Do you want to be in the same conference as ECU?

Charlotte 49er Football 🏈
41

Here’s a list of the ECU draft picks over the last 15 years and where they played HS football:

1994
Carlester Crumpler - Greenville Rose, NC
Bernard Carter - Lincoln HS, Tallahassee, FL

1996
Emanuel McDaniel - Jonesboro HS, GA
Jerris McPhail - Clinton HS, NC

1997
Lamont Burns - Greensboro Page, NC

1998
Larry Shannon - Bradford HS, Starke, FL

1999
Rod Coleman - Gratz HS, Philadelphia, PA
Troy Smith - Greenville Rose, NC

2002
David Garrard - Southern Durham HS, NC
Leonard Henry - Clinton HS, NC

2004
Brian Rimpf - Leesville Road HS, Raleigh, NC

2006
Guy Whimpfer - Havelock HS, NC

2007
Aundrae Allison - A.L. Brown, Kannapolis, NC

2008
Chris Johnson - Olympia HS, Orlando, FL

2009
Davon Drew - New Bern HS, NC

Only one of their draft picks over that time period was from the Charlotte-metro area, and 11 of the 15 players came from Florida or eastern North Carolina. As I said earlier, most years when they are successful and you look at their roster that’s the geography you’ll find. Hopefully when it comes to the talent here we won’t be competing much with them once we get to D1. Like ECU and most every other school on the east coast, we will need some Florida recruiting connections along with keeping the Meck-area players home to get to the level we want to be at.

42

We need to schedule games vs. TX, CA, & FL teams so we can recruit nationally. No reason to just get home grown, all though they’re good too.

43

If the BCS cards don’t fall our way, I would like to see us try to pull an 8-10 team reincarnation of the Metro conference together, pulling the best overall athletic programs from the non-BCS conferences in the East. If we can pull something like this off, it could be quite the strong conference… and it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to convince all of these schools to band together.

Charlotte
Buffalo
Marshall
Temple
Memphis
East Carolina
UAB
UCF

This is predicated on the assumption, of course, that Temple and Memphis get passed over by conference expansion. I really don’t see ECU getting the nod from the Big East, simply because their basketball is beyond horrid.

44

[quote=“Lew, post:43, topic:22398”]If the BCS cards don’t fall our way, I would like to see us try to pull an 8-10 team reincarnation of the Metro conference together, pulling the best overall athletic programs from the non-BCS conferences in the East. If we can pull something like this off, it could be quite the strong conference… and it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to convince all of these schools to band together.

Charlotte
Buffalo
Marshall
Temple
Memphis
East Carolina
UAB
UCF

This is predicated on the assumption, of course, that Temple and Memphis get passed over by conference expansion. I really don’t see ECU getting the nod from the Big East, simply because their basketball is beyond horrid.[/quote]
I like this idea. Maybe add in Western Kentucky as well.

45

[quote=“charlotteguy88, post:44, topic:22398”][quote=“Lew, post:43, topic:22398”]If the BCS cards don’t fall our way, I would like to see us try to pull an 8-10 team reincarnation of the Metro conference together, pulling the best overall athletic programs from the non-BCS conferences in the East. If we can pull something like this off, it could be quite the strong conference… and it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to convince all of these schools to band together.

Charlotte
Buffalo
Marshall
Temple
Memphis
East Carolina
UAB
UCF

This is predicated on the assumption, of course, that Temple and Memphis get passed over by conference expansion. I really don’t see ECU getting the nod from the Big East, simply because their basketball is beyond horrid.[/quote]
I like this idea. Maybe add in Western Kentucky as well.[/quote]

WKU has very little upside, though. Decent basketball every once and again, but at the same time their football program is horrendous, and no TV market whatsoever. Marshall doesn’t have much of a market either, but they have a fairly strong following and plenty of upside for both their football and basketball programs.

