FB: American Southwest Conference

[HansenRatings]

Playoff projections for the season using my model's preseason ratings:



You can look at other conferences on my website: https://hansenratings.github.io/.

[Etchglow]

Game notes are up!

https://cruathletics.com/documents/2023/8/31/2023_UWRF_Game_Notes.pdf


ETA:

Interesting notes:

Zachary Wilkinson gets the start at LT after a couple of years at JV.  Elijah Mankins gets the start at Center as a freshman .

TJ Rone gets the start at WR as a freshman, all 3 2nd string WR's are transfers.

Guy Powell is listed on both return teams as a freshman.

[Ron Boerger]

As I type this David Flores is being interviewed on the live In The Huddle webcast, will update

- says membership problems impact other sports besides football so that needs to be solved first in order to address football
- Frank asks about the challenge posed by UMHB's dominance and how you talk teams into sticking around rather than running away.  Flores: the success of the Baptist Four benefits everyone in the conference, be a part of the success even if you won't be successful overnight.  Strong conference is better for second place team too.  Brings up Baylor who went from being a doormat to being one of the stronger programs.
- JB asks what a day in the life of a commissioner is.  Flores: still working it out, just moved into their own space, learning new scenarios daily working with Assistant Commissioner.  Working with vendors, officiating, operational issues that he didn't have to do before.  Plans to visit schools this fall, attend multiple sports.
- Frank asks if D2/D3/NAIA can be successful remaining separate or if there will be D1 and an "everyone else" conglomeration due to the scattering of island schools.  Flores:  absolutely a place for these separations with each understand who they are and who they serve.  Mission/values important.  Eye on D1 changes due to funding model of the other divisions.
- Frank:  what are you doing to ensure the ASC is viable in 5-10 years?  Flores:  1) communicating openly with schools/ADs 2) know we have some work to do to strengthen conference, understand the sense of urgency 3) schools are remaining patient

[Etchglow]

As I type this David Flores is being interviewed on the live In The Huddle webcast, will update

- says membership problems impact other sports besides football so that needs to be solved first in order to address football
- Frank asks about the challenge posed by UMHB's dominance and how you talk teams into sticking around rather than running away.  Flores: the success of the Baptist Four benefits everyone in the conference, be a part of the success even if you won't be successful overnight.  Strong conference is better for second place team too.  Brings up Baylor who went from being a doormat to being one of the stronger programs.
- JB asks what a day in the life of a commissioner is.  Flores: still working it out, just moved into their own space, learning new scenarios daily working with Assistant Commissioner.  Working with vendors, officiating, operational issues that he didn't have to do before.  Plans to visit schools this fall, attend multiple sports.
- Frank asks if D2/D3/NAIA can be successful remaining separate or if there will be D1 and an "everyone else" conglomeration due to the scattering of island schools.  Flores:  absolutely a place for these separations with each understand who they are and who they serve.  Mission/values important.  Eye on D1 changes due to funding model of the other divisions.
- Frank:  what are you doing to ensure the ASC is viable in 5-10 years?  Flores:  1) communicating openly with schools/ADs 2) know we have some work to do to strengthen conference, understand the sense of urgency 3) schools are remaining patient

To that second point... I'd think that all of the schools leaving the conference kind of outs that as false...

[Mavchamp]

- Frank asks about the challenge posed by UMHB's dominance and how you talk teams into sticking around rather than running away.  Flores: the success of the Baptist Four benefits everyone in the conference, be a part of the success even if you won't be successful overnight.  Strong conference is better for second place team too.  Brings up Baylor who went from being a doormat to being one of the stronger programs.

To that second point... I'd think that all of the schools leaving the conference kind of outs that as false...

I'm not defending the exodus of those schools that have departed to get away from UMHB and HSU.....but what he's saying is absolutely false.

