A shoutout to all HS players that want to play college ball but...

[ACM Dad]

...you might be an inch too short or a step too slow for D-1, but if you have great grades, look into Trinity University. It's D-3, so there's no athletic money. And, it's not the easiest D-3 to get into. But, it's a great education, great location, great school and great football program. They offer lots of academic aid and need-based aid. Very well-endowed university.

Most D-3 teams spend their travels in buses. Trinity flies. And, you're in San Antonio. Great town.

Bottom line: There are 500+ schools out there that play football. Not everyone is going to be big enough to get into the D-1A schools like Texas, A&M and Tech. If you are a good player and you want to continue to play, there's an option out there. Don't give up your dreams.:notworthy

Feel free to PM me about Trinity if you have any questions.

[CKE]

Yeah you also pay out of the wazzo to go there since they do not give rides

[ACM Dad]

Yeah you also pay out of the wazzo to go there since they do not give rides

That can happen, but they also give out LOTS of academic partial rides. So much so, that my son going to TU is paying less than if I was footing the bill to put him thru A&M.

It's football because you love the game and want to still play competetively. I got very familiar with this years team. The vast majority of them were First Team All-District players in HS and most multiple years. We had some all-region and up. It's almost like an all-star group for those guys that didn't quite fit the physical forumla for D-1.

oh and finally, what's a great education worth?

[CKE]

That can happen, but they also give out LOTS of academic partial rides. So much so, that my son going to TU is paying less than if I was footing the bill to put him thru A&M.

It's football because you love the game and want to still play competetively. I got very familiar with this years team. The vast majority of them were First Team All-District players in HS and most multiple years. We had some all-region and up. It's almost like an all-star group for those guys that didn't quite fit the physical forumla for D-1.

oh and finally, what's a great education worth?

I agree paying for a good education is a great thing to do but with UIW getting a football team now being able to give football rides,being DII and getting just a good education that seems to be they way to go for SA kids that do not fit the DI type

[Firebird]

First of all, a big thumbs up to ACM Dad's post. He's spot on. If you really want to play football in college, chances are you can. There are lots of opportunities out there. Trinity University runs one of the best, classiest programs in the state on any level. They do indeed put together generous financial aid packages for athletes that can qualify to get in, and are one of the state's best schools. It might indeed make much more sense to go with a good DIII program even if you are getting looks from DII/IAA schools. Past the DI level, full scholarships are hard to find and a lot of times get broken up so as to get more kids on scholi. The financial aid package that Trinity puts together for a qualifying athlete might well be in line with a half scholarship package from a place like UIW or ACU, the two private DII programs in the state.

That being said, with regards to UIW being the best option for "non DI-type players in the SA area", UIW fans need to hope that doesn't neccesarily become the case. Trinity has some great football teams, and would compete with lots of DII teams, but would not be competitive with the better schools in the Lone Star Conferene, which UIW hopes to join. That's not a knock against Trinity or their players, it's just an observation. Just like ACU or WTAMU would get smoked by Appy State or Delaware, Trinity or other top tier DIII teams would get creamed by ACU, NW Missouri, Grand Valley, etc. If UIW is really competing with Trinity for many players, then that's a red flag for UIW.

I'm taking an intense interest in UIW's bid at scholarship football. I think that if managed well, they could become a very successful program, as UIW has a lot to offer prospective players and is located in pretty good hunting ground. However, they are going to need to expand out of SA/Central Texas and recruit state wide and get creative with JUCOs and DIA transfers if they want to stay competitive with the West Texas A&Ms, the Kingsvilles, the Abilenes, the Tarletons of the LSC. DII recruiting is a tricky business and requires resourcefulness and the ability to turn over every rock out there. I was scanning UIW's roster and right now they have almost no one from outside SA/Austin/Region IV. That's not really a surprise as they have yet to play a down against another NCAA team and they are just starting up. However, that will need to slowly change. I am going to be interested to see what this year's class looks like. What really jumps out at me is a lack of size and numbers on both lines. That will be a big problem against the elite DII teams next year, even with a good class. If I were recruiting for them I would want immediate JUCO help on my OL and DL. They've certainly made a nice splash with some of their skill position players, however.

If UIW can keep the cream of the central Texas crop talent to stay at home while at the same time cherry pick the rest of the state and bring in top flight JUCO and DI transfers, then they could turn into a juggernaut. But they will need to expand their reach across the state.

