South Alabama to start 1-A football in 2009

[MasterShake]

What are the requirements to become D1? Don't you have to maintain a few levels including attendance?

We're gonna be FCS not FBS.

FBS has a moratorium on teams joining for the next few years.

 

[lafella]

USA students are actually very excited about South getting football. If UAB, Samford, JSU and others can have football, then why not South? Mobile has NO football teams, we are due.

I think it's great myself, having a football program in Mobile I attended both South and Alabama so I'm looking forward to it, it's been discussed along time since at least 93. I'm just not all that excited about the jump right into D1.

With CUSA already having 12 football teams, how does that affect USA?

 

[JAXFLBAMAFAN]

Does USA have a T.Boone Pickens in their list of alumni?

If they do then anything is possible.

The new steel company coming to Mobile may be as big a sponsor as Mercedes Benz is to BAMA.

 

[rolltideas]

Start up program. Maybe they could get some blue turf like BSU.

 

[MasterShake]

I think it's great myself, having a football program in Mobile I attended both South and Alabama so I'm looking forward to it, it's been discussed along time since at least 93. I'm just not all that excited about the jump right into D1.

With CUSA already having 12 football teams, how does that affect USA?

South will not play D-1A FBS football for quite a long time, if ever. The team will compete at the FCS level (1-aa).

I hope South uses the Samford strategy and plays their games on weekdays as to not compete with Alabama or Auburn.

 

[lafella]

Start up program. Maybe they could get some blue turf like BSU.

It's pretty obvious it's a start up program as it isn't even in existence yet.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

With CUSA already having 12 football teams, how does that affect USA?

they would be in the sun belt not conf. usa

 

[LCN]

Maybe uab will shut down and send 'em plenty of "quality" transfers .

 

[lafella]

South will not play D-1A FBS football for quite a long time, if ever. The team will compete at the FCS level (1-aa).

I hope South uses the Samford strategy and plays their games on weekdays as to not compete with Alabama or Auburn.

That was what I understood as well, which is why I was asking it threw me completely off with the talk of D1-A

 

[lafella]

they would be in the sun belt not conf. usa

I dunno what I was thinking. No I don't suppose they will be moving to another conference lol.

 

[Patriot_81]

http://www.usajaguars.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8300&ATCLID=1349218

I found this on the university's athletic web site. Looks like they will start the program in 2009 and jump into the Sun Belt in 2013. So does that mean they will be a D-1A Independent team until 2013?

 

[CornBiscuit]

it threw me completely off with the talk of D1-A

You and me both. Maybe that is why it wasn't in the original article. Hmm Hmm?

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Florida Atlantic and Florida International started football only 5 or 6 years ago and they are already D-I although i think they have only been D-IA for 3 years the other 2 or 3 they were D-IAA. so apparantly you can just start out at
D-IAA then move up

 

[RobK]

What are the requirements to become D1? Don't you have to maintain a few levels including attendance?

You have to schedule 60% of your games (at least 8 games in a 12 game season) against D1A schools. You have to average at least 15,000 in home attendance. And you to award at 90% of the maximum allowable football scholarships to players. There are a few other requirements I can't think of.

The attendance requirement is often the biggest hurdle for maintaining the status. Bottom-end schools often have to resort to gimmicks to keep the average up. Stuff like playing "home" games at larger stadiums that can be filled by the opponent's fans (for example, Arkansas State played a "home" game against Missouri at the Chiefs NFL stadium in Kansas City. They were able to crowd as "home crowd"). A few years ago, Middle Tennessee staged a major rock concert at their stadium after a game, selling the tickets as football tickets and counting the crowd toward their average.

 

[Displaced Bama Fan]

I'm a USA grad and I think its a dumb idea. USA is a commuter school.

 

[B'hamBlazers]

I'd be really surprised if Alabama or Auburn played South Alabama. Neither plays UAB or Troy now, so why would they play South Alabama?

 

[Crimson Speed]

I'm a USA grad and I think its a dumb idea. USA is a commuter school.

I agree. Commuter schools struggle for attendance to athletic events, even during week nights.
Plus, there is plenty of competition out there for those "quality" players. Here is a recap depicting the distances from USA to other schools that will be drawing from their talent pool:

Southern Miss - 99 miles
Troy - 172 miles
barn - 222 miles
UA - 225 miles
Fl. State - 243

It is going to be tough recruiting, and even tougher putting fannies in the seats.

 

[CornBiscuit]

It is going to be tough recruiting, and even tougher putting fannies in the seats.

I dont think recruiting will be a problem at all. They can get all of the 2* that are overlooked because of grades and other things. The gulf coast from Destin to Pearl River is absolutely stacked with talent. Plus, New Orleans is only two hours away.

The main problem will be support five years from now when the luster of a new program has worn off. Mobile will do a great job supporting a team, but watching a 3-8 team at Ladd, not even an on campus stadium, can get old to the average fan.

 

[TommyMac]

They shouldn't have any problems outdrawing UAB. _green:

 

[MOBILE-BAMA]

South Alabama's first few schedules could look something like this:

Birmingham Southern
Alabama A&M
Georgia Millitary College
Jacksonville State
Millsaps
Hampden-Sydney
Delta State
West Alabama
Miles
Stillman

Then in a few years they would move to Sun Belt play and possibly schedule some SEC, CUSA or ACC schools.