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Is the WAC Dead?
- Thread starter eagle11
- Start date
Screamin_Eagle174
Active member
eagle1 said:
I don't see how they have much of a choice; it's either that, or drop football, which I don't see them doing either.
marceagfan5
Active member
Idaho is almost left for dead...all of the WAC teams are being discussed in the new larger conference except for Idaho. Idaho would only drop down to FCS if it was the last resort and they really don't want to, but it may be their only option. If they did, it would probably be a 3-4 year transition, but it would be nice to have 14 football teams in the conference and divide them into 2 divisions.
Idaho would make the big sky conference better...and maybe they will come back as they have natural rivals with Montana, ISU, and Eastern in the big sky. Their big rival, Boise State, moved on to bigger and better things and somewhat left Idaho in the dust.
Idaho would make the big sky conference better...and maybe they will come back as they have natural rivals with Montana, ISU, and Eastern in the big sky. Their big rival, Boise State, moved on to bigger and better things and somewhat left Idaho in the dust.
Rontheoldwiseeagle
Active member
Once you go WAC you never go back.
Screamin_Eagle174
Active member
Idaho is like that douchey kid in HS who thinks he's cool and tries to hang out with the popular kids, but really isn't and gets shunned, relegating him to being a loner or begging for acceptance from the brainiacs. 
The WAC may not be dead yet, but it sure isn't looking good for them. It looks like just about every program is lookig for a way to jump ship, and now even the Comish has taken another job. I could see those Texas schools going to the Sun Belt, and San Jose and Utah State along with La Tech to the new MW/CUSA merer. Idaho better hope they get an invite to that thing, or they could have some serious problems. I don't think they would survive too long as an Indie. As it is, they bring in FCS schools for additional home games. I'm also not sure I would want them back in the Big Sky, either. Not after all the smack they've talked about the Big Sky and FCS since their big "move-up".
Screamin_Eagle174
Active member
EWURanger said:
It would be great to have them back in the Sky and get beat up on by everyone, and I do mean everyone (once their schollies dwindle down to 63). :thumb:
BLACKFALKIN1
Active member
Exactly what are the reasons why Idaho is good for the big sky? Besides getting to 14.
Screamin_Eagle174 said:
Well, I dunno about that one. I'm certainly no fan of Idaho, but they had a very good 1-AA program when they were still in the Big Sky. In fact, when they left in 1995 I would compare them to where Eastern is in the FCS now. Very similar, from a competitive point of view. They also had some great QB's, and ran a very similar system as EWU does now. I don't know that they would ever re-join the Big Sky, for football anyway, but if they did, I don't think they'd be a doormat even at 63 scholarships. Not when you have programs like ISU and UNC around. They'd most likely be competing for conference titles right away.
BLACKFALKIN said:
They'd be Another Flagship University that fits in the footprint of the old Big Sky. I think they were an original charter member. Adding another school that is so close could also create some sort of split in the Big Sky for football and the olympic sports where you play the 6 closest teams, and only a few outside your division, thus cutting down travel costs. It'd also renew regional rivalries between them, Montana, EWU, ISU, etc.
I still din't think they will come, but it will be interesting to see what happens nonetheless.
BLACKFALKIN1
Active member
What good is Idaho going to do the Sky? Compete for titles? Again, im not understanding what Idaho is going to do for the conf.
No extra conf exposure. No additional money, no huge fan support like UM & MSU, mediocre stadium. etc
No extra conf exposure. No additional money, no huge fan support like UM & MSU, mediocre stadium. etc
Screamin_Eagle174
Active member
EWURanger said:
As of right now, EWU, UM, MSU, and CP could beat them. You think they're going to continue to get the same caliber athletes if they moved back down to the BSC and lost 22 schollies?
EWURanger said:
This. Rather than a UNC type of team joining the conference and taking years to develop a fan base, facilities, and DI program (UNC just now hired their first full time o-line coach) Idaho would be instant with all of this. They would make the Big Sky conference better.
Our rivalry with them would be instant as well. It would increase media exposure for the Big Sky conference in the local media market and the annual matchup would be another guaranteed sell out at Roos including temporary seating.
Good for the Big Sky, good for us, good for Idaho.
Screamin_Eagle174 said:
I think they'd get similar athletes as they do now. Sure, they'd miss out on a few kids that are completely sold on playing only at the FBS level. But the reality is that save a few schools like Fresno or Nevada (who are no longer even in the conference), the quality of recruits that most WAC schools get is not a lot better than those in the Big Sky, and certainly no better than what the elite FCS schools get. The real reason WAC schools would beat Big Sky schools the majority of the time isn't because of the quality of the players, it's because of depth. Play those games early in the season when injuries aren't as much of an issue, and a lot of them would be close.
Also, the loss of those 22 scholarships is completely relative - it isn't an issue when you are competing against other schools with the same limitations. I think they'd be very competitive in FCS. Their highest winning percentages in football were from the 80's and 90's when they were in the Big Sky/1-AA.
BLACKFALKIN said:
Idaho has a big enrollment for a traditional focus university (not a commuter school like Portland State or Sac State) and routinely averaged in the top half of the "old" conference attendance in football and basketball (remember, that included Boise State and Nevada). It would be impossible for the conference to turn down that revenue stream. The Big Sky makes money by gate receipts, this isn't a TV revenue conference like the FBS.
eaglesfootball
Active member
there is a reason that there hasn't been a 14th school added for football. if UI doesn't come, I dont think we will be seeing No Dak around for long. 13 members is not a good model for scheduling. I personally think it will be sun belt for Idaho as I don't think they rejoin the Big Sky despite the wishes of a lot of their old timer alums.
