Liberty next SBC addition?

[BeauFoster]

From the appropriately named FlameThrower on AGS.

I would respond that App fans need to chill out. It is erroneous for App fans to think that the success they maintained at the FCS level will continue at the FBS level. What can App offer a recruit that any other state school cannot offer them? Absolutely nothing, I don't see any recruits picking App over UNC, NC State, Wake, Duke, or East Carolina as far as in-state recruiting. App is a regional school at best, they are not going to get big time recruits from California, Florida, Ohio, nor Texas. However, Liberty is a national school with a reach into every state. Don't think that I am putting Liberty on the same footing with BYU or Notre Dame at this time, but it is not hard to imaging top Christian athletes committing to Liberty. College football experts have said that they would not compare Liberty with Notre Dame, but if BYU can do it why not Liberty. App will never have the reach that Liberty University has in recruiting if and when they move up to FBS, App is just another state school among many others, App just doesn't stand out among their peers, lets face it there no Alabama and not going to be.

It is funny how you secular/humanist think that you have a say in who gets to join your conference(s), you don't! In the end money decides who gets in and who doesn't. Therefore, it doesn't matter how many of you people want us or not, you don't get a say. And as for making enemies with fans in any conference, I don't care. You secular/humanist mistake meekness for weakness which is a mistake on your part.

However, I realize that we are not going to agree on anything. If Liberty is accepted into a FBS conference let's wait twenty years and then compare App to Liberty.

So where have all those "top Christian athletes" been for the past few seasons? They sure haven't been going to Liberty, because their football program (on the field product) is a JOKE. Should they find their way into FBS, unless they start paying kids with that massive endowment, they're going to continue to be a joke.

[RankinApp]

So where have all those "top Christian athletes" been for the past few seasons? They sure haven't been going to Liberty, because their football program (on the field product) is a JOKE. Should they find their way into FBS, unless they start paying kids with that massive endowment, they're going to continue to be a joke.

This is my favorite sentence.

However, Liberty is a national school with a reach into every state.

If by national he means 60,000 enrolled online at the diploma mill.

[HkyMtneer]

So where have all those "top Christian athletes" been for the past few seasons? They sure haven't been going to Liberty, because their football program (on the field product) is a JOKE. Should they find their way into FBS, unless they start paying kids with that massive endowment, they're going to continue to be a joke.

This is my favorite sentence.

However, Liberty is a national school with a reach into every state.

If by national he means 60,000 enrolled online at the diploma mill.

I think he simply meant how much diverse, at least geographically, Liberty's student body is when compared to say, ours, since Liberty's on-campus, full-time, student body represents all 50 states and 75 or so countries.

[HkyMtneer]

From the appropriately named FlameThrower on AGS.

I would respond that App fans need to chill out. It is erroneous for App fans to think that the success they maintained at the FCS level will continue at the FBS level. What can App offer a recruit that any other state school cannot offer them? Absolutely nothing, I don't see any recruits picking App over UNC, NC State, Wake, Duke, or East Carolina as far as in-state recruiting. App is a regional school at best, they are not going to get big time recruits from California, Florida, Ohio, nor Texas. However, Liberty is a national school with a reach into every state. Don't think that I am putting Liberty on the same footing with BYU or Notre Dame at this time, but it is not hard to imaging top Christian athletes committing to Liberty. College football experts have said that they would not compare Liberty with Notre Dame, but if BYU can do it why not Liberty. App will never have the reach that Liberty University has in recruiting if and when they move up to FBS, App is just another state school among many others, App just doesn't stand out among their peers, lets face it there no Alabama and not going to be.

It is funny how you secular/humanist think that you have a say in who gets to join your conference(s), you don't! In the end money decides who gets in and who doesn't. Therefore, it doesn't matter how many of you people want us or not, you don't get a say. And as for making enemies with fans in any conference, I don't care. You secular/humanist mistake meekness for weakness which is a mistake on your part.

However, I realize that we are not going to agree on anything. If Liberty is accepted into a FBS conference let's wait twenty years and then compare App to Liberty.

