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The stories are in order as they appear in this content area:
Inquiry panel wraps up athletics probe
Third & Long: 2004 Schedules are a I-AA-Plus (Tony Moss, TSN).
2004 National I-AA TV Game of the Week, Vote Now! (IAA.org).
Ambushed in Indy: Big Sky ready to lead I-AA exodus? (Otto Fad,
CFAA/I-AA.com).
---
Coach K comes home (Missoulian).
Krysko era begins on low-key note (Missoulian).
Kennedy leaves UM basketball behind (Missoulian, May 11).
***
Inquiry panel wraps up athletics probe
By BETSY COHEN of the Missoulian
This is how you get a $1 million deficit:
First, take an overly optimistic budget. Base it on questionable data. Have
it designed by a person who is not qualified to develop or manage budgets,
and give him no guidance or oversight from his superiors.
That's the conclusion of the UM Athletics Inquiry Panel, which has spent the
last two months investigating the nearly $1 million shortfall facing the
University of Montana's athletic department.
The panel also concluded that UM's deficit is due to a failure of budget
projections. It is not the result of misplaced revenue or cash stolen for
personal gain.
"No one ran away with the money," said Diane Barz, panel chairwoman.
"I think that's the feeling among the public - that somebody got in the
cookie jar," she said at the panel's final meeting Friday. "That just didn't
happen."
News of the deep red ink first surfaced in February, three months after UM
officials reported that the department's budget was balanced for fiscal year
2003 and should have a $200,000 surplus heading in to 2004.
When UM officials attributed the deficit to $381,000 in accounting errors
and $578,000 in "operational expenses greater than anticipated," the Montana
Board of Regents demanded further explanation.
At the order of Sheila Stearns, state commissioner of higher education, the
inquiry panel was created to determine what caused the deficit and how to
avoid future crises.
On Friday, the panel wrapped up its investigation by finalizing the report
it will present at the regents meeting in Havre next week.
As panel members discussed what to put in the executive summary, Barz said:
"I think everybody in the system is negligent - top to bottom.
"It's amazing the deficit isn't worse."
Although some members will spend the weekend putting finishing touches on
the report, all agreed the executive summary will include the following
conclusions:
There is no evidence that anyone "cooked the books," or intentionally
manipulated the books to make them balance at the close of fiscal year 2003.
There was little control of the budget by any one manager, and managers
should have known about the budget problems.
The department does have budget policies and procedures, but they were not
followed.
UM's top administrators put pressure on the former athletic director to
raise funds and bring in more revenue but not to control expenses.
UM officials truthfully reported the time line in which they first learned
of budget problems. School officials said they first learned of budget
variances in October but didn't know the full details of the deficit until
February.
In their November report, UM officials did not intentionally mislead regents
when they said the athletic budget was balanced; they were relying on a
budget that was not well-developed.
The department's former fiscal manager, who was in charge of the 2003
budget, was hired through an internal search and did not meet the minimum
requirements for the posted position.
The fiscal manager was overwhelmed by his workload and didn't devote enough
time to fiscal management of the department.
The former athletic director was inattentive to the budget's status on a
routine basis.
In their final report, the UM inquiry panel members will also include a set
of 30-some findings and recommendations, as well as their interviews with UM
officials, athletic department staff, campus auditors and Grizzly booster
organizations.
They will also make clear in their report that although they worked hard to
conduct a comprehensive review of the athletic department, they did not
conduct their own audit, did not review all the procurement card records, or
do a thorough investigation of the athletics department's relationship with
the Adams Center.
"I think it's very important that the regents know what we didn't do," said
Laurie Neils, a panel member and the commissioner's budget director. "We
didn't have the time, and everyone here has lives and jobs outside this
panel."
In other panel business, the deficit in the University of Montana's athletic
department has been attributed to a handful of items UM officials published
in a memo to regents. One item is the $102,000 travel expense it cost to
send the football team to Maine in the fall of 2003.
However, according to research by the UM Athletics Inquiry Panel, the cost
should not have been considered part of the problem. The trip was not
overbudgeted or forgotten in the budgeting process, and the department
planned for the expense, said Michael Mayer, a panel member and UM history
professor.
"Why officials put it on that list, and attributed it to the deficit, I have
no idea," Mayer said. "It's a mystery. It shouldn't have been an issue."
"We can't say any one of those items on that list cause the deficit," said
panel member Neils. "When in fact the whole fiscal-year 2004 budget was
bogus."
Bob Duringer, UM's vice president for finance and administration, spent
Friday morning presenting his department's newly revised budget deficit
reduction plan, which he will discuss with regents next week.
The plan, which UM officials say is more diversified than previous plans,
calls for creating athletic department reserve funds - a cushion - for
unplanned shortages. For the next four years, the plan also calls for
dedicating to the deficit: $125,000 from football ticket revenues; $30,000
from concession sales; $25,000 from UM's Coca-Cola contract revenue; and
$15,000 from collegiate licensing, which garners profits from UM/Grizzly
logo wear.
The department's chronic $681,000 deficit will be erased by careful
budgeting based on realistic revenue projections; increasing season ticket
prices; cutting $400,000 from internal costs, such as keeping team travel
closer to home and putting less people on the road; increasing revenue from
the 29 skyboxes that will soon be up for lease renewals; garner $50,000 from
license plate fees in 2006; and increase institutional support through 2008.
In this plan, students will be asked to increase their current athletic fee
by $2 per semester for the next four years. Students will also be charged $7
per ticket per football games.
"By fiscal year 2010, we should be pretty solvent in the athletic
department," Duringer said.
The panel said the revised plan was much improved.
"I'm really glad to see the cushion put in there, and to see more
conservative numbers," said Mayer. "It's something I've wanted to see for a
long time."
Student panel member Emily Jones wanted to know why the student fee for game
tickets was bumped from $5 in a previous plan to $7.
"Because the $5 student fee didn't generate enough revenue," Duringer said.
Students currently get into games for free.
Duringer didn't have much to say when asked what UM will do if the regents
don't approve the increase in the student athletic fee.
He shook his head and said "I hope they don't do that."
***
Third & Long: 2004 Schedules are a I-AA-Plus
By Tony Moss, The Sports Network
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The natural first step involves looking
for somebody to rip.
