TSU on the way out?

I skipped the Huntsville (Ala.) Times this morning because I didn't want to read opposing teams' media coverage to save time. I should have checked at least this paper. The Times says Tennessee State is having school officials conduct a study of athletics that will try to answer, among other questions, whether the Tigers should leave for the SWAC.

TSU athletic director Teresa Phillips told the paper alumni have been vocal about wanting to face a "traditional opponent" (i.e., another HBCU) for homecoming, but conference scheduling requirements have kept that from happening. She says "it would be great if we could move to the SWAC" for football, but notes that other sports currently enjoy the benefit of competing against higher-RPI teams in the OVC than they would in the SWAC.

Phillips said the study also includes a look at the possiblity of a new, on-campus stadium to seat 25,000-30,000, with skyboxes, to replace the team's current home at the cavernous LP Field.

The study is expected to take six to nine months.

This was bound to come to a head soon, as Austin Peay rejoins the league in 2007, and the OVC will have to deal with the possibility of letting TSU skip two league games each year to fit in its four "traditional opponents." Of course, if the 12-game rule for I-AA is approved it could stay at one skipped game, but if UT-Chattanooga joins up it could quickly become an issue again.

It sounds from Phillips' comments above like Tennessee State feels constrained by the current situation, and if that's the case, I think we can kiss the Tigers goodbye. The OVC won't be quick to give TSU any more concessions to keep them in the league, as I suspect many are uncomfortable with the existing setup.

I hate to see them go, but I won't miss the clumsiness their deal introduces in the schedule rotation. If they are more interested in playing their traditional opponents than competing for a national championship I think they should go ahead and leave. I think the league will miss having a presence in the Nashville market.

A TSU move to the SWAC would make the Ohio Valley more desperate to woo Chattanooga away from the SoCon, I think. But with UTC football coach Rodney Allison's public disdain for the league I wonder if that could really happen. Jon Steinbrecher has proven to be a capable negotiator for I-AA at the national level. It will be interesting to see how he navigates these turbulent waters for the OVC.