From 1999-2022 the ASC has been awarded 32 playoff spots. 
UMHB: 18
HSU: 11
ETBU: 1
Mississippi College 1
Louisiana College 1

No one else ever made the playoffs in the ASC....Austin, TLU, Southwestern, Belhaven, McMurry, Sul Ross, etc, etc.....

Exactly how long are they suppose to hang around to start feeling that success?  25 years seems like a good amount of time.  If they have a better shot of making the playoffs in the SCAC or the SAA or the NAIA...... who can fault that decision? 

I don't know what the solution is unless the D3 playoffs were to expand, which doesn't seem likely.

But I feel like we are doing CPR on a corpse at this point.

------------------

I've talked to two ETBU athletes since school started and they don't know what's going to happen.  But I thought it was interesting that both of them seperately mentioned that their current AD has already move a program from D3 to D2.

I really hope that's not the plan.  I don't see how that ends positively for the Tigers.  I could be wrong......but that sounds like like a mistake.  Especially if the LSC was the destination.  GAC.....meh.  Maybe.  Ouachita Baptist has had some success..... but I still don't like it.

Lack of leadership and vision of the ASC caused this...... 

[Mavchamp]

HALFTIME:

ETBU 7
LCU 24

Some missed chances by the Tigers in the redzone could have this game closer....but the offense has been pretty anemic.

Defense has forced some turnovers that the offense has wasted......but they are giving up a lot of yards.

[Etchglow]

- Frank asks about the challenge posed by UMHB's dominance and how you talk teams into sticking around rather than running away.  Flores: the success of the Baptist Four benefits everyone in the conference, be a part of the success even if you won't be successful overnight.  Strong conference is better for second place team too.  Brings up Baylor who went from being a doormat to being one of the stronger programs.

To that second point... I'd think that all of the schools leaving the conference kind of outs that as false...

I'm not defending the exodus of those schools that have departed to get away from UMHB and HSU.....but what he's saying is absolutely false.

From 1999-2022 the ASC has been awarded 32 playoff spots. 
UMHB: 18
HSU: 11
ETBU: 1
Mississippi College 1
Louisiana College 1

No one else ever made the playoffs in the ASC....Austin, TLU, Southwestern, Belhaven, McMurry, Sul Ross, etc, etc.....

Exactly how long are they suppose to hang around to start feeling that success?  25 years seems like a good amount of time.  If they have a better shot of making the playoffs in the SCAC or the SAA or the NAIA...... who can fault that decision? 

I don't know what the solution is unless the D3 playoffs were to expand, which doesn't seem likely.

But I feel like we are doing CPR on a corpse at this point.

------------------

I've talked to two ETBU athletes since school started and they don't know what's going to happen.  But I thought it was interesting that both of them seperately mentioned that their current AD has already move a program from D3 to D2.

I really hope that's not the plan.  I don't see how that ends positively for the Tigers.  I could be wrong......but that sounds like like a mistake.  Especially if the LSC was the destination.  GAC.....meh.  Maybe.  Ouachita Baptist has had some success..... but I still don't like it.

Lack of leadership and vision of the ASC caused this......

Yeah, i have to wonder what etbu ends up doing. I kind of have to care because the wife went there lol! I always have to go incognito when we go to games out there because she wants to sit with all her friends she went to school with. We scheduled our wedding for November in like January... It ended up being the same day as UMHB's homecoming game against ETBU!

[Ralph Turner]

- Frank asks about the challenge posed by UMHB's dominance and how you talk teams into sticking around rather than running away.  Flores: the success of the Baptist Four benefits everyone in the conference, be a part of the success even if you won't be successful overnight.  Strong conference is better for second place team too.  Brings up Baylor who went from being a doormat to being one of the stronger programs.

To that second point... I'd think that all of the schools leaving the conference kind of outs that as false...

I'm not defending the exodus of those schools that have departed to get away from UMHB and HSU.....but what he's saying is absolutely false.