Each spring, we at The Sports Network begin analyzing I-AA college football
schedules and singling out the cross-section of money-grubbers, wimps, and
blatant mis-managers that devise the slates. We gravitate quickly to those
that have loaded up on cupcakes and home games, decrying their inability to
properly represent the spirit of intercollegiate competition. And every
spring, we seem to find a bunch of schools to bring the hammer upon, as we
gleefully ponder the postseason ramifications of and fan reaction toward the
strength-of-schedule-challenged.
But to be perfectly honest, this year’s pursuit of the negative has been
tough. With a few notable exceptions that we’ll discuss below, I-AA schools
have done a fairly capable job of piecing together schedules. So many
institutions deserved praise for aggressive scheduling that we had to expand
our "Top 15 toughest" list to 20 members, and reduce our "Top 15 lightest"
to 10. Seven of the eight playoff leagues have an above-average balance of
I-A opponents, sub- Division I competition, and head-to-head matchups
against other conferences that receive automatic postseason bids (the
exception is the Patriot League, which after a few seasons of improved
scheduling, will this season play no I-As, 13 I-AA mid-majors, and just five
games against other playoff conferences).
For sportswriters, who tend to wear our senses of criticism as a badge of
honor, acknowledging such an improvement is a bitter pill indeed.
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights and lowlights of this season’s
I- AA non-conference football schedules, including our rankings of the
toughest and lightest team slates as well as some opportunities for I-A
victory and Division II embarrassment.
(Note: You can find each of the announced 2004 I-AA schedules at:
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=
cfoot2/stand/conf.htm
Schedules are sorted by conference, just click on "Sched.")
ALONG CONFERENCE LINES: Two unusual scheduling glitches could make for some
interesting debate as the 2004 season reaches its home stretch.
In the SWAC, Western division rivals Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff were
permitted not to meet in 2004 after the two schools failed to agree on a
date. According to the Baton Rouge Advocate, Southern declined to play the
Golden Lions in the Gateway Classic on Sept. 25 in St. Louis, as school
leaders were dissatisfied with the financial package surrounding what is one
of Pine Bluff’s traditional Classic events. The teams each have an open date
on Nov. 20, but Southern generally has a bye the week before the Bayou
Classic and balked at that idea as well. As it stands now, both teams are
playing just 10 games this season.
The OVC is also faced with an anomaly, as Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech
will not face each other in 2004, with both schools playing seven games
against league opponents instead of the customary eight. The circumstance
stems from a previous TSU demand that it be able to play four revenue-
producing "Classic" games each year, thus allowing for just seven conference
games in an 11-game season. As teams were allowed to play 12 games over the
past two years, the decision did not affect the league schedule as it will
during the forthcoming campaign. One of TSU’s four "Classic" games in’ 04
will count as a conference game, while one of Tech’s three non-league games
will be similarly designated in the conference standings.
THE TOUGHEST: I-AA’s most difficult non-conference schedules in 2004:
1. Florida A&M (@Illinois (9/4), @ Tulane (9/11), @ Temple (9/18), @
Tennessee State (9/25), Virginia Union (10/2), Nicholls State (10/9), @
Virginia Tech (10/16), Savannah State (10/23), Florida Atlantic (10/30), @
Bethune-Cookman (11/20), @ Florida International (11/27) - Shed no tears for
the Rattlers, who brought this predicament on themselves with an ill-advised
and now-aborted move to I-A and will collect lots of nice paychecks. But
feel free to take note of I-AA’s most difficult schedule of all time, which
includes seven road games including three against BCS-level opponents.
2. The Citadel (Charleston Southern (9/4), @Auburn (9/25), @Duke (10/2) -
Bulldogs are still seeking an 11th opponent, and chances are it won’t be a
third BCS-level opponent.
3. Southeast Missouri (@Southern Illinois (9/2), @Bowling Green (9/11),
@Central Michigan (9/18) - Indians always have members of the I-A MAC on
their speed-dial, and will also take a tough trip to SIU to start the
season.
4. Maine (@Montana (9/4), Northern Colorado (9/11), @Mississippi State
(9/18) - The Black Bears will follow this difficult season-opening stretch
with the A-10 opener at defending national champion Delaware on Oct. 2.
5. Eastern Kentucky (@Appalachian State (9/11), Western Kentucky (9/18),
@Vanderbilt (10/23) - Though not quite as challenging as last year’s non-
conference slate, there is no question that the Colonels will be underdogs
in all three of their out-of-league affairs.
6. Appalachian State (@Wyoming (9/4), Eastern Kentucky (9/11), @Northwestern
State (9/25), Texas State (10/2) - Mountaineers don’t have an easy out
within this lineup, and trips to Laramie and Natchitoches figure to be
particularly daunting.
7. Northern Arizona (@Arizona (9/4), @Stephen F. Austin (9/11), Western New
Mexico (10/16), Northern Iowa (11/20) - Lumberjacks could be in an 0-2 hole
prior to the home opener, and the season finale against UNI comes at the end
of a month that also includes meetings with Montana, Montana State, and
Idaho State.
8. Illinois State (St. Xavier (9/2), @Minnesota (9/11), Eastern Illinois
(9/18), @Florida Atlantic (9/25) - Opener against NAIA Cougars a light
necessity in an otherwise arduous September.
9. Texas State (Angelo State (9/4), @Baylor (9/11), Southeastern Louisiana
(9/18), @Appalachian State (10/2), Florida Atlantic (10/9), @Cal Poly
(10/16) - Bobcats have three brutal non-conference road trips, and must also
travel to McNeese and Northwestern State within the league.
10. Northern Iowa (@Iowa State (9/4), Minnesota State (9/11), Stephen F.
Austin (9/18), @Northern Arizona (11/20) - Panthers should escape September
2-1, but trip to Flagstaff looms after what figures to be a difficult
conference season.
11. VMI (@Ohio University (9/4), Richmond (9/11), Tennessee Tech (9/18),
@William & Mary (9/25), @Georgetown (10/9), @James Madison (10/30), Wofford
(11/20) - Didn’t the Keydets leave the Southern Conference in order to play
a lighter schedule? With a I-A, the defending SoCon champ, and three
Atlantic 10 teams on the slate, Cal McCombs’ squad will have its work cut
out for it.
12. Massachusetts (@Delaware State (9/4), Colgate (9/11), Boston College
(10/2) - Tilt against 2003 I-AA runner-up Raiders won’t be a picnic, and
foray against B.C. comes immediately after the Delaware game.