So where have all those "top Christian athletes" been for the past few seasons? They sure haven't been going to Liberty, because their football program (on the field product) is a JOKE. Should they find their way into FBS, unless they start paying kids with that massive endowment, they're going to continue to be a joke.

How exactly is over .500 and in the Top-25 for the most part, representative of a on the field joke? I don't quite get that...Liberty hasn't been lights out on the field but they've certainly not been a push over. If .500 or better is a joke then I'm kind of scared what a 3 or 4 win season might be classified as if we just don't win as expected (and as I hope) once we move up.

[RankinApp]

I think he simply meant how much diverse, at least geographically, Liberty's student body is when compared to say, ours, since Liberty's on-campus, full-time, student body represents all 50 states and 75 or so countries.

Appalachian has, on campus, students from 48 of the 50 states and 200+ students from foreign countries. I'd say we're fairly equal in that regard.

[BeauFoster]

From the appropriately named FlameThrower on AGS.

I would respond that App fans need to chill out. It is erroneous for App fans to think that the success they maintained at the FCS level will continue at the FBS level. What can App offer a recruit that any other state school cannot offer them? Absolutely nothing, I don't see any recruits picking App over UNC, NC State, Wake, Duke, or East Carolina as far as in-state recruiting. App is a regional school at best, they are not going to get big time recruits from California, Florida, Ohio, nor Texas. However, Liberty is a national school with a reach into every state. Don't think that I am putting Liberty on the same footing with BYU or Notre Dame at this time, but it is not hard to imaging top Christian athletes committing to Liberty. College football experts have said that they would not compare Liberty with Notre Dame, but if BYU can do it why not Liberty. App will never have the reach that Liberty University has in recruiting if and when they move up to FBS, App is just another state school among many others, App just doesn't stand out among their peers, lets face it there no Alabama and not going to be.

It is funny how you secular/humanist think that you have a say in who gets to join your conference(s), you don't! In the end money decides who gets in and who doesn't. Therefore, it doesn't matter how many of you people want us or not, you don't get a say. And as for making enemies with fans in any conference, I don't care. You secular/humanist mistake meekness for weakness which is a mistake on your part.

However, I realize that we are not going to agree on anything. If Liberty is accepted into a FBS conference let's wait twenty years and then compare App to Liberty.

So where have all those "top Christian athletes" been for the past few seasons? They sure haven't been going to Liberty, because their football program (on the field product) is a JOKE. Should they find their way into FBS, unless they start paying kids with that massive endowment, they're going to continue to be a joke.

How exactly is over .500 and in the Top-25 for the most part, representative of a on the field joke? I don't quite get that...Liberty hasn't been lights out on the field but they've certainly not been a push over. If .500 or better is a joke then I'm kind of scared what a 3 or 4 win season might be classified as if we just don't win as expected (and as I hope) once we move up.

Oooohhhh...barely over .500 in the Big South. Be still my beating heart

[asumike83]

I wouldn't call their on-field product a joke but the fact is, they've never made the FCS playoffs. Doesn't signify to me that they are ready to compete in the FBS.

It is what it is, we have no control. If Liberty joins the SBC, I will enjoy the short road trip and expect us to beat them consistently.

[Saint3333]

They help from a budget perspective. Have a nice TV network on which our alums can watch 4-5 different sports when we play. From a competition standpoint I don't like the add for football, but they do have the fan support, both in numbers and financially.

[appstate77]

From the appropriately named FlameThrower on AGS.

I would respond that App fans need to chill out. It is erroneous for App fans to think that the success they maintained at the FCS level will continue at the FBS level. What can App offer a recruit that any other state school cannot offer them? Absolutely nothing, I don't see any recruits picking App over UNC, NC State, Wake, Duke, or East Carolina as far as in-state recruiting. App is a regional school at best, they are not going to get big time recruits from California, Florida, Ohio, nor Texas. However, Liberty is a national school with a reach into every state. Don't think that I am putting Liberty on the same footing with BYU or Notre Dame at this time, but it is not hard to imaging top Christian athletes committing to Liberty. College football experts have said that they would not compare Liberty with Notre Dame, but if BYU can do it why not Liberty. App will never have the reach that Liberty University has in recruiting if and when they move up to FBS, App is just another state school among many others, App just doesn't stand out among their peers, lets face it there no Alabama and not going to be.

