Duquesne Dukes Fan Forum / Why in the world would Duquesne play these beat down games?

**Posted by stew** 9/18/2023 12:00 pm

These games against WVU and Coastal Carolina are total mismatches.These 2 schools have overwhelming
'advantages in depth,speed,size and strength.Duquesne makes a lot of money from these beat downs but
the health and wellness of our players supercede money taken in.Either upgrade the program with more scholarship
players,expand the stadium and improve the strength facitities or drop the program down to a Division 3 level
where the Dukes can compete at a level of competition suited for a team playing in a 2000 seat field for its home games.Soon when a devastating spinal or brain injury occurs it will be too late when one of our players life is
tragically changed forever..

**Posted by stew** 9/18/2023 12:20 pm

I think the Dukes need to go Division3.There just is not a lot of fan interest and the 40 football scholarship
monies could be used by the other sports team competing in A10 play.

**Posted by DuqBlue** 9/18/2023 5:55 pm

stew wrote:
I think the Dukes need to go Division3.There just is not a lot of fan interest and the 40 football scholarship
monies could be used by the other sports team competing in A10 play.

One more time. If you play football and are D1, FCS is the lowest classification you can play. You are not allowed to be D1 in all other sports and D2 or D3 in football.

Last edited by DuqBlue (9/18/2023 5:55 pm)

**Posted by MikeR** 9/19/2023 10:07 am

DuqBlue wrote:
stew wrote:
I think the Dukes need to go Division3.There just is not a lot of fan interest and the 40 football scholarship
monies could be used by the other sports team competing in A10 play.

One more time. If you play football and are D1, FCS is the lowest classification you can play. You are not allowed to be D1 in all other sports and D2 or D3 in football.

You are correct DuqBlue. We are truly caught between a rock and a hard place. Every year I question why we are doing what we are doing and the answer is always--It's the level we're stuck with. We could make some changes on scholarship commitments, or a different conference, but we would still be in the same boat. Scheduling would still be a nightmare. It would take a huge infusion of cash to move up and be a real can of worms to drop the program.

**Posted by stew** 9/19/2023 12:39 pm

I did not know these ridiculous rules for football classification set by NCAA.Harper and Duquesne need to
lobby for changes so they can be a Division 3 football team.. Pennn State was supposed to have their football
scholarships reduced until the school and media members questioned the dangers of lost scholarships
might endanger the Penn State players safety during the time PSU was being punished for the Paterno
child abuse fiasco.

**Posted by stew** 9/19/2023 12:41 pm

Penn State had their football scholarship limits restored.

**Posted by Face** 9/19/2023 12:58 pm

Why? Because they get money for them and a decent bit of it. The same reason so many other teams do the exact same thing and have done so for years upon years. Like YSU going to Pitt. Like Appalachian State when they shocked Michigan. Buy games.

For a long time the NCAA had issues allowing buy games for schools with a lower scholarship count. It was a big deal for programs at DU's level when they changed that up.

It gives the other school a home game and usually a certain victory (the App State/Michigan game aside). It gives your school money.

Here's a buy game that arguably saved NIU's athletic program. https://apnews.com/article/43f2e537f0bc6c7678ca32498bafc97d

Last edited by Face (9/19/2023 1:03 pm)

**Posted by DuqBlue** 9/19/2023 1:19 pm

stew wrote:
I did not know these ridiculous rules for football classification set by NCAA.Harper and Duquesne need to
lobby for changes so they can be a Division 3 football team.. Pennn State was supposed to have their football
scholarships reduced until the school and media members questioned the dangers of lost scholarships
might endanger the Penn State players safety during the time PSU was being punished for the Paterno
child abuse fiasco.

It’s not a ridiculous rule. Division 3 schools do not want a D1 program beating them up in football. Actually the University of Dayton was one of the reasons for this rule. Back in 80s they won two D3 championships. And were in the title game a couple of other times. That’s when the rule was established.

Duquesne was D3 in football (Presidents Conference) and joined the MAAC conference with a bunch of other D1 mainly Catholic schools kicked out of D3.

**Posted by DuqBlue** 9/19/2023 1:20 pm

Face wrote:
Why? Because they get money for them and a decent bit of it. The same reason so many other teams do the exact same thing and have done so for years upon years. Like YSU going to Pitt. Like Appalachian State when they shocked Michigan. Buy games.

For a long time the NCAA had issues allowing buy games for schools with a lower scholarship count. It was a big deal for programs at DU's level when they changed that up.

It gives the other school a home game and usually a certain victory (the App State/Michigan game aside). It gives your school money.

Here's a buy game that arguably saved NIU's athletic program. https://apnews.com/article/43f2e537f0bc6c7678ca32498bafc97d

Agreed.

**Posted by Face** 9/19/2023 10:12 pm

If you do some googling you’ll see that the Dukes, for example, got $420k to play at Ohio a couple years ago.

Duquesne got $425k for WVU this year.

https://wvmetronews.com/2018/08/16/lyons-confirms-duquesne-fills-fcs-slot-on-2023-football-schedule/

And another 300k for Coastal Carolina.

I’m sure if you’d like to give the Dukes a spare $725k every year they could stop.

Last edited by Face (9/19/2023 10:16 pm)

**Posted by FAM** 9/20/2023 6:26 am

I am not saying I agree with them playing these games, but here are the reasons…
-Money
-Helps in recruiting against the schools we do compete against
-Provides opportunities for coaches n the team to travel and play at nice venues
-We have had and currently have graduates in the NFL. Good players who have the NFL as a goal can come here and go against strong competition.

**Posted by PhoenixRising2** 9/20/2023 10:57 am

Face wrote:
If you do some googling you’ll see that the Dukes, for example, got $420k to play at Ohio a couple years ago.

Duquesne got $425k for WVU this year.

https://wvmetronews.com/2018/08/16/lyons-confirms-duquesne-fills-fcs-slot-on-2023-football-schedule/

And another 300k for Coastal Carolina.

I’m sure if you’d like to give the Dukes a spare $725k every year they could stop.

Thanks, Face. That’s good info.

**Posted by DuqBlue** 9/20/2023 11:58 am

MikeR wrote:
DuqBlue wrote:
stew wrote:
I think the Dukes need to go Division3.There just is not a lot of fan interest and the 40 football scholarship
monies could be used by the other sports team competing in A10 play.

One more time. If you play football and are D1, FCS is the lowest classification you can play. You are not allowed to be D1 in all other sports and D2 or D3 in football.
You are correct DuqBlue. We are truly caught between a rock and a hard place. Every year I question why we are doing what we are doing and the answer is always--It's the level we're stuck with. We could make some changes on scholarship commitments, or a different conference, but we would still be in the same boat. Scheduling would still be a nightmare. It would take a huge infusion of cash to move up and be a real can of worms to drop the program.

You are correct. Dropping football means that they would have to establish 2 men’s teams to meet the NCAA minimum requirement of 7 men’s sports if one is not football. And probably you would need three for title IX requirements. Football has a lot of players.

Establishing 2 or 3 new men’s sports to take the place of football would cost more than keeping football. Plus, nothing you would start would bring a $725k payday.