FB: American Southwest Conference

[Bill McCabe]

Sure is quiet.  I know that the D3 schools have to wait a little bit to see how things shake out. 

[dballa]

You're right, since we don't sign kids to athletic scholarships you really just have to get verbal commitments and wait for them to sign on to the school.

HPU has their football schedule out and looks like they are going NAIA to fill their two nonconference games.

Southern Nazarene  Sept 2
Paul Quinn                Sept 23

Would rather them play some more competitive D3 schools in those slots.

[dballa]

You're right, since we don't sign kids to athletic scholarships you really just have to get verbal commitments and wait for them to sign on to the school.

HPU has their football schedule out and looks like they are going NAIA to fill their two nonconference games.

Southern Nazarene  Sept 2
Paul Quinn            Sept 23

Would rather them play some more competitive D3 schools in those slots.

[Ron Boerger]

Southern Nazarene  Sept 2
Paul Quinn            Sept 23

Would rather them play some more competitive D3 schools in those slots.

Yeah, me too, but if you want competitive then you're either going to have look to Cali or to cheeseland or the upper midwest.   Big $$.   Trinity's booked ETBU and TLU already (plus Huntingdon and Redlands).  Huntingdon would be a good matchup for anyone out of the ASC ... and nobody wants to play AC if they want competitive.  Maybe in a couple years if Ronnie Gage can get things turned around. 

Speaking of AC, they have only lined up nine games for next year (so far).  They play TLU and McMurry in weeks one and two and SWAG in week four.  Their first SCAC contest, fittingly, will be at Trinity on September 30. 

[Ralph Turner]

Ron, you are right on!

HPU has bus rides to Dallas (PQC) and to Bethany (OKC)  OK (SNU) that are shorter than some of their conference games.

AC will likely consider playing McM, TLU and ETBU every year.

I don't know if they will consider scheduling MC, LC and SRSU.

HPU, UMHB and HSU are likely to be harder than a coach wants to play on a frequent basis.

On the other hand,  TU can schedule any ASC team it wants and get 3 non-SCAC games for its schedule. 

I am hearing that Colorado College is the new SCAC travel partner for Austin College.  Maybe that is the 10th game.  Oops, there goes another chance for the ASC to schedule Trinity.


I also remember that our favorite expatriate, Warren Thompson, read that Concordia is considering football.  That would get us back to 10.

[roocru]

Ralph and Ron,

If you remember an earlier post of mine, I said I thought I knew the schedule but did not feel I could reveal it at that time.  You guys have now hit it on the head.  According to my sources at that earlier time, AC will only play nine games this year.  This is partly due to saving money on a tenth game because of the new travel required in the move to the SCAC.  Colorado College will very likely be the tenth game next year whether it is a conference game or not.

By the way,  my UMHB sources tell me that Willamette has cancelled their series with Mary Hardin-Baylor and UMHB is now looking for another game for the next two years.

[Bill McCabe]

roocru,  I was wondering about UMHB's schedule.  I would think it will be hard to fill a spot this late.  Aren't they playing Christopher Newport next year.

[Ron Boerger]

Actually quite a few teams with open dates on 9/9/06, which would appear to be the date the Willamette game was scheduled.  Among the possibilities

Waynesburg
Rowan
UW-LaX, UW-Stout, UW-W, UW-EC, UW-O, UW-RF
W&J
Thiel
Greensboro

UMHB is there as well, posted on 1/9.  Pete is looking for a home game this year, away in '07. 

[Bill McCabe]

Thanks Ron.  I would be glad to see them play any of those teams.

[Ralph Turner]

roocru, in all fairness to Willamette, didn't they play UMHB four years straight?  2002-2005?

I would think that it would be time to go some place else.

[roocru]

Ralph,

I meant no animosity at all with my statement on Willamette dropping UMHB.  It was their decision and I am fine with that.  Lord knows, in my role as AD I have that kind of thing happening all the time.  Especially right now with the UIL realignment coming out on Feb. 2.  I heard this information at the AFCA conference and was just stating that it did in fact happen.

[Bill McCabe]

Willamette was always a good test for UMHB.  Their offense is pretty unique and it posed a challenge.  The game in Belton 2 years ago was great.  Any idea on who the Cru are looking at to replace Willamette?

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph,

I meant no animosity at all with my statement on Willamette dropping UMHB.  It was their decision and I am fine with that.  Lord knows, in my role as AD I have that kind of thing happening all the time.  Especially right now with the UIL realignment coming out on Feb. 2.  I heard this information at the AFCA conference and was just stating that it did in fact happen.

roocru, I gotta find a better set of emoticons.

I am not making my intentions very clear.

I hope that UMHB can find a great opponent!

[roocru]

Sad news from Austin College.  My prayers to the family !!!

Auto Accident Claims Life of Austin College Student

SHERMAN – Austin College freshman Brittany Simpson, 18, of The Woodlands, Texas, was killed in an automobile accident near Madisonville, Texas, Tuesday morning.

Simpson, a member of the women's basketball team and Austin College Leadership Institute, was traveling northbound on Interstate 45 from her home in The Woodlands to Sherman when her vehicle collided with a southbound Hyundai, according to Department of Public Safety Trooper Jeff Pirtle.

"The entire Austin College community is saddened by this tragedy," Austin College President Oscar Page said.  "Many of our students make their presence known well beyond the borders of campus.  Still a freshman, Brittany had already begun taking full advantage of the opportunities available to her both on and off campus.  Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, classmates, teachers, and the many people whose lives she touched." 

"Brittany was a wonderful young woman who graced our campus with her positive personality and smile," said Vice President for Student Affairs and Athletics Tim Millerick.  "She found Austin College the year she participated with the John Cooper School in the Sherman High School Holiday basketball tournament, during which her team competed in our facility.  She was a special person that we will all miss very much."

Austin College women's basketball coach Deb Hunter said of Simpson, "Brittany Simpson embraced life.  She enjoyed every minute of every moment.  She lived with passion."

Simpson is survived by her parents, Joy and David Simpson, and two brothers.

Services for Simpson will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006, at Fellowship Church in the The Woodlands.

[Josh Bowerman]

HSU had something kinda like this happen when I was a student there.  It's hard on the students and really sad.  I'm sure I speak for the other HSU folks when I say our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with Brittney's immediate and extended family.