West Georgia

[gofurman]

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS to dilute football in the south. Good grief - it is no coincidence that the winners are in the Dakotas and Montana. There are VERY FEW new FCS schools there to divide the talent ( "hey come play at Western Dakota and start as a freshman instead of waiting to be a junior at SDSU") -

Here I can't even name all the talent that is getting siphoned off.
Coastal Carolina 85 scholarships (was ZERO 20 years ago)
App State added 22
GSouthern added 22
KSU didn't exist now they are going to eat 85 scholarships at FBS; and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Georgia State didn't exist - now 85 scholarships; and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Campbell didn't play football?
Wofford was D2 and now takes 63 right up the road
Samford was D2(?) and now takes 63
Mercer did not have football and now takes 63 and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Charlotte did not have football and now takes 85 scholarships right up the road

Who did I not list that is nearby?

I imagine if you also counted up all the athletes added in the south via growing population and/or high school numbers and sizes in all those places, that would be a much larger number than 20 years ago too. So it’s not as though the athlete supply has stayed constant while demand increases.

Sure. Population is growing. Malthusian theory right?

But that’s only PART of the question. Here is the real question-

If the population of D1 - FBS and FCS - level guys increases 11% in the southeast and the scholarships for these same guys increase 14% then we have talent dilution. It’s as simple as that. If scholarship growth outpaces talent growth then talent drops at our programs that recruit regionally

The scholarship growth we could calculate. Population is tougher because we only want to count males age 18-22 who WERE of, say, 1980s, D1 talent. Which may be of a different talent level than now if teams are willing to take lesser athletes

Got these numbers?

[Bootie]

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS to dilute football in the south. Good grief - it is no coincidence that the winners are in the Dakotas and Montana. There are VERY FEW new FCS schools there to divide the talent ( "hey come play at Western Dakota and start as a freshman instead of waiting to be a junior at SDSU") -

Here I can't even name all the talent that is getting siphoned off.
Coastal Carolina 85 scholarships (was ZERO 20 years ago)
App State added 22
GSouthern added 22
KSU didn't exist now they are going to eat 85 scholarships at FBS; and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Georgia State didn't exist - now 85 scholarships; and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Campbell didn't play football?
Wofford was D2 and now takes 63 right up the road
Samford was D2(?) and now takes 63
Mercer did not have football and now takes 63 and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Charlotte did not have football and now takes 85 scholarships right up the road

Who did I not list that is nearby?

I imagine if you also counted up all the athletes added in the south via growing population and/or high school numbers and sizes in all those places, that would be a much larger number than 20 years ago too. So it’s not as though the athlete supply has stayed constant while demand increases.

Sure. Population is growing. Malthusian theory right?

But that’s only PART of the question. Here is the real question-

If the population of D1 - FBS and FCS - level guys increases 11% in the southeast and the scholarships for these same guys increase 14% then we have talent dilution. It’s as simple as that. If scholarship growth outpaces talent growth then talent drops at our programs that recruit regionally

The scholarship growth we could calculate. Population is tougher because we only want to count males age 18-22 who WERE of, say, 1980s, D1 talent. Which may be of a different talent level than now if teams are willing to take lesser athletes

Got these numbers?

No, I don't have those numbers, and it's not at all important enough to me to spend the time to look them up. You're the one who made the initial claim, thus, I feel it is up to you to procure and provide the data to support it. Where did you get those numbers above of 11% and 14%? Are those just hypotheticals?

[gofurman]

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS to dilute football in the south. Good grief - it is no coincidence that the winners are in the Dakotas and Montana. There are VERY FEW new FCS schools there to divide the talent ( "hey come play at Western Dakota and start as a freshman instead of waiting to be a junior at SDSU") -

Here I can't even name all the talent that is getting siphoned off.
Coastal Carolina 85 scholarships (was ZERO 20 years ago)
App State added 22
GSouthern added 22
KSU didn't exist now they are going to eat 85 scholarships at FBS; and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Georgia State didn't exist - now 85 scholarships; and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Campbell didn't play football?
Wofford was D2 and now takes 63 right up the road
Samford was D2(?) and now takes 63
Mercer did not have football and now takes 63 and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Charlotte did not have football and now takes 85 scholarships right up the road

Who did I not list that is nearby?

I imagine if you also counted up all the athletes added in the south via growing population and/or high school numbers and sizes in all those places, that would be a much larger number than 20 years ago too. So it’s not as though the athlete supply has stayed constant while demand increases.

