[Vision2020] Idaho football news

[Kenneth Marcy]

University of Idaho Facing Difficult Situation Soon

By Damien Alambra @iwasrun on Jan 7, 2016, 3:58p

http://www.obnug.com/2016/1/7/10733478/university-of-idaho-facing-difficult-situation-soon 


Things looking dire for the University of Idaho.

Our friend Dave Southorn, of the Idaho Statesman, met with UI President 
Chuck Staben today. In the talk, the subject of Idaho's current 
football-only membership in the Sun Belt Conference was addressed and 
Staben's feelings regarding the football program's future. While 
conference realignment has been somewhat of a frustrating topic for 
Boise State Broncos 
<http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/teams/boise-st-broncos> 
fans, it is massive concern for the likes of Idaho (and New Mexico State 
University).

Per Southorn's Twitter feed:

    Met with Idaho president Chuck Staben today...said no decision on
    Vandal FB future. Hopes for Sun Belt renewal, considering other options.

    — Dave Southorn (@IDS_Southorn) January 7, 2016
    <https://twitter.com/IDS_Southorn/status/685218923722113024> 

You may, or may not, remember that Idaho's football-only invitation was 
actually on a trial basis. From the Idaho student newspaper, The 
Argonaut <http://www.uiargonaut.com/2015/09/24/sun-belt-days-numbered/>:

    After a year of independence, both schools joined the Sun Belt as
    football-only members on a four-year contract. After two years, the
    other Sun Belt schools will vote to either extend the Vandals’ and
    Aggies’ membership, or to kick them out while letting them play one
    final year during the 2016-17 season.

To which, that crucial vote is coming up.

    Idaho would be first school to go from FBS to FCS if Sun Belt
    decides not to extend- league will vote during conference BB tourney
    (Mar. 10)

    — Dave Southorn (@IDS_Southorn) January 7, 2016
    <https://twitter.com/IDS_Southorn/status/685219600934375425> 

Back in August, the Sun Belt invited Coastal Carolina 
<http://sunbeltsports.org/news/2015/9/1/GENERAL_0901151041.aspx> to the 
conference to balance out the other sports that were unbalanced due to 
Idaho (and New Mexico State's) inclusion. Coastal Carolina will also be 
moving their football program up to the FBS level. The goal of the 
eventual Coastal Carolina inclusion in football would also bump them to 
twelve. That move would be to qualify for the current NCAA rule of 
having a minimum of twelve teams to get a conference championship game. 
However that requirement has been up in the air since the Big XII does 
not necessarily /want/ to expand to match their namesake.

Per Benson, regarding the potential deregulation 
<http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/ul/2015/08/28/sbc-schools-vote-extending-membership-invitation/71349570/>:

    "As we now go forward, and expecting that the NCAA will roll back
    the policy that requires 12 teams to do a conference football
    championship game," Benson said, "we are no longer driven by a
    football championship game when it comes to our future membership.
    We now need to focus on what is in the best interest of our other
    sports."

In theory, this would be bad news for the Idaho football program. A 
conference that is not beholden to a minimum number of teams for 
football could allow the Sun Belt to drop either Idaho, NMSU, or both. 
But, as with everything NCAA-related things, nothing necessarily goes 
easy 
<http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/big-ten-issues-amendment-to-block-deregulation-of-conference-championships-220524302.html>.

    The Big Ten Conference filed a last-minute amendment in November
    that could prevent the Big 12 from having a conference championship
    game.

Though it looks as if the status quo for divisions--and champions--will 
remain as they are currently, Idaho's outlook still is murky. Idaho will 
be looking toward March 10th with bated breath as their football fate 
will be in the hands of (mostly) southern schools looking to do what is 
"best."


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