It is funny how you secular/humanist think that you have a say in who gets to join your conference(s), you don't! In the end money decides who gets in and who doesn't. Therefore, it doesn't matter how many of you people want us or not, you don't get a say. And as for making enemies with fans in any conference, I don't care. You secular/humanist mistake meekness for weakness which is a mistake on your part.

However, I realize that we are not going to agree on anything. If Liberty is accepted into a FBS conference let's wait twenty years and then compare App to Liberty.

So where have all those "top Christian athletes" been for the past few seasons? They sure haven't been going to Liberty, because their football program (on the field product) is a JOKE. Should they find their way into FBS, unless they start paying kids with that massive endowment, they're going to continue to be a joke.

"Secular/humanist..." God love 'em, the Fundamentalist's favorite barb.....Liberty has not changed a bit in the forty years I have been in the ministry....which is why they do not belong in a national conference with diverse points of view.....

[vegattk]

I'm in Atlanta for a conference this week.. Saw two large Liberty University signs on the way into the city... Wonder how many of them they've got elsewhere in the country?

[HkyMtneer]

I'm in Atlanta for a conference this week.. Saw two large Liberty University signs on the way into the city... Wonder how many of them they've got elsewhere in the country?

I remember reading about the campaign to push Liberty being sent out in a number of major markets around the country. I specifically remember (for some reason) Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago, Kansas City, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, and Nashville. I know I have seen signs for the online program in a number of cities, even here in NC, but I believe the major-market push was designed to target residential recruitment to Lynchburg and if I remember correctly it was funded by David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby and Truett Cathy of Chick-Fil-A, both huge Liberty donors/supporters.

It's amazing how the Liberty brand is spreading. When I was in Lynchburg I knew 2 girls who were from Anchorage, Alaska. They were Sophomores and loving their time at LU. I remember that they went home, told all their friends, especially their church friends (and it was apparently a pretty large church in Anchorage that they attended) and next thing you know it seems like the entire college-age population of that church is in Lynchburg...felt like there were 50 of them. It always shocked me to see that many Alaska plates around campus! Ha!

[cj2007]

Haven't seen this posted yet, according to Brent Thibodeaux, Liberty is no longer an option for the Sun Belt. His tweets from yesterday (4/16) afternoon:

"Sources within the #SunBelt have confirmed to me that #Liberty is no longer under consideration & is not expected to receive an invitation."

"One option is to continue to pursue #JMU post the June 1st deadline. Invitation not coming till May 2014 at the latest."

"Second option is to invite a 12th member now to the #SunBelt, outside of #JMU before the June 1 deadline." He later mentions Jacksonville St. and Alabama St. have made it known they want a Sun Belt invite.

"#JMU continues to be the highly sought after addition for the #SunBelt. JMU will start a feasibility study in the next 30 to 90 days."

He tweets frequently about Sun Belt expansion. Those were just the highlights that I posted above.
His twitter handle is @BrentThibodeaux

[vegattk]

I'm in Atlanta for a conference this week.. Saw two large Liberty University signs on the way into the city... Wonder how many of them they've got elsewhere in the country?

I remember reading about the campaign to push Liberty being sent out in a number of major markets around the country. I specifically remember (for some reason) Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago, Kansas City, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, and Nashville. I know I have seen signs for the online program in a number of cities, even here in NC, but I believe the major-market push was designed to target residential recruitment to Lynchburg and if I remember correctly it was funded by David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby and Truett Cathy of Chick-Fil-A, both huge Liberty donors/supporters.

