The state of affairs for D2 football out west is very sad to say the least. Although Menlo does have SUB PAR facilities I think that would have less to do with them being able to compete at the D2 level than the amount of funding they could muster up. Down here at SE Oklahoma our facilities are better than Menlo's but they are also nothing to rave about either (I'd take Maxwell Field at the Catdome over our field anyday). We have one of the lowest budgets in all of D2 (certainly in the Lone Star), but because of our proximity to the Dallas Metroplex we are able to get some quality kids that allow us to compete with all the LSC schools and dominate the Oklahoma schools (LSC North). If Menlo had enough funding to support their recruiting and game travel I'm sure they would be able to survive in D2 because of their location. KIDS WANT TO PLAY FOOTBALL and more than anything want to get some athletic aid to do so. Menlo could also make a killing from the Juco's out there as well. There are so many kids who play football in California and end up going juco first, but as stated earlier there just aren't very many opportunities after that if you aren't a D1 kid. Most of those kids can't afford D3's so many of them are stuck with no where to go. If Menlo, Eastern Oregon, and Azusa went D2 it could make for a nice D2 league out west with Humbolt, Western Oregon, Central Wash, and Simon Frasier (which I heard was getting back into the GNAC). Now the likelyhood of that may not be great but I don't think it's too far fetched to see Menlo get into D2 in a few years. It makes much more sense for them to play D2 than D3 if they can get enough funding to support the travel. They were already traveling all the way to Spokane so it can't be too far fetched to see them travel to Monmouth, Ellensburg, British Columbia or Humbolt. Or travel to Colorado or New Mexico and play schools from the RMAC.
With all the talk about the NAIA schools, what is the word on Southern Oregon??? Did they shut down their football program??? They could be in the same boat as far as the liklihood of them being able to go D2