Idaho president: Vandals analyzing FBS, FCS options

[dbackjon]

Chuck Staben said university is ‘planning alternative options’ if Sun Belt doesn’t extend agreement

President stresses student-athlete experience, fan engagement as keys moving forward for football

Big Sky commissioner said invitation to join conference was renewed; key January, March votes

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/co ... rylink=cpy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[89Hen]

Would they be the first to move down?

[JohnStOnge]

Would they be the first to move down?

No, though the instance I'm familiar with was different in many respects. McNeese was Division I during 1976 through 1981. Went to three Independence Bowls 1976, 1979, and 1980. Even made an appearance in what would've been the AP top 25 in 1979 before losing to a Syracuse team featuring Joe Morris and Ark Monk in that year's Independence Bowl. I say "would have been" because back then it was a top 20 but McNeese was among the top 25 in terms of votes (others getting votes).

In 1981 there were changes to NCAA rules so that most of the teams in the Southland, which was a Division I conference whose champion automatically went to the Independence Bowl, could not meet the attendance requirements for being in I-A. Only McNeese and USL, which is now Louisiana Lafayette, had the option of being in I-A. USL opted to be I-A as an Independent. McNeese opted to voluntarily move to I-AA and remain with the Southland.

[Mvemjsunpx]

I think I can see Doug Fullerton heckling on the Moscow campus right now.

[ASUG8]

I have nothing against Idaho or NMSU, but regionally those teams both face and cause a huge travel burden. Any shot they could go Big Sky?

[89Hen]

In 1981 there were changes to NCAA rules so that most of the teams in the Southland, which was a Division I conference whose champion automatically went to the Independence Bowl, could not meet the attendance requirements for being in I-A. Only McNeese and USL, which is now Louisiana Lafayette, had the option of being in I-A. USL opted to be I-A as an Independent. McNeese opted to voluntarily move to I-AA and remain with the Southland.

I would say that's different as it was more of a conference move. I believe that was the same year the Ivy "moved".

[kalm]

At least 3 if not 5 conference bus trips for the Vandals. Natural rivalries re-started.

BSC North:

EWU
PSU
Idaho
UM
MSU
ISU
UND

Two inter-division conference games per year.



It would be great having this rivalry back.

[Grizalltheway]

The Vandulls would probably demand not to play UM before they agreed to come back.

[AshevilleApp]

Seems like a good move. And if you play most of your sports in one conference, why not football?

[dbackjon]

I have nothing against Idaho or NMSU, but regionally those teams both face and cause a huge travel burden. Any shot they could go Big Sky?

Idaho is in the Big Sky for all other sports, and has an open invite for Football.

[Grizalltheway]

Seems like a good move. And if you play most of your sports in one conference, why not football?

Their fan base can't face the reality that they have no business playing FBS football. Most of them would rather drop it all together than come crawling back to FCS.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Seems like a good move. And if you play most of your sports in one conference, why not football?

Their fan base can't face the reality that they have no business playing FBS football. Most of them would rather drop it all together than come crawling back to FCS.

That's the trouble with moving up. If you suck, the FCS-era fans will leave (or die) & only the clueless, arrogant FBS-era fans that don't have any appreciation for FCS football will remain.

[ASUG8]

I have nothing against Idaho or NMSU, but regionally those teams both face and cause a huge travel burden. Any shot they could go Big Sky?

Idaho is in the Big Sky for all other sports, and has an open invite for Football.

Didn't know that....thanks!

[AZGrizFan]

At least 3 if not 5 conference bus trips for the Vandals. Natural rivalries re-started.

BSC North:

EWU
PSU
Idaho
UM
MSU
ISU
UND

Two inter-division conference games per year.



It would be great having this rivalry back.

agreed agreed agreed.

[SACCAT]

Would they be the first to move down?

UM use to be in the same conference as Oregon, Oregon State, UW and WSU. Don't think it was called the Pac 10 back then, but they moved down the same time MSU moved up from Division 2 (early 70's I think???)...I think...that could all be wrong...It is probably wrong.

[SACCAT]

The Vandulls would probably demand not to play UM before they agreed to come back.

Can the Cats do that? Or is it just NDSU that we can do that with...

[Mvemjsunpx]

The Vandulls would probably demand not to play UM before they agreed to come back.

I dunno. The Little Brown Stein has been in Missoula an awful long time.

[BDKJMU]

Copy of what I posted on the JMU board:
According to wiki, Idaho's Kibble Dome in Moscow, ID, opened in 1975 and seats 16k. Idaho announced a move up in 1996?, full I-A schedule in 98' And here in 2016 they are still playing in that same un expanded 41 year old, 16k dome.

