FB: USA South Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

It is a terrible situation to be in as a school...to have to have 200 incoming athletes to stay viable. Exploitation takes many forms....

When you get look at Methodist the school is only 61 years old. They have one generation of benefactors, that is, graduates in the 60's and 70's who can begin to make the large donations that really endow the school. I saw in USN&WR that the endowment is only $22M. After one takes out the designated endowments that cannot be used for anything else, a 5% return on the remainder does not even cover the administrative expense of the VP for Institutional Advancement. If you hope to double your endowment every 30 years, then they have a long way to go.

Hampden-Sydney, founded in 1776 has an endowment of $154.6 M.
Washington and Lee, founded in 1749, is in a whole 'nother league at $1.472 Billion.  W&L has 1800 undergrads and stated tuition and fees are $48K, which  gives a nominal revenue of $86.4M. (We do not know what the discount rate at W&L is.) A 5% return on investment of $1.472B is $73.6M.   The university almost takes in more money from its endowment than it does from undergraduate tuition and fees.

[jknezek]

The real average annual cost per student, as per collegescorecard.ed/gov/search, an awesome tool created during the last administration, lists W&L at $24,655. Methodist is about $2K less. The flip side is the average salary for Methodist grads is just under 39K, W&L is $72,900.

I have no problem with Methodist filling their beds and classroom spaces honestly. I have a huge problem with doing it by over recruiting. There is no way Methodist brings that many first years to college by telling them accurately their chances of playing in the program. They aren't successful enough to be like UMU and UMHB and have the kind of pull to get those kids without blowing smoke at them. And if they were getting the students with honest appraisals, they wouldn't have the drop off they have year after year.

By forcing these targets on coaches they force the coaches to be dishonest with the perspective students, it is the only way to explain the results. And that dishonesty does a disservice to the students evaluating schools for their best fit and, especially for a school with a religious affiliation, is immoral and wrong.

It is simply beneath a non-profit college to behave this way, or at the very least it should be. If the college can't make it without behaving like this, then there simply isn't a demand for them to exist and they are existing not as a non-profit should, to help society, but as a for profit willing to cut corners and lie to customers to keep money rolling in.

[albatross]

It is a terrible situation to be in as a school...to have to have 200 incoming athletes to stay viable. Exploitation takes many forms....

When you get look at Methodist the school is only 61 years old. They have one generation of benefactors, that is, graduates in the 60's and 70's who can begin to make the large donations that really endow the school. I saw in USN&WR that the endowment is only $22M. After one takes out the designated endowments that cannot be used for anything else, a 5% return on the remainder does not even cover the administrative expense of the VP for Institutional Advancement. If you hope to double your endowment every 30 years, then they have a long way to go.

Hampden-Sydney, founded in 1776 has an endowment of $154.6 M.
Washington and Lee, founded in 1749, is in a whole 'nother league at $1.472 Billion.  W&L has 1800 undergrads and stated tuition and fees are $48K, which  gives a nominal revenue of $86.4M. (We do not know what the discount rate at W&L is.) A 5% return on investment of $1.472B is $73.6M.   The university almost takes in more money from its endowment than it does from undergraduate tuition and fees.

W&L has a national network (in several big cities) that is unprecedented for a school of its size. When I was trying to figure out where to play 5 years it ago it came down to them and Hendrix. More about fit...

[Scots13]

Hanover is much improved, but MC did what they could to help them. 24-20 MC

[hasanova]

GCQ handled Methodist easily today in Fayetteville, 56-17.  It could have been worse, but I wish the Monarchs well the rest of the season.  If I was their coach, I'd spin it perhaps as they've played two of their toughest opponents early and the rest of the season will go better.

[Hawks88]

Ugly win for the Hawks tonight in Birmingham. If nothing else it was sure entertaining. As poorly as we played in the first half, they pretty much outdid us in the second half with three turnovers and numerous penalties.
Our starting QB Taylor went out in the 1st with a shoulder injury but it is his non-throwing shoulder and they are saying he could be back in a couple of weeks. We'll see. Blaise Schillase came in and battled through first game jitter type mistakes but the whole team pulled together and battled through and made enough big plays to pull it out. Couldn't be prouder of these guys for battling back after being down 17-0 in the first quarter and 31-14 in the 2nd.
Back at home to start conference play against NC Wesleyan next week.

Go Hawks!

