Old Vandal Friend

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Mr Lisle
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Old Vandal Friend

Post by Mr Lisle » Tue Jul 17, 2018 10:11 am

I recently ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in years. He is as much a Vandal as I am a Bobcat and, in fact, played football for them. He said he had just ordered 6 tickets in the Vandal section for the game in Bozeman. He was honestly excited. He told me he was against them moving up when they did, a move "simply to keep up with Boise State". Many are still unhappy but he is telling them they will be lucky to break even this year. I said it should be great to be back in a region filled with old rivals and opponents like EWU, um, MSU and ISU instead of lining up against conference foes like Coastal Carolina, UT Arlington, So Alabama and LA Monroe. He absolutely agreed. Idaho dropped down before when they originally joined the BSC.
I say "welcome home Idaho!"



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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by AFCAT » Tue Jul 17, 2018 11:11 am

Anytime I can watch Paul or Bobby Petrino lose a game, I'm happy. I hope to be really happy watching the Vandals in the Big Sky this year.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by Long Time Cat » Tue Jul 17, 2018 1:57 pm

I also posted this on the Kickoff thread but I thought it was interesting watching the Vandal interviews. This is my take.

Petrino is not excited to be in the Big Sky. His players are! it will be interesting to see how they do with this split personality thing. Obviously it's tough on Petrino's ego. I think the players had a great perspective, let's rebuild some rivalries and the fan base.

From the fans I know (and I live in Idaho) they have the same split. Some love it, some hate it. I'm excited because it means more Cat games for me close to home. I will definitely root for the Vandals to beat the Griz but other then that don't care how they do.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by BleedingBLue » Tue Jul 17, 2018 2:55 pm

I've felt since the announcement that this was a great thing for the Big Sky, and FCS football in the west in general. I think Idaho doing well may prompt a few more teams to drop down, which would be awesome for the conference because we could get back to an ideal size of 8 or 9 teams. No more rotating schedules, 3 teams at 6-2 or maybe even 7-1 in conference. I hope they do well every game but us!



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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by Montanabob » Tue Jul 17, 2018 3:55 pm

yup.... my sentiments exactly....
Should have never left, waited too long to come back.
One year of slumping attendance and then back to 12500 a game......
Not MSU or UM attendance, but they never had jack attendance as BCS.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by GoCats18 » Tue Jul 17, 2018 7:20 pm

The players were probably tired of busting their balls and not seeing any positive results. Sure hope the kick Haucks ass this year.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by BleedingBLue » Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:59 am

I talked with a friend yesterday who is an Alum at New Mexico State. He has some ins with the athletic department and he said they have been talking seriously about moving down to FCS. They actually had a decent year last year for almost the 1st time ever, but they are independent and have a hard time scheduling quality games. This year they play a home and home with Liberty. That's unheard of, and he said a lot of boosters are threatening to stop donating unless something is done to make it so that football isn't a complete waste of money for the school.

They are keeping a very close eye on the Idaho transition and have also spoken with a few other schools in the west (he could only confirm San Jose State and Utep but said there are others) about a possible drop to FCS. It sounds like they actually have a lot of support from some of the bigger donors for this move because of the proximity of other FCS teams and perhaps a regionalized conference.

This would be huge for the BSC if 3 or more teams were to drop down. I would love to see a 9 team conference and a huge selection of teams to play non conference games against much closer to home.



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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by technoCat » Fri Aug 24, 2018 10:05 am

Yeah I wonder if Idaho does well and makes the playoffs if that will spur them on to making a decision.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by Long Time Cat » Fri Aug 24, 2018 10:34 am

I wouldn't mind if Idaho got 2nd :wink: in the conference if it would help bring some of these other schools down to FCS.
Does NMSU go Big Sky or Southland if they do drop down? It's about the same distance to either Flagstaff or Abilene which would be their 2 closest games from either conference.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by BleedingBLue » Fri Aug 24, 2018 10:45 am

Long Time Cat wrote:
Fri Aug 24, 2018 10:34 am
I wouldn't mind if Idaho got 2nd :wink: in the conference if it would help bring some of these other schools down to FCS.
Does NMSU go Big Sky or Southland if they do drop down? It's about the same distance to either Flagstaff or Abilene which would be their 2 closest games from either conference.
A new Big West or whatever you want to call it is what is sounds like. The hope is that other drop downs and some of the BSC southern schools would go into that conference. My buddy did mention they want no part of a huge conference. We already have 13 and the Southland has 11.



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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by CelticCat » Fri Aug 24, 2018 11:54 am

I have fixed feelings on Idaho's success this season.

One one hand, if they are successful, and it spurns other schools to drop down, that only improves the quality and raises the excitement and exposure of the FCS.

