Xavier FCS Football???

[XUGRAD80]

I think that many here would be surprised that some Xavier grads on this board are fans of other school’s football teams, including schools in the Cincinnati area. I’d certainly plan to attend if X started playing football again. If X had never dropped football I would probably be a season ticket holder for them. Instead I’m a season ticket holder for someone else. That doesn’t mean that we are any less of a Xavier fan. It only means that we had to go elsewhere to fill a void that Xavier dropping football created. But to each there own. I’m not telling anyone that they should be a college football fan. I’m just saying that some of us are and that I personally would like to be a XAVIER college FOOTBALL fan.

[paulxu]

Go Cocks ??

[Xville]

I think that many here would be surprised that some Xavier grads on this board are fans of other school’s football teams, including schools in the Cincinnati area. I’d certainly plan to attend if X started playing football again. If X had never dropped football I would probably be a season ticket holder for them. Instead I’m a season ticket holder for someone else. That doesn’t mean that we are any less of a Xavier fan. It only means that we had to go elsewhere to fill a void that Xavier dropping football created. But to each there own. I’m not telling anyone that they should be a college football fan. I’m just saying that some of us are and that I personally would like to be a XAVIER college FOOTBALL fan.

Most people on here are probably fans of other school's football teams. Don't think that would surprise anyone.

I really enjoy college football and go to probably 4-6 games a year encompassing a couple of different teams.. but that's big time power 5 football.. If X had a football team, I'd probably look things up to see how they are doing like I do the soccer teams, but you'd never find me at a game of theirs because its barely above high school football. Like you said though, to each their own. My assumption would be attendance around what Dayton's is which is about 3k...whoope do.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I think that many here would be surprised that some Xavier grads on this board are fans of other school’s football teams

I actually think this may be one of the least surprising things.

[xubrew]

Sure, but were those kids instead going to Ohio State, UC and Kentucky, or were they going to Mt. St. Joe's?

It probably depends. Were they fans or players?

[xubrew]

Football at the FCS level typically doesn't drain a lot of resources. That's even more true for football at the PFL level. The people that are against football for whatever reason probably don't need to worry. It's not going to compromise basketball. I can't imagine that ANYTHING would ever be prioritized away from basketball and toward a PFL non-scholarship football program.

The last school to win a D1 national championship in basketball that did not play football at any level was Marquette. In 1977.

I believe there are only four schools in the entire history of D1 basketball that won a national championship without playing football at any level at the time they won it. That's San Francisco in 1955 and 1956, Loyola in 1963, and Marquette in 1977. That's it.

Villanova has football. Georgetown has football. Butler has football. These are top tier national brands and programs when it comes to basketball. I assure you NOTHING at ANY of those schools is being diverted from basketball to support football. Football has about the same priority as women's soccer.

As far as what does it do for Xavier?? I don't know. If you don't like football, I guess it doesn't do anything for you. But at worst it's a zero sum game. If they model it the way most non-scholarship programs are modeled, it won't siphon anything away from basketball, or the any other part of the athletic department, or for that matter any other part of the campus.

[JTG]

Sure, but were those kids instead going to Ohio State, UC and Kentucky, or were they going to Mt. St. Joe's?

UD and Butler. How's that for depressing.

[GoMuskies]

UD and Butler. How's that for depressing.

Jesus, I hope they were planning to PLAY football.

[xudash]

A few questions here:

1.) How in your view does FCS football provide multiple benefits to the school?

2.) What does this have anything to do with the success of our basketball program?

3.) What does Marian have anything to do with Xavier? Does Marian have a basketball team, one that has grown leaps and bounds and is in the Big East?

If this was the 70s when Xavier basketball was a blip on the radar, I could see the correlation. Otherwise, I don't think what happened at Marian has anything to do with Xavier.

I really think most of this stuff is nonsense. Guys don't go to Dayton or Villanova because they have a football team, I think that's complete nonsense. If they want to increase male enrollment and do it by adding 100 guys a year and it doesn't hurt the basketball program, go for it. I think there are much better ways to achieve the desired outcome but whatever floats their boat i guess.

