Why we didn't schedule South Dakota

[ZachTheZip]

http://www.volanteonline.com/sports/footba...-game-1.1637030

The Coyotes’ 11th game was supposed to be against Akron University.Akron competes in the Mid-American Conference at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. Akron had to drop the game late because even though USD is a counter at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, it’s considered a non-counter in FBS.For a team to be a counter in the FBS, it has to average 57 scholarships a year. USD didn’t average 57 scholarships last year in its first year in D-I, so the MAC conference forced Akron to drop the game against the Coyotes.“Akron needed a waiver to play us, and both schools were confident the waiver would get through the process with MAC,” USD athletic director Joel Nielsen said. “But it didn’t because the MAC was concerned if Akron only had six wins, the game against us wouldn’t count and it could potentially cost them a bowl game. We understand where they are coming from and understand it’s part of the process.”Meierkort said the Zips still want to play the game, but it’s the conference’s call.

Some interesting information. Once again, the MAC is meddling in the affairs of their teams non-conference schedules even as they can't figure out their own schedule.

[Zipmeister]

http://www.volanteonline.com/sports/footba...-game-1.1637030

The Coyotes’ 11th game was supposed to be against Akron University.Akron competes in the Mid-American Conference at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. Akron had to drop the game late because even though USD is a counter at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, it’s considered a non-counter in FBS.For a team to be a counter in the FBS, it has to average 57 scholarships a year. USD didn’t average 57 scholarships last year in its first year in D-I, so the MAC conference forced Akron to drop the game against the Coyotes.“Akron needed a waiver to play us, and both schools were confident the waiver would get through the process with MAC,” USD athletic director Joel Nielsen said. “But it didn’t because the MAC was concerned if Akron only had six wins, the game against us wouldn’t count and it could potentially cost them a bowl game. We understand where they are coming from and understand it’s part of the process.”Meierkort said the Zips still want to play the game, but it’s the conference’s call.

Some interesting information. Once again, the MAC is meddling in the affairs of their teams non-conference schedules even as they can't figure out their own schedule.Appears to me the Conference office was looking our for Akron's best interest.

[ZachTheZip]

It cost us the home opener being against Indiana.

[Zipsrifle]

I'm probably the last guy who would come to the defense of the MAC, but you know this could come back to screw us. Here is how it would go down. We would have 7 wins, one against SD. This would get thrown out and we would be left with 6 wins. There would be 11 teams with 6 wins and 10 bowl spots open. We would be left at home and Indiana (One of the teams we beat) would be bowling......

[tbozeglav]

Its nice to know, in a way, Akron didn't just pull out on SD like other big name teams might do. At least we still want to have the game, its just the MAC that's FUBARing it.

[zippy5]

Its nice to know, in a way, Akron didn't just pull out on SD like other big name teams might do. At least we still want to have the game, its just the MAC that's FUBARing it.

do you realize it wouldn't have counted as a win? the MAC pretty much saved us...

[tbozeglav]

Its nice to know, in a way, Akron didn't just pull out on SD like other big name teams might do. At least we still want to have the game, its just the MAC that's FUBARing it.

do you realize it wouldn't have counted as a win? the MAC pretty much saved us...

i realize this, i am speaking merely from a PR standpoint. Of course I support the MAC saving us.

[skip-zip]

First of all, I'm glad we didn't take a game that would have not "counted", if we had needed another win to get to a bowl game.Secondly, I've actually gotten comfortable with the idea that Indiana will not be the first game, but will still be on the schedule. I'm really thinking, in the long run, that this will work out for us since we'll have a chance at 2 big crowds in the first part of the season.

[Zipmeister]

It cost us the home opener being against Indiana.

Oh no!

[Captain Kangaroo]

For a team to be a counter in the FBS, it has to average 57 scholarships a year. USD didn’t average 57 scholarships last year in its first year in D-I, so the MAC conference forced Akron to drop the game against the Coyotes.

I think some kid, or kids would have gotten killed if we played that game. It is one thing to schedule a 1-AA game. But these guys don't even meet the minimum requirements of 1-AA. They're essentially Division II. I do know Lee Owens would have pulled an on-side kick on these guys if he were coaching against them, but only if we were up by more than 30. And if we were up 58-0, he would re-insert his starting RB to punch in that final TD and make 100% certain he hit 65.

