Eastern Collegiate Football Conference

[ExTartanPlayer]

I, as a Husson fan, wouldn't complain if the NCAA created some sort of play-in procedure where maybe the ECFC and NEFC combine for one bid, or have a play-in game of some sort.  I have no idea how the mechanics would work, but it wouldn't be outrageous.

This has been discussed occasionally before - if the tournament ever grows beyond 32 teams, this sort of thing would seem like a logical solution.  Play-in games between teams with low seeds in close geographic proximity.

Regardless, without the ECFC I don't think Husson football would survive.  Already they struggle enough to get non-conference games that they played one short on the schedule this season.  MMA's continued outright refusal to entertain the notion of playing Husson, and Colby-Bates-Bowdoin's insular NESCAC schedule, means that Husson is automatically travelling (or being traveled to) over four hours just to get a game.  Hopefully the University of New England will be willing to play Husson, but other than that there is no help coming on the horizon.

Good insight, this is one of the benefits of these boards.  We can occasionally get caught up in our own desires/wishers, always good to have reminders from fans of other schools what their experience is like.

[pg04]

One thing I can credit Husson with is scheduling out of the ECFC. They do a good job generally scheduling up in conference. Some of the teams in the ECFC are not as bold. Again, that could be a function of many things, but it's something that has helped Husson, I think.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I understand the feeling of better teams watching the ECFC teams get mauled in the postseason.  It has to be frustrating.  I just take issue with fans blaming the ECFC and its teams for what isn't really their fault. 

I, as a Husson fan, wouldn't complain if the NCAA created some sort of play-in procedure where maybe the ECFC and NEFC combine for one bid, or have a play-in game of some sort.  I have no idea how the mechanics would work, but it wouldn't be outrageous.

Regardless, without the ECFC I don't think Husson football would survive.  Already they struggle enough to get non-conference games that they played one short on the schedule this season.  MMA's continued outright refusal to entertain the notion of playing Husson, and Colby-Bates-Bowdoin's insular NESCAC schedule, means that Husson is automatically travelling (or being traveled to) over four hours just to get a game.  Hopefully the University of New England will be willing to play Husson, but other than that there is no help coming on the horizon.

It should also be noted that not all travel distances are effectively equal.  300 miles in the northeast may take as long as 4-500 miles in the ASC or NWC.

[H.C.Mosely1895]

Speaking for Norwich, there was a number of reasons that Norwich switched conferences, and it has nothing to do with stealing a playoff bid. Norwich football survived over 100 years without worrying about playoff bids. It didn't automatically become a priority.

1. Travel distance. In the Empire 8, every road game except for Springfield was 5-7 hours away. In the ECFC, SUNY and Gaulladet are long hauls (with Husson being about 5 hours), but Castleton, Becker, Mt. Ida, and Anna Maria are in the normal footprint of what Norwich athletics normally play. So travel wise, it made sense.

2. School identity. Norwich is a small New England school. It makes sense to join a conference that is primarily made up of small New England schools.

3. Norwich was asked to. Sure, Norwich didn't have great success in the Empire 8, but as has been mentioned, it was an established program that had been playing football for over a century. It's commitment to the conference gave the conference that had a number of upstart programs (Castleton, Anna Maria, Gallaudet) a sense of legitimacy and permanency.

Of these reasons, #2 highlights why Norwich is leaving the ECFC for the NEWMAC. I imagine that the NEWMAC is going to be tougher for Norwich, but being associated with like-minded schools like Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and Maine Maritime just makes a lot of sense. Add that to being associated with strong academic schools like MIT and Catholic, and then long-standing rivals WPI and Springfield and it's just a perfect fit. Is it going to be harder to win conference championships and make the playoffs? Yes, probably. But that's not the entire point. The point is that the new conference better serves Norwich's needs in terms of underlining the school's identity and values while allowing its student-athletes to compete in this environment. That's what DIII is all about! And that's why Norwich moved to the ECFC in the first place.

Somewhere in here I can go on my rant about why I hate the very concept of wild cards in any sport, but I'll save that for another day.

[NED3Guy]

The notion that the ECFC schools were having a hard time filling their schedules without a conference is somewhat lost on me....the ECFC was formed to steal an AQ plain and simple.

In the years prior to the ECFC's formation in 2009; Becker, Mount Ida, Husson, SUNY and Galladet were all playing 9 or 10 game schedules as independents (see D3football.com team pages)...and had been doing so for years. (Mount Ida started football in 1999, Husson in 2003, Becker and SUNY in 2005, and Galaudet "returning to varsity" in 2007). With the exception of the first year for a few of those teams, it seems like they found games without issue, often times playing each other.

