Most OVC coaches don't mind having a Div. I-A payday

As Ohio Valley Conference football teams prepare to open their seasons this week, league coaches say playing Division I-A squads on the road for money is a necessary evil on the I-AA level.

Virtually every OVC team plays at least one Division I-A squad every season, and several face two higher-division opponents in some years.

The payoff for playing I-A teams can often be well over $200,000 for the bigger programs and in most instances at least close to $100,000 or more regardless of the program, with all the money going toward the school's general athletic department revenue.

"I think it is a necessary evil -- money -- at our level. We just don't have it and we understand it," said Eastern Illinois' Bob Spoo during Tuesday's weekly OVC coaches' teleconference. "We're prepared to play those games, to help keep our athletic department afloat."

But many of the coaches don't really see it as an evil and most say their players and fans look forward to the competition -- even if it means an almost certain loss. Until Southeast Missouri State University upset Middle Tennessee last year, no OVC team had beaten a I-A squad since 1995.

"I don't consider it to be an evil, but it's necessary because it does help you in revenue," Eastern Kentucky's Danny Hope said. "It's something we want to do."

Said Murray State's Joe Pannunzio, "I'm like everybody else. It's a way of life, a necessary evil. But our kids, our coaches, our fans look forward to it."

Added Samford's Bill Gray, "Absolutely, we would love to have one on our schedule every year. We need one for our budget, strictly from a financial standpoint, and at the same time I know our players enjoy getting in those environments."

Three OVC teams play two I-A opponents this year: Southeast Missouri (Ohio, Arkansas State); Eastern Kentucky (Bowling Green, Central Michigan); and Tennessee Tech (Memphis, Northern Illinois).

Facing one I-A squad are Eastern Illinois (Missouri); Jacksonville State (Kansas); Murray State (Kentucky); Samford (San Diego State); and Tennessee-Martin (Arkansas State).

Only Tennessee State among the nine-team OVC does not have a I-A game this season, but the Tigers generate considerable revenue from playing several "Classic" games against other historically black colleges.

Most of the league's coaches say they don't like the idea of playing two I-A opponents in the same season. By playing a I-A team from a major conference, a program can often generate much more revenue than by playing two squads from lower-level conferences combined.

"I would just like to get one game against a higher quality I-A program that would pay as much or more as playing two of those games," said Southeast Missouri's Tim Billings, whose squad also played two I-A teams last year. "We're going to try and win those games, but percentage wise, it doesn't happen often."

Like Southeast, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech are playing two I-A teams from lower-level conferences this season.

"I do think one is a great opportunity, but I don't know if playing two is good," Tennessee Tech's Mike Hennigan said. "We'd like to have the $300,000 or $400,000 games and we've talked to those people, but they're not easy to get."

On the other hand, Eastern Kentucky's Hope said of playing two I-A teams, "I like it. That's the type of schedule I want. We want to continue to upgrade our schedule."

Playing lesser I-A programs affords upset possibilities that would virtually be impossible against programs from major conferences, where games often turn out lopsided.

"I've been on the other side of it, and there's not that much difference between a lot of their programs and our programs," said Jacksonville State's Jack Crowe, who has been the head coach at Arkansas. "An any given Saturday, it can be a competitive football game."

But Spoo knows that unless the right I-A opponent is scheduled, the chance of victory is virtually nil. Last year, his Panthers lost to Kansas State 63-13 and Hawaii 61-36.

"In most cases, those are automatic losses, and sometimes can get ugly," Spoo said. "It did to us last year."

Nine openers scheduled

All nine OVC teams kick off their seasons this week, with four games Thursday and five more Saturday.

Three league squads open with I-A opponents. Thursday, Southeast Missouri visits Ohio and Eastern Kentucky travels to Bowling Green. Saturday, Tennessee Tech plays at Memphis.

Other Thursday games have Samford visiting Chattanooga and Tennessee-Martin hosting Austin Peay. Saturday contests have Eastern Illinois hosting California (Pa.), Murray State hosting Valparaiso, Tennessee State entertaining South Carolina State and Jacksonville State visiting Alabama A&M.

New sportsmanship award

The OVC Board of Presidents recently announced plans to implement the OVC Sportsmanship Award, which will be presented annually to the conference institution selected by its peers to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical conduct as outlined by the OVC and NCAA.

OVC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said the sportsmanship award "is a continuation of the conference's long-standing emphasis on sportsmanship. This award will allow us to recognize excellence in sportsmanship as well as reinforce and celebrate the importance of sportsmanship and ethical conduct in how our institutions conduct their programs.

The award will be voted on by OVC member institutions and presented annually at the league's honors luncheon.