Menlo College Backlash for dropping Football
- Thread starter Where Are They Now
- Start date
Sounds pretty shady to me that they were allowing recruiting visits and offering scholarships just days before this decision was made. I would be so insanely pissed if they pulled that one me or my son.
D3? No one anywhere remotely close to Menlo to play. Football is a massive money-loser for Menlo. And there are also Title 9 issues to consider. It's shocking it lasted this long.
My son plays at a D2 school that moved from NAIA 3 years ago. They joined the GNAC for football for a 2 year deal that will expire after this fall. The GNAC football (D2) is struggling mightily on the west coast, while thriving east of the Rockies. Here is what I posted on the D2 board when someone said, "football in CA is weird!?"
It is indeed. I grew up in the Midwest (IN) and moved to the west coast about 10 yrs ago and it is different enough that I still can't figure it out, but there are things worth noting as significant differences (in CA anyway).
I picked a few states that generally cover the US from Coast to Coast at random for comparison (2 that I am familiar with, having lived in)....
CA now has (0) NAIA programs, (8) D3 programs, (2) D2 programs (Humboldt and Azusa), (7) FBS programs and (4) FCS progams for 38 million people
IN now has (3) NAIA programs, (9) D3 programs, (2) D2 programs, (4) FBS programs and (3) FCS progams for 6.5 million people
GA now has (2) NAIA programs, (2) D3 Programs (8) D2 programs, (4) FBS programs and (2) FCS progams for 9.9 million people
Now for the kicker....
CA has (69) Community College football programs
IN has (0) Community College football programs
GA has (1) Community College football program
IMHO, it is a mindset of a kid in CA (like most kids coming out of HS) that they are D1 material. The difference being that when this day comes and they have 0 D1 offers, kids in other states (like IN or GA) look to the "lesser" programs (NAIA, D3, D2) as their opportunity to prove the recruiters wrong and still play football.
Conversely, kids in CA can stay home and play a few years of JUCO. Local JUCOs are LOADED with talent as they are basically all-star teams of their selected region, often attracting kids from other states that are D1 talent but have stumbled academically or otherwise along the way. At the JUCO level kids are hit with the harsh reality that they aren't D1 material and face the decision of going NAIA, D3, D2 or just hanging up their cleats. CA JUCO's send a TON of talent out all over the US, but very few will struggle 2 years at JUCO and feel like they should / could lower their level of play to anything less than D1.
When you look at the # of opportunities to play beyond HS, kids in CA have far more opportunities than most...but only for 2 years. After those 2 years, many are finally ready to call it quits and move on, whether that means going to a UC or taking their AA degree in to the job market.
This post was edited on 2/16 10:02 PM by awood1
It is indeed. I grew up in the Midwest (IN) and moved to the west coast about 10 yrs ago and it is different enough that I still can't figure it out, but there are things worth noting as significant differences (in CA anyway).
I picked a few states that generally cover the US from Coast to Coast at random for comparison (2 that I am familiar with, having lived in)....
CA now has (0) NAIA programs, (8) D3 programs, (2) D2 programs (Humboldt and Azusa), (7) FBS programs and (4) FCS progams for 38 million people
IN now has (3) NAIA programs, (9) D3 programs, (2) D2 programs, (4) FBS programs and (3) FCS progams for 6.5 million people
GA now has (2) NAIA programs, (2) D3 Programs (8) D2 programs, (4) FBS programs and (2) FCS progams for 9.9 million people
Now for the kicker....
CA has (69) Community College football programs
IN has (0) Community College football programs
GA has (1) Community College football program
IMHO, it is a mindset of a kid in CA (like most kids coming out of HS) that they are D1 material. The difference being that when this day comes and they have 0 D1 offers, kids in other states (like IN or GA) look to the "lesser" programs (NAIA, D3, D2) as their opportunity to prove the recruiters wrong and still play football.
Conversely, kids in CA can stay home and play a few years of JUCO. Local JUCOs are LOADED with talent as they are basically all-star teams of their selected region, often attracting kids from other states that are D1 talent but have stumbled academically or otherwise along the way. At the JUCO level kids are hit with the harsh reality that they aren't D1 material and face the decision of going NAIA, D3, D2 or just hanging up their cleats. CA JUCO's send a TON of talent out all over the US, but very few will struggle 2 years at JUCO and feel like they should / could lower their level of play to anything less than D1.
When you look at the # of opportunities to play beyond HS, kids in CA have far more opportunities than most...but only for 2 years. After those 2 years, many are finally ready to call it quits and move on, whether that means going to a UC or taking their AA degree in to the job market.
This post was edited on 2/16 10:02 PM by awood1
Awood, it didn't used to be that way. In the 80s, just about every decent sized 4 year college in Northern California had football teams. Whether it was due to Title 9 (often cited) or other contributing factors, the majority of schools have dropped football.
RIP football at St. Mary's, Santa Clara, USF (not in the 80s, but many years ago), SF St., Sonoma St., Chico St., Hayward St. (CS East Bay now), and I'm sure I'm missing a few others. Davis and Sac St used to be D2 and moved up to D1 when the competition pretty much dried up around them. Those changes have made JC football here in NorCal a much more viable alternative for kids that want to continue playing ball, and the JC programs are much stronger for it.
RIP football at St. Mary's, Santa Clara, USF (not in the 80s, but many years ago), SF St., Sonoma St., Chico St., Hayward St. (CS East Bay now), and I'm sure I'm missing a few others. Davis and Sac St used to be D2 and moved up to D1 when the competition pretty much dried up around them. Those changes have made JC football here in NorCal a much more viable alternative for kids that want to continue playing ball, and the JC programs are much stronger for it.
Isn't Humboldt State the last D2 football school in CA? I hope they never drop it but time will tell. HSU is at least competitive and fielded a very good team last year.
Honestly Menlo should have dropped decades ago. But I would be upset as well. Football will only get worse going forward with the concussion issues.
Honestly Menlo should have dropped decades ago. But I would be upset as well. Football will only get worse going forward with the concussion issues.
Azusa Pacific is D2. Humbodlt has a huge following up there so I don't think they will drop it.
D3 is alive and well in the SCIAC. Chapman dropped from D2 years ago so they could spread the wealth to other programs. To survive as a D3 you need to be strong academically to get those private school dollars and students rolling in.
Frankly Menlo is a no name school. If you are a smart kid and have the money to pay 60K per year Occidental, Clarmeont, Champman and Pomona are way better schools. I was surprised they even had football there being so small.
This post was edited on 2/16 6:09 PM by Trivalley
D3 is alive and well in the SCIAC. Chapman dropped from D2 years ago so they could spread the wealth to other programs. To survive as a D3 you need to be strong academically to get those private school dollars and students rolling in.
Frankly Menlo is a no name school. If you are a smart kid and have the money to pay 60K per year Occidental, Clarmeont, Champman and Pomona are way better schools. I was surprised they even had football there being so small.
This post was edited on 2/16 6:09 PM by Trivalley
