FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ron Boerger]

From the US News site:

National Liberal Arts Colleges. The 266 national liberal arts colleges emphasize undergraduate education and award at least 50 percent of their degrees in the liberal arts.

Regional Universities. Like the national universities, regional universities (as defined by the Carnegie Foundation as universities-master's) provide a full range of undergraduate programs and some master's level programs. They offer few, if any, doctoral programs. The 572 regional universities are ranked within four geographic areas: North, South, Midwest, and West.

You could make a case that if all the other SCAC schools can be classed as NLACs, so could Trinity, because it certainly emphasizes undergraduate education.  Sewanee has a doctoral program; Hendrix, a graduate business program; Austin and Colorado College, a graduate program in Education; BSC, several graduate programs.  There may be others.  What I don't know is if 50+% of the degrees at TU are granted in the liberal arts.  

[Navidad]

Good info. Looks like the type of degrees awarded (liberal arts vs. others) at Trinity must the difference, but I can't find good stats on the Trinity website or on the websites of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to be sure about that.

On another front, the new Trinity president's apparently strong support of athletics should be a shot in the arm for the football program in coming years.

From the US News site:

National Liberal Arts Colleges. The 266 national liberal arts colleges emphasize undergraduate education and award at least 50 percent of their degrees in the liberal arts.

Regional Universities. Like the national universities, regional universities (as defined by the Carnegie Foundation as universities-master's) provide a full range of undergraduate programs and some master's level programs. They offer few, if any, doctoral programs. The 572 regional universities are ranked within four geographic areas: North, South, Midwest, and West.

You could make a case that if all the other SCAC schools can be classed as NLACs, so could Trinity, because it certainly emphasizes undergraduate education.  Sewanee has a doctoral program; Hendrix, a graduate business program; Austin and Colorado College, a graduate program in Education; BSC, several graduate programs.  There may be others.  What I don't know is if 50+% of the degrees at TU are granted in the liberal arts.  

[Ron Boerger]

SCAC coaches' preseason poll is out.

1    DePauw University Tigers    44 (4)    
2    Centre College Colonels     41 (2)    
3    Trinity University Tigers   33            
4    Millsaps College Majors     32 (1)    
5    Austin College Kangaroos    20            
6    Rhodes College Lynx         15            
7    Sewanee: UoS Tigers         11

[D3_DPUFan]

SCAC coaches' preseason poll is out.

1    DePauw University Tigers    44 (4)   
2    Centre College Colonels     41 (2)   
3    Trinity University Tigers   33           
4    Millsaps College Majors     32 (1)   
5    Austin College Kangaroos    20           
6    Rhodes College Lynx         15           
7    Sewanee: UoS Tigers         11

Wow how the mighty have fallen...the Majors #4! 

[Pat Coleman]

Four teams separated by 12 points.

[D3_DPUFan]

Four teams separated by 12 points.

Astute observation as always, Pat.  Yes I did notice that...and I really think it will be another dog fight in the conference, especially as you look at where games are being played...the Greencastle Tigers, for example, playing Centre, Trinity and Millsaps on the road...yikes!

[frank_ezelle]

Pre-season picks are exactly what one should expect.  DePauw gets the #1 nod because they were the NCAA Tournament rep last year--that pattern gets repeated a lot in these SCAC pre-season polls.  Centre at #2 has three home games against the other members of the supposed top 4.  Trinity has two homes games and Millsaps one against the others in this four team group.

As for Millsaps, they will have an inexperienced quarterback and a first time head coach so they obviously have question marks.  They also have a lot of talent coming back, assuming that there aren't too many big surprises when the 2010 roster is released.  It's going to be a very interesting season at Millsaps and throughout the SCAC.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity season preview is up.  Total of 100 kids, 45 55 returning and 55 45 new.  And in a sign that things may be changing, new TU prez Ahlberg actually welcomed the team to campus.  I don't know if his predecessor ever said 'boo' to any of the athletic squads.  

SO ready for Kickoff and for the season to get underway ...

edit:  got the returning/new #s backwards, this looks better!

[Tacttm1]

Thanks to Frank for some insight on the Majors.  I did reach out to the SID, but no replies.  With 17 days before the first game, sure would be nice to have a few specifics to chew on.

There is a rumor Juan Joseph has been granted one more semester of eligibility and will be the starting QB. 

[etg]

(El Tea Gray---re: Trinity Tigers #38 D3.football.com Preseason Poll?)



Ron,
Will Kickoff also have the Trinity Tigers rated #38 for the 2010 season?  If so, that is ridiculous, as is the Preseason Poll. They certainly are not in the top 10 yet, but should be in the top 25.


                                                               

[D3_DPUFan]

They (Trinity) certainly are not in the top 10 yet, but should be in the top 25.

Why?

[frank_ezelle]

I don't think there's much insight to provide right now on Millsaps, either from me or the SID.  The MS College game on 9/4 will give us some insight, as will the LaGrange game on 9/11.  Let's remember that Coach DuBose's first team looked absolutely terrible for a few games as he was making big changes to the Millsaps system.  The important thing for Millsaps is to be playing well when Austin College comes to town 9/18 and then when Millsaps travels to Trinity on 9/25.

Regarding the SID position at Millsaps, I saw first hand in recent years just how much time and effort is required in that position.  Last year Millsaps had an experienced SID with a summer to prepare for 2009-10, plus an assistant SID.  This year we have a new guy coming in right before the season, having to learn the ropes mostly on his own, and he has no assistant.  Let's not expect the volume and quality of output that we have had in the past.  That's not fair to the new SID.

Regarding the upcoming season, I'll probably be an interested reader this year instead of being an active participant.  The last five or six years of taking photos and reporting on the Majors have been both rewarding and difficult.  The time has come when there is simply nothing left in the tank both mentally and physically to do this project for another year.  I need a very long break to get my life back in order.  I'll still keep up with the Majors and the SCAC, but it will be from a distance.  It's time for some of the young bloods to come in and bang the drum for the Majors.

[D3_DPUFan]

Regarding the upcoming season, I'll probably be an interested reader this year instead of being an active participant.  The last five or six years of taking photos and reporting on the Majors have been both rewarding and difficult.  The time has come when there is simply nothing left in the tank both mentally and physically to do this project for another year.  I need a very long break to get my life back in order.  I'll still keep up with the Majors and the SCAC, but it will be from a distance.  It's time for some of the young bloods to come in and bang the drum for the Majors.

Thank you for all you do, Frank. I'm obviously a long way from Jackson and my only connection to the Majors is when they play DPU and in the course of the SCAC season...but it's people like you who make the DIII experience that much more special for student-athletes and their families...hats off to you!

[Ron Boerger]

(El Tea Gray---re: Trinity Tigers #38 D3.football.com Preseason Poll?)



Ron,
Will Kickoff also have the Trinity Tigers rated #38 for the 2010 season?  If so, that is ridiculous, as is the Preseason Poll. They certainly are not in the top 10 yet, but should be in the top 25.


                                                               

Ask someone connected with Kickoff.  My contribution to that noble cause in the last three years is exactly one capsule preview, and nothing this year.

Given that we haven't won a playoff game since 2002 and have only one SCAC (co-)championship since 2006, why is it 'ridiculous' for the team to be ranked where it is?   What has changed to make Trinity relevant on the national scene again?   

[historymajor]

I'm with ETG..... The Tigers are coming, the Tigers are coming, and I don't think a 'Spudless', exit stage right, DPU can stop them!