13. Montana (Maine (9/4), Hofstra (9/11), @Sam Houston State (9/18),
Northern Colorado (9/25) - Grizzlies once again do a bang-up job of
embracing I-AA, facing challenging foes from a selection of the
sub-classification’s different regions.
14. Western Kentucky (@Kansas State (9/4), Concord (9/11), @Eastern Kentucky
(9/18), @Florida International (9/25) - K-State will start Hilltoppers off
on a losing foot, and WKU can’t underestimate EKU or FIU, which should both
be vastly improved.
15. Delaware State (Massachusetts (9/4), N.C. Central (9/11), @Elon (9/18),
Southern Illinois (9/25) - Hornets defy MEAC convention by playing three
teams from three of the best I-AA conferences.
16. McNeese State (@Southern (9/4), Southeastern Louisiana (9/11),
Youngstown State (9/18), @Portland State (9/25), Southern Utah (10/2),
@Florida International (10/23) - A typical job well done by McNeese AD Sonny
Watkins, who found the Cowboys no fewer than six credible non-conference
opponents from all over the country.
17. Albany (@Hofstra (9/2), Fordham (9/11), @Brown (9/18), @Lehigh (10/2) -
Kudos to the mid-major Great Danes for always going the challenging out-of-
league route.
18. Cal Poly (Humboldt State (9/4), @Idaho State (9/11), @Montana State
(9/18), Texas State (10/16), @Eastern Washington (11/6), @Sacramento State
(11/20) - No I-A opponents on this year’s Mustang slate, but Rich Ellerson’s
team will play four difficult Big Sky road games.
19. Stephen F. Austin (Henderson State (9/4), Northern Arizona (9/11),
@Northern Iowa (9/18), Southern Utah (9/25), Florida International (10/9),
@UC Davis (10/16) - SFA will play 2003 playoff quarterfinalists back-to-back
when they face NAU and UNI, and have three more potentially dangerous
non-league outings.
20. Southern Utah (@Weber State (9/4), @Sacramento State (9/18), @Stephen F.
Austin (9/25), @McNeese State (10/2), Montana-Western (10/30), Idaho State
(11/20) - Thunderbird fans can wait a while to purchase those season tickets
- SUU won’t have a home game until Oct. 9.
THE LIGHTEST: I-AA’s most yawn-inducing non-conference schedules of 2004:
1. Norfolk State (Virginia State (9/4), Savannah State (9/11) - NSU looks
content to play a nine-game schedule, a disgrace for a scholarship team in a
playoff conference.
2. Jacksonville State (Emporia State (9/4), @Chattanooga (9/18) - Reigning
OVC champ can do better than a 10-game schedule complete with an unheralded
I-AA and a Division II.
3. Prairie View (Paul Quinn (9/11), Lincoln (10/23) - Not that we expect a
whole lot from Prairie View, but weak is weak.
4. Georgetown (St. Francis (PA) (9/4), @Duquesne (9/18), VMI (10/9),
@Monmouth (10/23), @ Davidson (11/13) - Hoyas are entering their fourth year
as a member of the Patriot League, and playing four I-AA mid-major programs
in the same year is no longer acceptable.
5. Hofstra (Albany (9/2), @Montana (9/11), @Stony Brook (10/9) - Trip to
Montana is nice, but Pride are the only scholarship program in the country
facing two I-AA mid- majors.
6. Davidson (@Coastal Carolina (9/11), @Lenoir-Rhyne (9/18), Georgetown
(11/13) - Members of the non-scholarship Wildcats pay a lot of money to go
to the private North Carolina school - the administration owes them more
than a nine-game schedule in return.
7. Southwest Missouri State (Drake (9/2), Sam Houston State (9/11), Union
(KY) (9/18), @Tulsa (9/25) - Bears will probably start 3-0, but
non-scholarship Drake and NAIA Union will be part of that unattractive run.
8. Wofford (@South Carolina State (9/11), Johnson C. Smith (9/25), Gardner-
Webb (11/6), @ VMI (11/20) - Mike Ayers’ team is generally immune to
negative publicity, but the fact remains that the Terriers will be
double-digit favorites throughout their out-of-conference slate.
9. Western Illinois (@Nebraska (9/4), Cheyney (9/11), @Hampton (9/18),
Quincy (9/25) - "Light" isn’t the right word for a schedule that includes
trips to Nebraska and Hampton, but WIU always has trouble finding credible
non- conference opponents to travel to Macomb, and this year saw the school
completely strike out in that quest.
10. Sam Houston State (Ouachita Baptist (9/4), @Southwest Missouri State
(9/11), Montana (9/18), @Southeastern Louisiana (9/25), Tarleton State
(10/7), Northern Colorado (10/23) - It’s actually not a bad schedule under
the circumstances, but the Bearkats have to take a small hit for being the
Southland’s only team to line up two Division II opponents.
BCS DREAMS: Villanova, which has wins over Rutgers and Temple over the past
two seasons, is the only I-AA school to defeat a BCS-level opponent during
that stretch. The Wildcats won’t be facing such a foe in ’04, so below is a
list of some of those with a realistic shot of carrying the torch:
1. Maine @ Mississippi State (9/18) - The Black Bears have just about
everyone returning, while the Bulldogs figure to be in major rebuilding mode
during Sylvester Croom’s first year.
2. The Citadel @ Duke (10/2) - Sure, we’d much rather see one of the SoCon’s
"Big Four" heading to Durham, but The Citadel has given many a I-A opponent
a rough time over the years.
3. William & Mary @ North Carolina (9/4) - Tar Heels come off a 2-10 season,
and that 28-3 loss to Furman in ’99 weighs heavy on the mind when examining
this matchup.
4. Northern Arizona @ Arizona (9/4) - Wildcat coach Mike Stoops will look to
reverse last year’s 2-10 mark, and NAU, a I-AA quarterfinalist last season,
will be featured in his debut.
5. Western Illinois @ Nebraska (9/4) - OK, this one is a stretch. But WIU
was down 13-6 to eventual national champ LSU last season with 20 minutes
remaining, and the once-mighty Huskers could suffer some growing pains in
year one of the Bill Callahan regime.