[hasanova]

Ugly win for the Hawks tonight in Birmingham. If nothing else it was sure entertaining. As poorly as we played in the first half, they pretty much outdid us in the second half with three turnovers and numerous penalties.
Our starting QB Taylor went out in the 1st with a shoulder injury but it is his non-throwing shoulder and they are saying he could be back in a couple of weeks. We'll see. Blaise Schillase came in and battled through first game jitter type mistakes but the whole team pulled together and battled through and made enough big plays to pull it out. Couldn't be prouder of these guys for battling back after being down 17-0 in the first quarter and 31-14 in the 2nd.
Back at home to start conference play against NC Wesleyan next week.

Go Hawks!

Congratulations on the win, Hawks88.   Hoping for a quick recovery by Taylor.  I saw the score ... looks like a wild game at BSC.  NC Wesleyan may be reeling after two lop-sided games ... next week should be interesting.  If memory serves me correctly, the Bishops gave HC their lone regular season loss in 2016.

[hasanova]

Visiting Brevard is routing Greensboro 63-0 early in the 4th ... looks like a long season for the Pride.

[scottiedoug]

Scots13...Scots found some offense but apparently not the other part...What did you see?

[Scots13]

I think Diggs proved himself to be a leader and we have 2 good Fr. QBs in Adamson and Castillo,the OL played better but still too many penalties (same goes for the team as a whole), special teams is a liability-even with the 94 yard KOR. Defense played OK, as they were put in bad spots throughout the day.

I think we renewed the season 2017 today after the tough loss the Berry and close game to Hanover. If our offense plays like this the rest of the year we'll set kicking records.

[Hawks88]

Another terrible first half for Huntingdon trailing 21-10 at the half then 28-10 after giving up a long pass early in the third. A QB change at the half to Preston Samoden seemed to spark the offense with a quick score on a big play for HC followed by a score on the first play after a turnover deep in NCW territory got us back in it and the defense held them scoreless the rest of the way. HC took a safety near the end to win 41-30. If we can put together 4 quarters like we played the second halves the last two weeks then we may be okay.

Go Hawks!

[hasanova]

Another terrible first half for Huntingdon trailing 21-10 at the half then 28-10 after giving up a long pass early in the third. A QB change at the half to Preston Samoden seemed to spark the offense with a quick score on a big play for HC followed by a score on the first play after a turnover deep in NCW territory got us back in it and the defense held them scoreless the rest of the way. HC took a safety near the end to win 41-30. If we can put together 4 quarters like we played the second halves the last two weeks then we may be okay.

Go Hawks!

Watching Huntingdon with you, Hawks88.  Nice comeback, but I'm sure you'd love a game where you weren't biting your fingernails with nervousness in the 2nd half.

[Scots13]

After 3 weeks of play, all but Maryville have played a conference game.

Huntingdon, 2-1 (1-0). Lost to Guilford, which I think surprised a lot of people, beat BSC with a second half come back, and beat NCWC after being down 28-10.  QB play has been subject to injuries. I still have faith in Coach Turk that they'll straight out first halves.

Maryville, 2-1 (0-0). Lost to Berry by 6 which still pi$$es me off. Had to come back in the second half against Hanover after trying to give the game away. Beat E&H in a high scoring affair in which MC's special teams tried to give it away again. If we get the stupid special teams mistakes and penalties out of the way, we have a shot. Solid play from first year starter Diggs and 2 good freshmen QBs in Adamson (hurt against Berry) and Castillo (kept MC in the game at E&H after Diggs went out for several series).

Ferrum, 2-1 (0-1). Beat E&H, Apprentice. Lost to Averett. I think their offense is more than capable, but their defensive is pretty dang good.

Averett, 1-2 (1-0). Lost to HSC and RMC. Luckily beat Ferrum. Seem to be going to the ground most of the time. Should be 0-3. I expected more from them to start the year.

Brevard, 1-2 (1-0). Lost to Davidson and E&H. Plastered Greensboro.  Bunch of young guys and a new staff. Still need more games to see what they're all about.

LaGrange, 1-2 (1-0). Lost to Berry and BSC. Beat Methodist. Conner Blair & Co. are still around so they can still sling it.

NCWC, 0-3 (0-1). Lost to Mount Union, Shenandoah, got hawked by Huntingdon (pun intended). Major let down so far. Defense is not in the same zip code against SU and HC. Hoping they don't figure it out this week. Last time MC played in Rocky Mount, NCWC beat the tar out of us.

