Capital Athletic Conference Football?

[jmccloskey]

I was reading a press release from Christopher Newport, announcing the Captain's arrival in the CAC for the 2013-2014 season.  The interesting part was at the bottom, where it noted that the Captain's would join the CAC for all sports except Football (which the CAC doesn't sponsor) in the Fall of 2013.  It then noted that they were a member of the USA South for football, and would remain an affiliate member in that sport until 2015, or join the Capital Athletic Conference "if the league begins sponsoring football before that time."

I just found it interesting they put that comment in.  The CAC hasn't had football as a conference sponsored sport since it's inception.  That the Captains are even mentioning the possibility of joining the CAC for football would seem to suggest that might change in the forseeable future.  So, does anyone know?  Are there any serious discussions about starting conference play in football at some point?  Or was Christopher Newport just musing here?

[Pat Coleman]

There definitely has been -- in fact, the CAC should be sponsoring football the moment that CNU hits but the CAC has been delaying this decision because there aren't enough schools for an automatic bid, or enough unattached schools for them to draw on.

CNU, Frostburg, Salisbury and Wesley make four, but they need seven for an automatic bid. There aren't any other independents to loop into the league.

I had heard that there were perhaps other USA South teams that might be interested in making the jump to the CAC, but haven't seen any movement on that in the 12 months since a few names were floated my way. Perhaps one of the schools will add football, although I have heard nothing, not even rumors, on any of those.

[SUADC]

There definitely has been -- in fact, the CAC should be sponsoring football the moment that CNU hits but the CAC has been delaying this decision because there aren't enough schools for an automatic bid, or enough unattached schools for them to draw on.

CNU, Frostburg, Salisbury and Wesley make four, but they need seven for an automatic bid. There aren't any other independents to loop into the league.

I had heard that there were perhaps other USA South teams that might be interested in making the jump to the CAC, but haven't seen any movement on that in the 12 months since a few names were floated my way. Perhaps one of the schools will add football, although I have heard nothing, not even rumors, on any of those.

I want to say the NCAA allows Newport News Apprentice to be an affiliate member for football, so that makes five. Nevertheless, three more teams would be suffice. I know about a year ago, there was an announcement that Stevenson was heading to the ACFC, which is basically the CAC might consider coming back.

[Pat Coleman]

No, Apprentice is not eligible for the NCAA playoffs and cannot count toward anyone's minimum.

Stevenson was in the MAC for football and is leaving the CAC for the rest of its sports this fall to join the MAC Commonwealth.

[jknezek]

Catholic should be the easy one. Aren't they CAC for everything but football? With the ODAC adding Shenandoah losing Catholic would be annoying for scheduling purposes, to go back down to 7, but still meeting the AQ minimum.

Then again, I don't think Catholic would fare well with the other CAC football members, since they've had a rough go in the ODAC lately. That still puts them only at 5, so two more from the USA South, but you really have to want to build a competitive program to play Wesley, CNU, Salisbury every year. You are talking about 3 annual playoff caliber teams.

[Ron Boerger]

Tough to talk anyone in to joining/affiliating to get access to an automatic bid when Wesley is just going to get it anyway.   

[SUADC]

Tough to talk anyone in to joining/affiliating to get access to an automatic bid when Wesley is just going to get it anyway.   

If it was to become a football affiliate only, then yes. However, the CAC has more than just football to offer and the conference is well represented in other sports as well by other schools.

Now, I would love for its two other charter members, Galludet and Catholic to come back.

[Pat Coleman]

Catholic should be the easy one. Aren't they CAC for everything but football?

Catholic moved to the Landmark conference when it formed about five years ago.

I think the best setup for the CAC is to affiliate with another conference for football -- perhaps the Empire 8, since they currently share some members there.

[jknezek]

Catholic should be the easy one. Aren't they CAC for everything but football?

Catholic moved to the Landmark conference when it formed about five years ago.

I think the best setup for the CAC is to affiliate with another conference for football -- perhaps the Empire 8, since they currently share some members there.

Don't know how I missed that. Thanks. That's what I get for basically being ODAC parochial.

[SUADC]

Catholic should be the easy one. Aren't they CAC for everything but football?