D-II NIGHTMARES: These matchups with sub-Division I teams could show I-AA
schools the dark side of "playing down":
1. Texas A&M-Kingsville @ Nicholls State (9/18) - Kingsville took down the
Colonels last season, en route to an 11-2 record and No. 3 final national
ranking.
2. Emporia State @ Jacksonville State (9/4) - The Gamecocks were
double-digit losers to D-II North Alabama last year, and will be hosting an
Emporia State club that comes off a playoff appearance.
3. Carroll (MT) @ Idaho State (9/4) - No, Carroll is not a Division II team
(they’re NAIA). But look out Bengals - the Saints are the two-time defending
national champs at their level, and enter the season with college football’s
longest win streak at 19 games.
4. Tarleton State @ Sam Houston State (10/7) - TSU took a 39-20 decision in
this meeting last year, and will attempt to make it two straight against an
SHSU team that figures to be improved.
5. Alabama State vs. Tuskegee (11/25) - ASU snapped a two-game losing streak
in the Turkey Day Classic last season, meaning Lionel Richie’s alma mater
will be up "all night long" in search of revenge.
AT LEAST THE CHECK WILL CLEAR: A selection of the biggest I-A vs. I-AA
mismatches in 2004:
1. Tennessee-Martin @ Western Michigan (9/2) UTM (three I-AA wins since
1997) might hang for a half with some of the MAC’s lower-echelon clubs, but
not with the well-heeled Broncos.
2. Florida A&M @ Virginia Tech (10/16) FAMU will be beaten down by this
stage of the season, which should make for an ugly October Saturday in
Blacksburg.
3. Western Kentucky @ Kansas State (9/4) Hilltoppers always play a
high-level BCS foe, and have yet to find a way to be competitive in those
games.
4. Richmond @ N.C. State (9/4) Spiders figure to have their struggles in
year one of the Dave Clawson era, and Wolfpack should do a good job of
exposing their weaknesses.
5. The Citadel @ Auburn (9/25) Bulldogs get to travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium
seven days after an important SoCon road game at Appalachian State.
Certainly less than ideal.
BIG-TIME POSSIBILITIES: A selection of I-A vs. I-AA games in which the road
team should be thinking "win" (this list does not include I-AA matchups with
Florida Atlantic or Florida International, which will be beginning their
respective transitions from I-AA to I-A this season):
1. Northwestern State @ Louisiana-Lafayette (9/4) Sadly, I-AA will have just
one chance to embarrass the quasi-I-A Sun Belt this season, and this is it.
2. Delaware @ Navy (10/30) K.C. Keeler outcoached Navy’s Paul Johnson last
season, and First Staters will be delirious if their Hens can pull out
another win in Annapolis.
3. Eastern Illinois @ Eastern Michigan (9/25) EMU was 3-9 last season,
including a 34-12 loss to I-AA Western Illinois.
4. Weber State @ UTEP (9/11) The Miners have a notable new coach in Mike
Price, but frankly, they’re not going to be very good. Weber was 8-4 last
year and has most of its core returning.
5. Appalachian State @ Wyoming (9/4) Former Montana coach Joe Glenn won’t
let his Cowboys take ASU lightly, a good thing since the Mountaineers have
rarely been intimidated by the I-A moniker.
6. Sacramento State @ Nevada (9/4) Sac State could be dangerous if healthy
this season, and Nevada is the same program that barely escaped a tilt with
I- AA Southern Utah to begin last season.
7. Southern Illinois @ Northern Illinois (9/11) Media darling NIU lost to
the last credible I-AA team it faced (Western Illinois, 2002), and Southern
Illinois appears to have playoff-level talent once again.
8. Southeast Missouri @ Central Michigan (9/18) SEMO suffered disappointing
losses to I-As Arkansas State and Ohio University last season, but could
rebound against a Chippewa team that was 1-7 in the MAC last season.
9. Northeastern @ Navy (9/11) The last I-A that failed to take Northeastern
seriously (Ohio University in 2002) learned a 31-0 lesson.
10. Portland State @ Fresno State (9/18) - Fresno beat the Viks, 42-16, last
season, but PSU racked up 486 total yards and hung around until the final
five minutes.
***
2004 National I-AA TV Game of the Week, Vote Now!
I-AA.org
This past Spring we initiated the nomination process to suggest games for
national television I-AA Game of the Week. All the nominations are in and
now it's time to vote!
You receive one vote so select a game from each week and a game of the year,
fill in your name and email address, and click the submit button.
Follow the results at I-AA.org. Once the survey is completed appropriate
television networks will be notified of the recommendations. The networks
retain the right to make final decisions.
Ballots will only be accepted through this form until 11:59 p.m. on May 31,
2004. The results will be published shortly thereafter. The highest security
is being used to ensure only one vote per person. Vote as often as you like
but know that only your first one counts.
