With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

Watch out for the Sophomore Slump....

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

Thanks, it's good to be here. We definitely "fit" here better than we did in the SOCON. to continued success for us all, together we rise

(04-27-2015 11:00 AM)boroeagle2 Wrote:  

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

Thanks, it's good to be here. We definitely "fit" here better than we did in the SOCON. to continued success for us all, together we rise

I echo boroeagle2's sentiments. Hopefully, we all will see unprecedented heights as a league over the next few years. One thing I do know is that those who thought there wasn't much of a difference level between the competitive levels of the SoCon and the Sun Belt are now seeing there is a distinct difference.

(04-27-2015 11:00 AM)boroeagle2 Wrote:  

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

Thanks, it's good to be here. We definitely "fit" here better than we did in the SOCON. to continued success for us all, together we rise

Yes, we do...I completely agree. SoCon football road games weren't a lot to write home about in the last few years. Davidson had some really good round ball, and there were some decent baseball schools as well, but overall the direction we were headed with fresh leadership and the rest of the SoCon was drastically different.

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

At least football-wise.

But of course, that is a pretty important sport.

We fit into this conference of public schools much better than the SoCon.

I really had no idea of how we would compete in this league and now that this year is almost over I can definitely say we exceeded my expectations. Conference championships in football and golf and 2nd place finish in men's basketball and men's soccer. In baseball we are at the top right now also.

If there has been a disappointment it is with our women's teams. Outside of I guess women's soccer we have really struggled on the women's side. We go from being pretty much at the top of the SoCon in volleyball and softball to being at the bottom of the Sun Belt. Women's basketball was terrible this year also.

I am hoping going forward the conference will stay together and not have any defections. Realignment is always a possibility I guess but it seems like the wholesale additions and subtractions may be over.

Ga. Southern is very much like many of the teams in this conference. I am glad we are part of it.

I'm very pleased with Georgia Southern's entrance into the Belt. I feel like we can accomplish great things here. Hopefully we can make even more noise in all sports next year. Though after the atrocious passing I saw during the spring game, I'm definitely nervous to see if we have a sophomore slump. Hopefully Ellison can rectify that this summer. #TogetherWeRise

The one area that we need to step it up is with our Spring sports. We are clogging the drain in both baseball and softball. Baseball has been competitive despite our record, we need to find a bullpen. Softball has a long way to go to be competitive in the Sun Belt. Not sure why we offer golf, especially on the men's side. We have been awful for a good while now.

Just glad we did not bring down the average overall. It is quite apparent that our womens sports are definitely in a more competitive conference. Still way early but I hope for the Belt losing some media market teams and gaining us and App was addition by subtraction. Hopefully the next program(s) to be added will also be better than some that bolted in the long run as well. This conference has a long ways to go but unlike most G5's we have the room to grow while they have are pretty much near hitting their limits or already have.

No doubt the SB-C won the FCS move up derby with both App and Ga Southern. I doubt many people expected them to be bad, but they were good.

I can say with some degree of confidence there are only a few FCS teams that could now move up and have similar success, and those teams are not in our footprint. Let's celebrate our good fortune and not tempt he hand of fate with bad future adds just to get a championship game, or make some basketball coach smile.

(04-28-2015 08:53 AM)CajunExpress Wrote:  No doubt the SB-C won the FCS move up derby with both App and Ga Southern. I doubt many people expected them to be bad, but they were good.

I can say with some degree of confidence there are only a few FCS teams that could now move up and have similar success, and those teams are not in our footprint. Let's celebrate our good fortune and not tempt he hand of fate with bad future adds just to get a championship game, or make some basketball coach smile.

I don't want a bad add either and like you said there are only a couple FCS teams that fit the bill and most are not the teams that keep get thrown around. But I'm happy with the season we have had but can honestly say I'm not surprised. I take that back I am surprised by basketball, volleyball, and softball.

I kinda feel bad for whomever the next add is, because their transitional will be compared to App & Georgia Southern. And I don't think they will have as much success.

Sucks for them, but oh well... If they can come in closer to those two than Georgia State's rough transition... They'll still be ahead.

(04-28-2015 12:09 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  I kinda feel bad for whomever the next add is, because their transitional will be compared to App & Georgia Southern. And I don't think they will have as much success.

Sucks for them, but oh well... If they can come in closer to those two than Georgia State's rough transition... They'll still be ahead.

My god, March was a LONG time ago...

(04-27-2015 10:59 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

Watch out for the Sophomore Slump....

I don't know anything about GaSo, but App has a very good QB for the next 3 years. As long as you have good QB play, you'll be competitive most of the time. I don't think App will be worse next year.

(04-28-2015 03:16 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(04-27-2015 10:59 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

Watch out for the Sophomore Slump....

I don't know anything about GaSo, but App has a very good QB for the next 3 years. As long as you have good QB play, you'll be competitive most of the time. I don't think App will be worse next year.

Well Ellison is a junior next year and has a capable backup in Upshaw. We have a pretty strong prospect coming in this year as well.

(04-28-2015 02:19 PM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  

(04-28-2015 12:09 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  I kinda feel bad for whomever the next add is, because their transitional will be compared to App & Georgia Southern. And I don't think they will have as much success.

Sucks for them, but oh well... If they can come in closer to those two than Georgia State's rough transition... They'll still be ahead.

My god, March was a LONG time ago...

Oh, did your basketball team also transition from a lower level? I thought your basketball team was always Division I.

Or were you just trying to change the conversation from a football centric one to one where your team isn't lagging behind mightily?

(04-28-2015 03:16 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(04-27-2015 10:59 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

Watch out for the Sophomore Slump....

I don't know anything about GaSo, but App has a very good QB for the next 3 years. As long as you have good QB play, you'll be competitive most of the time. I don't think App will be worse next year.

Apps qb is going to surprise many in this conference over the next 3 seasons. I was very impressed with his ability to handle pressure. Of course I only watched him once

(04-27-2015 10:59 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(04-27-2015 10:20 AM)USAJag2011 Wrote:  With the Spring sports quickly coming to an end, I think it is a good time to close the book on Georgia Southern and App State's first year in the Belt. They are no longer considered FCS Moveups or Sun Belt rookies. I would like to say congrats on the success both have had their first year, I expect them both to have continued success from here. The Sun Belt is becoming a stronger conference with their addition.

Watch out for the Sophomore Slump....

Our sophomore slump was 7-5 from 6-6 and being 2 plays from a possible 9-3. I doubt they'll fall off very much, if at all.

I am happier than a bee in a honey factory over these two adds. (it's weird analogy that I was going for). Couldn't have gotten 2 better programs to make the move. I have a healthy love/hate respect for them both.

I remember when we were playing Texas State in hoops during the last week of the basketball season and I asked my buddy, "Three years ago, would you ever believed we'd be playing Texas State in a conference game?" and he remarked that it's a bit of a shock to the system.

From a perspective as a fan, it's been a major shock to the system to go from seeing App State play Elon, Wofford, Furman and The Citadel to playing UL-Lafayette, South Alabama, Texas State, etc. I'm 100% glad we made the move, but it's weird to have completely new opponents minus Smelly.

Pretty much across the board, one thing I've heard from the student-athletes is how much more athletic and talented the Sun Belt is than the SoCon.