Balancing the scales= BCS & Non-BCS

[xu9697]

In thinking about transfers, balancing BCS and non-BCS schools in FBS, reading about the CAA and considering the recent talk of "Is the MAC FBS football, really?" this popped in my mind over the weekend.

You look at teams in the CAA (Villanova, Delaware, James Madison, Richmond, etc.). Read a bit about this league, and they get MANY highly touted players that transfer from the bigger schools. One that pops in my head right away (though I read about quite a few others) is Pat Devlin, QB at Delaware who was highly touted and originall at Penn State.

What if kids that went to BCS schools DID NOT have to sit out a year to go to non-BCS schools? Teams in the C-USA, MAC, Sun Belt, etc. could gain a somewhat small but perhaps slightly signficant competitive balance against the BCS schools.

I think part of why you see these CAA and other successful FCS schools succeeding against lower FBS and even struggling BCS schools (App St. vs. UM, Jack St. vs. Ole Miss) is due to these guys that can transfer and NOT sit out a year.

Just a thought...obviously thinking about the health of the MAC!!!!

[MaxZIP]

In thinking about transfers, balancing BCS and non-BCS schools in FBS, reading about the CAA and considering the recent talk of "Is the MAC FBS football, really?" this popped in my mind over the weekend.

You look at teams in the CAA (Villanova, Delaware, James Madison, Richmond, etc.). Read a bit about this league, and they get MANY highly touted players that transfer from the bigger schools. One that pops in my head right away (though I read about quite a few others) is Pat Devlin, QB at Delaware who was highly touted and originall at Penn State.

What if kids that went to BCS schools DID NOT have to sit out a year to go to non-BCS schools? Teams in the C-USA, MAC, Sun Belt, etc. could gain a somewhat small but perhaps slightly signficant competitive balance against the BCS schools.

I think part of why you see these CAA and other successful FCS schools succeeding against lower FBS and even struggling BCS schools (App St. vs. UM, Jack St. vs. Ole Miss) is due to these guys that can transfer and NOT sit out a year.

Just a thought...obviously thinking about the health of the MAC!!!!

That is an amazing idea. Some top talent would show up almost instantly for playing time and a chance to show what they have.

[zippy5]

But instead of transferring to Delaware to start, Devlin could have just went to Pitt, who has lacked a decent starter since Tyler Palko left. These guys wouldn't come to Akron, Can't, MAC level schools. They only transfer down so they don't lose a year of PT. Don't mistake them for 1-AA talent.

[johnnyzip84]

But instead of transferring to Delaware to start, Devlin could have just went to Pitt, who has lacked a decent starter since Tyler Palko left.

Why? Joe Flacco and Rich Gannon have done pretty well for themselves.

These guys wouldn't come to Akron, Can't, MAC level schools.

Luke Getsy did.

I like the proposal to allow BCS transfers to non-BCS teams without having to sit out a year. Of course it may only be allowed to happen if and when GP1's "new division" appears.

[xu9697]

But instead of transferring to Delaware to start, Devlin could have just went to Pitt, who has lacked a decent starter since Tyler Palko left. These guys wouldn't come to Akron, Can't, MAC level schools. They only transfer down so they don't lose a year of PT. Don't mistake them for 1-AA talent.

Which is my whole point= they transfer there b/c they can play right away, not b/c they can't cut it at the "top level". If they could go to a non-BCS school that still is in the FBS, they very well might choose the MAC.

Secondly, Bill Stull had a very "Palko" type year last year. And, though Lewis was the key, he was part of a 10-3 team that won a bowl game.

[skip-zip]

But instead of transferring to Delaware to start, Devlin could have just went to Pitt, who has lacked a decent starter since Tyler Palko left. These guys wouldn't come to Akron, Can't, MAC level schools. They only transfer down so they don't lose a year of PT. Don't mistake them for 1-AA talent.

Which is my whole point= they transfer there b/c they can play right away, not b/c they can't cut it at the "top level". If they could go to a non-BCS school that still is in the FBS, they very well might choose the MAC.

Secondly, Bill Stull had a very "Palko" type year last year. And, though Lewis was the key, he was part of a 10-3 team that won a bowl game.

It's a great thought. If they could transfer anywhere without sitting out a year, most of the good ones would just transfer to other BCS schools. But, I can see a possibility that some very talented players, who would have slipped down to 1-AA schools, would instead choose a lower-level 1-A school.

[tbozeglav]

It's a great thought. If they could transfer anywhere without sitting out a year, most of the good ones would just transfer to other BCS schools. But, I can see a possibility that some very talented players, who would have slipped down to 1-AA schools, would instead choose a lower-level 1-A school.

In an unfair system, its a very reasonable way to give the lower level conferences a chance to be more competitive.

However, schools like TCU and Boise wouldn't benefit at all given their recent successes (esp in the polls). Not that they really matter since they've been able to recruit very good talent without being a BCS team.