Week 1 | 8/28-9/4/2004:
Maine @ Montana
Bucknell @ Villanova
Eastern Washington @ Nicholls State
New Hampshire @ Delaware
Alcorn State @ Grambling State
McNeese State @ Southern
North Dakota State @ Northern Colorado
Week 2 | 9/9-11/2004:
Hofstra @ Montana
Cal Poly @ Idaho State
Colgate @ UMass
Eastern Kentucky @ Appalachian State
Nicholls State @ Western Carolina
Northern Arizona @ Stephen F. Austin
Northern Colorado @ Maine
Richmond @ VMI
Southeastern Louisiana @ McNeese State
Towson @ Delaware
Villanova @ Lehigh
Wofford @ South Carolina State
Week 3 | 9/18/2004:
Montana @ Sam Houston State
Cal Poly @ Montana State
Dartmouth @ ColgateFordham @ Columbia
Furman @ Gardner-Webb
Idaho St @ Northern Colorado
Jacksonville State @ Chattanooga
James Madison @ Villanova
Texas Southern @ Northwestern State
Richmond @ UMass
Stephen F. Austin @ Northern Iowa
The Citadel @ Appalachian State
Tennessee Tech @ VMI
William & Mary @ New Hampshire
Western Kentucky @ Eastern Kentucky
Wofford @ Georgia Southern
Youngstown State @ McNeese State
Week 4 | 9/23-25/2004:
Northern Colorado @ Montana
Appalachian State @ Northwestern State
Delaware @ UMass
Harvard @ Brown
Idaho State @ Eastern Washington
Jacksonville State @ Eastern Kentucky
McNeese State @ Portland State
Sacramento State @ UC Davis
Sam Houston State @ Southeastern Louisiana
Villanova @ Penn
Week 5 | 10/2/2004:
Montana @ Weber State
Eastern Washington at Portland State
Maine @ Delaware
Montana State @ Idaho State
Northern Iowa @ Southern Illinois
North Dakota State @ Nicholls State
Southern Utah @ McNeese State
Sacramento State @ Northern Arizona
Texas State @ Appalachian State
UC Davis @ Northern Colorado
Youngstown State @ Western Kentucky
Week 6 | 10/9/2004:
Idaho State @ Montana
Eastern Illinois @ Eastern Kentucky
Furman @ Appalachian State
Georgia Southern @ Western Carolina
North Dakota State @ South Dakota State
Northern Colorado @ Southeastern Louisiana
Southern Illinois @ Youngstown State
Western Kentucky @ Northern Iowa
Weber State @ Montana State
Yale @ Dartmouth
Week 7 | 10/16/2004:
Montana @ Eastern Washington
Appalachian State @ Georgia Southern
Colgate @ Cornell
Delaware @ Hofstra
Illinois State @ Western Illinois
Lehigh @ Yale
McNeese State @ Northwestern State
Northern Iowa @ Youngstown State
Nicholls State @ Sam Houston State
Portland State @ Montana State
Rhode Island @ William & Mary
Richmond @ Villanova
Southern Utah @ North Dakota State
UMass @ New Hampshire
Valparaiso @ San Diego
Western Carolina @ Wofford
Western Kentucky @ Southern Illinois
Week 8 | 10/23/2004:
Bucknell @ Lehigh
Cal Poly @ North Dakota State
Eastern Washington @ Weber State
Georgia Southern @ The Citadel
Indiana State @ Western Kentucky
James Madison @ Richmond
Northern Colorado @ Sam Houston State
Northwestern State @ Nicholls State
Penn @ Yale
Portland State @ Northern Arizona
Sacramento State @ Idaho State
South Dakota State @ Montana State
Southern Illinois @ Southwest Missouri State
Texas State @ Stephen F. Austin
UMass @ Rhode Island
William & Mary @ Delaware
Western Illinois @ Northern Iowa
Wofford @ Appalachian State
Youngstown State @ Illinois State
Week 9 | 10/30/2004:
Montana @ Portland State
Alcorn State @ Southeastern Louisiana
Colgate @ Lehigh
Illinois State @ Western Kentucky
Maine @ UMass
Montana State @ Northern Arizona
Northwestern State @ North Dakota State
Sam Houston State @ Stephen F. Austin
South Dakota State @ Georgia Southern
Texas State @ McNeese State
UC Davis @ Cal Poly
Weber State @ Idaho State
Western Illinois @ Southern Illinois
Week 10 | 11/6/2004:
Northern Arizona @ Montana
Delaware @ James Madison
Fordham @ Bucknell
Georgia Southern @ Furman
Hofstra @ Maine
Idaho State @ Portland State
McNeese State @ Sam Houston State
Montana State @ Sacramento State
North Dakota State @ Weber State
Northern Iowa @ Indiana State
Samford @ Jacksonville State
Southeast Missouri @ Tennessee State
Southern Utah @ Northern Colorado
Texas State @ Northwestern State
UMass @ Northeastern
Villanova @ William & Mary
Western Kentucky @ SW Missouri State
Yale @ Brown
Youngstown State @ Western Illinois
Week 11 | 11/13/2004:
Sacramento State @ Montana
Appalachian State @ Western Carolina
Brown @ Dartmouth
Colgate @ Bucknell
Delaware @ Richmond
Eastern Washington @ Montana State
Fordham @ Lehigh
Furman @ Wofford
Illinois State @ Northern Iowa
McNeese State @ S.F. Austin
North Carolina A&T @ Hampton
North Dakota State @ UC Davis
Northern Arizona @ Idaho State
Northern Colorado at Cal Poly
Princeton @ Yale
Sam Houston State @ Northwestern State
Tennessee State @ Eastern Kentucky
Western Illinois @ Western Kentucky
William & Mary @ James Madison
Youngstown State @ Southwest Missouri State
Week 12 | 11/20/2004
Montana State @ Montana
Lehigh @ Lafayette
Idaho State @ Southern Utah
Northern Iowa at Northern Arizona
Colgate @ Fordham
Florida A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman
Hofstra @ UMass
Holy Cross @ Georgetown
Nicholls State @ McNeese State
Northwestern State @ Stephen F. Austin
Richmond @ William & Mary
South Carolina State @ North Carolina A&T
South Dakota State @ Northern Colorado
Texas State @ Sam Houston State
Villanova @ Delaware
Western Carolina @ The Citadel
Wofford @ VMI
Yale @ Harvard
GAME OF THE YEAR:
Montana State @ Montana
Maine @ Montana
Northern Colorado @ Montana
Sacramento State @ Montana
Montana @ Eastern Washington
Idaho State @ Montana
Hofstra @ Montana
Montana @ Sam Houston State
Montana @ Weber State
Northern Arizona @ Montana
Montana @ Portland State
Last Year's Results
Montana @ Maine
App. St @ E Kentucky
GA Southern @ McNeese St
McNeese St @ Grambling
Delaware @ Hofstra
W Kentucky @ W Illinois
Weber St @ Montana
GA Southern @ App. St
Portland St @ Montana
Montana @ N Arizona
SF Austin @ McNeese St
E Washington @ Montana
Montana @ Montana St
***
Ambushed in Indy: Big Sky ready to lead I-AA exodus?
Otto Fad, CFAA/I-AA.com, May 14, 2004
[Note: this is Part I of a series]
Hard-fought gains made by I-AA Football in recent years may soon be erased
by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, possibly prompting top programs
to begin abandoning the sub-classification.
Recent actions and decisions pending before the board would have the
combined effect of negating strong I-A standards developed in a
comprehensive of analysis undertaken by the Division I membership in its
two-year NCAA Football Study. Those standards were designed in large part to
stabilize I-AA membership.
The dilution or elimination of I-A standards appears to be well underway.
The Board has already delayed implementation of an important scheduling
component for at least two years, and now appears ready to scuttle the
home-game average attendance requirement. Additionally, a loophole that
undermines the spirit of both the scheduling and home attendance standards
is being exploited.
