University of Lamar

wardly · January 26, 2011

does anyone know if lamar is planning to move up in football to 1a? the wac fan forum's keep refering to lamar as their 8th team.

Adub4ever · January 26, 2011

i thought lamar was a basketball only school... i remember they disbanded football a few years ago... it would be amazing if they made the jump so quickly

Mean Green 93-98 · January 26, 2011

Yes, this has been bandied about quite a bit. They just resurrected their football program to begin play this past season. It seems to me they are a fur piece away from playing 1-A ball, but then again, they're further along than UTSA.

ColoradoEagle · January 26, 2011

Yes, this has been bandied about quite a bit. They just resurrected their football program to begin play this past season. It seems to me they are a fur piece away from playing 1-A ball, but then again, they're further along than UTSA.

I don't see how. UTSA is only five years away from the Big XII. I know it's true, because I read it on the internet.

All About UNT · January 26, 2011

I don't see how. UTSA is only five years away from the Big XII. I know it's true, because I read it on the internet.

you meant "the internets" right?

ColoradoEagle · January 26, 2011

Them internets?

FloMoGrad · January 26, 2011

I found it all out on the google. The google don't lie.

EagleD · January 27, 2011

Them internets?

It's a bunch of tubes.

ColoradoEagle · January 27, 2011

It's a bunch of tubes.

NM Green · January 27, 2011

Don't you kind of want to schedule UTSA in anything just to put the beat down on their big ugly roadrunner heads!

GMG

UNTFan23 · January 27, 2011

Don't you kind of want to schedule UTSA in anything just to put the beat down on their big ugly roadrunner heads!

GMG

So long as we don't have anything made by ACME when we play the road runners, I think we'll be OK.

Edited January 27, 2011 by UNTFan23

DeepGreen · January 27, 2011

Lamar just ressurected their football program after shutting it down 20 years ago. I think they were 4-6 their first season. Spent $20+ million renovating their stadium (16,000(?) capacity. Fans think they should move up to FBS by joining the WAC.

They way I see it, the more of these type teams (Lamar, Tx State, UTSA, etc.) that move up, the less "exclusive" the FBS is, unless you are in one of the big six conferences.

meangreen · January 27, 2011

I agree. Since when did the FBS start accepting anybody? Next thing you know, Harvard and Yale will join the Big East as football-only members.

Rudy · January 27, 2011

I don't see how. UTSA is only five years away from the Big XII. I know it's true, because I read it on the internet.

Do you like websites?

So long as we don't have anything made by ACME when we play the road runners, I think we'll be OK.

Where do Anvils come from?

Lamar just ressurected their football program after shutting it down 20 years ago. I think they were 4-6 their first season. Spent $20+ million renovating their stadium (16,000(?) capacity. Fans think they should move up to FBS by joining the WAC.

They way I see it, the more of these type teams (Lamar, Tx State, UTSA, etc.) that move up, the less "exclusive" the FBS is, unless you are in one of the big six conferences.

Bingo. Think it's a coincidence that the NCAA and the big conferences don't oppose to FCS schools moving up?

Texas Stranger · January 27, 2011

Where do Anvils come from?

Fully mature Cumulonimbi

VideoEagle · January 27, 2011

Lamar just ressurected their football program after shutting it down 20 years ago. I think they were 4-6 their first season. Spent $20+ million renovating their stadium (16,000(?) capacity. Fans think they should move up to FBS by joining the WAC.

They way I see it, the more of these type teams (Lamar, Tx State, UTSA, etc.) that move up, the less "exclusive" the FBS is, unless you are in one of the big six conferences.

Don't forget the Big East is one of those BIg Six conferences and they have 1AA move up Connecticut and are trying to get 1AA Villanova to move up.

forevereagle · January 27, 2011

Don't forget the Big East is one of those BIg Six conferences and they have 1AA move up Connecticut and are trying to get 1AA Villanova to move up.

And they are such a respected conference.

VideoEagle · January 27, 2011

And they are such a respected conference.

I agree. But TCU probably thinks differently than us.

forevereagle · January 27, 2011

I agree. But TCU probably thinks differently than us.

I think TCU is their attempt to get respect. Don't have a top ten team in your conference? Don't build, buy!

NT80 · January 27, 2011

I think TCU is their attempt to get respect. Don't have a top ten team in your conference? Don't build, buy!

I agree with this, especially in conference reallignments. UNT would instantly gain more respect as a program with just an upgrade in conference alone. Sometimes it's not the work building that gets the notice if you're surrounded by a bad neighborhood. It's not who you are, it's who you associate with! :ph34r:

Edited January 27, 2011 by NT80

untjim1995 · January 27, 2011

I agree with this, especially in conference reallignments. UNT would instantly gain more respect as a program with just an upgrade in conference alone. Sometimes it's not the work building that gets the notice if you're surrounded by a bad neighborhood. It's not who you are, it's who you associate with!

The funny thing is that with all of the facilities we have now that are high quality for athletics, the location of our school, and the number of UNT students and alumni, you would think that conferences like the MWC or CUSA would want us in their league because they could see how we would bring to the table if we were to start playing teams people know of each week. I have never understood why another conference's leadership couldn't see all of this potential. If we draw decently against Sun Belt teams, it seems like the MWC would drool over the idea of having this growing program get an energy boost by playing some of those schools in their conference, especially over all of the other competitors for the supposed 12th spot. Sure, winning brings more consideration, but it would seem that attendance and ratings would bring even more consideration from a conference standpoint. I can understand CUSA not wanitng us because of the influence from the other schools in the conference, but the MWC has no members to "block" us. San Jose State or New Mexico State don't even come close to having the eyeballs to surpass what we offer.

