FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity's 2014 schedule is up:  http://trinitytigers.com/sports/fball/2014-15/schedule

Some interesting changes and a better looking schedule than last year:

Howard Payne
@Willamette
@Sul Ross
Pacific Lutheran
@Hardin-Simmons
Chicago

SW - non conference
@TLU *
@SW *
Austin *

* - SCAC conference games

[tigerguy]

I would assume that with their return McMurry won't be eligible for playoffs for several years while the "scholarship athletes" pass on - similar to Birmingham Southern when they switched?

Depending on how many of their player's transfer after the news of the Division change, I'd love to see a matchup between McMurry and UMHB in the first year back. Not sure if UMHB's schedule is set, though.

[Ron Boerger]

Kind of an unknown as we've never seen a team stop the process of leaving D3 to come back to it; the NCAA will have to rule.  That said, they are honoring athletic schollys for the next two years so the soonest they could get into the playoffs (NCAA and the ASC willing) is 2016.

UMHB released their schedule a couple of weeks ago and McMurry is not on it.   Millsaps, Redlands, UW-LaCrosse, Kean, and TLU are the non-ASC opponents. 

[Toby Taff]

The restaurant I work for is popular with the McM football team and they are not happy about the change. I've talked to several that plan on transferring.

[crufootball]

The restaurant I work for is popular with the McM football team and they are not happy about the change. I've talked to several that plan on transferring.

Can't say I blame them, not exactly the situation they were promised when they were being recruited. I would be interested to hear how this years recruiting went, a lot of questions marks now and in the future doesn't exactly sell Mom on sending their kid to the school.

[Ralph Turner]

The restaurant I work for is popular with the McM football team and they are not happy about the change. I've talked to several that plan on transferring.

The guys on the football team need to take a course in finance.  I am sorry that they are losing a "scholarship" football program. If they are any good, they might be able to switch to another D-2 (if the NCAA or the governing conference of their new school were to permit the transfer.)

However, in my humble opinion, McMurry could not compete in the Lone Star Conference in the late 1960's and were definitely not going to have the athletic success in D-2 that they did in the ASC.

Athletic success as measured by number of conference championships does not necessarily fulfill the educational goals and mission and vision of an institution.

[Ron Boerger]

Back to the SCAC.

Good news for Trinity (regardless of football program impact):  the class of 2018 is 22% larger than the class of 2017.  Hopefully a few of those 125 additional students are student-athletes and specifically football players 

Surprising news department:  according to the student newspaper, the SCAC football teams will play a home/away conference schedule beginning in 2016-17.    I guess that speaks to the difficulty in prying a Hardin-Simmons (etc.) away from their current affilliation(s) to join the SCAC, and/or convincing Colorado College to restart their dormant program.

[crufootball]

Back to the SCAC.

Good news for Trinity (regardless of football program impact):  the class of 2018 is 22% larger than the class of 2017.  Hopefully a few of those 125 additional students are student-athletes and specifically football players 

Surprising news department:  according to the student newspaper, the SCAC football teams will play a home/away conference schedule beginning in 2016-17.    I guess that speaks to the difficulty in prying a Hardin-Simmons (etc.) away from their current affilliation(s) to join the SCAC, and/or convincing Colorado College to restart their dormant program.

After reading the article you mentioned Ron, I am curious what are your thoughts on Trinity making a jump in classification as discussed in that article? What do you think are the thoughts of the average Trinity fan?

[roocru]

One of my sources recently told me that Austin College has 50+ freshman footballers who have paid initial costs to enroll in 2014. I also think that only 2-4 of last years' 30+ frosh are not returning.  We will know for sure in August but it looks like a great overall retention rate and nice recruiting job by Coach Dawson and his staff!

[Ron Boerger]

Back to the SCAC.

Good news for Trinity (regardless of football program impact):  the class of 2018 is 22% larger than the class of 2017.  Hopefully a few of those 125 additional students are student-athletes and specifically football players 

Surprising news department:  according to the student newspaper, the SCAC football teams will play a home/away conference schedule beginning in 2016-17.    I guess that speaks to the difficulty in prying a Hardin-Simmons (etc.) away from their current affilliation(s) to join the SCAC, and/or convincing Colorado College to restart their dormant program.