The I-AA exodus could begin out west with the Big Sky Conference -- one of
the more stable football-playing leagues in all of Division I -- and
eventually lead others to study reclassification to I-A.
Asked whether it was time for the Big Sky to prepare for such a move,
commissioner Doug Fullerton cited the dwindling support for I-AA-stabilizing
I-A standards.
“If the standards are indeed not going to stay in place,” said Fullerton,
“And there is a guarantee that there is greater access to Bowl games for
non-BCS schools, and there would be greater access to scheduling then why
wouldn't I advise our schools to go to I-A as a league?
PROGRESS… INTERRUPTED
Recent years have seen I-AA triumphs in the tortuous NCAA legislative
process (where the I-A standards were developed), in its membership rolls
(influx of Division II powers including Cal-Davis and Northern Colorado),
and in geographic expansion into new regions (with the addition of flagship
institutions North Dakota State and South Dakota State).
Additionally, the 2003 playoffs were the most televised in the 26-year
tournament’s history, and reigning national champion Delaware finished
ranked above 17 bowl game participants, and 67% (78/117 teams) of I-A
membership (Sagarin ratings).
In a time of unprecedented success for I-AA Football, Division I Board of
Directors’ actions are may cause an imminent decline in competitiveness. In
the context of increased BCS access and revenue sharing in I-A, the larger
result could be a dramatic swelling of the I-A ranks.
GOING TOGETHER…
In the past, Fullerton has pointed-out that moving to I-A as a group would
be much easier than when institutions reclassify individually. Scheduling
enough I-A games is no challenge, and there’s little need to invent new
rivalries.
“From a competitive standpoint, the eight members of the Big Sky could make
the move, hold their own and then some against a majority of the current
non-BCS I-A’s,” said Tony Moss, Executive Director for I-AA Football at The
Sports Network.
“From a marketing standpoint, the Big Sky has an advantage over I-A leagues
like the Sun Belt, WAC, and Conference USA, which are all over the map
geographically and don't have a lot of natural rivalries like
Montana/Montana State to call their own.”
Reclassification would not be painless, though, and would require changes.
“We certainly wouldn't be the bottom ranked conference in I-A even if we
went alone,” said Fullerton. “But I am sure there would be four or five
other leagues that would want to join us.”
“For the NCAA, what's four or five more chairs around the Board of Directors
table?”
NOT JUST PIE IN THE SKY…
Could one of those chairs be occupied by a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
(MEAC) representative?
“We need to keep all our options open, to see how the criteria are going to
end up,” said MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas. “We’ll review it as a
conference to see whether it’s a viable option. If you’re not going to
tighten [I-A standards] up…”
Big Sky member Portland State athletic director Tom Burman agreed that a
comprehensive assessment might be warranted.
“You want to position your institution and your league to be prepared for
the future,” said Burman. “If this were to be considered, we’d definitely
like to participate in the conversations.”
The most accomplished program in I-AA history is Georgia Southern, home of
six I-AA national football championships. Eagles AD Sam Baker is feeling a
sense of déjà vu.
“We were talking about a lot of this six or seven years ago and we’re still
talking about it,” said Baker. “In the meantime, a bunch of schools have
used various and sundry methods to move from I-AA to I-A.”
"I can't speak for other programs, but if something doesn't happen, then
we'd have to look around at where we are at ..."
In the Southland Conference, Northwestern State AD Greg Burke is also
monitoring recent developments closely.
“The way that the landscape is changing, I think you have to look around,”
said Burke. “You have to at least be receptive.”
“At the end of the day, there’s really not much of a difference between us
and some of them (non-BCS programs).”
Dr. Terry Wanless is AD at Big Sky member Sacramento State. He is
particularly concerned about recent efforts to dilute or eliminate
altogether the attendance requirement of the new I-A standards.
“If they take out the attendance requirement, they take out all of the
teeth,” said Wanless. “They could eventually end up with more schools
playing I-A football than they ever imagined.”
While the Southern Conference has not yet launched a I-A feasibility study,
commissioner Danny Morrison recognizes the seriousness of the current
situation.
“This is a critical juncture in I-AA football,” said Morrison.
ARBITRARY LINES
“The majority of football in Division I is played at the I-AA level,” said
Fullerton. “These are schools who have made conscious decisions regarding
the efficiencies of playing football at a cost effective level.”
“Unfortunately there is a siren's call from the next level, and more often
than not, it is a call to disaster.”
“There is a sort of ‘Peter Principle’ at work in collegiate football.
Institutions move their programs up until they can not sustain them, and
then they either muddle along, running up losses and deficits or they drop
football.”
Fullerton elaborated on the existing disconnect in Division I football
between classifications, competition, and commitment.
“There are three distinct levels of football in Division I. There are the
BSC schools, to which I would add 10-15 others who are very similar.”
“The second group contains the other half of the non-BSC institutions along
with the top four or five leagues in Division I-AA.”
“The last group contains the institutions whose goals for football are much
more associated with enrollment than Bowl or Playoff wins.”
“Unfortunately, the standards that separate Division I-A from I-AA do not
reflect what is reality. The new I-A standards are merely an attempt to
create some stability within the levels of play. Something that would be
good for all of us, I-A and I-AA alike.”
“We have to have the courage to create a level of difference between the two
levels, with some interplay of course,” said Wanless. “But we need some
reality in Division I football. We need to be responsible to achieve a level
of fitness that suits the top level of competition.”
I-AA expert Tony Moss provides an historical perspective on the issue.
“The line in college football is between the BCS leagues and everyone else,”
said Moss. “It's not a caste system - it's a cultural and financial reality
that is older than college football itself. Eventually, the makeup of the
structure of college football is going to have to reflect that reality.”
*** ***
BASKETBALL
*** ***
Coach K comes home
Grizzly great Larry Krystkowiak introduced as new Montana coach
By BOB MESEROLL, Missoulian sports editor
Larry Krystkowiak said he was "somewhat speechless" after being introduced
as the 25th head coach of the Montana men's basketball program Thursday at
the Adams Center.
"I think there's been enough talking around here for ... a couple of years,"
said Krystkowiak, who coached the Idaho Stampede in the Continental
Basketball Association last season. "I don't want to point fingers at
anyone, but talk's kind of cheap."