# of home games in Moscow, ID in ()
98' 9-3 (5) won Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho
99' 7-4 (0)
00' 5-6 (0)
01' 1-10 (2)
02' 2-10 (5)
03' 3-9 (5)
04' 3-9 (2)
05' 2-9 (4)
06' 4-8 (5)
07' 1-11 (6)
08' 2-10 (6)
09' 8-5 (6) won Humanitarian Bowl
10' 6-7 (6)
11' 2-10 (6)
12' 1-11 (5)
13' 1-11 (5)
14' 1-11 (5)
15' 4-8 (6)

Here it is in summation. Over 18 seasons of playing a full I-A schedule, Idaho has
-avg record has been about 3.5 wins, 8.5 losses
-avg of less than 4.5 home games a season.
-have never hosted a P-5 (in Moscow, ID) (unless I missed 1).
-Have been to only 2 bowl games, both in frigid Boise, ID in Dec. SO not even 1 time to a decent Dec destination bowl.
-Have even played @ Montana twice.

What I don't understand is why would you move up with a 21 yr old, 16k stadium with no plans to expand it which means you can never host a P5 and the majority of seasons won't even have 6 home games? There were some seasons where they had only zero to 2 home games in Moscow, ID.
http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active ... /index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And now they are a geographic outcast bastard stepchild in the Sun Belt. If ever there was a poster child for a school who SHOULDN'T have moved up, Idaho is it.

[AZGrizFan]

Would they be the first to move down?

UM use to be in the same conference as Oregon, Oregon State, UW and WSU. Don't think it was called the Pac 10 back then, but they moved down the same time MSU moved up from Division 2 (early 70's I think???)...I think...that could all be wrong...It is probably wrong.

UM:
1939-1962: Major College division
1963-1972: Small College Division
1973-1977: D-II
1978-Present: I-AA (FCS)

MSU:
1949-1972: Small College Division (1952-1956 NAIA)
1973-1977: D-II
1978-Present: I-AA (FCS)

So it would appear Montana moved down in '62 while MSU was already there....

[SACCAT]

UM use to be in the same conference as Oregon, Oregon State, UW and WSU. Don't think it was called the Pac 10 back then, but they moved down the same time MSU moved up from Division 2 (early 70's I think???)...I think...that could all be wrong...It is probably wrong.

UM:
1939-1962: Major College division
1963-1972: Small College Division
1973-1977: D-II
1978-Present: I-AA (FCS)

MSU:
1949-1972: Small College Division (1952-1956 NAIA)
1973-1977: D-II
1978-Present: I-AA (FCS)

So it would appear Montana moved down in '62 while MSU was already there....

So I was kind of, almost, sort of, right.

[Grizalltheway]

The Vandulls would probably demand not to play UM before they agreed to come back.

I dunno. The Little Brown Stein has been in Missoula an awful long time.

And that would change if we started playing them again?

[AZGrizFan]

UM:
1939-1962: Major College division
1963-1972: Small College Division
1973-1977: D-II
1978-Present: I-AA (FCS)

MSU:
1949-1972: Small College Division (1952-1956 NAIA)
1973-1977: D-II
1978-Present: I-AA (FCS)

So it would appear Montana moved down in '62 while MSU was already there....

So I was kind of, almost, sort of, right.

Just off by a decade.

[JayJ79]

there was a big restructuring of the NCAA division format in the late 70s/early 80s, so IMO, any "move ups"/"move downs" that occurred during that era or before isn't really an accurate comparison to schools changing divisions/subdivisions since then.

So the question would be: Would Idaho be the first football program since the reorganization to move down a subdivision/division?

[dbackjon]

there was a big restructuring of the NCAA division format in the late 70s/early 80s, so IMO, any "move ups"/"move downs" that occurred during that era or before isn't really an accurate comparison to schools changing divisions/subdivisions since then.

So the question would be: Would Idaho be the first football program since the reorganization to move down a subdivision/division?

That had completed a transition, yes

[SDHornet]

Common sense move for Idalol to move FB to the BSC. When that happens (yes when, not if) I say don’t do divisions (no point in doing so since there are no CCG in FCS) but expand the “rivalry” scheduling to 3 teams instead of 2, then rotate 5 other BSC teams as needed for conference play:
EWU: PSU, UI, UM
PSU: EWU, Sac, ucd
Sac: CP, PSU, ucd
CP: Sac, NAU, ucd
ucd: Sac, CP, PSU
NAU: SUU, CP, UNC
SUU: NAU, WSU, UNC
UNC: UND, SUU, NAU
UND: UNC, MSU, WSU
UM: MSU, EWU, UI
MSU: UM, UND, ISU
UI: UM, EWU, ISU
ISU: WSU, UI, MSU
WSU: ISU, SUU, UND