mksioux

Even if everything you say is true, it still requires major investments in a short period of time from multiple schools in the Big Sky to make it happen. It seems UND is probably better positioned than the average Big Sky school to undertake a transition FBS, yet it doesn't seem to me that UND is even close to ready. It needs a lot more money. If there was some massive effort underway to raise money from the alumni to finance this move, we'd probably heave heard of it, at least through the grapevine. 2017 is the magic year according to you. I don't see UND ready for FBS by 2017. And if UND isn't ready, I highly doubt there are enough other Big Sky schools ready to make it a reality. But we'll see I guess. I'd be excited if it were to happen.

You are forgetting the other possibility that WAC football simply died of natural causes. You assume that all these FCS schools were going to flock to the WAC and immediately transition to FBS. Maybe there weren't enough schools ready to do that and the WAC died because of it. I think you're reading too much into the demise of the WAC being an orchestrated event by the Sun Belt. I don't doubt this at all. I think the Big Sky did take a serious look at the WAC, but it didn't work out because the Presidents weren't ready to move while the WAC charter was still alive. I also don't doubt that Idaho would like to see the Big Sky go FBS, but that doesn't necessarily mean much. You are assuming the Big Sky and the other FCS conferences were playing a game against each other. It's entirely possible that all of them had their chance at the WAC and they all turned it down. We don't know for a fact that Idaho "won" the negotiations beyond the fact that they found a home for their FBS football program. You assume there is some grand Sun Belt-Big Sky agreement, which you admittedly have no evidence of beyond speculation. It's fun to think about and hope that Big Sky and UND administrators are super-competent and have a master plan. But, again, there is no evidence of that. Maybe you'll find the elusive Sun Belt-Big Sky agreement and have something.

I agree that you want to recruit humble players that would be willing to shovel, if asked. But you also want an administration that is smart enough not to ask them.

Even if the Idaho newspapers aren't that curious, you'd at least think an Idaho fan or blogger would care to look into it. It seems to me that if Idaho's contract with Sun Belt has a definite end to it in a few short years, that would be pretty big news. No offense is meant to you, but I can't rely on someone else's interpretation of a contract. I'd actually have to read it myself before I'd believe it. In any event, you have my interest at least on whether Idaho's relationship with the Sun Belt is long-term. But even assuming you are correct that Idaho football is not going to be in the Sun Belt past the 2017-18 season, that's still a gigantic leap to your theory that the Sun Belt is going to be taking in the Big Sky. An alleged agreement between the Big Sky and Sun Belt is the linchpin of your theory, but nobody knows if there is an actual written agreement? Unless there is a written contract that requires it, I'm quite confident that your theory will not happen. The Sun Belt schools aren't going to take in a bunch of new FCS teams on the other side of the country just to help them out in forming a new FBS conference out of the goodness of their hearts. They would only do so if they had previously contractually obligated themselves.

Call me skeptical that if Idaho's membership in the Sun Belt was really a temporary thing that none of the Idaho newspapers would have gotten a hold of this agreement and reported on it. Are you sure this exit agreement mandates Idaho to leave, or is just an agreement that sets forth what happens IF Idaho leaves? And what is your evidence that the Sun Belt is going to invite the Big Sky schools into the conference? Is that just a gentlemen's agreement, or is it in writing? The WAC charter is almost dead. So unless it is contractually obligated to invite the Big Sky schools, the Sun Belt isn't going to have any more competition regardless of what it does with the Big Sky.

It's one thing to say certain schools have plans for stadium expansion. Even UND has long-term plans for stadium expansion. But are those plans imminent? That is the relevant question under your timeline. I'm late to this game, but I can't find anything that says that Idaho's football membership with the Sun Belt is temporary. I found an article where Idaho's AD said that the ideal situation would be if some of the Big Sky schools moved up to FBS, but that's the closest thing I can find to support your theory. Where are you getting your information that Idaho is contracted with the Sun Belt only though the 2015-16 season, with a two year option?

Interesting theory. I have no idea if it has credibility, but from a speculation/conversation standpoint, it's good stuff. But going along with your theory for the sake of conversation, don't you think it's an extremely high hurdle to get 8 or 9 Big Sky schools FBS ready by 2016, including stadium expansion for 4 of them? That just seems highly unlikely. California is damn near broke, so you can bet the California schools will get zero public support for such a move. If I recall correctly, didn't Davis just renovate their stadium a couple years ago? Is there really the appetite and capability to do another one there? I have no idea what EWU's situation is. As for UND, even if expansion at the Alerus is possible, it is a public entity and would take a long time to get the green light and secure the funds to make such a major improvement. Heck, it took them a few years just to get the new field turf secured. There's no way Alerus expansion construction is started by 2016. The only way I can see UND having a shot at stadium expansion by 2016 is by a Ralph Engelstad-like contribution to renovate Memorial Stadium. UND has long term plans for such a thing, but unless they pull a rabbit out of a hat, it isn't happening by 2016. Bottom line is that even running with your theory, the chance of everything falling into place at 8 or 9 schools is extremely slim. It seems like wishful thinking more than anything.

