Are we ready to jump up?

[topstraight]

Is FCS stronger, weaker, or the same as it was about Ten years ago??

Final FCS Sports Network Poll Rankings:

2011

SHSU-2
GA So-4
ODU--10
App St.-12
JMU--15 [DELAWARE-17]
Liberty-25
UMASS--7 weeks

2012

SHSU-2
GA So-4
ODU--6
APP St-9
JMU---19
Coastal Carolina-24

That's EIGHT different teams in 2012-13.

They are ALL FBS now---Gone from FCS.

Recent other move-ups (not all)>> JAX State(CUSA), UTSA and FAU--who just left CUSA this year for the AAC. Ga St.-SBC.

Additionally-- the vast majority of these schools have done very well. FOUR of those have been in THE FBS TOP 25 POLL recently--TWO are in Right Now. If you ask Any of those fan bases--Do you think a single one would say they regret their move up??

CUSA>>>Liberty-#22, NMSU--receiving votes-#34, JAX St.(8-3)-Bowl Eligible, WKU- Bowl Eligible.

Where does DELAWARE want to be as FCS continues to weaken?

[hensfan40yrs]

Is FCS stronger, weaker, or the same as it was about Ten years ago??

Final FCS Sports Network Poll Rankings:

2011

SHSU-2
GA So-4
ODU--10
App St.-12
JMU--15 [DELAWARE-17]
Liberty-25
UMASS--7 weeks

2012

SHSU-2
GA So-4
ODU--6
APP St-9
JMU---19
Coastal Carolina-24

That's EIGHT different teams in 2012-13.

They are ALL FBS now---Gone from FCS.

Recent other move-ups (not all)>> JAX State(CUSA), UTSA and FAU--who just left CUSA this year for the AAC. Ga St.-SBC.

Additionally-- the vast majority of these schools have done very well. FOUR of those have been in THE FBS TOP 25 POLL recently--TWO are in Right Now. If you ask Any of those fan bases--Do you think a single one would say they regret their move up??

CUSA>>>Liberty-#22, NMSU--receiving votes-#34, JAX St.(8-3)-Bowl Eligible, WKU- Bowl Eligible.

Where does DELAWARE want to be as FCS continues to weaken?

Of those schools that you mentioned moving up, look at the home states they can recruit ... hotbeds. Cmon, Liberty has all of Virginia .... Virginia Beach - Norfolk area, no comparison.

[GhostOfThePeeWall]

Is FCS stronger, weaker, or the same as it was about Ten years ago??

Final FCS Sports Network Poll Rankings:

2011

SHSU-2
GA So-4
ODU--10
App St.-12
JMU--15 [DELAWARE-17]
Liberty-25
UMASS--7 weeks

2012

SHSU-2
GA So-4
ODU--6
APP St-9
JMU---19
Coastal Carolina-24

That's EIGHT different teams in 2012-13.

They are ALL FBS now---Gone from FCS.

Recent other move-ups (not all)>> JAX State(CUSA), UTSA and FAU--who just left CUSA this year for the AAC. Ga St.-SBC.

Additionally-- the vast majority of these schools have done very well. FOUR of those have been in THE FBS TOP 25 POLL recently--TWO are in Right Now. If you ask Any of those fan bases--Do you think a single one would say they regret their move up??

CUSA>>>Liberty-#22, NMSU--receiving votes-#34, JAX St.(8-3)-Bowl Eligible, WKU- Bowl Eligible.

Where does DELAWARE want to be as FCS continues to weaken?

Of those schools that you mentioned moving up, look at the home states they can recruit ... hotbeds. Cmon, Liberty has all of Virginia .... Virginia Beach - Norfolk area, no comparison.

Delaware recruits VA too, and there are plenty of bigger schools they have to compete with in state alone, VA Tech, UVA, JMU. And something about Liberty just seems off, the word sportswashing comes to mind.

[hensfan40yrs]

I just cant anymore, FBS or bust

[bluehens2005]

Is FCS stronger, weaker, or the same as it was about Ten years ago??

Final FCS Sports Network Poll Rankings:

2011

SHSU-2
GA So-4
ODU--10
App St.-12
JMU--15 [DELAWARE-17]
Liberty-25
UMASS--7 weeks

2012

SHSU-2
GA So-4
ODU--6
APP St-9
JMU---19
Coastal Carolina-24

That's EIGHT different teams in 2012-13.

They are ALL FBS now---Gone from FCS.

Recent other move-ups (not all)>> JAX State(CUSA), UTSA and FAU--who just left CUSA this year for the AAC. Ga St.-SBC.

Additionally-- the vast majority of these schools have done very well. FOUR of those have been in THE FBS TOP 25 POLL recently--TWO are in Right Now. If you ask Any of those fan bases--Do you think a single one would say they regret their move up??

CUSA>>>Liberty-#22, NMSU--receiving votes-#34, JAX St.(8-3)-Bowl Eligible, WKU- Bowl Eligible.

Where does DELAWARE want to be as FCS continues to weaken?

Of those schools that you mentioned moving up, look at the home states they can recruit ... hotbeds. Cmon, Liberty has all of Virginia .... Virginia Beach - Norfolk area, no comparison.