On the other hand though, if a historically bad FBS program drops down and is able to make a national splash in their first year, it only proves that FCS is all that much inferior to the FBS.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by Montanabob » Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:01 pm

Long Time Cat wrote:
Tue Jul 17, 2018 1:57 pm
I also posted this on the Kickoff thread but I thought it was interesting watching the Vandal interviews. This is my take.

Petrino is not excited to be in the Big Sky. His players are! it will be interesting to see how they do with this split personality thing. Obviously it's tough on Petrino's ego. I think the players had a great perspective, let's rebuild some rivalries and the fan base.

From the fans I know (and I live in Idaho) they have the same split. Some love it, some hate it. I'm excited because it means more Cat games for me close to home. I will definitely root for the Vandals to beat the Griz but other then that don't care how they do.
Petrino new this would happen when he took the J.O.B. The Olympic sports were already headed to the BSC and that was a precursor to the football move. The pitch they made to stay in the Sundowner Belt was PATHETIC. He is just trying to save face with some of the naysayers who say they needed to stay FBS. The ego part is that he knows his talent was only FCS level to start with and now that he has fewer scholarships (true he never used all of them before), he'll have to recruit harder. He will stay until his son transfers or graduates, then he's gone. To where depends on his success. I still say they aren't in the top 5 this year....


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by catgrad05 » Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:06 pm

BleedingBLue wrote:
Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:59 am
I talked with a friend yesterday who is an Alum at New Mexico State. He has some ins with the athletic department and he said they have been talking seriously about moving down to FCS. They actually had a decent year last year for almost the 1st time ever, but they are independent and have a hard time scheduling quality games. This year they play a home and home with Liberty. That's unheard of, and he said a lot of boosters are threatening to stop donating unless something is done to make it so that football isn't a complete waste of money for the school.

They are keeping a very close eye on the Idaho transition and have also spoken with a few other schools in the west (he could only confirm San Jose State and Utep but said there are others) about a possible drop to FCS. It sounds like they actually have a lot of support from some of the bigger donors for this move because of the proximity of other FCS teams and perhaps a regionalized conference.

This would be huge for the BSC if 3 or more teams were to drop down. I would love to see a 9 team conference and a huge selection of teams to play non conference games against much closer to home.

If your hoping for the best case scenario to make the FCS as a whole look good I think you root for Idaho going 7-4, 6-5

Fresno State- win
Western New Mexico-win
UC Davis-win
Portland State-win
Idaho State-win
Montana State- loss
Southern Utah-toss up
Eastern Washington-loss
North Dakota-toss up
Montana-win
Florida-loss

If the teams they lost to from the FCS all make the playoffs, they have FBS win but still only have 6 division 1 wins and get left out of the playoffs. They would have a winning season, show that the top teams that make the playoffs are better than a bottom FBS school then I think you see more lower FBS schools say to themselves they have a chance in year one to make the playoffs because Idaho just missed out.

If they loose both FBS games Plus two FCS they may sneak into the playoffs with strength of schedule, it would be harder with 3 FCS losses



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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by 91catAlum » Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:58 pm

I didn't think Idaho was eligible for the playoffs in 2018 due to being over the 63 scholarship limit, no matter how well they do. Is that not the case?


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by technoCat » Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:02 pm

They have been dropping schollies for years, I thought they were under 63 for this year.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by Montanabob » Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:31 pm

91catAlum wrote:
Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:58 pm
I didn't think Idaho was eligible for the playoffs in 2018 due to being over the 63 scholarship limit, no matter how well they do. Is that not the case?
They were never using all of allowed under FBS. Petrino said earlier last year they would be at 63 and FBS is 100% scholarship where FCS Total of 63 with the ability to split a scholarship between two or more athletes.

The scholarship rule was the only thing published that they were required to do to be BSC Championship and playoff eligible.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by Catfanatic84 » Sat Aug 25, 2018 2:52 pm

Idaho belongs in the Big Sky. Those folks who are disappointed they moved down, will get on board when the rivalries with EWU, ISU, UM and MSU are re-ignited It'll be fun to watch.



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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by Cledus » Sat Aug 25, 2018 5:03 pm

Catfanatic84 wrote:
Sat Aug 25, 2018 2:52 pm
Idaho belongs in the Big Sky. Those folks who are disappointed they moved down, will get on board when the rivalries with EWU, ISU, UM and MSU are re-ignited It'll be fun to watch.
They’ll either get on board or die off. One way or the other Idaho will re-assimilate and be a big part of the conference.


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Re: Old Vandal Friend

Post by catatac » Sat Aug 25, 2018 6:20 pm

Read an article in the Missoulian about the Idaho scrimmage, sounds like they will probably be pretty good. My guess is that they finish towards the top of the Big Sky. Also sounds like they're likely going to rotate QBs.


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