[Blue & Gold]

The MAC may have been playing the heavy for us on this one. I'm sure that we weren't too thrilled about the match up when we learned that the W wouldn't count toward our win total.With the MAC "forcing" us to drop the game, it may have been a way for us to maintain a friendly relationship with South Dakota by saying that the decision was taken out of our hands?

[ksu sucks]

With the MAC "forcing" us to drop the game, it may have been a way for us to maintain a friendly relationship with South Dakota by saying that the decision was taken out of our hands?

That's a really good way to think about it. Way too many MAC fans (ahem ncaabbs) are quick to blame the MAC office. Pessimism abound on the MAC bbs forums.

[ZachTheZip]

You don't think Akron knew in advance that USD wouldn't count toward bowl eligibility and weighed all the consequences of this deal until the MAC showed up like some kind of scheduling savior? Come on. JD/Mack had to have known exactly what they were getting into. Maybe they had full confidence that we would get to a bowl even with this game.

[g-mann17]

You don't think Akron knew in advance that USD wouldn't count toward bowl eligibility and weighed all the consequences of this deal until the MAC showed up like some kind of scheduling savior? Come on. JD/Mack had to have known exactly what they were getting into. Maybe they had full confidence that we would get to a bowl even with this game.

I actually believe that USD is an FCS team and that Mack thought that the NCAA would allow it to count. They went through the MAC to push for waivers and were denied. It wasn't the MAC trying to screw us. It was that an FBS rule couldn't be bypassed as anticipated by our athletic department.

[tpsjugglerdude]

For a team to be a counter in the FBS, it has to average 57 scholarships a year. USD didn’t average 57 scholarships last year in its first year in D-I, so the MAC conference forced Akron to drop the game against the Coyotes.

I think some kid, or kids would have gotten killed if we played that game. It is one thing to schedule a 1-AA game. But these guys don't even meet the minimum requirements of 1-AA. They're essentially Division II. I do know Lee Owens would have pulled an on-side kick on these guys if he were coaching against them, but only if we were up by more than 30. And if we were up 58-0, he would re-insert his starting RB to punch in that final TD and make 100% certain he hit 65.

I think thats what Michigan thought when they schelduled Appalachian State.

[Z.I.P.]

For a team to be a counter in the FBS, it has to average 57 scholarships a year. USD didn’t average 57 scholarships last year in its first year in D-I, so the MAC conference forced Akron to drop the game against the Coyotes.

I think some kid, or kids would have gotten killed if we played that game. It is one thing to schedule a 1-AA game. But these guys don't even meet the minimum requirements of 1-AA. They're essentially Division II. I do know Lee Owens would have pulled an on-side kick on these guys if he were coaching against them, but only if we were up by more than 30. And if we were up 58-0, he would re-insert his starting RB to punch in that final TD and make 100% certain he hit 65.

I've seen reports that at least several years ago, multiple MAC football programs failed to reach that level (57 scholarships). One source I remember showed EMU providing <50, and others (wish I could remember, but Ball, Ohio come to mind) at around 55. This was back in the early 00's. Wonder how the numbers sit today. How many total scholarships does UA pay out for real? And don't give me university PR!

[InTheZone]

For a team to be a counter in the FBS, it has to average 57 scholarships a year. USD didn’t average 57 scholarships last year in its first year in D-I, so the MAC conference forced Akron to drop the game against the Coyotes.

I think some kid, or kids would have gotten killed if we played that game. It is one thing to schedule a 1-AA game. But these guys don't even meet the minimum requirements of 1-AA. They're essentially Division II.

Ya know, I used to think that way (about 1-A mid-majors playing at a much higher level than D2 and 1-AA) until I started going to catch Ashland-Wayne St every year to catch up with many of my old coaches. Honestly, after watching an Ashland team last year that had a better QB and 3 WR's than anything we've had since Frye-Cherry-Sparks-Irvin, I'm not so sure the gap is that wide anymore. IMO, the difference between the upper level of D2 (which USD used to be a part of) and the MAC isn't all that significant. We would've won the game but no one would've "gotten killed".