Either way, this is a win-win situation from what I can tell. It'd be great to see this enacted soon.

[GP1]

What if kids that went to BCS schools DID NOT have to sit out a year to go to non-BCS schools? Teams in the C-USA, MAC, Sun Belt, etc. could gain a somewhat small but perhaps slightly signficant competitive balance against the BCS schools.

Either we are D-IA or we are not. We can't be it some of the time. If we are D-IA, then players have to sit out. If not, then they can play right away.

[zippy5]

But instead of transferring to Delaware to start, Devlin could have just went to Pitt, who has lacked a decent starter since Tyler Palko left. These guys wouldn't come to Akron, Can't, MAC level schools. They only transfer down so they don't lose a year of PT. Don't mistake them for 1-AA talent.

Which is my whole point= they transfer there b/c they can play right away, not b/c they can't cut it at the "top level". If they could go to a non-BCS school that still is in the FBS, they very well might choose the MAC.

Secondly, Bill Stull had a very "Palko" type year last year. And, though Lewis was the key, he was part of a 10-3 team that won a bowl game.

I was just using Pitt as an example, many fans didn't like Stull, or Sunseri now. But my point is, I believe these guys would just find another BCS team with a starting job open to transfer to.

[Big Zip]

GP1 I understand what you are saying that you are either Div. 1a or you aren't, but it isn't the non-BCS schools that asked to be Div. 1A non-BCS they created that separate division. This is a perfectly legitimate thought. If all Div. 1a schools were actually treated equally and provided the opportunity of the BCS schools you argument works, but in this scenario it doesn't.

Pitt is in a BCS conference and thus wouldn't be eligible for no sit out players.

[zippy5]

Ah so you're saying they can transfer to non-BCS schools? That's a slippery slope separating ourselves like that.

[Big Zip]

Slippery slope or not they have already made the distinction between us and them by creating a BCS level of bowls and those for the rest of us. This would simply take advantage of a designation put in place by the powers in order to try to level the playing field some. The interesting thing to see would be if it actually created more transfers because there would be a Div. 1 level still available with no need to sit out. Thus it would most likely never get approved, but I love the idea. We've always talked about those kids that go to schools like OSU and sit the bench for five years never playing. This would provide them with a more tangible outlet for their mistake than dropping to the not FBS subdivision. For crying out loud man this is for the kids! 18 year old kids make mistakes all the teim we're just trying to help them!

[GP1]

GP1 I understand what you are saying that you are either Div. 1a or you aren't, but it isn't the non-BCS schools that asked to be Div. 1A non-BCS they created that separate division. This is a perfectly legitimate thought. If all Div. 1a schools were actually treated equally and provided the opportunity of the BCS schools you argument works, but in this scenario it doesn't.

Pitt is in a BCS conference and thus wouldn't be eligible for no sit out players.

I see what you are saying. However, they need to make a lot more rule and structural changes than just this one.

I don't think this levels the playing field with BCS schools in a meaningful way. It would help gather some transfers, but they would just be the guys who couldn't play at the bcs level so there would still be a difference in talent. It would generate some separation between I-AA and non-bcs schools, but not in a meaningful way.

I would like to see more structural changes in the NCAA.

[tbozeglav]

GP1 I understand what you are saying that you are either Div. 1a or you aren't, but it isn't the non-BCS schools that asked to be Div. 1A non-BCS they created that separate division. This is a perfectly legitimate thought. If all Div. 1a schools were actually treated equally and provided the opportunity of the BCS schools you argument works, but in this scenario it doesn't.

Pitt is in a BCS conference and thus wouldn't be eligible for no sit out players.

I see what you are saying. However, they need to make a lot more rule and structural changes than just this one.

I don't think this levels the playing field with BCS schools in a meaningful way. It would help gather some transfers, but they would just be the guys who couldn't play at the bcs level so there would still be a difference in talent. It would generate some separation between I-AA and non-bcs schools, but not in a meaningful way.

I would like to see more structural changes in the NCAA.

We get that, but realistically speaking theres almost no chance of that happening in the near future. If anything, this type of policy has a better chance of happening than a complete restucturing of the Div1A of NCAA football.

[Zipmeister]

Slippery slope or not they have already made the distinction between us and them by creating a BCS level of bowls and those for the rest of us. This would simply take advantage of a designation put in place by the powers in order to try to level the playing field some. The interesting thing to see would be if it actually created more transfers because there would be a Div. 1 level still available with no need to sit out. Thus it would most likely never get approved, but I love the idea. We've always talked about those kids that go to schools like OSU and sit the bench for five years never playing. This would provide them with a more tangible outlet for their mistake than dropping to the not FBS subdivision. For crying out loud man this is for the kids! 18 year old kids make mistakes all the teim we're just trying to help them!

Nominated for the "Ironic Statement of the Month" Award.