And with that, the Pat Kennedy era officially ended.
Kennedy resigned on Monday, taking the job at Towson University in Maryland
and clearing the path for Montana to return to its basketball roots.
"Larry Krystkowiak is Montana basketball," said interim athletic director
Marie Porter, who selected Krystkowiak over Wayne Tinkle, another former
Grizzly great.
Krystkowiak, a 39-year-old native of Shelby, will earn $95,000 as a base
salary, the same amount paid to Kennedy and women's basketball coach Robin
Selvig.
The choice was not an easy one, Porter said, but it was clearly a popular
decision in the eyes of the 100 or so friends, boosters and athletic
department personnel who gathered in the Sky Club for the announcement.
"This really was a footrace, a flat-out footrace," said Porter. "It was a
hard, hard decision to make. But the best thing about it was that I
absolutely felt through and through that we were going to be in a great
situation.
"I think that Larry's breadth and depth of experiences - if I could put my
finger on one thing - probably tipped the scales. That goes from playing and
mentoring under different coaches, to coaching and having head coaching
experience."
Tinkle, an assistant for the last three years under Don Holst and Kennedy,
won't wander far. In fact, he'll keep the same office he's in now as an
assistant on Krystkowiak's staff.
"The guy's a winner, he's a Grizzly, and I just can't say enough about him,"
said Krystkowiak, who was a teammate of Tinkle's in the mid-1980s under
coach Mike Montgomery.
Tinkle and Krystkowiak met Wednesday night and again Thursday morning to
discuss the job.
"I told him, and I was sincere, that if it wasn't going to be me, I was glad
it was him," Tinkle said. "That's what kept me calm and peaceful through the
whole process is that I knew if it didn't work out my way it would be
someone who really had the best interests of the program at heart."
Also joining the new staff will be Brad Huse, a high-school teammate of
Krystkowiak's at Missoula Big Sky who has had great success as the head
coach at Jamestown (N.D) College for the past eight years. The NAIA Jimmies
posted a school-record 30 wins this past season while maintaining the No. 1
national ranking for the entire season.
"I'm really excited," said Huse, who played at Montana Tech and served as an
assistant at both his alma mater and Montana State. "What really excited me
was to hear the excitement in Larry's voice and the focus and vision he has
for the program."
Krystkowiak said he will take his time in choosing a third assistant.
"These two were no-brainers," Krystkowiak said.
Krystkowiak met with the team on Wednesday night after flying in from Boise.
"We met for 45 minutes," said Kamarr Davis, the Grizzlies' leading scorer
last season. "He seemed cool."
Junior Corey Easley, who will play under his third coach in four years next
season, had already left for his home in Minnesota when he heard the news.
Krystkowiak caught up with him via a phone call Thursday.
"You always have certain coaches who want to fill you with a bunch of crap,"
Easley said. "He didn't do that. ... There were no huge promises like
before. I remember when Coach Kennedy first came in and he was saying we'd
have all these ESPN games - there was none of that (from Krystkowiak)."
Krystkowiak said his message to the team was fairly simple.
"My four years here were probably four of the best years of my life," said
Krystkowiak, the leading scorer and rebounder in UM history. "I met with the
players last night and I didn't want to have a big song and dance, and try
to convince them what a great guy I was, or what we were going to do. But I
did say, 'Whether you have one year left to play here or three years left to
play here, it's my goal to make that experience for you what it was for me.'
"
***
Krysko era begins on low-key note
By RIAL CUMMINGS of the Missoulian
Larry Krystkowiak may stand 6-foot-9, but his head is not in the clouds.
That much was obvious on Thursday as the new Montana men's basketball coach
set a tone of reasoned realism during his introductory press conference at
the Adams Center.
Marie Porter, UM's interim athletic director, described UM's newest hire as
having an intense emotional bond with the program and "the will to drive it
to greatness." Krystkowiak, however, was much more low key. He didn't say
Montana would be great, and he didn't utter the other G-word: Gonzaga.
If anything, the nine-year NBA veteran seemed to go out of his way to
downplay the bluster that at times marked his predecessor, Pat Kennedy.
Kennedy came to Missoula with a big-time resume following stints at Florida
State and DePaul, then left earlier this week for Towson University after
posting records of 13-17 and 10-18.
"You're not going to hear any crazy promises out of us, but we will make
progress," Krystkowiak said.
"If you're a fan, you'll enjoy the style of play," added "Krysko," who
collected a school-record 2,017 points and 1,105 rebounds at UM in 1982-86,
and was a two-time Academic All-American. "If you're involved with the
university, you're not going to be disappointed with what the players are
bringing to the table, and in the community."
Krystkowiak noted the restricted nature of Porter's search, which centered
on himself and Wayne Tinkle. Both are former Grizzly greats; Tinkle will
continue as a UM assistant, while Krystkowiak was an assistant under Don
Holst in 1998-2000.
"When I first heard that it was between Wayne and me, I was so thrilled to
know that the program had moved beyond something bigger," Krystkowiak said.
"It certainly doesn't need to be anything bigger. It needs to have some
people involved with heart, and with the knowledge of what's gone on in the
past."
Krystkowiak, talking about the school's basketball tradition, invoked the
names of Jud Heathcote, Mike Montgomery, Naseby Rhinehart, Jiggs Dahlberg,
Bob Cope and Eric Hays.
"I mean, this is something a lot bigger than myself," Krystkowiak said.
Krystkowiak and Tinkle have only three years of off-campus college
recruiting experience between them, far less than most UM coaches over the
past three decades. That might raise concerns in some quarters, but
Krystkowiak isn't worried.
"That has a lot to do with people skills, your ability to visit with kids,"
Krystkowiak said. "This is going to be the easiest sell in the world. I came
here, I grew up in Montana, was fairly successful in basketball,
academically. ... I'm selling something dear to my heart."
Krystkowiak said his recruiting efforts will follow the same blueprint that
built successful Grizzly teams throughout the years. That means getting the
best players from Montana, concentrating on the Pacific Northwest, and
supplementing high-school recruits with junior-college transfers from states
such as California and Texas.
"It would be kind of a pipe dream to think that you're gonna go into Chicago
and pull kids, or anything like that," Krystkowiak said. "We'll stay focused
on the reality of it."