From 1999-2022 the ASC has been awarded 32 playoff spots. 
UMHB: 18
HSU: 11
ETBU: 1
Mississippi College 1
Louisiana College 1

No one else ever made the playoffs in the ASC....Austin, TLU, Southwestern, Belhaven, McMurry, Sul Ross, etc, etc.....

Exactly how long are they suppose to hang around to start feeling that success?  25 years seems like a good amount of time.  If they have a better shot of making the playoffs in the SCAC or the SAA or the NAIA...... who can fault that decision? 

I don't know what the solution is unless the D3 playoffs were to expand, which doesn't seem likely.

But I feel like we are doing CPR on a corpse at this point.

------------------

I've talked to two ETBU athletes since school started and they don't know what's going to happen.  But I thought it was interesting that both of them seperately mentioned that their current AD has already move a program from D3 to D2.

I really hope that's not the plan.  I don't see how that ends positively for the Tigers.  I could be wrong......but that sounds like like a mistake.  Especially if the LSC was the destination.  GAC.....meh.  Maybe.  Ouachita Baptist has had some success..... but I still don't like it.

Lack of leadership and vision of the ASC caused this......

In 2011 McMurry lost at UMHB 28-27 in the rain delay game. McMurry earns a Pool C and wins at Trinity 25-16. They lose at UMHB in the 2nd round, 49-20 with an injured starting QB.

[Riley Zayas]

The only thing I'd add to what's already been said tonight about the ASC is that Louisiana Christian (formerly Louisiana College) is showing exactly why NAIA might be a good alternative for an ASC program. It's not hard to watch tonight's 34-14 win for LCU and immediately see that they have gotten 10x better since switching to NAIA. Scholarships help a ton. And NAIA is a really good fit financially for a lot of private Christian schools. LC went from being a middle to bottom ASC team to now potentially contending for a spot in the NAIA playoffs.

[Ralph Turner]

For the sake of discussion, let's call UMHB the 1st place team regardless of the year and their record.

The record of the remaining teams which have made the playoffs are 7-8 (0.467) when not playing UMHB.

HSU 1999
11/20   vs. Washington U.   W, 28-21   
11/27   vs. Washington and Jefferson   W, 51-3   
12/4   at Trinity (Texas)   L, 40-33

HSU 2000
11/18   bye
11/25   vs. McDaniel •   W, 32-10   
12/2   vs. Trinity (Texas)   W, 33-30   
12/9   vs. St. John's   L, 38-14

HSU 2001
11/17   vs. Wittenberg   L, 38-35

ETBU 2003
11/22   vs. Trinity (Texas)   W, 42-41   
11/29   at Lycoming   L, 13-7   

HSU 2004; received 1 of the 4 1st round byes that year
11/27   vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 42-28 (UMHB goes to the Stagg)

HSU 2008 as a Pool C
11/22   at Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 38-35 (HSU earns a Pool C and then gets shipped to Belton.)

Miss Coll 2009 as a Pool C
11/21   at Huntingdon   W, 56-35   
11/28   at Wesley   L, 43-9

McMurry 2011 as a Pool C
11/19   at Trinity (Texas)   W, 25-16   
11/26   at Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 49-20

LaCollege 2012 as a Pool C
11/17   vs. UMHB L 59-20

HSU 2015 as a Pool C
11/21   vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 37-19   

HSU 2016 as a Pool C
11/19   vs. Linfield   L, 24-10   BX P

HSU 2017 as a Pool C
11/18   at Linfield   L, 27-13   

HSU 2018 as a Pool C
11/17   at Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 27-6   

HSU 2022 as a Pool C
11/19   at Trinity (Texas) L 14-7

For the number of Pool C's that we have gotten, I consider the conference has received much respect.

[Pat Coleman]

For the sake of discussion, let's call UMHB the 1st place team regardless of the year and their record.

The record of the remaining teams which have made the playoffs are 7-8 (0.467) when not playing UMHB.