I really believe that it will take a Craig Thompson-type that will have to just go by faith in what we can be and take us in. It is very frustrating to know that you are stuck in a conference that you would gladly jump out of, but the other conferences around you act as if you aren't really there (notable exception: The Weak Ass Conference). Its just hard for me to believe that it is only about winning for us to get consideration. Hell, 24K showed up for a game between UNT and Rice at a toilet of a stadium, which matched two of the worst teams in college football last year, just because people in the Metroplex have heard of Rice. Same thing happened when SMU or Tulsa came to town, as it did when Army or Navy came here. Why other conferences don't consider this when looking at us just bewilders me. I refuse to believe that it is due to a lack of communication between our school's leadership and those other conferences, especially since RV has made it clear for years that we would always be ready to move upward from the SBC. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Edited January 27, 2011 by untjim1995

DallasGreen · January 27, 2011

I agree. But TCU probably thinks differently than us.

TCU won't think so in two years when the BCS commissioners jerk the AQ status of the Big East. The move may be great for FB right now, but what about BB (not competitive now in MWC), Title IX sports, and particularly baseball-- can't you see Feb. & March games at Syracuse, UConn, etc.? This is not to mention an extended travel schedule to an earlier time zone with higher prices for travel and hotels.

Adub4ever · January 27, 2011

I really believe that it will take a Craig Thompson-type that will have to just go by faith in what we can be and take us in. It is very frustrating to know that you are stuck in a conference that you would gladly jump out of, but the other conferences around you act as if you aren't really there (notable exception: The Weak Ass Conference). Its just hard for me to believe that it is only about winning for us to get consideration. Hell, 24K showed up for a game between UNT and Rice at a toilet of a stadium, which matched two of the worst teams in college football last year, just because people in the Metroplex have heard of Rice. Same thing happened when SMU or Tulsa came to town, as it did when Army or Navy came here. Why other conferences don't consider this when looking at us just bewilders me. I refuse to believe that it is due to a lack of communication between our school's leadership and those other conferences, especially since RV has made it clear for years that we would always be ready to move upward from the SBC. It just doesn't make sense to me.

thats what i was thinking at that rice game.... when we play big name teams, we get big time attendance..... im on the record already that the Houston and Indiana game will be over 30k... Our attendance and stadium will be on par with CUSA & MWC teams.... if it was all about winning why are Wyoming, Tulane, New Mexico, UAB, and Marshall in better conferences? NT is evening the playingfield with the new stadium, coach, and attendance next year will be threw the roof!

Edited January 27, 2011 by Adub4ever

FloMoGrad · January 27, 2011

thats what i was thinking at that rice game.... when we play big name teams, we get big time attendance..... im on the record already that the Houston and Indiana game will be over 30k... Our attendance and stadium will be on par with CUSA & MWC teams.... if it was all about winning why are Wyoming, Tulane, New Mexico, UAB, and Marshall in better conferences? NT is evening the playingfield with the new stadium, coach, and attendance next year will be threw the roof!

Marshall won their fair share of MAAC championships and played in bowl games like 6 of 7 yrs prior to their move to CUSA, so that move made sense to me at the time. The others, good question.

GrayEagle · January 28, 2011

For the moment we're just potential. Looking at some of the potential...

Media Market - True we have more bodies in the DFW market than anyone else but we haven't played anyone of note to build those numbers.

Attendance - We may draw in the 20s for known opponents but we only have two of those per year. Conference games draw nearer to 15,000 giving us an average of 17-18,000. We should be averaging in the low 20s every year. A poor record the last six years has held us back.

Budget/Administration - Our total revenues has been in the $15-16M range for the last several years. Only recently have the students stepped to the plate and guaranteed that we will have a budget of more than $20M beginning this fall. With that influx the BOR and the university administration have also backed athletic expenditures but we still don't have the donors for a big time program.

Stadium - Our new stadium isn't even complete yet and in size it would be at the low end of both CUSA and the MWC. We need at least a year in the new digs to see if support improves. A plus is that it is expandable to 50K which would get us in any conference if we can meet their other criteria.

Students/Alumni - True we have more than 36,000 students and somewhere between 182,000-205,000 living alumni who have earned degrees. Probably more than that attended without graduating. But with those large numbers where is the support? It will take several years of winning and a better conference to begin bringing old ex-students back and attract $$$.

Proven Sports Teams - We're becoming strong in men's basketball and have done well in women's soccer. We're knocking on the door in tennis and I believe soon will in volleyball and swimming and diving. We've had a few national track & field qualifiers. In fact, we are okay in everything that we do except women's basketball and lately, football. We need at least one good football season to prove that the program is turning around. If we win, say 7 games, this coming season then I believe that we will get better recognition.

I would imagine that everyone on this board believes that we have bottomed out and will make a quick rise in football but it hasn't happened yet.

Even if Craig Thompson believed that our potential was sure to be reality why invite us now when there is no certainty that there will be a 12th team? Give it another year and the MWC might know whether 1) another team or teams from CUSA might want to switch 2) see whether one of the old WAC teams definitely steps out from the pack or 3) see if the other BYU teams detest competing in a minor conference and clamor for a return to the MWC. Even though a championship game would bring some nice additional dollars the Mountain West is not desparate for members.