FB: American Southwest Conference

[Ron Boerger]

Back in the day the SCAC stretched from San Antonio all the way to Greencastle IN (DePauw).    As more Texas schools were added the post 9-11 travel got fairly ridiculous, leading to the departure of Rose-Hulman, then DePauw, and finally the formation of the (somewhat) more compact SAA.

[cush]

I think the Colorado college to sewanne conference trip takes the cake and is or was crazy. Like I said it's still crazy for the Saa to agree to such brutal travel for football conference games. They should really expand from 8 to 10-12 with schools in their current footprint to minimize travel as is and drop the Texas football road trips. The scac and asc football schools should just form 1 league of 12 for now. I suspect after a few years of travel issues this is what happens

[Ron Boerger]

I think the Colorado college to sewanne conference trip takes the cake and is or was crazy. Like I said it's still crazy for the Saa to agree to such brutal travel for football conference games. They should really expand from 8 to 10-12 with schools in their current footprint to minimize travel as is and drop the Texas football road trips. The scac and asc football schools should just form 1 league of 12 for now. I suspect after a few years of travel issues this is what happens

(1) CoCo hasn't had football since 2008 and they are not affiliating with the SAA in any way. 
(2) If the schools don't have problems with travel, and the SAA membership had to vote to allow the two Texas schools in as football affiliates, who are we to tell them they shouldn't?   All of the members sans two (HX and Berry) have made the trips to Sherman/San Antonio within recent memory and are well aware of the challenges (and opportunities) presented by one trip a year to Texas per program.
(3) It's pretty obvious that Trinity and Austin don't want any part of the ASC in football, otherwise they wouldn't have looked to the SAA in the first place.   That they are willing to foot the resulting sizable travel bill is further evidence. 

[roocru]

I think the Colorado college to sewanne conference trip takes the cake and is or was crazy. Like I said it's still crazy for the Saa to agree to such brutal travel for football conference games. They should really expand from 8 to 10-12 with schools in their current footprint to minimize travel as is and drop the Texas football road trips. The scac and asc football schools should just form 1 league of 12 for now. I suspect after a few years of travel issues this is what happens

(1) CoCo hasn't had football since 2008 and they are not affiliating with the SAA in any way. 
(2) If the schools don't have problems with travel, and the SAA membership had to vote to allow the two Texas schools in as football affiliates, who are we to tell them they shouldn't?   All of the members sans two (HX and Berry) have made the trips to Sherman/San Antonio within recent memory and are well aware of the challenges (and opportunities) presented by one trip a year to Texas per program.
(3) It's pretty obvious that Trinity and Austin don't want any part of the ASC in football, otherwise they wouldn't have looked to the SAA in the first place.   That they are willing to foot the resulting sizable travel bill is further evidence.

+1!

[GillCJ1]

Game Notes for the Cru vs. Lobos - http://cruathletics.com/documents/2017/9/7//Game_Notes_Sul_Ross_2017.pdf?id=1368

This is the 20th season of Cru football!  They've never lost to the Lobos (19-0) and have a points advantage of 866-183 in their last 16 meetings.  Let's make it 20W.

[Ralph Turner]

I think the Colorado college to sewanne conference trip takes the cake and is or was crazy. Like I said it's still crazy for the Saa to agree to such brutal travel for football conference games. They should really expand from 8 to 10-12 with schools in their current footprint to minimize travel as is and drop the Texas football road trips. The scac and asc football schools should just form 1 league of 12 for now. I suspect after a few years of travel issues this is what happens

(1) CoCo hasn't had football since 2008 and they are not affiliating with the SAA in any way. 
(2) If the schools don't have problems with travel, and the SAA membership had to vote to allow the two Texas schools in as football affiliates, who are we to tell them they shouldn't?   All of the members sans two (HX and Berry) have made the trips to Sherman/San Antonio within recent memory and are well aware of the challenges (and opportunities) presented by one trip a year to Texas per program.
(3) It's pretty obvious that Trinity and Austin don't want any part of the ASC in football, otherwise they wouldn't have looked to the SAA in the first place.   That they are willing to foot the resulting sizable travel bill is further evidence.

+1!

+1!

[TLU02SA]

Here are my two cents on TLU football this season.

A lot of new faces in Seguin.  New head coach and new defensive coordinator.  Danny Padron retired and TLU hired Carl Gustafson as the new head coach.  Coach Gustafson has considerable head coaching experience at the high school level in the San Antonio area.  I believe he was the head man at San Antonio Churchill and New Braunfels Canyon during his career.  Just a couple of seasons ago, he was the offensive line coach at TLU before returning to San Antonio to be the head coach for San Antonio Christian.

Ricky Matt is the new defensive coordinator.  Comes from Converse Judson where he was also the defensive coordinator.  He brings a new look to the defensive side of the ball.  TLU's base defense will be the 3-4.  Curious how the 3-4 will work against the spread offenses that you see week in and week out in the ASC.   

The offense should be good and hold its own.  TLU has experience with its two returning QBs, a good offensive line, and a great set of receivers.  Running game is a question mark but I suspect they will be fine there.

The concern is defense.  Last year, TLU struggled with an inexperienced group of players.  Unfortunately, it looks like more of the same this year.  This week's game notes shows ten true freshmen on TLU's two deep on defense.  There is only one Senior on the two deep on defense.  Wow!  Seems like the defense has hit the reset button for the second season in row.  While last year was a result of several defensive players graduating, it seems TLU has had a retention problem this year.  Probably related to the coaching changes but this defense is going to be inexperienced while learning a new defensive scheme.