It's amazing how the Liberty brand is spreading. When I was in Lynchburg I knew 2 girls who were from Anchorage, Alaska. They were Sophomores and loving their time at LU. I remember that they went home, told all their friends, especially their church friends (and it was apparently a pretty large church in Anchorage that they attended) and next thing you know it seems like the entire college-age population of that church is in Lynchburg...felt like there were 50 of them. It always shocked me to see that many Alaska plates around campus! Ha!

That's one heck of a drive!

[TheMoody1]

That's one heck of a drive!

And you have the gall to complain about Sun Belt road trips.

[vegattk]

That's one heck of a drive!

And you have the gall to complain about Sun Belt road trips.

Hey, I'd love to be 18 again and have the money/car/time that would let me take a cross-continent trip to Alaska!

[HkyMtneer]

That's one heck of a drive!

And you have the gall to complain about Sun Belt road trips.

Hey, I'd love to be 18 again and have the money/car/time that would let me take a cross-continent trip to Alaska!

And the thing is that most of them were females driving little old beaters...most of which I would have been scared to drive more than a few hours away, much less cross-continent!

[Maddog1956]

I think he simply meant how much diverse, at least geographically, Liberty's student body is when compared to say, ours, since Liberty's on-campus, full-time, student body represents all 50 states and 75 or so countries.

I'm glad you added the "at geographically" because that (and maybe race) are about the only way they are diversified and I'm totally fine with it. They advertise what they are and it's well known and students/parents can either choose to go or not. That's why they make chocolate and vanilla.

My point for the post however is will we start seeing a lot of Muhammad's, Abdullah's and Rashād's, O'Malley's etc on their team and how will that affect their "core principles"? (I'm not saying that Catholic's are not christians or that the surnames defines the person religion, but I hope you can catch the drift)

[MountainMan]

Liberty in the SBC is off the table, if it was ever on the table. SBC not considering them.

[Kgfish]

From the appropriately named FlameThrower on AGS.

I would respond that App fans need to chill out. It is erroneous for App fans to think that the success they maintained at the FCS level will continue at the FBS level. What can App offer a recruit that any other state school cannot offer them? Absolutely nothing, I don't see any recruits picking App over UNC, NC State, Wake, Duke, or East Carolina as far as in-state recruiting. App is a regional school at best, they are not going to get big time recruits from California, Florida, Ohio, nor Texas. However, Liberty is a national school with a reach into every state. Don't think that I am putting Liberty on the same footing with BYU or Notre Dame at this time, but it is not hard to imaging top Christian athletes committing to Liberty. College football experts have said that they would not compare Liberty with Notre Dame, but if BYU can do it why not Liberty. App will never have the reach that Liberty University has in recruiting if and when they move up to FBS, App is just another state school among many others, App just doesn't stand out among their peers, lets face it there no Alabama and not going to be.

It is funny how you secular/humanist think that you have a say in who gets to join your conference(s), you don't! In the end money decides who gets in and who doesn't. Therefore, it doesn't matter how many of you people want us or not, you don't get a say. And as for making enemies with fans in any conference, I don't care. You secular/humanist mistake meekness for weakness which is a mistake on your part.

However, I realize that we are not going to agree on anything. If Liberty is accepted into a FBS conference let's wait twenty years and then compare App to Liberty.

So where have all those "top Christian athletes" been for the past few seasons? They sure haven't been going to Liberty, because their football program (on the field product) is a JOKE. Should they find their way into FBS, unless they start paying kids with that massive endowment, they're going to continue to be a joke.

"Secular/humanist..." God love 'em, the Fundamentalist's favorite barb.....Liberty has not changed a bit in the forty years I have been in the ministry....which is why they do not belong in a national conference with diverse points of view.....

Just curious, what denomination do you minister to?

[Appsolutely]

"Secular/humanist..." God love 'em, the Fundamentalist's favorite barb.....Liberty has not changed a bit in the forty years I have been in the ministry....which is why they do not belong in a national conference with diverse points of view...."

I agree 100%. But since "money talks" (and they have plenty of it) I'm preparing myself for the possibility that they will find a way into the conference.