It wouldn't be surprising, however, if Krystkowiak tapped his NBA contacts
to bolster UM's recruiting. As an example, he pointed to post player Alex
Loughton, an Australian player who led Old Dominion in scoring and
rebounding last season. While serving as an assistant coach at Old Dominion,
Krystkowiak learned about Loughton from former Chicago Bulls teammate Luc
Longley. Krystkowiak's middle son, Luc, is named after the former Aussie
Olympian.
"There will be some focus on trying to keep that Australian pipeline going,"
Krystkowiak said, "and seeing what we can do overseas as well. The nature of
the name, Montana, has some mystique to it. That can be a draw."
Krystkowiak's wife, Jan, and sons Cameron (5), Luc (3) and Ben (2) are all
behind the move to Missoula.
"My family is here in spirit," Krystkowiak said. "This was a group decision
and we are all very much on board."
"Are we going fishing with Uncle Bernie?" Cameron asked, referring to
Krystkowiak's brother, who lives in Kalispell.
Once Krystkowiak explained that they'd be moving to Montana permanently,
Cameron had another request.
"You need to buy me a pair of cowboy boots," he said.
Make no mistake, Krystkowiak learned a lot from his college coach
Montgomery, who has built Stanford into a perennial national power.
"I certainly believe in ... the philosophy Monty had about getting the ball
inside," Krystkowiak said. "I think that's No. 1. If you don't have an
inside threat in basketball, it can be a long night. Coach Montgomery, Stew
Morrill and Blaine Taylor had kind of the same philosophy and there's no
reason to change."
Krystkowiak said he would like his teams to be known for the same things
that made Montgomery successful.
"Mike used to write on the board before every game: Play hard, play smart,
play together," Krystkowiak recalled. "It's really pretty simple."
With the 6-9 Krystkowiak and 6-10 Tinkle on the sidelines, the Griz could
have the tallest coaching staff in the country.
"I hope perimeter players don't get the wrong idea," Krystkowiak joked. "If
we end up opposite of Montana State (in recruiting) where their tallest guy
is 5-8, they'll be able to say, 'You can't go to Montana because they don't
have guards who can teach you to play.' So we have to be careful about that.
"But we could whip (their coaches) in a game, probably."
***
Kennedy leaves UM basketball behind
By BOB MESEROLL Missoulian sports editor (May 11)
The University of Montana's experiment with a name-brand men's basketball
coach ended Monday.
Pat Kennedy, Montana's basketball coach for the past two seasons, was named
the head coach at Towson University on Monday morning during a press
conference on the campus of the suburban Baltimore school.
"This is not an easy business," Kennedy told the Missoulian in a phone
interview from Baltimore. "I have to do what is best for me and my family."
Kennedy said the security of a multi-year contract, something Montana can't
offer by state law, was one of the selling points in taking the job at
Towson, a Colonial Athletic Association school that hasn't posted a winning
record since 1996.
Terms of the deal were not announced, but it's believed that Kennedy will
make more than $150,000 per year in salary and other considerations.
"The year-to-year situation, that has an effect on one's future and family,"
said Kennedy, who made a salary of $95,000 his first year at UM. "If someone
comes along and offers you a multi-year contract, it's tough. The state
needs to look at that."
Montana interim athletic director Marie Porter said a search for Kennedy's
successor has already begun.
"In a perfect world - and we all know it's not a perfect world - I'd like to
have something wrapped up by the end of the week," said Porter.
Top assistant coach Wayne Tinkle and former Griz assistant Larry
Krystkowiak, coach of the CBA's Idaho Stampede, have already contacted
Porter to express their interest in the job. Porter said she will talk to
both at more length this week. (See related story, Page D1.)
Kennedy was hired by former UM athletic director Wayne Hogan, a friend and
colleague when both were employed by Florida State University. Hogan
resigned in March in the wake of the revelation that the athletic department
had a nearly $1 million deficit.
It was Hogan's stated desire that Kennedy, who had taken his teams at Iona,
Florida State and DePaul to eight NCAA appearances, would take Montana down
the same path that had brought national prominence to mid-major programs
such as Gonzaga.
But the success Kennedy enjoyed while compiling a career record of 393-276
before coming to Montana didn't translate into wins for the Grizzlies.
Kennedy was 23-35 overall, 13-15 in Big Sky Conference games, in his two
seasons at Montana, the first time the program had recorded back-to-back
losing seasons in more than 30 years. The Griz were eliminated in the first
round of the league's postseason tournament in each of Kennedy's two
seasons.
Kennedy said that while he wasn't happy with his record at Montana, the
program is better off now than when he took over.
"(Griz senior) Ryan Pederson said that one of his dreams was to play against
teams like Auburn and UNLV," Kennedy said of his efforts to upgrade the
schedule. "What people don't know is what you talk about with your
administration. We brought in guarantee monies and elevated the schedule.
The win-loss record doesn't show that, I know. But we tried to accomplish
what we were asked to do by the administration and from that standpoint
Montana is better off."
Porter agrees with Kennedy's premise.
"I would look beyond straight wins and losses, because I don't think that
tells the whole story of a program," Porter said. "He had some real
highlights. We beat Stanford at their place in their own tournament and we
had some really exciting games played here in the Adams Center.
"But a two-year tenure is not a very long tenure. The things he had in place
and was attempting to move forward with were thwarted by him leaving. It's
up to someone else to determine a new direction."
Kennedy said he has not made any decisions regarding his staff at Towson.
Montana assistants Tinkle, Rodney McConnell, Brian Marso and Rob Norris are
under contract to Montana until June 30. Norris is the only assistant who
came with Kennedy to UM from DePaul.
"It will be up to the new head coach, in consultation with me, to determine
the future of that staff," Porter said.
The assistant coaches brought the Grizzly players together very late Sunday
night to tell them of Kennedy's departure. Kennedy was to speak to the team
via conference call, but was delayed by several hours en route to Baltimore.
"We told them coach was moving on," Tinkle said. "He wanted them to know
that he didn't have a lack of confidence in their ability, that the move was
in the best interest of his family."
Kennedy said he has no regrets.
"It's incredible country," Kennedy said of Montana. "I met some of the
nicest people that I've ever met there. But you have to evaluate where you
are as a coach. . . . Towson made a solid commitment over a period of time."
Source: Tom Griz Fan
May 15, 2004
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