[ACM Dad]

I can't comment on UIW at this point. Too new a program to tell what they're going to do.

But, and this is a huge but, if y'all think that Trinity just pulls players from the SA area, you need to look at the roster. Not that many truth be told. The other huge hurdle for Trinity is that it has the toughest admission standards in TX with the only equal being Rice. So, when coaches recruit for TU, they first try and find kids that have the grades and scores to get in. Then they look for football ability.

In TX, for D-3, there are a lot of choices. Mary Hardin Baylor, Hardin Simmons, Austin College, Texas Lutheran, East TX Baptist, McMurray, and a couple of others I'm probably forgetting.

One of the things my son absolutely loves about D-3 is that the coaches don't "own" him, don't have a scholie hanging over his head. It is not for everyone. The crowds rarely top 2000. Most of the players on his team were used to playing in front of 10-12K every friday night. Most were all-district as well. If you look at all those D-3 schools I listed above, there's a lot of very good football players on those rosters. They do it because they love it, passion for the game. Plus, there's a chance you can get playing time earlier than other divisions. Depends on the team, of course.

I"m not knocking D-2 or D-1AA in the slightest. Good options for a lot of guys. But, the coaches own you just as much as any school in the Big 12.

[Firebird]

I can't comment on UIW at this point. Too new a program to tell what they're going to do.

But, and this is a huge but, if y'all think that Trinity just pulls players from the SA area, you need to look at the roster. Not that many truth be told. The other huge hurdle for Trinity is that it has the toughest admission standards in TX with the only equal being Rice. So, when coaches recruit for TU, they first try and find kids that have the grades and scores to get in. Then they look for football ability.

In TX, for D-3, there are a lot of choices. Mary Hardin Baylor, Hardin Simmons, Austin College, Texas Lutheran, East TX Baptist, McMurray, and a couple of others I'm probably forgetting.

One of the things my son absolutely loves about D-3 is that the coaches don't "own" him, don't have a scholie hanging over his head. It is not for everyone. The crowds rarely top 2000. Most of the players on his team were used to playing in front of 10-12K every friday night. Most were all-district as well. If you look at all those D-3 schools I listed above, there's a lot of very good football players on those rosters. They do it because they love it, passion for the game. Plus, there's a chance you can get playing time earlier than other divisions. Depends on the team, of course.

I"m not knocking D-2 or D-1AA in the slightest. Good options for a lot of guys. But, the coaches own you just as much as any school in the Big 12.

I don't think that Trinity draws only from SA, I know about Trinity's program. That comment was about UIW, which has to this point been very heavily SA/CenTex focused. That was my response to CKE, who feels like UIW should be option number 1 for "non DI type" SA area players.

I agree with a lot of what you are saying. DIII to my mind is college football as it "ought" to be. It is too bad they don't draw more crowds, as the football is very good, especially at a TU. However, that goes back to emotional tie in. There just aren't that many people with an emotional connection to smaller schools on the DII or DIII level.

I have nothing but respect for the DIII level of football and especially for the programs like Trinity or Hardin-Simmons or UMHB that do it right and play to win.

[CKE]

Im not kocking on Trinity at all just to be clear...Hell I would have loved to play there being 5"6 all district and playing on a state finals team...I was just commenting on the cost to play there and how UIW can pay for you to play football while Trinity can not.

[Crank_It]

Both schools are terrific academically as most of you know. I'd have to give Trinity the edge as far as what leverage a degree would get you. Both football teams would be exciting to play for if you were a HS player that wasnt quite big enough or fast enough, you do it because you love it.


Trinity has established itself as a winning program with many exciting yet ignored games played down here. A degree coupled with just a few more years of being able to play is completely worth the money it costs to go there. But hey, thats what finincial aid is for eh?

UIW should be exciting from a newness standpoint. Being able to be apart of a jumpstart program with new facilities, uniforms and stadium is enough to get any player excited. UIW's academics are also tops in a state chock full of colleges and universities, plus you get the opportunity to say you earned a scholarship to play ball.

I miss the game as much as anyone whose ever played and I ask myself from time to time whether or not it was the right decision to go to a school that doesnt even have a program, at the very least giving me the opportunity to walk on.

ACMdad your son is gonna love it here in San Antonio, its a very unique place with lots of stuff to do in a big city with small town feel. But most importantly if he sticks it out and gets a degree from TU he's got more than a good shot of being a very established dude.


My name's Crank_It, and I approve of this thread.