Augie to the Summit?

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Finally, a Sioux Falls journalist (Stu Whitney) raises some non rah-rah questions about Augie's plan to step up to D-1.

https://www.argusleader.com/story/op...qtj7LVz9DWAyl8

The whole Augustana/Sanford/Summit relationship just appears unscrupulous to me. If you aren't at least a little concerned with that relationship I think you're being naïve.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

I thought it was very good update on Sioux Falls and Augie alumni thinking. One point makes a great deal of sense is the fact that THE enrollment level remains around 1800. Typically, the private schools located in large cities are 8-12 thousand and with on line services some boast of several thousand. I do think it will be wise for Augustana as institution to work on increasing enrollment. I dont have a clue on how to do that but cutting tuition might be the route to cutting their own throats. I really dont know but seems like USF, for graduate programs, did something like that and I dont know how that is working.

As far as Whitney, I too have thought him a smart A**, but JimmyJack who worked with him knows him better than anyone and often defended him. I think Stu did a very good job on this one. I suspect President Herseth, who got more than her share of Whitney jabs, knows and respects the opinions of the Millers.

Augie faces an uphill battle to increase enrollment. I don't know what the tuition rate is there but it's significantly more expensive than a state school. The fact that there has recently been a lot of exposure about the cost of higher education and the pay back associated with it makes paying tuition at a school like Augie less attractive. Maybe they get a big donation from T. Denny that will allow Augie to give more scholarships but if they go DI they also need to significantly increase their athletic budget.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Augie faces an uphill battle to increase enrollment. I don't know what the tuition rate is there but it's significantly more expensive than a state school. The fact that there has recently been a lot of exposure about the cost of higher education and the pay back associated with it makes paying tuition at a school like Augie less attractive. Maybe they get a big donation from T. Denny that will allow Augie to give more scholarships but if they go DI they also need to significantly increase their athletic budget.

Stu mention Augustana endowments totaled 80 million, a very small number. No doubt an uphill climb. A very difficult riddle to solve. For the sake of SD to have a population center over 300k, I hope Augie succeeds. Scrupulously T. Denny, his money does not have clean nose.

[jacksfan29]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

The whole Augustana/Sanford/Summit relationship just appears unscrupulous to me. If you aren't at least a little concerned with that relationship I think you're being naïve.

It is a problem that no one wants to talk about.

As for Whitney's article. The "bunker" mentality would seem to be in line with Herbster's comment when asked about Augie after St. Thomas was invited. "We know more from the media about Augustana's transition than we do from Augustana." Not a good look if you need a group of D1 President's to invite you.

[OldHare]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

All of the Augie chatter about corporate supporters money is small change compared to shoe companies and the alleged ties to the P5 or P6 schools that are used for recruiting student?/athletes. It makes the price of health care seem honest. Much like the loyal couple who are concerned about the Augie move, there were more than a handful who were ready to resist SDSU movement to D1. It was an informative article by Stu, but it also succeeeded in what Stu does best which is stir the pot.

[2002jack]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

There is going to be a bigger split in the ncaa in the next 10 years. We can concern ourselves with USD/Augie and their happenings, but my bigger worry is NDSU. They have bigger goals in sight, and I'm not sure we can stick with them. Augie to the Summit, just pushes them further away. I don't think they see themselves as peers to Augie.

[jakejc795]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

There is going to be a bigger split in the ncaa in the next 10 years. We can concern ourselves with USD/Augie and their happenings, but my bigger worry is NDSU. They have bigger goals in sight, and I'm not sure we can stick with them. Augie to the Summit, just pushes them further away. I don't think they see themselves as peers to Augie.

You'd have to wonder if the Bison's hooved reach would be exceeding their grasp, and given nationwide college athletic financial constraints, the split you mention could involve teams transitioning from FBS to FCS rather than the reverse.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

You'd have to wonder if the Bison's hooved reach would be exceeding their grasp, and given nationwide college athletic financial constraints, the split you mention could involve teams transitioning from FBS to FCS rather than the reverse.