I can't see stadium expansions underway by 2016 at any of the four schools Sioux Volley cited. That's just not enough time.

Is there anything contractual that makes the Sun Belt exit its relationship with Idaho "gracefully"? Can't they just not renew with Idaho and ship them out on their own? I have no doubt that Idaho has no intention to go back to FCS football. I don't doubt that they are scheduling FBS beyond their current contract with the Sun Belt. I also don't doubt they have plans for a stadium expansion. But that is a far-cry from the Sun Belt inviting the entirety of the Big Sky conference into its conference. I just can't see that happening, even on a temporary basis. Perhaps the Sun Belt extends Idaho past 2017-18 season? Or maybe Idaho gets into the Mountain West and abandons the Big Sky entirely? I suspect Idaho is going forward without a definite concrete plan and has multiple options it will be exploring. Would the NCAA even allow a new FBS conference to form through a temporary merger followed by a split? It seems to me that is just an end-around of forming a new FBS conference. I'm skeptical the NCAA would allow this. I'm confused. Are you saying there is an agreement in place that the Sun Belt will add ALL the Big Sky teams if stadium expansions are underway at the four schools you mentioned above? Why don't the other schools matter? Or Maybe Idaho was added because they are Idaho. They are a state flagship institution with good academics and a higher profile than most of the existing Big Sky teams, and a former member as well. The Big Sky never had an affiliate for football schools either, but went ahead with that. I doubt a promise of FBS football was necessary for Idaho to get into the Big Sky in their non-football sports.

I'm not going to go back to the other thread and try to find Sioux Volley's theory as to how the Big Sky ends up FBS, but can someone summarize it for me? I know it has something to do with the Sun Belt and the old WAC. Seems extremely far-fetched to me, but I don't mind keeping tabs on the latest crack-pot theories out there. If an existing FBS conference wants to add schools, why don't they just cherry pick the schools they want rather than inviting an entire conference, particularly when some of the schools in that conference are not close to FBS-ready?

I can't decide if you're a NDSU fan posing as a UND fan, someone from the Mussman regime, or a UND fan that is vying to be the most pessimistic fan on this forum.

Good to hear about Hoffner. I'm happy he's getting this opportunity. http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_25027597/todd-hoffner-fired-mankato-coach-hired-by-minot

I'll have three fingers of Glenlivet with a little bit of pepper.

Obvious attempt from a troll to divert attention from the positivity that was happening in this thread. Ignore him.

Zero interest in going back to DII and there is zero chance of it happening. The core of the NCC, including all four Dakota schools, should have gone up to DI-AA in 1978 when the classification became available.

The only place an "arts center" makes sense is downtown or on campus. Anywhere else and it would seem really out of place. In my opinion.

Yep, and if you wanna get some, you gotta bring some!

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. But if I hear "NoDak Nation", anything "Nation", or any other Brewster-like meaningless raw raw B.S. come out of his mouth, he'll have lost me.

Are all these guys are going to be on the roster come fall? I don't think we know that yet.

I don't know how we can make predictions for next season until we have some idea what players are going to be left to the play in the games. It seems the exodus is not over.

NDSU isn't going to be begging UND for anything. NDSU will do it their way, without UND, like they've been doing it for the past several years (which has worked out for them quite nicely). Or, if Taylor ever changes his mind and decides he wants to schedule UND, he won't have to beg.

I don't feel bad for him either. Obviously, everyone has to do what they have to do for their careers and you can't begrudge a guy for taking more money. But at the same time, he could not have left UND at a worse time - right at the beginning of the tough transition to DI and with an interim athletic director.

For the record, UND only took two of the four coaches that left. Eastern Michigan took one, and NDSU took the other.

The assistant coach salary pool is already set. If Bubba overpays for Schmidt, he's just leaving less for his position coaches. (Unless gfhockey's good ole boys want to pony up some more money. )

Yes, as far as I can tell, I believe Hoffner and Bubba overlapped at UND in 1989-90. I think both were graduate assistants at the time. Bubba also would have coached against Hoffner in 06 and 07 when Bubba was head coach at UMD and Hoffner was OC at South Dakota. Hoffner's USD offenses were very good those years. Of course, he had a young Noah Shepard, which helped. Prior to USD, Hoffner was head coach at Wisconsin-Eau Claire.