Compelling Reasons For Good NCC Teams To Go 1-AA

[Northern Iowa]

Hello, Sioux/Bison/NCC fans. I've been reading with interest the posts about some of your sister schools coming to D1-AA. Want to say that I am a big fan of the NCC, which is a proud conference with some outstanding football and exceptional athletes. I lived in Minneapolis for a period in the early 90's and made it to several NCC games at St. Cloud and Mankato. Even took in a Morningside game the day of my wedding in the fall of '93! My favorite was when, on a lark, on a Saturday afternoon in November of '93, I believe 'twas, I filled a cooler with Grain Belt and dragged my fat azz and my old pickup to Grand Forks for the UND/NDSU game. What a super game in a super town in a super conference! The governor of North Dakota at the time was sitting three rows in front of me. A great event, I thought, and just what college football is all about. My wife still wears the UND Fighting Sioux sweatshirt I bought her that day.

First, some background. I played football at the University of Northern Iowa, was team captain my senior year in 1985 and was fortunate enough to play a little pro ball. Graduated in spring of '86 and was a grad assistant o-line coach at UNI in 1989 and 1990. After that, coached one year in the RMAC at Fort Lewis College, then got out of the business because I wanted to make some money in my life. Been a donor to the Athletic Club for years and I stay close to all my old coaches, many of whom are back at UNI.

Some perspective from 1-AA people on the NCC, first. Everybody I know who is up on college football has tremendous respect for the NCC, especially the premier teams like UND, NDSU, SD, SDSU, UNC, UNO, MN-Mankato, etc. Even though some of the mentioned teams have not had consistent success over the years, there is the recognition that they have great potential and could compete well versus teams in the 1-AA. To let you know, too, there is great hesitation in some 1-AA circles with playing teams from the NCC for fear that they could come to your house and, quite possibly, slap an ugly "L" on you. The same is true among some 1-A programs with regard to elite teams in the Gateway like Northern Iowa, Western Illinois, Youngstown and Western Kentucky. As a matter of fact, the Gateway was 3-0 against the MAC last year and UNI itself is 3-0 against them and 8-10 over all v 1-A teams. In the time I have been associated with UNI and the Gateway, the talk about playing a good NCC team often leads to the response, "Are you high?". And rightfully so. I remember my first year coaching at UNI when an inspired Mankato team came to the UNI Dome and spanked us in our opener. I'll never forget it. The next week, we beat Kansas State, so, you never can tell with this interdivisional stuff.

That being said, there is some other perspective about the NCC: The question, "Why the h3ll aren't they in 1-AA?" They surely could compete. For the most part, they have decent facilities. They have good athletes and coaching. It's my impression that Division II is predominately a Southern and/or Eastern U.S. phenomenon and, thus, the NCC could be a better fit in 1-AA, a division that needs to expand to your neck of the woods. Between Northern Iowa and the next nearest 1-AA school (what is it, Montana State?), there is a huge geographical void. Division 1-AA is perhaps even more dispersed than Divsion II. We have a glob of teams in the Far West and Northwest, a glob of teams in the Mississippi and Missouri Valley areas, a buttload of teams in the East and, seemingly, thousands in the South and Southeast. In my very humble opinion, D1-AA needs to absorb the great teams of the NCC, which will only enhance our national presence and that of your programs.

There is a perception problem with the Dakotas and Nebraska and some of Minnesota and surrounding areas. It's "fly-over" land. People sit in airplanes travelling between the coasts, right over your country. It's rather out-of-the-way and very few people actually visit your fine states. Nobody knows anything about the Dakotas and, not being near any really major media centers, publicity and press for your cities, states and athletic programs is really lacking. I live in Michigan and when Grand Valley State was making a move to the national championship last year, there was virtually no press here about it. Everything is regional in Division II, it seems.

Is it better for 1-AA? Yes, somewhat. Not by leaps and bound, but most of our teams are near those media centers, so there is a lot more attention paid them. This is exactly what the NCC needs. It helps in recruiting, not just for student-athletes, but for students in general. Surely, there are lots of Minneapolis people that get into NCC programs, but how well does the NCC compete for the elite Florida and Texas kids? A move to 1-AA can only help some of your better schools. If those kids can't play at Florida or Texas, they will go to UNI and other 1-AA's to play against them.

There were a lot of replies to the NDSU-going-1-AA post that mentioned additional costs and budgets and such. To be sure, there are very, very few programs at any level that are self-sufficient, perhaps only 10%. The states, the universities themselves and the athletic clubs (through donations from alumni, etc.) pick up the rest of the tab. The point is that one shoudn't worry about where the money is coming from. Go out and get it. What NCC schools (and all schools) have to do is work even harder at fundraising to get the scholarship level up as well as work harder to put a better product on the field.