Castleton and Anna Maria started football in conjunction with the ECFC's formation in 2009, and my guess is that Castleton's leadership was the driving force to get the AQ. (see below)

(Norwich, as mentioned by others, had a long football history and was in the E8 prior to 2009)

Despite what has been said on this board, it is clear in the first ever press release about the ECFC, that the goal was in fact to get an AQ:

See Castleton President's quote:
"Our college conference Presidents voted unanimously to support the new ECFC because we believe that it will enhance the overall student-athlete educational experience at our institutions, expand Division III non-scholarship football opportunities, create an automatic qualifier for the NCAA national tournament, and focus on sportsmanship, fair play, moral integrity and competitive excellence," said Castleton State College President and Chair of the ECFC Presidents Council, Dave Wolk.

http://www.easterncollegiatefootball.com/sports/fball/2009-10/news/09announcement

[ExTartanPlayer]

The notion that the ECFC schools were having a hard time filling their schedules without a conference is somewhat lost on me....the ECFC was formed to steal an AQ plain and simple.

In the years prior to the ECFC's formation in 2009; Becker, Mount Ida, Husson, SUNY and Galladet were all playing 9 or 10 game schedules as independents (see D3football.com team pages)...and had been doing so for years. (Mount Ida started football in 1999, Husson in 2003, Becker and SUNY in 2005, and Galaudet "returning to varsity" in 2007). With the exception of the first year for a few of those teams, it seems like they found games without issue, often times playing each other.

Castleton and Anna Maria started football in conjunction with the ECFC's formation in 2009, and my guess is that Castleton's leadership was the driving force to get the AQ. (see below)

(Norwich, as mentioned by others, had a long football history and was in the E8 prior to 2009)

Despite what has been said on this board, it is clear in the first ever press release about the ECFC, that the goal was in fact to get an AQ:

See Castleton President's quote:
"Our college conference Presidents voted unanimously to support the new ECFC because we believe that it will enhance the overall student-athlete educational experience at our institutions, expand Division III non-scholarship football opportunities, create an automatic qualifier for the NCAA national tournament, and focus on sportsmanship, fair play, moral integrity and competitive excellence," said Castleton State College President and Chair of the ECFC Presidents Council, Dave Wolk.

http://www.easterncollegiatefootball.com/sports/fball/2009-10/news/09announcement

That's good information...but it's still a little mystifying to me why this is stealing an AQ and not just a normal thing to do.  Why wouldn't a bunch of teams that are already playing against each other as independents (in your own words) decide to form a conference, especially once two more programs in their footprint started up?  Doesn't that just seem like a natural thing to do?

[NED3Guy]

Valid.

I guess "stealing" is a bit harsh.

So I will back track, put foot in mouth and change my statement...

The ECFC, how it was formed, why it was formed, and how it gained an AQ; was not stealing. They looked at the NCAA rules, saw a way to get an AQ and did what they needed to do to get it. The rules are what they are, and the process can be debated forever....

Sidenote: the  first ECFC team to make the NCAA tournament did so as a pool B, when SUNY won the conference in 2010...learning a lot killing time on the ECFC website today.

[ccd494]

I think regardless of whether an NCAA bid, per NCAA rules, was a viable option, something resembling the ECFC would have formed.

Like you said, the schools were playing schedules that were basically against themselves.  Whether it was forming a conference that could get an NCAA bid, or a conference that could just crown a champion, hope for an ECAC Bowl appearance and then go home, it was going to get formed.  Maybe the league was proactive in finding the requisite members for an autobid (like asking Norwich to move over), but once you are already going to form the conference, why not take that extra step?

If all the schools had, like Norwich, left Pool A conferences for the virtue of forming a new conference amongst teams that had never been there then yes, that is stealing a bid.  But seven of the schools involved didn't have another conference to join.  The conferences that didn't let those schools in don't get to say they can't form a new conference.

I would love it if Husson got an invite to a conference other than the ECFC.  I think the administration is willing to support the program as much as they need to for the Eagles to be successful against whoever they play.  The issue is finding a conference full of teams willing to drive to Maine, then drive another two-plus hours as soon as they hit the border.

[d3fan142511]

Alfred State and Dean Joining the ECFC in 2017.

[NED3Guy]

Becker coach steps down after the best year in program history and being named ECFC coach of the year....

How soon until his name pops up someplace else in the region?

[d3fan142511]

Wow that is shocking news...They are going to be Returning a majority of their Skill Players too.

[Pat Coleman]

Becker coach steps down after the best year in program history and being named ECFC coach of the year....

How soon until his name pops up someplace else in the region?

Not long. All depends on when University of New England is ready to announce its coaching hire for the 2017 team.

[ccd494]

Becker coach steps down after the best year in program history and being named ECFC coach of the year....

How soon until his name pops up someplace else in the region?

Not long. All depends on when University of New England is ready to announce its coaching hire for the 2017 team.

Now.  http://bangordailynews.com/2016/02/04/sports/first-university-of-new-england-head-football-coach-cannot-wait-to-get-started/?ref=SportsBox

[ccd494]

Included in the Portland Press Herald story about UNE hiring Lichten is news that Husson and UNE have a four year scheduling agreement starting in 2018.  Great news for the Eagles.

[H.C.Mosely1895]

A bit of old news, but the Maple Sap Bucket Game will live on when Norwich moves to the NEWMAC in 2017. Good news for both schools and the state of Vermont.

http://norwichathletics.com/sports/fball/2015-16/releases/20160215ffxuyt