The now FBS Mid American Conference a prime example. This would be NDSU next step, joining the MAC and maybe the Big Ten if successful in the MAC. I can’t produce links, but many in the bottom FBS are likely struggling financially. For that I agree with your post.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

There is a rumor on the Goyotes board that Sanford is offering a $100,000,000 endowment for Augie to go D1 without football. There is no attribution for the rumor given and it isn't clear whether it is Denny Sanford or Sanford Health.

This does not seem like a great deal of money when you consider a donor at NDSU has given his alma mater $75 million. I picked this up on a FCS Facebook group. It’s homecoming week at NDSU and they are starting or completing a 400 million fundraiser. After reading Stu’s article, I don’t feel the urge to jump on the Augie bandwagon riding towards D1, but don’t about large donations in the works. T Denny could come through big time.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Here is the link: https://www.kvrr.com/2019/10/10/ndsu...lion-donation/

[jakejc795]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

The now FBS Mid American Conference a prime example. This would be NDSU next step, joining the MAC and maybe the Big Ten if successful in the MAC. I can’t produce links, but many in the bottom FBS are likely struggling financially. For that I agree with your post.

Yes, I've seen those rumors, but they're typically accompanied with qualifiers that NDSU would need to expand Fargodome (and would likely face increased travel costs).

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

The now FBS Mid American Conference a prime example. This would be NDSU next step, joining the MAC and maybe the Big Ten if successful in the MAC. I can’t produce links, but many in the bottom FBS are likely struggling financially. For that I agree with your post.

There is no way that NDSU will ever be on the Big 10 radar. They would not be interested in a school with 14,000 students, in a state with under 800,000 people, and an athletic budget that is less than 1/4 of the average Big 10 school. I don't care how good their football program. What would be the cache for the Big 10 to add them? Just don't see it even a remote possibility.

The last time the Big 10 expanded it added a huge school in Rutgers with 68,000+ students in a huge media market. That will be the way they would continue to expand.

I've said for years that I think NDSU would like to jump to the FCS level but going to a P5 conference has 0.01% chance of happening.

SUPERBUNNY

[Nidaros]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

There is no way that NDSU will ever be on the Big 10 radar. They would not be interested in a school with 14,000 students, in a state with under 800,000 people, and an athletic budget that is less than 1/4 of the average Big 10 school. I don't care how good their football program. What would be the cache for the Big 10 to add them? Just don't see it even a remote possibility.

The last time the Big 10 expanded it added a huge school in Rutgers with 68,000+ students in a huge media market. That will be the way they would continue to expand.

I've said for years that I think NDSU would like to jump to the FCS level but going to a P5 conference has 0.01% chance of happening.

SUPERBUNNY

You did not read my post. I didn’t say NDSU was going to the Big Ten, speculating, they would try the MAC first or some similar conference first and if they were successful then maybe the B10. As of now, B10 would not be interested. You might be right about population being the prime consideration.

[Hammersmith]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

You did not read my post. I didn’t say NDSU was going to the Big Ten, speculating, they would try the MAC first or some similar conference first and if they were successful then maybe the B10. As of now, B10 would not be interested. You might be right about population being the prime consideration.

Big Ten will never be on the radar for NDSU. We aren't their academic peers and we never will be. The gap is just too vast. I do see a path to the Big 12, but it's extremely unlikely. It involves the OK and most of the TX schools being poached away, and the Big 12 being desperate for members. Of course this Big 12 would no longer be considered a P5 after being gutted. I'd hope SDSU would also be part of the deal. I figure way less than a 5% chance of this all happening within 15 years, but I also thought St Thomas going directly to DI was about a 5% chance, so what do I know.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Big Ten will never be on the radar for NDSU. We aren't their academic peers and we never will be. The gap is just too vast. I do see a path to the Big 12, but it's extremely unlikely. It involves the OK and most of the TX schools being poached away, and the Big 12 being desperate for members. Of course this Big 12 would no longer be considered a P5 after being gutted. I'd hope SDSU would also be part of the deal. I figure way less than a 5% chance of this all happening within 15 years, but I also thought St Thomas going directly to DI was about a 5% chance, so what do I know.

I can not argue about that in bold. I really think NDSU would be very stupid to move up to FBS. They got the best recruits, coaching and what not. I can see 20 to 25 NC if they stay FCS BTW, did any one graduate from last years s team? You would not think so based on the play of the last two games.