46

[quote=“Lew, post:45, topic:22398”][quote=“charlotteguy88, post:44, topic:22398”][quote=“Lew, post:43, topic:22398”]If the BCS cards don’t fall our way, I would like to see us try to pull an 8-10 team reincarnation of the Metro conference together, pulling the best overall athletic programs from the non-BCS conferences in the East. If we can pull something like this off, it could be quite the strong conference… and it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to convince all of these schools to band together.

Charlotte
Buffalo
Marshall
Temple
Memphis
East Carolina
UAB
UCF

This is predicated on the assumption, of course, that Temple and Memphis get passed over by conference expansion. I really don’t see ECU getting the nod from the Big East, simply because their basketball is beyond horrid.[/quote]
I like this idea. Maybe add in Western Kentucky as well.[/quote]

WKU has very little upside, though. Decent basketball every once and again, but at the same time their football program is horrendous, and no TV market whatsoever. Marshall doesn’t have much of a market either, but they have a fairly strong following and plenty of upside for both their football and basketball programs.[/quote]
Yea thats true I guess. WKU does have a national football title in 2002, but things have not been good since that day. Georgia Southern wants to move up if conditions are right, they have a strong fanbase, and financial support and in my opinion top 5 stadium for FCS and an excellent baseball facility. 6 national football titles since 1985. But concern there is their basketball program is pretty bad. But then again everything else is strong for them but bball. Id like to see us in a 10 team conference. With solid bball and football, but some schools are strong bball and others are stronger in football. But I definitely like your idea alot if we dont luck out with a BCS conference.

47

[quote=“charlotteguy88, post:46, topic:22398”][quote=“Lew, post:45, topic:22398”][quote=“charlotteguy88, post:44, topic:22398”][quote=“Lew, post:43, topic:22398”]If the BCS cards don’t fall our way, I would like to see us try to pull an 8-10 team reincarnation of the Metro conference together, pulling the best overall athletic programs from the non-BCS conferences in the East. If we can pull something like this off, it could be quite the strong conference… and it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to convince all of these schools to band together.

Charlotte
Buffalo
Marshall
Temple
Memphis
East Carolina
UAB
UCF

This is predicated on the assumption, of course, that Temple and Memphis get passed over by conference expansion. I really don’t see ECU getting the nod from the Big East, simply because their basketball is beyond horrid.[/quote]
I like this idea. Maybe add in Western Kentucky as well.[/quote]

WKU has very little upside, though. Decent basketball every once and again, but at the same time their football program is horrendous, and no TV market whatsoever. Marshall doesn’t have much of a market either, but they have a fairly strong following and plenty of upside for both their football and basketball programs.[/quote]
Yea thats true I guess. WKU does have a national football title in 2002, but things have not been good since that day. Georgia Southern wants to move up if conditions are right, they have a strong fanbase, and financial support and in my opinion top 5 stadium for FCS and an excellent baseball facility. 6 national football titles since 1985. But concern there is their basketball program is pretty bad. But then again everything else is strong for them but bball. Id like to see us in a 10 team conference. With solid bball and football, but some schools are strong bball and others are stronger in football. But I definitely like your idea alot if we dont luck out with a BCS conference.[/quote]

Where to begin…Buffalo? Why would we want to be in a conference with Buffalo? They held one of the longest losing streaks in College Football, and their BBall program is not exactly lights out. Not to mention it’s a hike to basically go to Canada.

And the BBall is outright lacking in that conference…Memphis will not be the same after Calipari, and they would be considered the best. UAB is decent, and Temple is decent (they are typically an NIT/borderline NCAA team, just having a good run this year). But Buffalo, Marshall, ECU, and UCF are not great teams to play against in a ten team league.

This league appears to have the making to be a CAA equivalent.

48

[quote=“cakewalk5, post:47, topic:22398”][quote=“charlotteguy88, post:46, topic:22398”][quote=“Lew, post:45, topic:22398”][quote=“charlotteguy88, post:44, topic:22398”][quote=“Lew, post:43, topic:22398”]If the BCS cards don’t fall our way, I would like to see us try to pull an 8-10 team reincarnation of the Metro conference together, pulling the best overall athletic programs from the non-BCS conferences in the East. If we can pull something like this off, it could be quite the strong conference… and it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to convince all of these schools to band together.

