A New SWAC Division

[BayouBandit03]

I don't know if this Topic has been posted in the past but i am going to post.

It seems like the SWAC east is alwayz beating up on eachother: Alcorn, Jackson, A&M, and Bama St. While the West is ran by Grambling and Southern. Instead of EAST/WEST what if there was a North/South. The Northern teams would be: UAPB, Grambling, MVSU,Jackson, & A&M. While the Southern teams would be: PVA&M, TxSU, Southern, Alcorn, & Bama St. In you alls opinion what do you think the SCG would look like and how would this arrangment work for you.

 

[Fiyah]

The divisional separation for east-west is used primarily for travel purposes. Keeping schools travel cost down and keeping the student athletes in school more, so they don't have to miss classes as much trying to travel further away from the school.
So that north-south would not work because you are spreading the schools further away and costing more in travel and students missing more classes. But you have to look at it that they also use the east-west divisional separtaion in sports other than football where the two schools you stated in the west don't dominate and the other schools in the west do win.

 

[Deuce]

I made a similar suggestion about a year ago.

My suggestion then (and now) would be to move Alcorn or Jackson State to the West, and move Pine Bluff to the East. This would toughen up the West a little bit, and lighten up the East.

 

[PNeck019]

The SCG would really suck then, because every year it would be a rematch of the BC from two weeks before....

 

[cat daddy]

Interesting you bring this up.

The ACC is talking about splitting their football schools into divisions that are not based on Geography. I've seen several different scenarios for them Here is one from SI.com

Division A: Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, N.C. State, Wake Forest.
Division B: Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech.

Like P-Neck stated, this year it would be a rematch of the BC.

Things will change. In the early days of the SEC 12 team East/West format, the East dominated. The schools in the West worked hard to compete with those guys and now you are seeing a better balance. All teams in the West have been to the Championship game, except Ole Miss. Georgia has broken up the Florida/UT domination in the East.

 

[JagsPride]

Originally posted by Fiyah
The divisional separation for east-west is used primarily for travel purposes. Keeping schools travel cost down and keeping the student athletes in school more, so they don't have to miss classes as much trying to travel further away from the school.
So that north-south would not work because you are spreading the schools further away and costing more in travel and students missing more classes. But you have to look at it that they also use the east-west divisional separtaion in sports other than football where the two schools you stated in the west don't dominate and the other schools in the west do win.

...but if everyone is mandated to play everyone, doesn't that take away the travel benefit?

 

[Deuce]

Originally posted by JagsPride
...but if everyone is mandated to play everyone, doesn't that take away the travel benefit?

Excellent point, JagsPride.

So why not review the alignment every five to seven years, and make adjustments when/if necessary.

Unless LC Cole lands at Texas Southern, Pine Bluff or Prairie View, the West will ALWAYS be about Grambling and Southern.

 

[Da Sleeper]

Originally posted by Deuce
Excellent point, JagsPride.

Unless LC Cole lands at Texas Southern, Pine Bluff or Prairie View, the West will ALWAYS be about Grambling and Southern.

This has been true in the past. Although, Cole is not the answer to GSU & SU. TxSo has had some solid team that were more talented than SU or GSU they have just had poor coaching. All of this to say, TxSo does not need any retreads, we need to find some fresh blood like that H.S. coach on the hard wood.

 

[Deuce]

Originally posted by Da Sleeper
. . . TxSo has had some solid team that were more talented than SU or GSU they have just had poor coaching . . .

Sleeper,

My point exactly.

And as for LC Cole being a "retread" . . . :smh:

 

[Lewis]

Originally posted by Da Sleeper
This has been true in the past. Although, Cole is not the answer to GSU & SU. TxSo has had some solid team that were more talented than SU or GSU they have just had poor coaching.

That's funny.<br><br>As far as the east teams "beating up on each other", and the west being dominated by SU and Grambling, SU and Grambling have been beating up on the east teams also. Is the east parioty or mediocracy???

 

[MACHIAVELLI]

Originally posted by Deuce
Excellent point, JagsPride.

So why not review the alignment every five to seven years, and make adjustments when/if necessary.

Unless LC Cole lands at Texas Southern, Pine Bluff or Prairie View, the West will ALWAYS be about Grambling and Southern.

Cole will get beat by Grambling no matter where he lands.

 

[Fiyah]

Originally posted by JagsPride
...but if everyone is mandated to play everyone, doesn't that take away the travel benefit?

When it was first implemented in football(east-west splt), that mandate was not the case. But like I also said there are other sports that the conferance sponsors that also use the same east-west split for travel purposes. And there is still 1 more year left before the mandate has to take place in football. Anything can change between now and then, since the 11 game max goes back into affect for 2004.

 

[MightyDog]

I don't expect PVAM and TxSu to be on the bottom of the West for very long. I saw some very good young players on PVAM team this past season. In fact they were all freshmen.

 

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Fiyah,

Actually the SWAC mandate took effect this season 2003-2004. Jackson State and Prairie View A & M petitioned and received a waiver for the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. Every other SWAC member played the mandated 9 game SWAC (7 conference/2 non-conference) schedule.

But, I agree with your argument and logic. The conference just needs other members to step-up and I think it is taking shape with the former new hire last year of a Prairie View A & M coach and full allotment of scholarship commitment as well as the hot seat of the Texas Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff coaches this off-season. Following the commitment that took place from Eastern Division SWAC members that brought in coaches over the past three years.

Actually, this format has work perfectfully when one considers that the SWAC games between Jackson State vs. Alcorn State and Alabama State vs. Texas Southern determine whom would play in the SWAC Championship Game from the Eastern Division. When other wise these games would have had little meaning other than state and rivarly bragging rights and/or season ending winning or losing season footnotes. Unfortunately for the Texas Southern vs. Alabama State game (1,000+) many fans where boycotting Coach Thomas.

 

[MikeBigg]

The North/South split could always be football only. That takes away the travel concerns. But I think the current format works...teams just need to continually improve their recruiting and coaching hires.

 

[Suge]

I don't see the problem with the current format. With the Set up of the SWAC, logistically that is, the East/West Format is the proper way to handle the league. Besides the ultimate issue here is the format is more than just being about football, and it appears that everyone is looking at the situation from the football stand point, and the SWAC is bigger than just football. Football is without a doubt, the cornerstone of the conference in recognition as well as internal and external accolades. But it isn't the sole sport that has to be taken into consideration when planning such things.

Besides the current structure keeps natural rivalries intact. MS schools, LA schools, AL schools, and the Tx Schools all play for more than just pride, it has conference implications.

One thing about the balance of power in any sport, and that is it has a tendancy to shift!