FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[BashDad]

maintaining a 'national presence' as reason for not joining the NCAC is ludicrous. If Depauw doesn't come on board, which in my eyes will be a real disappointment, it better not have anything to do with the illusion that being in the SCAC affords a better field for recruitment.

[D3_DPUFan]

maintaining a 'national presence' as reason for not joining the NCAC is ludicrous. If Depauw doesn't come on board, which in my eyes will be a real disappointment, it better not have anything to do with the illusion that being in the SCAC affords a better field for recruitment.

Just curious...why do you say that?

[BashDad]

a quick glance at dpu's roster doesn't really support the idea that they're currently furnishing the team with stand-out players from around the country.

and, also, it'd be one thing if they were worried about screwing with a program that is consistently reaching the playoffs while garnering national awards and rankings. they're not. frankly, i find it hard to argue that joining a conference alongside their highest rival-- a top-ten team they've beaten two years in a row-- would do anything but raise the program's exposure nationally, especially if they somehow manage to remain as competitive with the lg's.

[LGHistorian]

     The way I feel about it, and this is for any college not just DPU, the athletic conference's geography should be of the least concern.  These days, due to the internet, any college has potential to recruit anyone from anywhere in the world.  Due to the web every college has a "national presence" if they have a website.

     In doing some research for a fellow alum I found out Wabash had a student/wrestler this year from the state of Washington.  How did he discover Wabash?  He was a high school wrestler who wanted to wrestle in college.  He said in his article that there were no colleges available to him in his home state that had wrestling programs.  He got on the internet and found one of the various lists of best colleges or best buys or some other such thing He found Wabash and that Wabash had a wrestling program.  He started up the communication with the coach and the admissions dept.

[D3_DPUFan]

a quick glance at dpu's roster doesn't really support the idea that they're currently furnishing the team with stand-out players from around the country.

and, also, it'd be one thing if they were worried about screwing with a program that is consistently reaching the playoffs while garnering national awards and rankings. they're not. frankly, i find it hard to argue that joining a conference alongside their highest rival-- a top-ten team they've beaten two years in a row-- would do anything but raise the program's exposure nationally, especially if they somehow manage to remain as competitive with the lg's.

Yes, that's the point I was going to make regarding recruiting. DPU doesn't have many players from SCAC markets; more important question I think is how many students (not student-athletes) have been attracted to Greencastle by the SCAC affiliation as I believe that was one of the reasons for making the move in the first place...raising the DPU profile in SCAC markets...I have no idea if that has been a positive for the school.

IMHO, what the SCAC affiliation has done is broaden the recruiting base of talented players who find it attractive to play a schedule that includes travel and compeititon in places like San Antonio, the Dallas area, Memphis and the south..not just a bus ride away. I think you will find that good players from Chicago and St. Louis, or for that matter right here in Indiana, find the SCAC as a plus over other situations. (Please note, I am not bashing the NCAC, simply pointing out a perceived positive of the SCAC).

As for screwing with a program that doesn't make the playoffs or garner national awards and somehow managing to remain as competitive as the LG's...blah, blah, blah

 

[D3_DPUFan]

The way I feel about it, and this is for any college not just DPU, the athletic conference's geography should be of the least concern.  These days, due to the internet, any college has potential to recruit anyone from anywhere in the world.  Due to the web every college has a "national presence" if they have a website.

     In doing some research for a fellow alum I found out Wabash had a student/wrestler this year from the state of Washington.  How did he discover Wabash?  He was a high school wrestler who wanted to wrestle in college.  He said in his article that there were no colleges available to him in his home state that had wrestling programs.  He got on the internet and found one of the various lists of best colleges or best buys or some other such thing He found Wabash and that Wabash had a wrestling program.  He started up the communication with the coach and the admissions dept.

I think you a very correct in that assesment. The scenario you lay out is probably fairly common. IMHO, DePauw's SCAC affiliation could be an advantage to a kid like that...or it may not make any difference at all...just one piece of a multi-dimensional decision.

[BashDad]

regarding "blah blah blah", I'm not bashing Depauw as much as it may seem-- I'm being fairly objective. It just seems to me that, as far as football goes, the advantages of joining Bash in the NCAC far outweigh the disadvantages. Bus rides to texas are all well and good and if you want to prioritize that travel over "national exposure" fine, but I wouldn't conflate the two.

Maybe it needs to be explained to me, but I find it highly unlikely that an affiliation with the SCAC has any bearing on non-athletes looking for a place to go to school.

[D3_DPUFan]

Bus rides to texas are all well and good and if you want to prioritize that travel over "national exposure" fine, but I wouldn't conflate the two.

Maybe it needs to be explained to me, but I find it highly unlikely that an affiliation with the SCAC has any bearing on non-athletes looking for a place to go to school.

I believe the thinking was exposing the DePauw name in those markets would create more awareness, "brand recognition", etc...and again, I have no idea if that has worked a little, a lot or not at all...

And, by the way...DePauw flies to Texas.  

[BashDad]

fine. "fly." but you see my point.

Don't you DPU guys want them with Wabash?

[D3_DPUFan]

Don't you DPU guys want them with Wabash?

Actually, Wabash and DePauw in the same conference would  be incredible...to put a conference title and trip to the playoffs on top of what is already at stake in the Bell game would be something special indeed. But to me, Wabash is the only attractive thing about the move. I don't have all the stats and academic rankings and endowment numbers that folks quote on here.

All I'm saying is, in my opinion, the total experience for the student-athlete (football player) at DePauw and his family is very attractive as it is...and I think it's only getting better with the kids who are heading to Greencastle to play football. And will be much better once the Tigers get over the hump with Trinity and Millsaps 

Just one guy's opinion.

[Mr. Ypsi]

If an outsider can stick in his $.02:

In these economic times, I would think travel would override many other considerations.  Flying (I assume) EVERY team to Texas at least once a season has gotta be a killer for the athletic budget!

[DPU3619]

The athletic budget is, indeed, ridiculous.  But, if the administration is going to continue to support it, the parents continue to not complain about tuition hikes, and the coaches want to continue to play in the SCAC, then DePauw has essentially already made up it's mind that there won't be a switch.

Seems silly to us, I guess, but I don't think Kris Huffman or Bonnie Skrenta much care whether or not Monon is a conference game.

[Joe Wally]

     Here are some things to ponder:  DPU administration (slumping economy - travel expenses?) vs DPU coaches (keeping national presence, recruiting base?). Will the NCAC offer admission to its first non-PBK college (John Carroll?) and will the UAA be interested in adding DPU (non-research and non-metro). 

If they are giving consideration to the move at all, I have to believe that the economic benefit of a move to the NCAC would win out rather easily over the desire to participate in a "national" conference, if one could consider their current conference that at all.

[SaintsFAN]

If an outsider can stick in his $.02:

In these economic times, I would think travel would override many other considerations.  Flying (I assume) EVERY team to Texas at least once a season has gotta be a killer for the athletic budget!

I'm speaking hypothetically here Ypsi... but bussing to Texas can be done. 

In 1997, we traveled to Brownwood TX by bus from Crestview Hills, KY.  Did we win?  No... but we did make it to and from..  25 hours total drive time.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Yeah, but D3_DPUFan said they flew.  If so, I would hope that was not ONLY the football team.