Charlotte
Buffalo
Marshall
Temple
Memphis
East Carolina
UAB
UCF

This is predicated on the assumption, of course, that Temple and Memphis get passed over by conference expansion. I really don’t see ECU getting the nod from the Big East, simply because their basketball is beyond horrid.[/quote]
I like this idea. Maybe add in Western Kentucky as well.[/quote]

WKU has very little upside, though. Decent basketball every once and again, but at the same time their football program is horrendous, and no TV market whatsoever. Marshall doesn’t have much of a market either, but they have a fairly strong following and plenty of upside for both their football and basketball programs.[/quote]
Yea thats true I guess. WKU does have a national football title in 2002, but things have not been good since that day. Georgia Southern wants to move up if conditions are right, they have a strong fanbase, and financial support and in my opinion top 5 stadium for FCS and an excellent baseball facility. 6 national football titles since 1985. But concern there is their basketball program is pretty bad. But then again everything else is strong for them but bball. Id like to see us in a 10 team conference. With solid bball and football, but some schools are strong bball and others are stronger in football. But I definitely like your idea alot if we dont luck out with a BCS conference.[/quote]

Where to begin…Buffalo? Why would we want to be in a conference with Buffalo? They held one of the longest losing streaks in College Football, and their BBall program is not exactly lights out. Not to mention it’s a hike to basically go to Canada.

And the BBall is outright lacking in that conference…Memphis will not be the same after Calipari, and they would be considered the best. UAB is decent, and Temple is decent (they are typically an NIT/borderline NCAA team, just having a good run this year). But Buffalo, Marshall, ECU, and UCF are not great teams to play against in a ten team league.

This league appears to have the making to be a CAA equivalent.[/quote]

Just an FYI, Buffalo was 8-6 in 2008 and 5-7 last year and ended the season a 2 game streak, so no to the first part. As far as the rest, not many options unfortunately. Gotta put together the best situation you can, I don’t see a chance of us getting into a BCS conference unless we go like 10-2 every year during our FCS period, and thus we don’t have many choices. Like I said earlier, I think i best option is to find a home for football, and leave the rest of our teams in the A10.

49

[quote=“charlotteguy88, post:46, topic:22398”][quote=“Lew, post:45, topic:22398”][quote=“charlotteguy88, post:44, topic:22398”][quote=“Lew, post:43, topic:22398”]If the BCS cards don’t fall our way, I would like to see us try to pull an 8-10 team reincarnation of the Metro conference together, pulling the best overall athletic programs from the non-BCS conferences in the East. If we can pull something like this off, it could be quite the strong conference… and it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to convince all of these schools to band together.

Charlotte
Buffalo
Marshall
Temple
Memphis
East Carolina
UAB
UCF

This is predicated on the assumption, of course, that Temple and Memphis get passed over by conference expansion. I really don’t see ECU getting the nod from the Big East, simply because their basketball is beyond horrid.[/quote]
I like this idea. Maybe add in Western Kentucky as well.[/quote]

WKU has very little upside, though. Decent basketball every once and again, but at the same time their football program is horrendous, and no TV market whatsoever. Marshall doesn’t have much of a market either, but they have a fairly strong following and plenty of upside for both their football and basketball programs.[/quote]
Yea thats true I guess. WKU does have a national football title in 2002, but things have not been good since that day. Georgia Southern wants to move up if conditions are right, they have a strong fanbase, and financial support and in my opinion top 5 stadium for FCS and an excellent baseball facility. 6 national football titles since 1985. But concern there is their basketball program is pretty bad. But then again everything else is strong for them but bball. Id like to see us in a 10 team conference. With solid bball and football, but some schools are strong bball and others are stronger in football. But I definitely like your idea alot if we dont luck out with a BCS conference.[/quote]

GSU’s basketball program is still picking up the pieces from being put on probation, but they have a young coach who can recruit well so I’d look for them to be competitive soon.