Methodist, 0-3 (0-1). Lost to Campbell, Guilford, and LaGrange. Big let down too--a couple years ago it seemed like MU would flip the switch and be a contender for the USAC, but they haven't been able to keep a coach.

Greensboro, 1-2 (0-1). Lost to Apprentice and Brevard. Beat Gallaudet. How bad is Gallaudet? Jeez.
--------------------------------------------------

Huntingdon @ Ferrum and Methodist @ Averett this weekend will tell us if Ferrum really is a contender and if Huntingdon still has any youthful magic left; we'll find out if Averett is better or if they just got lucky against Ferrum. I think they got lucky.

Still not completely sold on my boys. They've stretched the field vertically over the last 6 quarters (something they didn't do the first 6) and have opened the run game a little bit. I think the offense is finally getting into a rhythm, but we'll need better play in the kicking game or we'll get beat.

[Subway Alum]

It's good to finally be able to take part here as a supporter of a USA South conference school.  Brevard's years in Division II are best remembered dimly if at all.

We weren't sure just what the new Brevard coach (Bill Khayat) and his staff had to work with with the classification change and what type of offense they would choose to install to replace the old Brevard triple option.  The results against Davidson (ranked dead last in the Sagarin ratings of all FBS and FCS schools) and Emory & Henry weren't all that heartening, but the emphasis on passing was something BC fans hadn't seen since 2008, when the former coach brought in his son as a transfer and BC threw the ball all over the place for a season.  The new coaches attributed the Davidson and E&H losses to the defense having to spend too much time on the field--and that due to an inexperienced offensive line that resulted in far too many three-and-outs.  But Saturday against Greensboro (I saw most of the game on the Greensboro video feed) Brevard showed that a lot of excellent coaching had taken place in the last week and the coaching was starting to take hold.  Maybe Greensboro just isn't that good, or had a particularly bad day, but Brevard handled them the way many South Atlantic Conference teams used to handle Brevard.  It was pleasant to be on the other end for a change.

As the Tornados move on to LaGrange this week and into the rest of the USAC schedule beyond that, we'll see.  But BC has some offensive weapons, with a Division I-size quarterback who has a good arm and skilled veterans of the past couple seasons moved from alternating at option QB to pass receiving positions.  The offensive line looked respectable against Greensboro and is gaining valuable experience with each game.  The defense is solid but can't play 40 minutes, as the coaches recognize. . . .  LaGrange will be an interesting game from several perspectives, and I look forward to what veteran USAC fans think of Brevard as the season progresses.

[jknezek]

It's good to finally be able to take part here as a supporter of a USA South conference school.  Brevard's years in Division II are best remembered dimly if at all.

We weren't sure just what the new Brevard coach (Bill Khayat) and his staff had to work with with the classification change and what type of offense they would choose to install to replace the old Brevard triple option.  The results against Davidson (ranked dead last in the Sagarin ratings of all FBS and FCS schools) and Emory & Henry weren't all that heartening, but the emphasis on passing was something BC fans hadn't seen since 2008, when the former coach brought in his son as a transfer and BC threw the ball all over the place for a season.  The new coaches attributed the Davidson and E&H losses to the defense having to spend too much time on the field--and that due to an inexperienced offensive line that resulted in far too many three-and-outs.  But Saturday against Greensboro (I saw most of the game on the Greensboro video feed) Brevard showed that a lot of excellent coaching had taken place in the last week and the coaching was starting to take hold.  Maybe Greensboro just isn't that good, or had a particularly bad day, but Brevard handled them the way many South Atlantic Conference teams used to handle Brevard.  It was pleasant to be on the other end for a change.

As the Tornados move on to LaGrange this week and into the rest of the USAC schedule beyond that, we'll see.  But BC has some offensive weapons, with a Division I-size quarterback who has a good arm and skilled veterans of the past couple seasons moved from alternating at option QB to pass receiving positions.  The offensive line looked respectable against Greensboro and is gaining valuable experience with each game.  The defense is solid but can't play 40 minutes, as the coaches recognize. . . .  LaGrange will be an interesting game from several perspectives, and I look forward to what veteran USAC fans think of Brevard as the season progresses.

Greensboro was expected to be the worst team in the D3 South Region. Any result other than tearing them off the field probably isn't a good one.

The important thing is to say welcome to DIII and the DIII boards. Teams rise and fall all the time. Brevard will surely get their chance at some point, but this year, based on the results I've seen and some feedback I got from the pre-season W&L scrimmage, is a year for patience for Brevard fans.