Delaware recruits VA too, and there are plenty of bigger schools they have to compete with in state alone, VA Tech, UVA, JMU. And something about Liberty just seems off, the word sportswashing comes to mind.

Liberty has an insane amount of donors due to their “religious “ philosophy some folks who agree with their mission and philosophy be opening their wallets

[93BlueHen]

Moving up has absolutely nothing to do with success on the field at the FCS level.

Truer words have never been spoken. Some examples:

Boise State moved up in 1996 to the Big West Conference (a stepping stone to an eventual WAC invite in 2001). In four of their final five seasons in the Big Sky, they missed the I-AA playoffs. They had losing records in '92 (5-6) and '93 (3-8).

Georgia State moved to FBS in 2013 after going 1-10 in the CAA in 2012. They have since been to five bowls (3-2).

Liberty was 6-5 for three seasons in a row (2015-17) before moving up. They are 3-1 in FBS bowls since.


Please, for the love of God, get us the hell out of the CAA before Del State is invited.

[Attila the Hen]

Of those schools that you mentioned moving up, look at the home states they can recruit ... hotbeds. Cmon, Liberty has all of Virginia .... Virginia Beach - Norfolk area, no comparison.

Excellent point. It's really surprising that schools in recruiting hotbeds like Hampton, VMI, Gardner Webb, Wofford, Campbell, Kennesaw, Bethune Cookman, etc, etc, don't have multiple national championships among them and aren't even in the conversation every year. Are Montana and the Dakotas recruiting hotbeds too?

[Caribbean Hen]

A while back watched a JMU @ Richmond game from about 2008 on YouTube. The level of play in that game was much better than what we’re seeing in todays CAA.

It looked a lot like what P5 is today

[bluehens2005]

A while back watched a JMU @ Richmond game from about 2008 on YouTube. The level of play in that game was much better than what we’re seeing in todays CAA.

It looked a lot like what P5 is today

Absolutely been saying this for a while.

[bluehens2005]

I just cant anymore, FBS or bust

Amen!

[Caribbean Hen]

A while back watched a JMU @ Richmond game from about 2008 on YouTube. The level of play in that game was much better than what we’re seeing in todays CAA.

It looked a lot like what P5 is today

Absolutely been saying this for a while.

So you would agree that a lot of P5 today looks like FCS of 15 years ago?

[Hens79]

Moving up has absolutely nothing to do with success on the field at the FCS level.

Truer words have never been spoken. Some examples:

Boise State moved up in 1996 to the Big West Conference (a stepping stone to an eventual WAC invite in 2001). In four of their final five seasons in the Big Sky, they missed the I-AA playoffs. They had losing records in '92 (5-6) and '93 (3-8).

Georgia State moved to FBS in 2013 after going 1-10 in the CAA in 2012. They have since been to five bowls (3-2).

Liberty was 6-5 for three seasons in a row (2015-17) before moving up. They are 3-1 in FBS bowls since.


Please, for the love of God, get us the hell out of the CAA before Del State is invited.

Nice posts GF and 93. Of course you are correct and FCS success isn’t required for FBS success. There are plenty more examples too.

I just can’t believe that anyone wants to play in a conference with Bryant, Campbell and MEAC schools??? Thankfully UD doesn’t as well.

[topstraight]

Is FCS (overall) weaker or stronger than ten years ago?

Is the CAA stronger or weaker than ten years ago?

Old saying--"You are known by the company you keep."

CAA FB-- newbies; Campbell, Bryant, Hampton, Monmouth, NC A&T

Schools with enrollment UNDER 6,900>>SIX--with three of those Under 4,000

Delaware--23,281

Stadium capacity

Monmouth-4,600
Bryant------5,500
Campbell---5,500
Rhode Island--6,580

Delaware- 18,500

Departed teams from CAA now in FBS:

JMU
UMASS
Ga State
ODU

FCS NATIONAL Championships:

JMU-2, UMASS-1>>> Both Gone to FBS

Delaware, Richmond, 'Nova---one each

Other current thirteen members>> ZERO

[RalphD58]

Ready or not, the move to FBS needs to be made. Just being an FBS team will make Delaware a more attractive landing spot to recruits whose goal is FBS football. The additional scholarships will help as will the transfer portal when it comes to filling out the roster. They may take their lumps the first couple of years or they may do well, who knows?!?!

Every year is a toss up now because of the transfer portal/NIL anyway. The hardest thing for schools like Delaware is keeping their good players on the team. Money talks so players walk and I honestly don't blame them. The coaching staff needs to be fluid and have the ability to get a group of individuals on the same page in a relatively short amount of time. Do we have the staff for that? No clue. They seemed to do a good job integrating the transfers this year, but the schedule wasn't the toughest, so that's debatable. It's just time to make the jump, I think most would agree on that. Go Hens!

[topstraight]

Honest question-- Would UD make the move Alone or would they HAVE TO HAVE another school join them from the EAST?

Is there ANY school (Besides UMASS) who is Willing (and prepared) to move to FBS?

I know W&M, Richmond, and Villanova (FB only) would Not.

Anybody else?