I hate to say this but TLU could be an also run in the ASC this year.  If the defense proves itself early in the season, I will change my tune but that needs to be proven first.  Without a solid defense in the ASC, you are going to have a lot of track meets let alone dealing with UMHB and HS.  A record of .500 or better would be an exceptional season.

[Kelly Boggs]

Thanks, TLU02SA, for the honest assessment. It will be an interesting season all around in the new look ASC. It is now a long conference season and anything can happen.

CRU Nation looks forward to TLU's visit to Belton in a few weeks. Hope the Bulldogs fare well on the road against Hendrix tomorrow. 

Go CRU!

[GillCJ1]

Here are my two cents on TLU football this season.

A lot of new faces in Seguin.  New head coach and new defensive coordinator.  Danny Padron retired and TLU hired Carl Gustafson as the new head coach.  Coach Gustafson has considerable head coaching experience at the high school level in the San Antonio area.  I believe he was the head man at San Antonio Churchill and New Braunfels Canyon during his career.  Just a couple of seasons ago, he was the offensive line coach at TLU before returning to San Antonio to be the head coach for San Antonio Christian.

...

I'll echo Kelly and say thanks for one fan's honest assessment of his team.

As for the bolded part, when I heard you guys hired Gustafson I was pretty high on the decision.  He comes from a good pedigree of coaching (his father and his uncle, especially).  My wife went to Churchill and was a student there when he was the HC.  She was a softball player, but apparently the 2 squads intermingled for different fundraisers and the like.  Anyways, that's neither here nor there.  Good luck to your boys tomorrow.  Tough test on the road.  I hear their QB put up some impressive numbers last week.

[TLU02SA]

Here are my two cents on TLU football this season.

A lot of new faces in Seguin.  New head coach and new defensive coordinator.  Danny Padron retired and TLU hired Carl Gustafson as the new head coach.  Coach Gustafson has considerable head coaching experience at the high school level in the San Antonio area.  I believe he was the head man at San Antonio Churchill and New Braunfels Canyon during his career.  Just a couple of seasons ago, he was the offensive line coach at TLU before returning to San Antonio to be the head coach for San Antonio Christian.

...

I'll echo Kelly and say thanks for one fan's honest assessment of his team.

As for the bolded part, when I heard you guys hired Gustafson I was pretty high on the decision.  He comes from a good pedigree of coaching (his father and his uncle, especially).  My wife went to Churchill and was a student there when he was the HC.  She was a softball player, but apparently the 2 squads intermingled for different fundraisers and the like.  Anyways, that's neither here nor there.  Good luck to your boys tomorrow.  Tough test on the road.  I hear their QB put up some impressive numbers last week.

Small world.  I went to Churchill too but before Gustafson was there.  If your wife was a GT English student, then she had my mother as a teacher as well.   

Good luck to the Cru this weekend as well.  As I say almost every year, I would like to get to TLU's game against UMHB but I have two kids who involved in endless youth sports/activities.  Finding an open Saturday is difficult these days.

Your bolding identified my poor draftsmanship.  I knew he was at Churchill, I wasn't sure whether he was at Canyon but I recall reading that.  Should slow down when I am typing.

[GillCJ1]

She did take GT English.  All 4 years, apparently.  I'll move this over to PMs though, so as to not go too far off-topic.

And yes, I completely understand the travel thing.  My kid plays soccer on Saturdays, so I am also hard pressed to travel to away games.  Southwestern joining the conference opens up a new possibility, though.  Georgetown is only about 20 minutes from my house.

[hsucowboy73]

Been a long time since I posted but thought I would jump back into the fray.

Excited to see what Hardin-Simmons brings back today. Especially anxious to see what Landry Turner is able to do at QB for them this year. That to me will be the biggest factor in whether or not they can make a push for the conference title & a playoff run.  Also if you guys aren't aware they have finally upgraded their video & are supposed to have 3 camera angles for their live feed so look for a much improved viewing experience!

[BlazeofGlory]

Belhaven flew to Sul Ross last year. Well, they flew to Midland/Odessa and bussed to Sul Ross. Took band, cheerleaders and of course the football team.

[DFWCrufan]

Game one on the books for the Cru. It's going to be a growing process as most programs are year to year, weird for me since TJ is a lefty, From last night game I would say this, I think our guys played as they should have given a first game and it being a game that counted... alot on their minds and I think it went well all considerations taken.
Sul Ross... Gonna go along way, even, dare I say it, beating HSU? I think they are at that level of play but time will tell. Caught some of the HSU game, they played as expected as well so I was not surprised, they are a strong side.
Southwestern to me as well as Sul Ross will be the probable spoilers. Cannot take either as a easier side, both bring surprises.

[Kelly Boggs]

I agree with you DFWCrufan.

I said at the end of last season that Sul Ross was the most improved team in the conference. The Lobos are a senior laden team and played hard tonight against UMHB SRSU is going to be a tough opponent each Saturday.

The CRU defense picked up where it left off last year. UMHB played smothering D in the first half and made plays when needed in the second. The CRU offense was like a sports car running on bad gas. It spit and sputtered and surged, but did enough to get the W.   

TJ Josey has tons of potenial, but he needs to get more comfortable in his new role. The new receivers also have a whole lot of upside, but need to get adjust to a new scheme. The D should keep UMHB in games while the offense matures.

There is a lot of work that needs to take place between tonight and next Saturday. Linfield looms on the horizon and taking on the Cats in Oregon is going to be tough.