To me, there would be few things better than seeing regular Northern Iowa versus North Dakota games. Or, North Dakota State versus Western Illinois. It is only natural that teams from the Dakotas should play Northern Iowa. I think it would be only a matter of a couple of years before some of the better NCC's would be competing for a Gateway Conference crown, for example.

On some of our message boards, we have touched on the dissolution and assimilation of the NCC into the Gateway. Some teams in the NCC would have to be left to find their own way in D-II and I won't flame anyone by naming them, but I think you know who they are. But, your five or six power schools would be great additions to our league and division. Also, there is the ever-present talk about some NCC schools hooking up with the Big Sky. Don't do that, just come here. We're better.

As for travel, the Gateway does a fair share of plane trips, especially when some of our more far-flung schools need to meet; Youngstown and UNI are on the outer geographical extremes. What's the big issue with Western Kentucky having to go a little further than UNI to get to Fargo or Grand Forks or Omaha? I don't see it as a great concern. It's still a relatively short plane trip from the Dakotas to Bowling Green, KY, or Youngstown, OH, too. It's not like going to Florida or California.

Money. Is there a lot of money to be made by NCC teams going to 1-AA? Probably not. But there is some. There is considerable debate, both pro and con, about 1-AA teams having to play 1-A schools for the big payouts. Some question the utility of such a thing when you can often count on a blowout loss that could damage a few knees and shoulders, along with your pride, maybe even compromising your season. But, that's rare and isn't always the case. To be sure, as good a program as UNI is, we have been on the stinky end of some of those wallopings, a 66-0 loss to Iowa in '97 and last year's 45-0 loss to Iowa State, for example. Saturday, we play at Oklahoma State and I'm hopin' and prayin' the Cats make a respectable showing, at least. On the other hand, the payouts from these games, often $150,000 to $400,000+, go a long way in balancing budgets. Still, every year is different and, every so often, you sneak up on the big guys and take them down.

As I said above, some say it isn't worth it. I say it is, especially if you're competitive. For example, UNI is 8-10 against 1-A schools, including some big wins versus Iowa State in '92 and '94 and a 3-0 record against Kansas State. Such wins raise as many eyebrows as they do revenues. What is more important is to have an exceptional football product that has no fear about strapping up against the big boys, often the same schools that passed you over for a scholarship, and place a big, embarrassing hurt on them. That was my motivation when we played K State my senior year. It happened to Iowa State and Kansas State five times with UNI. It can be done. This argument is my counter to the people who say we are selling out and only playing for the money. The fact is that the "lower" you go in the football hierarchy, the more desire there is to play for the love of the game. If I'm a North Dakota Fighting Sioux offensive tackle in 2008 and we have Minnesota on the schedule, I'm excited as all get out to play them. I'm not in awe of them and I don't fear them.

Someone in the other thread mentioned the fact that Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and such teams are not going to make it to Fargo or Grand Forks to take you on. Well, no kidding. But, that is not what is expected. You have to go to Iowa City or Minneapolis to play the game and collect the money. Your stadium cannot produce the gate receipts required by a Big Ten power. Nor do your stadiums have the capacity to accomodate the 10,000 or 20,000 travelling fans these schools might bring with them. It's the way of the world. You have to go there.

This leads to another good reason for NCC teams to go to 1-AA, and I alluded to it above when I was talking about press and publicity for your states. Conceivably (and it would take a long time and a lot of hard work), a Minnesota/North Dakota State tilt could be quite a spectacle. Imagine I-94 filled bumper-to-bumper with cars and vans heading to Minneapolis for that game. Lots of publicity, lots of press coverage and the words, "North Dakota State" on the front page of the Star-Tribune. What about Iowa/South Dakota? Or, Iowa State/South Dakota State? The NCC suffers from an identity crisis that is worse than 1-AA's, which is pretty considerable in its own right.

Someone in a previous thread mentioned staying put in D-II and remaining a D-II powerhouse. Well, that's OK, if you want to do that. However, you're just coasting then. And when you're coasting, you're going downhill....my opinion only. To me, doing that leads to stagnation. Step up to the challenge and excitement of competing at the next level. Most 1-AA teams don't have to make the move to 1-A to step up to the challenge at another level. They already do when they regularly schedule 1-A competition.

Still another poster spoke of getting on national television and the fact that, in1-AA, you still only get on television when you play in the national championship. That used to be true. Beginning this year, though, ESPN, I believe it is, is televising the semifinals, too. This is due to the fact that many of our higher profile 1-AA's back east or often in the semi's. Like it or not, there is an Eastern bias in our nation's sports media. Viewership for a Northern Iowa/Sacramento State semi game might be down versus a Furman/Villanova tilt, but that's the way it is. Northern Iowa also experiences a bit of that "plains" stigma that is attached to the NCC.

And I don't know what it's like in D-II for regional television, but there are dozens and dozens of 1-AA games televised each season regionally, all of which include a payout to the competing schools and their conferences. We're not talking millions here, but it is something. There are quite a few Gateway games that are televised regionally each year and our brothers in the SWAC and MEAC enjoy some good national coverage in their "classics".