Catholic moved to the Landmark conference when it formed about five years ago.

I think the best setup for the CAC is to affiliate with another conference for football -- perhaps the Empire 8, since they currently share some members there.

Maybe the USA South can go with the affiliate move, then we can have a real conference championship. 5 division games, 2 cross division games, 1 OOC game, then a conference championship game between the champions of each division. The rest of the conference can get a draw on final game matchups.

I was bored at work. So I decided to come up with a solution to Wesley and Huntingdon possibly joining a conference. I think this could go into effect after this upcoming season. I know there are many factors and issues with conference alignment and the sorts. But, like I said I was bored so this is what I have to say.

I think the USA South Conference should invite both Wesley and Huntingdon into the conference, as well as invite Salisbury*, Frostburg*, and Newport News Apprentice** to join the confernce and split it into two divisions.

USA South (N)                          USA South (S)
Wesley                                             NC Wesleyan
Salisbury*                                         Huntingdon
CNU                                                 Maryville (Tenn.)
Ferrum                                              Averett
Frostburg State*                                LaGrange
Shenandoah  ***                               Methodist
Newport News Apprentice**                 Greensboro   



*Subject to Empire 8 Contract
**Not considered NCAA institution
***Leaving for the ODAC

[Pat Coleman]

They certainly overlap better in terms of geography with the USA South, but the USAC doesn't need help maintaining its automatic bid, where the Empire 8 just might.

[Hampton U SID]

No, Apprentice is not eligible for the NCAA playoffs and cannot count toward anyone's minimum.

Stevenson was in the MAC for football and is leaving the CAC for the rest of its sports this fall to join the MAC Commonwealth.

We're recognized enough to be a countable game with NCAA (and NAIA) -- stats and everything count playing us but us in the ACFC was more of a scheduling alliance.  We only finished at .500 one time (in 2006).  We were eligible for All-ACFC awards.

[Pat Coleman]

Right. But not a member of the NCAA. Like many other non-NCAA institutions, games against Apprentice count, but they can't count toward someone's conference membership level for automatic bid purposes.

[Ralph Turner]

Catholic should be the easy one. Aren't they CAC for everything but football?

Catholic moved to the Landmark conference when it formed about five years ago.

I think the best setup for the CAC is to affiliate with another conference for football -- perhaps the Empire 8, since they currently share some members there.

Maybe the USA South can go with the affiliate move, then we can have a real conference championship. 6 division games, 2 cross division games, 1 OOC game, then a conference championship game between the champions of each division. The rest of the conference can get a draw on final game matchups.

I was bored at work. So I decided to come up with a solution to Wesley and Huntingdon possibly joining a conference. I think this could go into effect after this upcoming season. I know there are many factors and issues with conference alignment and the sorts. But, like I said I was bored so this is what I have to say.

I think the USA South Conference should invite both Wesley and Huntingdon into the conference, as well as invite Salisbury*, Frostburg*, and Newport News Apprentice** to join the confernce and split it into two divisions.

USA South (N)                          USA South (S)
Wesley                                             NC Wesleyan
Salisbury*                                         Huntingdon
CNU                                                 Maryville (Tenn.)
Ferrum                                              Averett
Frostburg State*                                LaGrange
Shenandoah  ***                               Methodist
Newport News Apprentice**                 Greensboro   



*Subject to Empire 8 Contract
**Not considered NCAA institution
***Leaving for the ODAC

The problem with the conference championship game in football is that it hurts the chances at a Pool C bid.

I like Pat Coleman's suggestion that E8 and the CAC affiliate. The CAC affiliating with the E8 would permit the E8 to keep their football AQ.

[Hampton U SID]

Right. But not a member of the NCAA. Like many other non-NCAA institutions, games against Apprentice count, but they can't count toward someone's conference membership level for automatic bid purposes.

Pat - I have never claimed us to be NCAA.  ACFC was more throwing us a lifeline (so to speak).  If I am over-reacting forgive me, but we are proud members of the USCAA - one that does play a handful of NCAA D3's in FB (this year Muhlenberg, Greensboro, Gallaudet, Bridgewater) and yes various others to fill a 10-game schedule.