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Date Posted: 11:34:10 04/10/06 Mon
Author: J.J.
Subject: Stony Brook football in motion

Stony Brook is leaving NEC football after this season to become full scholarship I-AA. Albany is sure to follow very soon. SBU will maintain games with as Albany, Central, and Monmouth as Independent.

Will CCSU try to make the move to full scholarship I-AA football too? Is this a chance to join the America East as a full member and maybe have a future FB conference with Maine, New Hampshire, Albany, Stony Brook, UMass, and URI?

Will the NEC replace SBU and UA with any MAAC teams for FB only?

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From NY Newsday - April 10, 2006:

The Stony Brook University football team has yet to take a snap as a scholarship program, but already the Seawolves' ambition has surpassed the restraints of the Northeast Conference.

Stony Brook will announce today that it plans to compete as a Division I-AA independent beginning with the 2007 season and will begin phasing in scholarships until it reaches the full complement of 63 allowed by the NCAA. NEC schools will be allowed 30 scholarships beginning this fall.

"There's a thought process to this," new Stony Brook football coach Chuck Priore said after a spring practice last week. "If our ultimate goal is to move forward, waiting doesn't help us."

Waiting doesn't help, but patience certainly will. With teams such as Youngstown State, Richmond and local rival Hofstra scheduled for upcoming seasons, the Seawolves will be playing some of the top I-AA programs in the nation.

"Too many people want scoreboard-winning too quickly," Priore said. "Most times you see things like this fail, it is because a school didn't stick to its plan. We have to be patient with our own plan."

That plan now includes a steady increase in scholarships while waiting for a conference opening. Rather than jumping from 30 to 63 scholarships immediately or having to follow an outside timetable to reach full scholarship status, Stony Brook athletic director Jim Fiore said this move allows the Seawolves to advance at their own pace.

"When or if that time ever comes," Fiore said of an invitation to a big I-AA conference, "we'll want to be competitive right away."

Both Fiore and Priore said the model for success in this venture is Connecticut, which grew quickly from a Division III program to a Division I bowl team. Priore said everyone at Connecticut spouts the same philosophy: The key to growth is scheduling. With the NCAA adding a 12th game for teams next season, that will be even easier for the Seawolves as programs look to grab another contest.

Proper scheduling, Priore said, will improve recruiting. "The two questions recruits ask is 'will it cost me anything?' and 'who do you play?'" he said. Playing programs such as Youngstown State and Massachusetts, Priore said, puts Stony Brook in the same recruiting market.

Balancing the independent schedule also is significant. Stony Brook will maintain rivalries with NEC schools such as Albany, Monmouth and Central Connecticut but also will add games against Elon, Brown and other well-established programs.

Stony Brook's initial plan is to have three or four games that are winnable, three or four that are toss-ups and three or four that require fingers crossed to be competitive.

"The idea is to build confidence, then start performing competitively, then start winning," Priore said. "Ultimately, the scoreboard wins will happen."

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Replies:

[> Re: Stony Brook football in motion -- larryL9797, 11:48:26 04/14/06 Fri

Look what happened to UMBC when they "felt" too constrained by the NEC. I dont think they have had a winning season in BBall since they jumped ship. And they never did Football.. Let be honest, Football and Basketball pays the bills (Mostly) for the remaining sports thats what ties them together. You have to respect that as an AD and realise that life will be better under a united conference long term. Unless the A10 or PL calls, I wouldnt expect leaving the NEC.


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[> [> Re: Stony Brook football in motion -- newbritainite, 22:07:17 04/16/06 Sun

hmmm....
maybe UMBC will moveback to the NEC??
The grass isn't always greener on the other side!


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[> Re: Stony Brook football in motion -- J.J., 19:53:50 04/17/06 Mon

First, CJ did a great job getting us out of the Mid-Con and into the NEC! It was probably his biggest accomplishment. It has been great for all parties involved, we just don't fit the profile of NEC schools. I know some think a a move to the AE may be "lateral" for some sports, but it does place CCSU with New England and New York public schools, and that is good for sport rivalries and academics. I just think its a better place for us, even though we haven't been invited :(

Second, I doubt UMBC will come back. They now have a much better Lax conference (for their top sport) and the MBB team never made the NCAAs from the NEC either, so they aren't doing too much worse in the AE. Plus we really don't need them, it doesn't help the NEC much anyway.


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