Official - URI to NEC in 2013

[danefan]

http://www.gorhody.com/sports/m-footbl/ ... 10aac.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DSUrocks07]

Good for URI

Not so good for UMass, UNH and Maine

[SumItUp]

Congratulations and good luck to the Rhode Island fans & alums. I do not believe they will dominate the NEC, but their prospects of competing for a conference title will be real. Have they ever been able to say that in the CAA?

2011 - Colonial
2012 - Colonial
2013 - NEC

Any ideas how/when they will/should transition from the current 63 scholarships to meet the NEC requirements?

[89Hen]

2011 - Colonial
2012 - Colonial
2013 - NEC

Any ideas how/when they will/should transition from the current 63 scholarships to meet the NEC requirements?

I think URI was running with less than 63 for years now.

[SumItUp]

I think URI was running with less than 63 for years now.

Got it, thanks.

[Franks Tanks]

http://www.gorhody.com/sports/m-footbl/ ... 10aac.html

It appears full scholarship FCS football in New England is an endangered species. Hopefully URI can continue to play their rivals like UNH and Maine out of conference.

Quite a step down for URI in the short term, but better than dropping the program.

[Ivytalk]

Congratulations and good luck to the Rhode Island fans & alums. I do not believe they will dominate the NEC, but their prospects of competing for a conference title will be real. Have they ever been able to say that in the CAA?

2011 - Colonial
2012 - Colonial
2013 - NEC

Any ideas how/when they will/should transition from the current 63 scholarships to meet the NEC requirements?

I agree that the Rams will be instant contenders in the NEC, although they obviously won't win it every year. I hope they continue to schedule some of their traditional New England rivals.

[mainejeff]

I predict that Maine will be next!

[danefan]

Its going to be real interesting to see how they'll be recruiting.

They'll undoubtedly lose some scholarship kids in the system now due to transfer, injury, etc.. and they probably won't fill those spots with scholarship kids, but the "elimination" of 15 or so scholarships (assuming Rhody is at around 55 or so) is something that would be interesting to know how it gets done.

Will they cut current scholarships?
Will they just not offer scholarships to recruits for a year?

I just wonder if they'll have a gap in recruiting classes.

[ttgwm02]

The future of the CAA is interesting. ODU and Georgia State join next year. UNC Charlotte also wants in. ODU will be competitive, and will open up the Va Beach recruiting market even further for the other CAA teams. There is of course one southern conference team that I am certain Yeager covets. No one need guess. I think Yeager will go out of his way to keep UMass and UNH - to the point of even possibly subsidizing expenses and travel. Those two teams are perennial contenders. I do NOT see Maine dropping more scholarships at this point; URI has been making noise about this for years.

[aceinthehole]

I predict that Maine will be next!

That would help scheduling! An 11-team NEC could use the old 'Big Ten model' (2 rivals and rotate 6 opponents every 2 years).

Albany - CCSU & Monmouth
Bryant - SHU & Wagner
Central Conn.- Albany & URI
Duquesne - RMU & SFPA
Maine - Monmouth & URI
Monmouth - Albany & Maine
Rhode Island - CCSU & Maine
Robert Morris - Duquesne & SFPA
Sacred Heart - Bryant & Wagner
Saint Francis - Duquesne & RMU
Wagner - Bryant & SHU

[mainejeff]

I predict that Maine will be next!

That would help scheduling! An 11-team NEC could use the old 'Big Ten model' (2 rivals and rotate 6 opponents every 2 years).

Albany - CCSU & Maine
Bryant - URI & SHU
Central Conn.- Albany & URI
Duquesne - RMU & SFPA
Maine - Albany & URI
Monmouth - Maine & Wagner
Rhode Island - Bryant & CCSU
Robert Morris - Duquesne & SFPA
Sacred Heart - Bryant & Wagner
Saint Francis - Duquesne & RMU
Wagner - Monmouth & SHU

Hopefully, it happens! At least it would save football from being disbanded at Maine.......Cosgrove and his staff sure seem like they are trying as hard as they can to make Maine football an afterthought though!

