Changing Times
In a football conference where seemingly nothing changes, Tuesday's announcement of the arrival of the University of Richmond to the Patriot League in 2025 is surprising as it is revelatory.
It is surprising, because it plays against character of the PL as the place where no one wanted to be a member there, and revelatory because it exposes many of the issues under the cover within FCS schools today.Unlike the major conference schools that move for money, FCS schools are now facing a different calling: the company you keep. In that sense, we really should have seen this coming, and spy a couple more down the road.
More at the Third Rail blog.
University of Richmond Joins Patriot League
In a surprising development, the University of Richmond announced an exit from the Coastal Athletic Association to join the Patriot League in football, beginning in the 2025 season.
COVERAGE
Richmond officials had signaled growing discontent with the CAA in recent weeks, particularly as rivals such as Delaware and James Madison had left the conference. The CAA, the successor in interest to the A-10 and Yankee conferences, has expanded in recent years to include North Carolina A&T, Monmouth, Bryant, Campbell, and Hampton. The Spiders joined the conference in 1986 after 40 seasons in the Southern Conference and a decade as as an independent."The University of Richmond is firmly committed to not only meeting, but advancing the competitive goals of our student-athletes, and the upward trajectory of the Patriot League provides a great environment for the future success of Spider Football," said Richmond president Kevin Hallock, as UR becomes the first new entrant to the Patriot League since Georgetown in 2001.
The decision appeared to catch the CAA off guard. In a statement, commissioner Joseph D'Antonio said: "This morning, I was informed of the University of Richmond's decision to depart the CAA Football conference at the conclusion of the 2024 season. The CAA has long been regarded as one of the premier conferences in FCS football, having sent at least three teams to the playoffs in 16 of the past 18 years... CAA Football will continue to make decisions that move the conference forward by creating both a competitive and sustainable model."
Richmond is coming off a 9-4 season in 2023, ranked 15th nationally and having advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs.
"I hope with Richmond joining, it may move the needle a little bit as far as the playoffs and [more] at-large bids in the Patriot League," said head coach Russ Huesman.
In a press conference, UR officials suggested that "most" PL teams offer a full comment of 63 scholarships, but neither the reporters nor the speakers referenced Georgetown's scholarship status. No questions from the press inquired about the Patriot League's academic index, which can be expected to limit UR's ability to recruit going forward.
One question that received questions at the press conference was redshirting, which is currently not allowed in PL play. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Richmond will continue with 63 scholarships and will continue to redshirt players, said Huesman."
UR's nonconference schedule, which is complete through 2028, includes future games with North Carolina (2025), North Carolina State (2026), Louisville (2027), Virginia (2028) and Pittsburgh (2029) will likely continue, trading a eight game CAA conference schedule for a seven game PL model. Hallock said he was "absolutely committed" to playing W&M going forward in a 134 game series that dates to 1898.
"We recruit against the Patriot League more than we see William and Mary out there", said coach Huesman, who suggested 50 of his 60 current offers for the high school class of 2025 "have multiple Patriot League offers".
Georgetown has met Richmond in football only twice since 1935: a 48-0 win by the Spiders at UR's City Stadium in 2008, and a 49-10 win at Multi-Sport Field in 2009; neither school opted to renew the series thereafter. In both seasons the Spiders were nationally ranked.
