interested in starting football a few times. non-football conferences are pretty much barren wastelands in my opinion....they are at the bottom in terms of media exposure which affects recruiting

Sander mentioned on the morning monster this week that the A-SUN along with some other conferences were working on deals that would stop the destruction of these conferences and all of the hard feelings that comes along with teams leaving.

He also indicated a skepticism as to whether this was viable, and sounded like he was much more interested in finding another conference. He confirmed that the Southern and the OVC were the two top options.

The thing that caught my eye, a partnership with the Big South for football. Of course the Big South will take anybody in a football uniform. Obviously, this is with relation to ETSU and Kennesaw State since no other ASun school will be playing scholarship football. Playing Big South football and ASun basketball, plus the other sports????? No, no, no, we've got to get out of the ASun for all the obvious reasons.
If Big South football is where we're headed, then we're out of the starting gate with a broken leg.

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Sports/a...z2PKAlx1bj

(04-05-2013 07:20 AM)Buc66 Wrote:  The thing that caught my eye, a partnership with the Big South for football. Of course the Big South will take anybody in a football uniform. Obviously, this is with relation to ETSU and Kennesaw State since no other ASun school will be playing scholarship football. Playing Big South football and ASun basketball, plus the other sports????? No, no, no, we've got to get out of the ASun for all the obvious reasons.
If Big South football is where we're headed, then we're out of the starting gate with a broken leg.

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Sports/a...z2PKAlx1bj

the Big South is horrible...I would rather go to the SoCon than there. I hope we land in the OVC.

I don't think the Socon, OVC, or CAA is where our President wants us. With that being said we have to go to one of those conferences for a while until we become more attractive for a bigger fbs conference.

(04-05-2013 11:08 AM)ETSUAlumni Wrote:  I don't think the Socon, OVC, or CAA is where our President wants us. With that being said we have to go to one of those conferences for a while until we become more attractive for a bigger fbs conference.

I disagree, even the SoCon would be a step up from the Big South. The OVC would be the best option. We won't be able to move to a FBS for at least 6-8 years after we start the program and that depends on how successful it will be.

(04-05-2013 11:59 AM)etsudolfan Wrote:  

(04-05-2013 11:08 AM)ETSUAlumni Wrote:  I don't think the Socon, OVC, or CAA is where our President wants us. With that being said we have to go to one of those conferences for a while until we become more attractive for a bigger fbs conference.

I disagree, even the SoCon would be a step up from the Big South. The OVC would be the best option. We won't be able to move to a FBS for at least 6-8 years after we start the program and that depends on how successful it will be.

You did not understand my post. Yes the SoCon, OVC, and CAA are better then the ASun and we will likely move to one of those. My post was pointing out no matter where we go (and I know this for a fact) that it will not be our final destination if everything works the way Noland thinks it will.

(04-05-2013 12:05 PM)ETSUAlumni Wrote:  

(04-05-2013 11:59 AM)etsudolfan Wrote:  

(04-05-2013 11:08 AM)ETSUAlumni Wrote:  I don't think the Socon, OVC, or CAA is where our President wants us. With that being said we have to go to one of those conferences for a while until we become more attractive for a bigger fbs conference.

I disagree, even the SoCon would be a step up from the Big South. The OVC would be the best option. We won't be able to move to a FBS for at least 6-8 years after we start the program and that depends on how successful it will be.

You did not understand my post. Yes the SoCon, OVC, and CAA are better then the ASun and we will likely move to one of those. My post was pointing out no matter where we go (and I know this for a fact) that it will not be our final destination if everything works the way Noland thinks it will.

oh ok, sorry. I thought you were talking about leagues like the Big South. I agree!

The Asun is starting to PANIC.. with half the schools either playing or planning football.. the conference is about to self destruct!!!!

(04-05-2013 05:50 AM)PreseasonChamps Wrote:  Did I just hear on the Sports Monster that Avento wrote an article in the Press stating the ASUN is now considering football? Too little too late I hope.

Sander said at the press conference that he wants ETSU to win a national championship in football.. I don't think you do that out of a conference that is just starting football.. he seems to want the program to move ahead quickly.. and it seems to me that would be in a conference that is already established in football....

(04-05-2013 12:44 PM)bucfan1968 Wrote:  The Asun is starting to PANIC.. with half the schools either playing or planning football.. the conference is about to self destruct!!!!

GOOD! ....here's some button options. Anything I can do to help 'ol Teddy G. Devastating Explosions

ETSU will end up back in the SoCon. The SoCon is desperate for football programs that can develop into top level programs. Supposedly, that is the aim at ETSU. It makes a ton of sense for them from a logistics standpoint. And am sure the SoCon would like a second school in Tennessee. I look for ETSU, and another start up in Kennesaw St., to be in the SoCon. Possibly Mercer also, to please the Furman and Wofford folks. Not a done deal of course, but makes a lot of sense for both sides.

OVC is a better option for us at this point in time, but by 2015 (or next week) that could certainly change the way things have gone with realignment.

(04-21-2013 09:55 PM)abuc90 Wrote:  OVC is a better option for us at this point in time, but by 2015 (or next week) that could certainly change the way things have gone with realignment.

And I think that changed the moment App and GSU announced they were leaving for the Sun Belt. The SoCon has to rebuild. ETSU, and Kennesaw St., offer football programs that would fit nicely. Both may compete in all sports but football for a couple of years until both football programs reach a numbers standpoint where they can at least be competitive. But it is a great fit for both ETSU, and the SoCon.

I think socon for now. Those schools to me anyway have better name recognition, around here at least and I would actually travel to away games every once in a while. Ovc is just to spread out for fcs football.

Plus just think if 5 years from now we take the same path as gsu and app state and end up in the sun belt outta the socon.. That would be the day!!