Every college football fan and non fan knows about the FBS which
includes all the the big boys, but what about the FCS? There are a lot of things that differ that many may not know about. In this three-part series, I’ll hit on some main topics with direct input from
coaches.
Welcome back CFB fans for Part II! In this second edition of my series, I will be discussing the conferences and teams of the FCS, specifically the ones that have been in the upper echelon, while also discussing the style of play. In every level of football or any sport for that matter, there are certain conferences/leagues and teams that are on a different level. Whether that be coaching, the way they recruit/scout, or their style of play. It just always seems to work. I spoke with the same coaches as Part I and got some great feedback with those coaches being from Western Carolina University (Chaz Scales – Defensive Coordinator, Jesse “JJ” Laster – WR Coach), McNeese State University (Jamere Hogue – DL Coach), and Columbia University (Chris West – DL Coach).
Knowing your opponents and the history of your league is very vital. To begin with, you must know your own school’s traditions and how everything works before anything else. After that you can then learn the law of the land, that is if you don’t know already. Everybody knows about the FBS and the historical juggernauts such as Michigan, USC, Alabama, and so forth. Well, what about the FCS? Western Carolina DC Chaz Scales told me all about it. He goes on to say, “The conferences are made up pretty much Regionally just like the FBS. There are 14 conferences: two HBCU conferences, one Prestigious Academic Conference, one Non-Scholarship conference, and then 10 Automatic Bid Conferences.”
“We play a playoff field of 24: 10 automatic bids (Conference Champions) & 14 at large bids (next best 14 teams). Over the last decades NDSU has been dominant, but others are South Dakota St., James Madison, Jacksonville St, and Sam Houston St. who have been top teams.” As for the style of play, it can be anywhere from smash mouth to an air raid. He continues to say, “The FCS has a multitude of styles of play, from Offenses to Defenses. We face every type of offense you could imagine ranging from the Air Raid, Triple Option or Spread, to 21 personnel, and even smash mouth football.”
Western Carolina WR coach Laster shares some of the same sentiments as well while also knowing the history. “The FCS level comprises of 128 teams in 14 conferences. Last 10 years, North Dakota State, James Madison, and Sam Houston State have been the teams that are running the FCS level. The FCS style of play is similar to FBS. A lot of defensive coordinators are playing 4-2-5 or 3-3-5. The common style we’re starting to see is the three-high safety look. Which is totally different than the traditional style of defense.” As you can see while the offensive schemes may be similar, the defenses are certainly not. You have to be very creative.
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As for Coach Hogue, he also explains the ins and outs very well. “There are currently 14 conferences. One non-conference (Pioneer League), two HBCUs (SWAC and MEAC), and the IVY League. With recent movements, teams are jumping to the FBS and/or starting new conferences (UAC). The Big South and OVC will partially merge football and have one automatic bid. Overall the conferences are pretty much based on region.” As for the teams and their style of play, he continues to say, “There is some really good football played at the FCS level coming in many different styles. I would say each conference sort of has its own flavor, but you will see a little bit of everything.” Seems about the status quo of the others.
As for Columbia University DL coach Chris West, he keeps it short and simple. “I think the conferences are made up regionally for the most part. The upper echelon is going to depend on who you ask, their age, and the region they identify with. NDSU and JMU had the FCS in a chokehold for years. Jax St. was really good as well, but with all the movement going on we will have to see.” When I asked about the style of play he kept it even more blunt. “Football is football. All levels are the same and it’s the players who make the difference.” Quite hard to argue with that coach.
By now we should all have learned that the top teams historically have been North Dakota State, James Madison, and Sam Houston State just to name a few. Whatever system they have running works for them, and it works well. Also, the style of play is pretty much similar to the FBS. In all just like with any level of sport, the players make the difference in the grand scheme of things. As the old saying goes, it’s not the Xs and Os but the Jimmies and the Joes. Stay tuned for Part III!
