With its announcement of expanding the CFP to 12 teams (11 P5's and 1 G5), I believe we are starting to see the break away accelerating. In the end there will be 4 Super Conferences made up mostly of current P5 schools and those G5's that can make money (there will only be a handful). The Big Ten, SEC, ACC and some weird merge between Big 12 and PAC 12, each will have 20 teams (purely my belief). These teams will never officially break away from the NCAA. The Big Dance is too lucrative. So Men's Basketball will keep the NCAA intact. However, the majors will have enough power to virtually end what we know about college football. Frankly, it is already happening.
For our interests, this really doesn't matter. The difference between Weber State and Alabama is so extreme that using the Grand Canyon as an analogy of separation seems almost laughable. The gap is that extreme. But, how much of a difference is there between MW and Big Sky schools? Or Missouri Valley and Sun Belt schools? I would argue that Montana with 20 less scholarships could compete for the MW Championship right now. Frankly, Weber could too, along with Idaho, Eastern, Sac, State, Davis, NAU and PSU. Cal Poly is a year or two out from being competitive and will turn some heads this year. Imagine if there wasn't a difference in scholarships? The biggest difference tends to be depth. Portland State should have won and lost because of TOs. SJSU, Hawaii, New Mexico, UNLV, Nevada, and CSU would struggle to go .500 in the Sky this year. USU might as well live it up the next few years. Because the tide is turning and the vast majority of G5's, including the Aggies, are on the outside looking in. They will not be invited to the party. Frankly, the party already started and is moving on without them.
Since this is the case, now is the time for Weber to really drive the program. I hate wasting money. So, Weber needs to figure out how to make more from the program with the aim of expanding. The stadium needs to be repaired and east stands need to be rebuilt. The track needs to be moved and we need to take marketing seriously. There are 5 games left. The goal should be to fill the east stands completely. There isn't much of a remaining fan base. So, athletics needs to build it through students, young alumni, and making GA cheap and accessible to the community. Football and Men's Basketball are Weber's only way of proving they belong. I love Softball and Volleyball and they are awesome, but softball and volleyball are not the programs changing college sports. Athletics needs to start being more serious about building football, especially with Coach Hill here. There is going to be another party, we definitely don't want to miss that one. If we do, we are back with SUU.
For our interests, this really doesn't matter. The difference between Weber State and Alabama is so extreme that using the Grand Canyon as an analogy of separation seems almost laughable. The gap is that extreme. But, how much of a difference is there between MW and Big Sky schools? Or Missouri Valley and Sun Belt schools? I would argue that Montana with 20 less scholarships could compete for the MW Championship right now. Frankly, Weber could too, along with Idaho, Eastern, Sac, State, Davis, NAU and PSU. Cal Poly is a year or two out from being competitive and will turn some heads this year. Imagine if there wasn't a difference in scholarships? The biggest difference tends to be depth. Portland State should have won and lost because of TOs. SJSU, Hawaii, New Mexico, UNLV, Nevada, and CSU would struggle to go .500 in the Sky this year. USU might as well live it up the next few years. Because the tide is turning and the vast majority of G5's, including the Aggies, are on the outside looking in. They will not be invited to the party. Frankly, the party already started and is moving on without them.
Since this is the case, now is the time for Weber to really drive the program. I hate wasting money. So, Weber needs to figure out how to make more from the program with the aim of expanding. The stadium needs to be repaired and east stands need to be rebuilt. The track needs to be moved and we need to take marketing seriously. There are 5 games left. The goal should be to fill the east stands completely. There isn't much of a remaining fan base. So, athletics needs to build it through students, young alumni, and making GA cheap and accessible to the community. Football and Men's Basketball are Weber's only way of proving they belong. I love Softball and Volleyball and they are awesome, but softball and volleyball are not the programs changing college sports. Athletics needs to start being more serious about building football, especially with Coach Hill here. There is going to be another party, we definitely don't want to miss that one. If we do, we are back with SUU.