HSU 1999
11/20   vs. Washington U.   W, 28-21   
11/27   vs. Washington and Jefferson   W, 51-3   
12/4   at Trinity (Texas)   L, 40-33

HSU 2000
11/18   bye
11/25   vs. McDaniel •   W, 32-10   
12/2   vs. Trinity (Texas)   W, 33-30   
12/9   vs. St. John's   L, 38-14

HSU 2001
11/17   vs. Wittenberg   L, 38-35

ETBU 2003
11/22   vs. Trinity (Texas)   W, 42-41   
11/29   at Lycoming   L, 13-7   

HSU 2004; received 1 of the 4 1st round byes that year
11/27   vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 42-28 (UMHB goes to the Stagg)

HSU 2008 as a Pool C
11/22   at Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 38-35 (HSU earns a Pool C and then gets shipped to Belton.)

Miss Coll 2009 as a Pool C
11/21   at Huntingdon   W, 56-35   
11/28   at Wesley   L, 43-9

McMurry 2011 as a Pool C
11/19   at Trinity (Texas)   W, 25-16   
11/26   at Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 49-20

LaCollege 2012 as a Pool C
11/17   vs. UMHB L 59-20

HSU 2015 as a Pool C
11/21   vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 37-19   

HSU 2016 as a Pool C
11/19   vs. Linfield   L, 24-10   BX P

HSU 2017 as a Pool C
11/18   at Linfield   L, 27-13   

HSU 2018 as a Pool C
11/17   at Mary Hardin-Baylor   L, 27-6   

HSU 2022 as a Pool C
11/19   at Trinity (Texas) L 14-7

For the number of Pool C's that we have gotten, I consider the conference has received much respect.

7-8 with more than half of those wins coming in 1999 and 2000.

[umhb2001]

- Frank asks about the challenge posed by UMHB's dominance and how you talk teams into sticking around rather than running away.  Flores: the success of the Baptist Four benefits everyone in the conference, be a part of the success even if you won't be successful overnight.  Strong conference is better for second place team too.  Brings up Baylor who went from being a doormat to being one of the stronger programs.

To that second point... I'd think that all of the schools leaving the conference kind of outs that as false...

I'm not defending the exodus of those schools that have departed to get away from UMHB and HSU.....but what he's saying is absolutely false.

From 1999-2022 the ASC has been awarded 32 playoff spots. 
UMHB: 18
HSU: 11
ETBU: 1
Mississippi College 1
Louisiana College 1

No one else ever made the playoffs in the ASC....Austin, TLU, Southwestern, Belhaven, McMurry, Sul Ross, etc, etc.....

Exactly how long are they suppose to hang around to start feeling that success?  25 years seems like a good amount of time.  If they have a better shot of making the playoffs in the SCAC or the SAA or the NAIA...... who can fault that decision? 

I don't know what the solution is unless the D3 playoffs were to expand, which doesn't seem likely.

But I feel like we are doing CPR on a corpse at this point.

------------------

I've talked to two ETBU athletes since school started and they don't know what's going to happen.  But I thought it was interesting that both of them seperately mentioned that their current AD has already move a program from D3 to D2.

I really hope that's not the plan.  I don't see how that ends positively for the Tigers.  I could be wrong......but that sounds like like a mistake.  Especially if the LSC was the destination.  GAC.....meh.  Maybe.  Ouachita Baptist has had some success..... but I still don't like it.

Lack of leadership and vision of the ASC caused this......

2014 TLU lost to UMHB in the first round. Lightning Delay Game. Had to be finished on Sunday.

[Ron Boerger]

Getting back to the current season, McMurry was a couple missed/blocked extra points (and/or a late fumble as they were driving with under two minutes left) from upsetting Birmingham-Southern last night, losing 20-19.  After falling behind 20-0 entering the third quarter, the War Hawks offense scored three straight TDs while their defense shut down the Panthers.  Until the fourth quarter it looked like it would be a repeat of last year's game which B-SC won 26-9.  I tried watching the broadcast but the combination of early McMurry struggles and a very annoying announcer who thinks shouting is the way to call a game led me to other pursuits. 