Sure. Population is growing. Malthusian theory right?

But that’s only PART of the question. Here is the real question-

If the population of D1 - FBS and FCS - level guys increases 11% in the southeast and the scholarships for these same guys increase 14% then we have talent dilution. It’s as simple as that. If scholarship growth outpaces talent growth then talent drops at our programs that recruit regionally

The scholarship growth we could calculate. Population is tougher because we only want to count males age 18-22 who WERE of, say, 1980s, D1 talent. Which may be of a different talent level than now if teams are willing to take lesser athletes

Got these numbers?

No, I don't have those numbers, and it's not at all important enough to me to spend the time to look them up. You're the one who made the initial claim, thus, I feel it is up to you to procure and provide the data to support it. Where did you get those numbers above of 11% and 14%? Are those just hypotheticals?

Bootie, first, good question. yes those numbers were just examples.

I thought they gave us something of a base for when people say “but the population has increased” … maybe now people will realize it’s not just population increase. That’s - at most ! - only half the total equation. It’s what has increased MORE? Is it the Population of D1 caliber players in the southeast or additional scholarships ?

Personally, based ON FACTUAL RESULTS - NDSU (breaking GSU dynasty record) and SDSU - those two are KILLING … and MONTANA etc. I heavily suspect the southeast FCS teams are in a losing proposition.

Will someone PLEASE create a Georgia State and App State in the Dakotas????? That would do A LOT

[AstroDin]

Bringing this thread back up to address Chronic leaving Mercer.
I actually don't care what Mercer does here - I'm glad the Furman connection to Mercer football coaches hopefully ends.

[FUBeAR]

Bringing this thread back up to address Chronic leaving Mercer.
I actually don't care what Mercer does here - I'm glad the Furman connection to Mercer football coaches hopefully ends.

So, Mercer AD Jim Cole & President Bill Underwood have already told you they have no interest in speaking with Justin Roper, Duane Vaughn, and/or Tommy Spangler about their open Head Coach role?

Surprised they wouldn’t be interested in all 3.

[AstroDin]

Bringing this thread back up to address Chronic leaving Mercer.
I actually don't care what Mercer does here - I'm glad the Furman connection to Mercer football coaches hopefully ends.

So, Mercer AD Jim Cole & President Bill Underwood have already told you they have no interest in speaking with Justin Roper, Duane Vaughn, and/or Tommy Spangler about their open Head Coach role?

Surprised they wouldn’t be interested in all 3.

Well, as I said I hope the link to Furman 's tree ends here… the Bears need to start fresh, new, ya know!

[FUBeAR]

Bringing this thread back up to address Chronic leaving Mercer.
I actually don't care what Mercer does here - I'm glad the Furman connection to Mercer football coaches hopefully ends.

So, Mercer AD Jim Cole & President Bill Underwood have already told you they have no interest in speaking with Justin Roper, Duane Vaughn, and/or Tommy Spangler about their open Head Coach role?

Surprised they wouldn’t be interested in all 3.

Well, as I said I hope the link to Furman 's tree ends here… the Bears need to start fresh, new, ya know!

Yepper - that sorry ol’ Clay Hendrix proved again this year just how stale and fruitless that Art Baker Coaching Tree has become - just as so many super-smart posters here have said over the past 3 decades.

Any program looking to taste any of that fruit might as well buy a bucket of bait worms instead.

[AstroDin]

^^^ I am not saying that tree is stale. Just plant your own tree, MERCER!

[FUBeAR]

^^^ I am not saying that tree is stale. Just plant your own tree, MERCER!

How very Furman of you. What time are the gates locked?

It’s a good thing that the good people of Lubbock, TX had read this book back in the early 70’s



Not all selfish, get off my lawn types like Astro

[gman84]

^^^ I am not saying that tree is stale. Just plant your own tree, MERCER!

How very Furman of you. What time are the gates locked?

It’s a good thing that the good people of Lubbock, TX had read this book back in the early 70’s



Not all selfish, get off my lawn types like Astro

Walt Kawalski is back!

[The Jackal]

For curiosity's sake, I looked at Mercer's roster. I know their QB, Peevy, had announced his intention to transfer, and is no longer on the roster. Devron Harper and Ty James, their two big playmakers, are graduated and no longer on the roster.

Mercer (as of last night) has two QBs on the roster, neither of whom have really played. They signed maybe four in the December class, but I would guess at least two of those will play other positions (they seem to have physical builds atypical of an FCS QB in Cronic's system).

