Moving on up....

[Mr Lisle]

In another post I mentioned catching up with an old friend who is currently scouting for an NFL combine. He had coached linebackers and then was the DC at a 1AA school and then linebackers at a WAC school. Most of our conversation was reminiscing about DII and the old 1AA days. We were talking about the benefits and drawbacks of staying FCS vs going FBS. We talked about teams like Marshall and Troy, a program he originally thought had the promise of becoming a Bosie State of the south that has yet to materialize. We both felt, for the most part, most of the 1AA/FBS contenders who went up were probably worse for it. After further thought that probably isn't the case. I dug in a bit to see what some of those former 1AA "contenders" had done on the field last year. Arkansas State and Nevada were the earliest of this group to move up; both moved in 1992. So I dropped back to 1991 when each of the following schools were still 1AA and compared their record then with how they finished in 2013. This is not meant as an attempt to define anything. The information is way to skimpy, but I did find it interesting. Here are the teams, the year they went up, 2013 record, who they beat last year and their 1991 record.

Arkansas State 1992 2013 record 8-5. AK Pinebluff, Troy, Idaho, So. Alabama, LA Monroe, TX St., GA State, Ball State. 1991 record 1-10
Boise State 1996 2013 record 8-5. Tenn Martin, Air Force, So. Miss., UT State, Nev., Colo St., WY, New Mex. 1991 record 7-4
Connecticut 2000 2013 record 3-9. Memphis, Rutgers, Temple. 1991 record 3-8
Idaho 1996 2013 record 1-11. Temple. 1991 record 6-5
Marshall 1997 2013 record 10-4. Miami OH, Gardner Webb, TX San Antonio, FLA Atlan, So Miss., UAB, Tulsa, FLA Int'l, E Carolina, Maryland. 1991 record 5-6
Middle Tennessee 1999 2013 record 8-5. West. Carolina, Memphis, Fla Atlan, Marshall, UAB, UTEp, So Miss, FLA Int'l. 1991 record 9-4
Nevada 1992 4-8. Cal-Davis, Hawaii, Air Force, San Jose State. 1991 record 12-1 (second round of 1AA playoffs to Youngstown St.)
Western Kentucky 2009 8-4. Kentucky, Morgan St. Navy, LA Monroe, GA State, Army, Texas State, Arkansas State. 1991 record 3-8
Troy 2002 6-6. UAB, Savannah St. , So Alabama, GA State, Western KY, Texas State. 1991 record 5-6
Massachusetts 2012 1-11. Miami of Ohio 1991 record 4-7

Combined records as 1AA, 1991 55-59 (48.3%). Combined records as FBS, 2013 57-68 (45.6%)

[77matcat]

Mediocre to poor at both levels. So what's the conclusion. Is net income up??? Attendance???

What have they gained by the move???
They do most likely pay the coach and staff a lot more, so good for coaching staff.


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[Mr Lisle]

Mediocre to poor at both levels. So what's the conclusion. Is net income up??? Attendance???

What have they gained by the move???
They do most likely pay the coach and staff a lot more, so good for coaching staff.


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There obviously isn't AN answer. There's ten answers. That's why I stopped when I did. For sure Nevada, Boise State are very happy. Arkansas State seems content. Connecticut has to be very happy. 2007-2010 they had good seasons all ending in bowl games, the last the Fiesta Bowl vs. Oklahoma. Marshall and Western Kentucky have done well. UMass just moved up so it's too soon to tell. Idaho is holding on and it's been pretty ugly.
Now Appy State and Georgia Southern are headed up. They had to do all the math prior to making the decision.