Responses:

1. It increases male enrollment and it provides on-campus activity in the fall, primarily. IF it can be done well and successfully, then it simply adds to the Xavier experience. No one is expecting tailgates at the level of Ole Miss and meaningful athletic revenue of any kind. But what if they pull it off well? What if Xavier ends up putting a program in place that attracts a following and creates some fun on campus on Saturday afternoons in the fall? This is NOT a "panacea play"; it can be a nice rounding out of offerings. I think people who can visualize it working well see the potential behind it, without believing that it can or would be any form of homerun for the school.

2. It has nothing to do with a successful basketball program. Xavier has a nationally recognized basketball program. The only thing that this could possibly have to do with Xavier's basketball program has to do with the question of whether or not pursuing football at this level would in any way harm Xavier's ongoing efforts with its basketball program. I don't believe there was one person in a leadership position at Xavier, say 10 years ago, that would have thought that pursuing football at the FCS level was a good idea. Things have transpired that allow X to now think differently about this opportunity.

3. Marian is one example of a small school that put football in place at a certain level, nurtured it and built it up, and ended up being better off as a consequence of that decision. I'm not comparing Marian to Xavier. There is no comparison. The point JTG made - a point that remains spot on - is that the addition of a football program, if well managed, to a university can add overall value to that university. Marian's success at football is the point. One can argue the amount of value it could possibly add. I certainly get that. But our Big East conference mate Villanova certainly continues to stay the course with its FCS program. They aren't dropping their program.

Guys don't go to Dayton or Villanova because they have a football team, I think that's complete nonsense. - - Actually, guys that play football that go to VD or Nova do go to those schools because of the availability of football at those schools. That's the fundamental point with all this.

[Xville]

Responses:

1. It increases male enrollment and it provides on-campus activity in the fall, primarily. IF it can be done well and successfully, then it simply adds to the Xavier experience. No one is expecting tailgates at the level of Ole Miss and meaningful athletic revenue of any kind. But what if they pull it off well? What if Xavier ends up putting a program in place that attracts a following and creates some fun on campus on Saturday afternoons in the fall? This is NOT a "panacea play"; it can be a nice rounding out of offerings. I think people who can visualize it working well see the potential behind it, without believing that it can or would be any form of homerun for the school.

2. It has nothing to do with a successful basketball program. Xavier has a nationally recognized basketball program. The only thing that this could possibly have to do with Xavier's basketball program has to do with the question of whether or not pursuing football at this level would in any way harm Xavier's ongoing efforts with its basketball program. I don't believe there was one person in a leadership position at Xavier, say 10 years ago, that would have thought that pursuing football at the FCS level was a good idea. Things have transpired that allow X to now think differently about this opportunity.

3. Marian is one example of a small school that put football in place at a certain level, nurtured it and built it up, and ended up being better off as a consequence of that decision. I'm not comparing Marian to Xavier. There is no comparison. The point JTG made - a point that remains spot on - is that the addition of a football program, if well managed, to a university can add overall value to that university. Marian's success at football is the point. One can argue the amount of value it could possibly add. I certainly get that. But our Big East conference mate Villanova certainly continues to stay the course with its FCS program. They aren't dropping their program.

Guys don't go to Dayton or Villanova because they have a football team, I think that's complete nonsense. - - Actually, guys that play football that go to VD or Nova do go to those schools because of the availability of football at those schools. That's the fundamental point with all this.

Thanks for your responses, I certainly appreciate it. The reason I asked question 2 is because you said something to the effect that it would further the basketball team/program. I fail to see that, and in response to Dayton and Nova, you're correct...I failed to say that people outside of the ones actually playing football. However, it seems I might be wrong in that regard as well based off of JTG's response, which is astounding to me.

The rest, ok I can see your perspective. I'm not against Xavier having football. I just kind of shrug my shoulders at it, and don't think it really adds anything of value. However, colleges have being adding nothing of value for years and tuition keeps rising so I guess this is just par for the course.