The end and a beginning

[HENJOHN]

I was at all the Boardwalk Bowls but the first one. What fun they were and UD fans packed the place. Maybe a new Boardwalk Bowl will surface in the future. Bahamas Bowl would be nice

[Bluewyn Gold]

Is there any worry of a UMass experience rather than JMU?

I'd have cause for concern only if Delaware kept all sports aside from football in the CAA and moved home football games to MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands. That would be akin to the two seriously detrimental moves made by UMass with their FBS move.

Completely different situation with Delaware. With our resources, I'd put us more in the Liberty category.

[UD '01 grad]

I already committed to Mrs. '01 that if the Hens end up in the Bahamas or New Orleans for a bowl in the future that we would be attending.

[HENJOHN]

I already committed to Mrs. '01 that if the Hens end up in the Bahamas or New Orleans for a bowl in the future that we would be attending.

Either one of those would get me there as well.

[HenZoneNation]

We barely made the playoffs these last two decades and didn't make it far more often then we did. I also don't think that this current situation is going to be what takes place during the 2033 season might have a playoff system as opposed to Bowls. It took the FBS long enough to figure out that a playoff system is awesome and that it should be more than just 4 teams. That ain't gonna change. What will change is all those Power 5 schools are gonna leave and the remaining FBS landscape very well may format itself they way the FCS did with playoffs. Might not.
I wasn't around for the Div 2 years (I wish I had seen that 70's run) but I never heard anyone on this board pining away for the days of playing West Chester and dominating the D2 landscape.

Football is the gateway for universities now. It provides so much money and exposure that it simply can't be ignored. It has literally changed SEC schools around from an academic standpoint. Ten years ago, none of my kids would have looked at Alabama or Tennessee as anything other than a safety school. Now all of that has changed. Yes Covid played apart and perhaps was the catalyst for so many North East students (traditionally from the states that have the highest ranking public schools) and go South where education is not as strong but when I ask them now it's football, weather, campus. UD has 1 of those three and is making the move they need to make it 2/3. We were spinning our wheels to nowhere at the FCS level and the day I can cancel my FloSports account I'm gonna buy myself a bottle of Johnny Blue never look back again.

CR is a God send, may she stay here and see us to the promise land. GoHens

[UDDave]

Is there any worry of a UMass experience rather than JMU?
[/quote]

Not very much. I was an initial FBS denier, but I’m all in now. UMass thought it could go it alone as an independent. Liberty has proven that you need large amounts of disposable cash to pull that off,and even then, you can’t do it forever.

I’m comfortable with this move because I don’t think it’s about CUSA title games or the 2029 Bahamas Bowl. Realignment is not done. Despite the additions of Stanford, Cal, and SMU, Florida State, Miami, and Clemson want out of the ACC. If they can find a way out of the Grant of Rights or if they just decide to take a financial hit for a move to the Big 10 or SEC, that could pull teams from the AAC or SBC to the ACC and create room for UD in those conferences. It’s not inconceivable that a very successful CUSA-version of UD might even be considered in a watered down ACC given our location.

[jersey hen]

I've always enjoyed playoff runs and I will miss that. Many of the games I remember most were playoff games, both wins and losses. And though several schools have moved up and the playoffs aren't all they were 20 years ago, many of our former foes are still there. I know the regular season schedule will improve, probably dramatically, and I'm looking forward to seeing some new teams at the Tub. But for me, I just don't see myself getting that excited about a minor bowl game, which is the best post season result we can expect for the foreseeable future.

While I'm not as excited about this change as most folks here, I hope we do become the next JMU or Liberty and I feel we have a wise Athletic Dept in place that can lead us to this. And who knows how things will evolve in the next 10-20 years. Maybe we will have a G5 playoff system.

[Udforever1]

Is there any worry of a UMass experience rather than JMU?

I'd have cause for concern only if Delaware kept all sports aside from football in the CAA and moved home football games to MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands. That would be akin to the two seriously detrimental moves made by UMass with their FBS move.

Completely different situation with Delaware. With our resources, I'd put us more in the Liberty category.

Spot on. People don’t realize what a horrible mistake Umass made, especially putting home games two hours across the state.

I was pretty meh on the move to Conf USA when I heard the rumors, and even a bit when it became official. The press conference and everything since has completely changed my mind. We have leaders in place that have researched this move to no end and realize what a sleeping giant this university is.

I’ll miss the playoffs, the bracketology articles and such, but I’m really looking forward to the future.

[mpwerrell]

cant speak for others but for me absolutely

Based on what I heard at the presser and in subsequent interviews about the research and prep work done, I have absolutely no concern whatsoever. UMASS football has been abysmal. As AD Rawak said, “we’re in it to win”.

[Info Hound]

I just love reading these posts. Thanks for kicking it off, cams!

[finpxz1]

The time is now! FCS is deader than dead. As others have mentioned, we finally have the right leadership in place after decades of neglect and incompetence. I couldn’t be more excited about the future of UD Athletics.

[Baltimore Hen]

Out of curiosity, what’s the percentage look like as far as thrilled to move up vs not happy? We discuss this yearly in Montana and unless things change drastically I’m in the I’d rather not move up club. The playoffs are my favorite time of year.

During the talks and rumors etc, I wasnt as thrilled as some on here but now that its here, its pretty exciting to see what the Hens can do. As long as its done the right way which it appears they are doing so.

Is there any worry of a UMass experience rather than JMU?

UMass botched theirs from the start with their idea to play games in Gillette Stadium hours away from campus…

[Hens79]

Nothing but excitement for the future. UD finally, at long last has done what they should have done at least 15 years ago. As far as the playoffs, the Hens haven’t done much since 2010 outside of the COVID year so not really anything to miss. With that said, it would be great to beat Montana tomorrow.

[Attila the Hen]

Nothing but excitement for the future. UD finally, at long last has done what they should have done at least 15 years ago. As far as the playoffs, the Hens haven’t done much since 2010 outside of the COVID year so not really anything to miss. With that said, it would be great to beat Montana tomorrow.

I'll bet it turns out to be worth the wait. Imagine if we made this transition with some of the prior administrators in place. Probably would have been a miserable failure. But now I have complete faith in this administrative team to get it right.

[Caribbean Hen]

Is this the beginning

Or is it the end?

ABBA

End of FCS

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