Mercer had arguably their strongest team since their restart in 2023, but still were handled by Furman, lost by double digits to UTC, and were thumped by South Dakota State in the post season.

Cronic may have done what Wofford's Conkin failed to do a few years ago - leave a year too early then a year too late. Mercer should still be a good team, but it looks like they are going to have to replace a lot/most of their offensive production in 2024. They may still be behind the two top SoCon programs (Furman and UTC) and well bhiend the top national FCS teams (admittedly, everyone is well behind SDSU right now). They could be looking at a "soft rebuild" in 2024.

I wish him well. If the Bears target one of our talented assistants, I think we should take that as a sign that our program is doing the right thing and putting talented guys in positions of leadership that other programs want.

[The Jackal]

^^^ I am not saying that tree is stale. Just plant your own tree, MERCER!

I would think that Mercer's administration would probably also like to avoid the perception that they are just picking up former Furman assistants as much as Furman would fans would prefer that they stay out of their coaching staff.

[Affirm]

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS to dilute football in the south. Good grief - it is no coincidence that the winners are in the Dakotas and Montana. There are VERY FEW new FCS schools there to divide the talent ( "hey come play at Western Dakota and start as a freshman instead of waiting to be a junior at SDSU") -

Here I can't even name all the talent that is getting siphoned off.
Coastal Carolina 85 scholarships (was ZERO 20 years ago)
App State added 22
GSouthern added 22
KSU didn't exist now they are going to eat 85 scholarships at FBS; and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Georgia State didn't exist - now 85 scholarships; and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Campbell didn't play football?
Wofford was D2 and now takes 63 right up the road
Samford was D2(?) and now takes 63
Mercer did not have football and now takes 63 and many from Atlanta which is a big recruiting place for us
Charlotte did not have football and now takes 85 scholarships right up the road

Who did I not list that is nearby?

I imagine if you also counted up all the athletes added in the south via growing population and/or high school numbers and sizes in all those places, that would be a much larger number than 20 years ago too. So it’s not as though the athlete supply has stayed constant while demand increases.

Sure. Population is growing. Malthusian theory right?

But that’s only PART of the question. Here is the real question-

If the population of D1 - FBS and FCS - level guys increases 11% in the southeast and the scholarships for these same guys increase 14% then we have talent dilution. It’s as simple as that. If scholarship growth outpaces talent growth then talent drops at our programs that recruit regionally

The scholarship growth we could calculate. Population is tougher because we only want to count males age 18-22 who WERE of, say, 1980s, D1 talent. Which may be of a different talent level than now if teams are willing to take lesser athletes

Got these numbers?

No, I don't have those numbers, and it's not at all important enough to me to spend the time to look them up. You're the one who made the initial claim, thus, I feel it is up to you to procure and provide the data to support it. Where did you get those numbers above of 11% and 14%? Are those just hypotheticals?

Bootie, first, good question. yes those numbers were just examples.

I thought they gave us something of a base for when people say “but the population has increased” … maybe now people will realize it’s not just population increase. That’s - at most ! - only half the total equation. It’s what has increased MORE? Is it the Population of D1 caliber players in the southeast or additional scholarships ?

Personally, based ON FACTUAL RESULTS - NDSU (breaking GSU dynasty record) and SDSU - those two are KILLING … and MONTANA etc. I heavily suspect the southeast FCS teams are in a losing proposition.

Will someone PLEASE create a Georgia State and App State in the Dakotas????? That would do A LOT

And a Coastal Carolina and a Georgia Southern and a Charlotte.

[The Jackal]

Another Cronic thought.

He probably did Mercer a favor by resigning after the portal closed and spring classes started. So, new Mercer coach won’t have to contend with a lot of defections.

[FUBeAR]

Another Cronic thought.

He probably did Mercer a favor by resigning after the portal closed and spring classes started. So, new Mercer coach won’t have to contend with a lot of defections.

“Per NCAA rules, the transfer portal reopens for 30 days when a coach leaves the program.”

Portal reopens for Mercer Players until February 8th-ish.

* Mercer’s 2023 HC is now at Navy
* Mercer’s 2023 DC/LB Coach is now HC at West Georgia
* Mercer’s 2023 OC/OL Coach was terminated at end of season
* Mercer’s 2023 DB/Safeties Coach is now DC at West Georgia

They have PLENTY to contend with…