Division IV: Good Or Bad For SEC?

John Pennington at MrSEC.com has laid out the possibilities of a world where the B1G and Pac-12 (with the ACC being swing voters) dictate policy and athletic working conditions to SEC schools if a new Division IV takes place in the name of autonomy.

Read the full opinion piece here... LINK



Highlights

Background: The Power Five have already been discussing how to take advantage of autonomy should it be granted. The presidents of the Pac-12 sent out a letter to the leaders of the other 53 Power Five schools last month. In it they proposed full-cost-of-tuition scholarships, better medical insurance, guaranteed scholarships (so long as a player is in good academic standing), decreased demands for student-athletes by nixing “voluntary” practices that circumvent the 20-hour rule, decreased out-of-season demands on student-athletes, strengthened APR requirements for postseason eligibility, liberalized rules for athletes wanting to transfer between schools and more. If given autonomy, the 65 schools will need to have some way of deciding on those types of rule changes. Mike Slive at last week’s SEC meetings suggested a 60 percent majority be required for acceptance of a proposal within the Power Five.


The takeaway: The 26 schools of the Big Ten and Pac-12 are likely going to form one voting bloc in the autonomy/Division IV world to come. Now take a look at what is being proposed by the Pac-12 and, for the most part, backed by the Big Ten — less time on the field/court for athletes, tougher academic standards for postseason play, guaranteed scholarships, eased transfer rules, etc. Think your friendly neighborhood SEC football coach would be in favor of such proposals?

Southeastern Conference presidents and chancellors are in a tight spot (to borrow a line from “O Brother Where Art Thou?”). Many would be in favor of just those types of notions. But their schools also benefit financially from being the Kings of Football and football might not best be served if some of the Pac-12 proposals become the law of the autonomous land.

Like it or not, the Big Ten and Pac-12 are viewed as athletic conferences as well as “big academics” leagues. The SEC? Not so much. There are exceptions to the rule, of course, and no SEC schools are diploma mills. But the Big Ten and SEC do have very different reputations when it comes to the views of pointy heads. The Big Ten boasts some of the biggest research schools in the country. The SEC is seen as a jockocracy (which is why Slive and league’s presidents are pushing the SECU academic initiative in order to “advance the academic reputation of SEC universities beyond their traditional regions”). The SEC has also raised its academic standards in recent years.

In a new 65-school structure, the Big Ten and Pac-12 will likely push academics first — not that that’s a bad thing — in such a way as to level the football playing field with the boys down South. For that reason, don’t be surprised to see the SEC and Big 12 buddy-up when it comes to votes on new rules and new regulations. Their 24 schools share more in common with one another than with the Big Ten and Pac-12 schools. Yes, there are fine schools in the Big 12, but that league is also seen as a football-first conference by many. When you read the words “football factory” which schools and which conferences do you think of?