To sum up, I am a fan of all college football, but I have a special place in my heart for Division II and 1-AA, or what I call the "lost divisions" of NCAA football. Anything we can do to get near the front of the line in national prominence and exposure is a good thing and worth the added expense and effort. Thus, a move to 1-AA for some of those good NCC teams would be a great thing for everyone.

I'd like to see, sometime soon, the Gateway Conference split into West and East divisions. In the former, I envision teams like Southwest Missouri State, UNI, UND, NDSU, Western Illinois, UNC and maybe other NCC teams. The rest of the remaining Gateway would comprise the eastern division. There is great potential for the Sioux, the Bison, the Jackrabbits and others in 1-AA and I hope it happens.

Thanks

Northern Iowa

[SDSUFAN]

Northern Iowa:

Great post!! Everything said was agreeable from point of view. Slowly the NCC will stop hanging on the past and start to see the future in D1AA.

Some of us just dont get it.

[Riverman]

I will hate myself in the morning but I agree w/SDSU fan.

[JBB]

The NCC has been held back by the D1 hockey schools. They have seen hockey as a "cheap way" to get into D1 and gain all the benefit. Not one Hockey school is interested in moving and some have been actively campaining against the decision NDSU has made. Everything in the Post above is true. Its been a long year listening to all the misinformation from those that are desperately trying to hang onto a formula that has really hurt the NCC over the long haul for the benefit of a few. I dont know what those schools plan on doing, but NDSU is moving up.

I doubt the big Sky is in our plans. We dont ofter recruit to the west. Most of our outstate recruiting is east. We are working on a home/home with Western Ill. and both Montana Schools. Montana and Cal Davis are already on the schedule next year. we will need a full D1AA schedule for 2004. Its going to be very interesting to watch it develop. There are going to be a lot more people in the Fabulous Fargo Dome as the "new Blood" begins to role into town.

I think the conference question is already answered for NDSU and will be revealed in the near future. Basketball, contrary to what some think, is going to fare better than football. There is a lot more room for improvement both in talent and fan interest. Averaging 5,000 is very doable in the next couple of years. Fixed costs are much lower in basketball and new profits will be generated.

[The Sicatoka]

That eight (or is it 13) years of probation, yeah, that'll help basketball recruiting and attendance.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying an average of 5k for Bison hoops won't happen for a decade.

[sprig]

UNI,

It appears in an article quoting the UNI AD, that the conference will likely reject any attempt by the Bison to join the conference??? (see other thread) Maybe that's not the conference JBB is hinting at.

[UND Fan]

Your post of September 7 was well-written and I can not disagree with many of your points. However, it specifically pertains to football. I don't think that there is any question that UND or NDSU (not sure about SDSU) can compete at the I-AA level.

However, I would be curious about your perception as to how all the other sports would be affected by the move. Recruiting DI quality basketball players to the plains and winters of ND is not very realistic plus I am not sure how our baseball, volleyball, swimming, track, etc. programs could afford to continue (our recruit better athletes).

Your thoughts?

[Northern Iowa]

Hey, guys. Sorry I didn't get back more quickly. Question: Are there other sports besides football?

Seriously, though, the talk has been focused on football and I can't speak for the other sports. Can they still operate at the D-II level? Whereas football could compete almost right away, I can't see Fightin' Sioux or Bison volleyball or swimming teams taking it up a notch in the near future and making a strong run in the Missouri Valley.

There are plenty of schools that operate in multiple divisions. Your institutions do it with hockey, UNI does it with football. May be best to leave it that way.

The quotes from the UNI AD are troubling, to me. Nonetheless, it would be a good idea to get in a conference. Heck, I don't see why the Gateway couldn't take on two more teams. The only issue I see there is that it puts a crimp in your non-conference scheduling if you have to play nine league games. The SWAC is going through that right now. They are turning down traditional 1-AA powers like McNeese State because their conference requires them to play nine league games. As a result, they play tiny Southern teams like Miles College. They would rather go into the SWAC season with a win versus them then a big loss to McNeese.

Anyway, I've expressed my thoughts here enough, probably. I hope it happens sometime down the road. I think it will. Teams like North Dakota, North Dakota State and Northern Colorado have too much name recognition to not be included in some conference in our division.

Good luck this year, everyone!

NI

[UND Fan]

Again, I fully agree with your comments -- as they apply to football!

However, we would need to go DI in all sports. And, unfortunately, I think it would be disastrous for all other sports - including women's basketball and both M & W swimming where we are national DII powers. All of our other minor sports programs are respectable or better. I think we could kiss them good bye - because 1) we couldn't compete and 2) we couldn't afford to fly our baseball, volleyball, soccer teams around the country to play other DI teams!

Thanks fo rincluding the picture of MY HERO.