Is Jordan Neal starting to turn things around in Abilene, or is Birmingham not the quite the team it has been as of late?  My guess would be a little of both.  Obviously the McMurry staff found something that changed the complexion of the game late. 

[justafan12]

I'm not defending the exodus of those schools that have departed to get away from UMHB and HSU.....but what he's saying is absolutely false.

From 1999-2022 the ASC has been awarded 32 playoff spots. 
UMHB: 18
HSU: 11
ETBU: 1
Mississippi College 1
Louisiana College 1

No one else ever made the playoffs in the ASC....Austin, TLU, Southwestern, Belhaven, McMurry, Sul Ross, etc, etc.....

Exactly how long are they suppose to hang around to start feeling that success?  25 years seems like a good amount of time.  If they have a better shot of making the playoffs in the SCAC or the SAA or the NAIA...... who can fault that decision? 

I don't know what the solution is unless the D3 playoffs were to expand, which doesn't seem likely.

But I feel like we are doing CPR on a corpse at this point.

------------------

I've talked to two ETBU athletes since school started and they don't know what's going to happen.  But I thought it was interesting that both of them seperately mentioned that their current AD has already move a program from D3 to D2.

I really hope that's not the plan.  I don't see how that ends positively for the Tigers.  I could be wrong......but that sounds like like a mistake.  Especially if the LSC was the destination.  GAC.....meh.  Maybe.  Ouachita Baptist has had some success..... but I still don't like it.

Lack of leadership and vision of the ASC caused this......
[/quote]

I realize this is a football board but does the sport of football truly drive the conference shifting in D3?  We know it is the sole factor in Division 1 movement but in D3 is it?  Do the other sports even matter? 
While UMHB is the dominate team in football in ASC conference history; I would say in my association with the ASC they were not the "best" sports program in the conference.  UT Tyler almost always finished in the top of the ASC in the D3 rankings (I can't remember who does those rankings).  Of course they did not play football. 
But then this is Texas.

[Etchglow]

I'm not defending the exodus of those schools that have departed to get away from UMHB and HSU.....but what he's saying is absolutely false.

From 1999-2022 the ASC has been awarded 32 playoff spots. 
UMHB: 18
HSU: 11
ETBU: 1
Mississippi College 1
Louisiana College 1

No one else ever made the playoffs in the ASC....Austin, TLU, Southwestern, Belhaven, McMurry, Sul Ross, etc, etc.....

Exactly how long are they suppose to hang around to start feeling that success?  25 years seems like a good amount of time.  If they have a better shot of making the playoffs in the SCAC or the SAA or the NAIA...... who can fault that decision? 

I don't know what the solution is unless the D3 playoffs were to expand, which doesn't seem likely.

But I feel like we are doing CPR on a corpse at this point.

------------------

I've talked to two ETBU athletes since school started and they don't know what's going to happen.  But I thought it was interesting that both of them seperately mentioned that their current AD has already move a program from D3 to D2.

I really hope that's not the plan.  I don't see how that ends positively for the Tigers.  I could be wrong......but that sounds like like a mistake.  Especially if the LSC was the destination.  GAC.....meh.  Maybe.  Ouachita Baptist has had some success..... but I still don't like it.

Lack of leadership and vision of the ASC caused this......

I realize this is a football board but does the sport of football truly drive the conference shifting in D3?  We know it is the sole factor in Division 1 movement but in D3 is it?  Do the other sports even matter? 
While UMHB is the dominate team in football in ASC conference history; I would say in my association with the ASC they were not the "best" sports program in the conference.  UT Tyler almost always finished in the top of the ASC in the D3 rankings (I can't remember who does those rankings).  Of course they did not play football. 
But then this is Texas.
[/quote]

Since 1998 the Baptist 4 have won 60 percent of all championships in the ASC. If you exclude UT Dallas which moved to D2 at least partially because of being the only non division 1/2 team in the UT system that shoots up to 70 percent.