Originally Posted by
HoustonCajun
_ Ah, our beloved Sun Belt Conference. They screw us every time, whether it is our name, officiating, etc. This conference is a joke. I swear I think we would be better off being an independent. Scheduling? Would never be a problem as every conference is looking to schedule OOC games. Playing for a conference title and automatic tournament bid and bowl bid? When was the last time we did that in any sport except softball? And, we just got that automatic conference bid a year or so ago. Before that, we got a bid to the playoffs every year despite being in the SBC without an automatic bid. How many times did we win the baseball conference championship, yet that didn't hurt our tournament selection. Revenue? What revenue does this conference generate for us? Seems like we could make a lot more money playing a better schedule without having to share with anyone else. Want to stake a claim for our Louisiana name as an Independent, something our conference won't help us with? Want to establish separation from ULM and LA Tech? Want to be in a better position to be picked for another conference later when/if conference reallignment reoccurs?
We really have no other conference options right now. So, are we better off in the worse conference in the country with no direct benefits from our affiliation or as an Independent along with Notre Dame, Army and Navy? Can we schedule better, get more recognition, more revenue, and still go to bowl games and get NCAA invites as an Independent? If 7 wins is the barometer, does it matter what conference we are in or that we are even in a conference? Our AD might have to work a little harder to schedule, but so what? Do we have natural rivalries in the SBC? None. Could we still schedule games vs. SBC members if needed? They need to schedule games, too.
Our last great year of scheduling in football was in 1996 when we went 5-6 vs. the following schools. Could we recruit better athletes to play this kind of schedule or vs. what we currently play? Would UL be perceived differently both statewide and nationally?
Florida (A)
Texas A&M (H)
Southern Miss (A)
LA Tech (A)
Houston (H)
Ark. State (H)
UAB (A)
Memphis (H)
VA Tech (A)
N. Illinois (H)
Texas Tech (A)
I know many will say this is a rediculous idea. If we were in a better conference, I wouldn't be making this suggestion. Our long term objective should be to build up our program to be admitted to a better conference later, because who knows what options might be available if there is another conference reallignment. Can we progress faster athletically as an Independent and gain more recognition and notoriety? Are we just treating water in the SBC? Just what is the biggest argument for staying in the SBC? _