FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[rooski]

The AC football website now shows an addition to the 2009 schedule for Oct.3rd - the former home date vs. Colorado College. The new opponent listed is "Tecnologico de Monterrey". 

Yes, from Mexico. Their website says the football team is a two-time defending national champion. But I don't know anything about college football in Mexico... Help me here guys...

[Gray Fox]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borregos_Salvajes_-_ITESM_Campus_Monterrey

[Pat Coleman]

D-III senior All-Stars have beaten the Mexican champs 10 times out of 11 in the Aztec Bowl.

[roocru]

The AC football website now shows an addition to the 2009 schedule for Oct.3rd - the former home date vs. Colorado College. The new opponent listed is "Tecnologico de Monterrey". 

Yes, from Mexico. Their website says the football team is a two-time defending national champion. But I don't know anything about college football in Mexico... Help me here guys...

As I have said before, it is interesting that the current AC team is returning to play many teams that we played while I was on the team in the late 60's.  This is now another example!!  I played against a Mexican team as a freshman in Sherman.  We traveled to Mexico as a sophomore, stayed five days (to acclimate to the altitude) and played in Mexico's Olympic Stadium.  Many memories there, both of the game, before and after.   I am glad AC got a 10th game!!

[Ron Boerger]

The AC football website now shows an addition to the 2009 schedule for Oct.3rd - the former home date vs. Colorado College. The new opponent listed is "Tecnologico de Monterrey".  

Yes, from Mexico. Their website says the football team is a two-time defending national champion. But I don't know anything about college football in Mexico... Help me here guys...

Trinity played Monterrey Tech a few times back when the TU program was near its nadir.  I think they were 2-1, though it would seem both teams have improved since then.  There has been some discussion of MT taking on the new UTSA D1 program when it gets going in a year or two.  

[Ralph Turner]

Trinity leads the Monterrey Tech series...

3wins, one loss and 2 ties.

http://www.trinity.edu/departments/athletics/Football/archives/arch-series.htm

[D3_DPUFan]

Yes, from Mexico. Their website says the football team is a two-time defending national champion. But I don't know anything about college football in Mexico... Help me here guys...

Whatever you do, don't drink the Gatorade...

Seriously, glad to see you guys got a 10th...

[Ron Boerger]

D-III senior All-Stars have beaten the Mexican champs 10 times out of 11 in the Aztec Bowl.

And that excludes players from the top 2-4 teams which are still in the playoffs when the game was held.

[Tex]

Good points Wes.  Everyone gripes and moans about a D-1a national championship playoff versus the bowl system.  But in contrast, in D-3 if you seemingly lose more than 1 game, no playoffs for you. 

How are you supposed to get better if you don't step up your pre-conference schedule?

I guess I'm spoiled on the Texas High School playoffs.  Nothing matters for playoffs until you get to your District Schedule.  So, often times, the really good teams go out and play other really good teams, steel sharpens steel sort of thing. 

[TigerDad]

Stat Geek Question...
How many high school football players are there in the US?
How many NCAA football players are there in the US? (all divisions)

Tex, good questions.  I remembered seeing some statistics during a Randy Rodgers Recruiting seminar a few years back, but could not find my notes.  So, I sent Coach Rodgers an e-mail, which he forwarded to Brian Stumpf of Student Sports Magazine in California, who wrote this reply:

HIGH SCHOOL:

The latest numbers released by the NFHS (last September for the 07-08 school year) can be found at the following link:

http://www.nfhs.org/web/2008/09/high_school_sports_participation.aspx

To summarize – football once again topped the list for HS sports participants, with 1.1 million of the 7.4 estimated high school sports participants from the school year.

If you visit the NFHS link above, you can read that high school football participant numbers are more than twice that of the next sports (boys basketball, girls volleyball and boys and girls track and field).  No doubt partially due to the number of players on the field during the game and numbers on the team.

COLLEGE:

A few Google searches rendered the following (unconfirmed) info:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_NCAA_Division_1_football_players_were_there_in_2005

Q: How many NCAA Division 1 football players were there in 2005?

A:  In Division 1A, 119 times approximately 125 (85 scholarship/balance non-scholarship) = 14,875.

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?key=/ncaa/ncaa/academics+and+athletes/education+and+research/probability+of+competing/methodology+-+prob+of+competing

Football

About 5.7 percent, or approximately one in 17, of all high school senior boys playing interscholastic football will go on to play football at a NCAA member institution.

About 1.8 percent, or approximately one in 50, of NCAA senior football players will get drafted by a National Football League (NFL) team.

Approximately eight in 10,000, or approximately 0.08 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic football will eventually be drafted by an NFL team.

Ralph, Pat, Keith ... anyone? ... does anybody have any insight into the actual number of college football players in the USA?  By NCAA Division? 

===

OK, re-directing the subject here (stay with me):

During my search for the above info, I ran across an article from the Chicago Tribune (reprinted here: http://www.newamerica.net/publications/articles/2008/bcs_teams_flunk_gridiron_9450) about the dismal graduation rate of BCS (formerly Div I-A) football players.

According to the above article, "only 55 percent of Division I-A football players leave college in six years with a degree."  The article goes on to discuss the quality of these athletes' education (basket-weaving, anyone?) and the NCAA's attempt to regulate and "grade" the various programs on their graduation rates.

Does anyone know of similar figures for Division III athletes, especially football??  I would assume it's MUCH higher, but it would be interesting to learn some real facts here.

Any SID's wanna jump in here?  Or request this info from the NCAA and report back?  Might make an interesting article for D3Football.com during this otherwise slow off-season ...

[D3_DPUFan]

Congrats to AC Coach Ronnie Gage...will be inducted into the Texas H.S. Coaches Association Hall of Honor later this month...story on the SCAC website...

[PA_wesleyfan]

Tigerdad

    It may be harder to find that info because so many kids drop out of football and stay at school in DIII.     It is probably easier to follow scholorship athletes

[historymajor]

TD... nice analysis. 

Regarding AC's choice to play Monterey Tech.... 

It's been a few years but Trinity used to scrimmage them as a preseason warmup.  They always brought a small army to EMS and were more interested in picking fights and getting ejected.  They treated the scrimmage like their super bowl and were plenty big and strong, but not really technically sharp. 

AC's option attack (if they still use it) should drive them crazy.  I would caution AC to tape heavily, wear knee braces and expect a VERY physical game with lot's of unsportsmanlike conduct.  They seem more interested in MMA than our SCAC brand of football.

[rooski]

Yes, from Mexico. Their website says the football team is a two-time defending national champion. But I don't know anything about college football in Mexico... Help me here guys...

Thank you for the feedback, gentlemen.

[crufootball]

Anyone know if AC will have to go to Monterey Tech next year or is this a one time thing?