[dgreco]

Does the NEC try to bring in a 12th team if they do get to 11 with Maine? Also, will having 9 conference games be a plus or minus for most school?

[BDKJMU]

URI finsihed 4-4 in the CAA, with wins over UNH, Villanova, UMass, and Towson. A blown call on a TD catch ruled out of bounds appeared to cost them a win against Maine. I thought after this season's success they would have reconsidered downgrading their program.

[mainejeff]

Does the NEC try to bring in a 12th team if they do get to 11 with Maine? Also, will having 9 conference games be a plus or minus for most school?

I doubt that UNH would leave the CAA.......but if they did:

Maine
UNH
URI
Bryant
Central Connecticut
Sacred Heart

Albany
Wagner
Monmouth
St. Francis
Duquesne
Robert Morris

Me likey.

[BDKJMU]

http://www.gorhody.com/sports/m-footbl/ ... 10aac.html

It appears full scholarship FCS football in New England is an endangered species. Hopefully URI can continue to play their rivals like UNH and Maine out of conference.

Quite a step down for URI in the short term, but better than dropping the program.

Any chance the NEC increases their 35 limit anytime soon?

[DSUrocks07]

Does the NEC try to bring in a 12th team if they do get to 11 with Maine? Also, will having 9 conference games be a plus or minus for most schools?

I would say a minus as that is what the MEAC is facing in our near-term future as well with the additions of Savannah State and NC Central. Hopefully we can adopt a unbalanced divisional setup with 7 conference games. Both the NEC and MEAC conference schools should try to get as many OOC games as they can.

[UAalum72]

Any chance the NEC increases their 35 limit anytime soon?

Limit is increasing two per year until it hits 40 in 2012.

[tribe_pride]

The future of the CAA is interesting. ODU and Georgia State join next year. UNC Charlotte also wants in. ODU will be competitive, and will open up the Va Beach recruiting market even further for the other CAA teams. There is of course one southern conference team that I am certain Yeager covets. No one need guess. I think Yeager will go out of his way to keep UMass and UNH - to the point of even possibly subsidizing expenses and travel. Those two teams are perennial contenders. I do NOT see Maine dropping more scholarships at this point; URI has been making noise about this for years.

As an FYI, only ODU joins next year - Georgia State joins in 2 years so ODU and Ga State will only overlap for a year.

[tampajag]

dgreco wrote:
Does the NEC try to bring in a 12th team if they do get to 11 with Maine? Also, will having 9 conference games be a plus or minus for most schools?

I would say a minus as that is what the MEAC is facing in our near-term future as well with the additions of Savannah State and NC Central. Hopefully we can adopt a unbalanced divisional setup with 7 conference games. Both the NEC and MEAC conference schools should try to get as many OOC games as they can.

I agree 9 game league schedules suck. Only having two OOC games limits you badly, especially if you have any non-conference rivals.

[State Line Liquors]

Jack Cosgrove just called up a local upholsterer for a quote on the office chair he just messed himself on.

[aceinthehole]

No word on scheduling yet and I don't expect details until the summer of 2012. NEC could keep 8-game schedule, skipping one opponent.

I don't want 9 conference games!

[AZGrizFan]

Congratulations and good luck to the Rhode Island fans & alums. I do not believe they will dominate the NEC, but their prospects of competing for a conference title will be real. Have they ever been able to say that in the CAA?

2011 - Colonial
2012 - Colonial
2013 - NEC

Any ideas how/when they will/should transition from the current 63 scholarships to meet the NEC requirements?

If they play like they did THIS year they'll dominate the NEC.

[PenthouseClosedEnd]

URI finsihed 4-4 in the CAA, with wins over UNH, Villanova, UMass, and Towson. A blown call on a TD catch ruled out of bounds appeared to cost them a win against Maine. I thought after this season's success they would have reconsidered downgrading their program.

+1. That program earned my respect this year.

[aceinthehole]

Does the NEC try to bring in a 12th team if they do get to 11 with Maine? Also, will having 9 conference games be a plus or minus for most school?

IMO, scheduling with 11 works out great. If we could get Maine too that would be a nice coup for the NEC