After reading the article you mentioned Ron, I am curious what are your thoughts on Trinity making a jump in classification as discussed in that article? What do you think are the thoughts of the average Trinity fan?

I think it's one thing for the soccer coach to think about D1 (they did defeat SMU in a spring friendly last year), another for football or most any other sports.    Don't think the average Trinity fan, who hasn't cared too much about them playing in a 1A HS field the last 20 years, has much interest in them trying to change classifications.    Don't have the facilities, the financial support, or the support of the town where there are suddenly not just one but two Division I football programs, the second of which (UIW) is about a mile down the road.  About the only sport I could see there being any interest would be tennis, given the school's former D1 heritage, but they're not moving from D3.

One interesting coincidence:   the school just announced that President Dennis Ahlberg, who has been quite supportive of the athletic programs, will step down at the end of his five-year contract Jan 1st, or sooner if a replacement is found.   That's a shame, he's been quite good for the school overall and would even talk to commoners like me at events (unlilke his predecessors he was a common site in the stands at games of all kinds). 

[jekelish]

One of my sources recently told me that Austin College has 50+ freshman footballers who have paid initial costs to enroll in 2014. I also think that only 2-4 of last years' 30+ frosh are not returning.  We will know for sure in August but it looks like a great overall retention rate and nice recruiting job by Coach Dawson and his staff!

I believe you are correct...I've seen a rough version of the roster and it is the biggest, in terms of numbers, I've seen in a very, very long time. Lots of retention, and a huge recruiting class. The momentum that a four game win streak to end the year brings is pretty palpable when you take a look at how many kids are currently expected this fall.

Obviously, there will be some who decide not to play, or decide not to enroll, but as of right now the roster should number at more than 100 players, by a pretty decent margin.

[Ron Boerger]

This doesn't really belong here, but since it's been three weeks since the last post, who's going to complain?

The SCAC recently announced that McMurry will affilliate with the conference in swimming/diving, joining the five SCAC programs that sponsor the sport and affilliate UC-Santa Cruz, effective with the upcoming season.   

http://scacsports.com/sports/mswimdive/2014-15/releases/mcmurry_swim_affiliate

Maybe their experience will be so good they'll talk the rest of the athletic program into coming along for the ride.  Hey, you gotta have a dream ...

[jekelish]

Well now I feel like I should complain just out of principle.

In news unrelated to swimming, word is that the 'Roo football roster will be well into triple digits for the first time in recent memory. Exciting to see such great depth, and the word is there are some terrific athletes coming in.

[etg]

El Tea Gray: regarding Post #9957 (5/15/2014)


Ron,
Regarding you and Ahlberg having good Trinity sports discussions in the "stands"; are you sure you both didn't wind-up near the concession stand or rest room or somewhere else in the venue? The only times that I ever saw Ahlberg make his presence known at a Trinity sports event; he was arriving and then leaving not more than 30 minutes later! IMHO let's not get another Aussie!

                                                                                                                                            

[etg]

(El Tea Gray: regarding Trinity Tiger's 2014 Football Season)

The Tigers play three teams ranked or receiving votes in the D3.com 2014 Preseason Football Poll: #19 Pacific Lutheran, #36 Texas Lutheran and #37 Willamette.
IMHO Trinity will win all three of these games; remember, Mason Blashke is back at QB and if he stays healthy his passing and running should lead the Tigers into the playoffs this season (many consider
him to be a potential D3 level Johnny Manzell except from Cuero HS not Kerville HS).

Question: If both Trinity and UMHB make the first round of the D3 Playoffs, will their probable game be in San Antonio or Belton? The last time they played (2013) the game was in Belton; it was however a regular season game not a playoff game. I recall that there was a ruling that two teams did not have to play two games in a row at the same site; don't know if that was in regards to just playoff games?   



                                                                                                                  Go Tigers, Go