SWAC teams scrambling after scheduling rule change


bernard

THEE Realist
Conference football programs will only play seven league games instead of nine, opening up two new dates.
Daniel Paulling, The Clarion-Ledger


Athletic directors across the SWAC still appear to be in scramble mode.

The conference plans to switch from the current round-robin format of nine league games to seven starting with the 2017 season, a decision that came in May of last year. The change leaves SWAC teams struggling to find two more non conference opponents on short notice.

“I think the biggest thing you see in Year 1 is it might be a scramble because everybody’s already gone three to five years out (in setting up their schedules),” Alcorn State athletic director Derek Horne said. “You have to be very aggressive in how you move toward it.”

SWAC teams will play a designated rival and two rotating home and home games with opponents from the opposite division in addition to their current four games in their division.

The SWAC has bounced between a seven- and nine-game conference schedule since expanding to 10 teams in 1999. Conference programs played seven league games from 2000-04 and 2008-09 before switching to the current format in 2010.

The latest change leaves Jackson State athletic director Wheeler Brown seeking a philosophy on how he wants to fill those two empty spots on the Tigers’ schedule next season.

The Tigers plan to continue the Southern Heritage Classic against Tennessee State, a rivalry game played each year at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Brown said he’s also been in touch with Florida A&M, which Jackson State owes a road game, and other MEAC programs, but he doesn’t want to limit himself when it comes to looking for opponents.

“We would also want to look at how many other FCS schools that are in our geographic footprint so to speak academically or otherwise and not just relegate ourselves to schedule an HBCU opponent,” Brown said.

Horne said a lot of factors come into play in his decision-making process when trying to schedule non conference opponents for Alcorn State.

SWAC teams scrambling after scheduling rule change
 
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I told you all we should have stayed at 9. I don't like 9 but we don't have competent athletic administrations to do this right....
 
SWAC teams will play a designated rival and two rotating home and home games with opponents from the opposite division in addition to their current four games in their division.

The latest change leaves Jackson State athletic director Wheeler Brown seeking a philosophy on how he wants to fill those two empty spots on the Tigers’ schedule next season.

“We would also want to look at how many other FCS schools that are in our geographic footprint so to speak academically or otherwise and not just relegate ourselves to schedule an HBCU opponent,” Brown said.

We know he don't have all his facts right and just going by hearsay from some folks by that designated rival. Since most of the conference members don't have a rival from the other division.
JSU will have to actually work to schedule teams after only having to get 1 team a year since the 9 game mandate went into effect. Woe is thee...



Eight conference games would've been the happy medium.

Yep, it was much easier to do that then this 7 game schedule.
 
I don't know about this "scrambling" either. Don't A&M and ASU either got a couple FBS opponents on the schedule already for 2017 and 2018? I think the schools with established ADs have done a good job at scheduling ahead of time
 
I don't know about this "scrambling" either. Don't A&M and ASU either got a couple FBS opponents on the schedule already for 2017 and 2018? I think the schools with established ADs have done a good job at scheduling ahead of time

A&M has an embarrassment of riches in our ooc schedule next year. We play Vanderbilt, UAB and South Alabama. We are also look to have some more interesting names the following year.
 
I don't know about this "scrambling" either. Don't A&M and ASU either got a couple FBS opponents on the schedule already for 2017 and 2018? I think the schools with established ADs have done a good job at scheduling ahead of time

ASU 2017 and 2018 schedule is complete. Signed a 4 year deal with Kennesaw State and Tuskegee starting next year. Also have games scheduled with Auburn, Troy, and USA.
 
I don't think SU is scrambling too much for teams. We got UTSA and SC State already slated. So we need two more teams. I am hoping FAMU and Tenn State. But who knows.
We have Southern Miss too. We just have 1 slot left to fill.
 
I don't know about this "scrambling" either. Don't A&M and ASU either got a couple FBS opponents on the schedule already for 2017 and 2018? I think the schools with established ADs have done a good job at scheduling ahead of time

Correct! A&M ain't hurting for OOC opponents.
 
A&M has an embarrassment of riches in our ooc schedule next year. We play Vanderbilt, UAB and South Alabama. We are also look to have some more interesting names the following year.

WOW... I don't know what our AD is going to do but I really hope we don't play that many FBS teams... smh

This is one reason why I was against this 7 game format. If I was a coach, I wouldn't even want to coach in the SWAC KNOWING my AD is setting me up with 3-4 automatic losses per year...
 
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I was saying the same thing, I'm not sure about everybody scrambling. I think only one who might be scrambling is UAPB. Even valleys seems to do a great job scheduling. A&M, JSU, SU, Bama and Grambling seems to do a good job scheduling ooc
 
WOW... I don't know what our AD is going to do but I really hope we don't play that many FBS teams... smh

This is one reason why I was against this 7 game format. If I was a coach, I wouldn't even want to coach in the SWAC KNOWING my AD is setting me up with 3-4 automatic losses per year...

JSU will get beat by any decent team outside the SWAC anyway. Might as well play a schedule that financially benefit the program.

With your line of thinking, in a couple of years JSU won't be able to compete with other SWAC teams that use the money to improve the programs.
 
JSU will get beat by any decent team outside the SWAC anyway. Might as well play a schedule that financially benefit the program.

With your line of thinking, in a couple of years JSU won't be able to compete with other SWAC teams that use the money to improve the programs.

Well, let JSU try it without bending over like a $2 ho first....
That money aint' gonna help you. You will still be AAMU. All you gonna get is a well whooped azz. Then JSU will take it from there... and playing THREE FBS teams will have your team so banged up that they won't even be able to strap up when it's time for SWAC play. I agree with Cee... your AD is kinda not good.
 
Well, let JSU try it without bending over like a $2 ho first....
That money aint' gonna help you. You will still be AAMU. All you gonna get is a well whooped azz. Then JSU will take it from there... and playing THREE FBS teams will have your team so banged up that they won't even be able to strap up when it's time for SWAC play. I agree with Cee... your AD is kinda not good.

JSU has already tried it. You lost to Tenn. State 5 straight times and 12 of the last 14. Name any ooc opponent of note or significance JSU has beaten in the last five years.

JSU needs money just like everybody else. And if it does not improve the program with guaranteed money, it will fall even further behind all other SWAC teams.
 
JSU has already tried it. You lost to Tenn. State 5 straight times and 12 of the last 14. Name any ooc opponent of note or significance JSU has beaten in the last five years.

JSU needs money just like everybody else. And if it does not improve the program with guaranteed money, it will fall even further behind all other SWAC teams.

Dude...we only had coaching problems. Comegy's last two years, he went 2-2 vs TNState and they were VERY good those last two years. Comegy would have had a much better shot at beating them the last three years. You worried about the wrong thing tho... you need to know that nothing will help you beat JSU. ...and you ain't beat nobody OOC either... If you were worth them playing you, they would have beat you the last 5-6 years too...
 
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