Should App make a move up I can see them fitting well into a conference like this. Like GSU and Marshall, ASU has a strong fanbase and successful football program.

As for basketball, the pieces are in place to be successful consistently. Unfortunately, the football fanbase has yet to transition to basketball despite App’s quick turnaround in the SoCon this season. IMO, that comes from lack of marketing, winning consistently, things that App has never had as far as basketball is concerned. But again, there is potential.

50

ecu’s conference is ok but only if it means not going backward in basketball. i do not want to be in app’s conference because that means we degressed. they are content with the lowly southern conference. we are not.

51

[quote=“Niner National, post:14, topic:22398”]I don’t care if URI’s football program sucks, we need schools with decent basketball programs as well. Everything cannot (and shouldn’t) be focused solely around football.[/quote]for the win.

52

I think that until we establish ourselves to the point that our football program is as high as our basketball program, basketball should always remain our #1 priority, and decisions should be made with that in mind first.

53

[quote=“austinniner, post:52, topic:22398”]I think that until we establish ourselves to the point that our football program is as high as our basketball program, basketball should always remain our #1 priority, and decisions should be made with that in mind first.[/quote]for the win again.

54

I missed this meeting sadly enough. What EXACTLY did Paul Griffin say on this? I could be wrong but I think we all discussed at the time that he said FBS conferences, not BCS. Which means Sun Belt and CUSA, not Big East and SEC.[/quote]

He said BCS. I remember clearly because there was discussion around protecting basketball and how lack of football impacted us in our post-CUSA move. He said something to the tune of with football and your basketball tradition you will find some very attractive options and mentioned 2 BCS conferences that were watching us very closely and in his opinion would be very interested in us once we had a full plate to offer.

55

I missed this meeting sadly enough. What EXACTLY did Paul Griffin say on this? I could be wrong but I think we all discussed at the time that he said FBS conferences, not BCS. Which means Sun Belt and CUSA, not Big East and SEC.[/quote]

He said BCS. I remember clearly because there was discussion around protecting basketball and how lack of football impacted us in our post-CUSA move. He said something to the tune of with football and your basketball tradition you will find some very attractive options and mentioned 2 BCS conferences that were watching us very closely and in his opinion would be very interested in us once we had a full plate to offer.[/quote]

Why is Paul Griffin not on this University’s payroll? Seems like a no brainer to me.

56

Georgia Southern could definitely make the jump, but right now they’re under an AD who, according to their fans, is bringing the athletics department down and delaying any progress they might have.

As for JMU, they’re looking into expanding the stadium and are the most likely candidate from the CAA to move up.

From a football perspective, I think many ASU fans (me included) could say the same thing for App that Metro is saying for Charlotte hoops.[/quote]

Yea you are right about GSU, I grew up close to there and have a krap load of friends there. They do say the AD is terrible and hurting GSU pride greatly. But no one can move anywhere until 2013 I believe anyway. But its always fun to talk it up and share ideas about who should move where, and new conferences forming etc. I know some changes are needed, with more schools adding football and more are going to want to be FBS, and there are 331 ( i believe that number is right) D1 schools too so changes are needed, such as maybe more conferences for football, a bigger NCAA tourney field for bball etc etc[/quote]

The moratorium on moving from FCS to FBS ends in 2011. You’re right though, the NCAA will need to do something about the number of DI schools in basketball. Moving from FCS to FBS won’t affect the number of DI schools playing basketball, but the moratorium also lifts on DII moving to DI, and that could.

57
58

Interesting read.

I see no gloom and doom in those numbers for ECU. The enrollment decline was very small.

Whoever bought into the old chancellor’s “ECU will be the next great national university” line of BS was on crack.

In answer to the original question from many years ago, yes I want to be in the same conference as ECU.

59

clt says eCu is admitting anyone to increase enrollment. Not a good look for an AAC school

60

Sure, why not? Or more Texas, Alabama, Louisiana schools? AAC seems like that to me.