Tarleton State AD Steve Uryasz Discusses Tarleton State's Possible Move to a FBS Conference

[@wesleyhale4614]

Hopefully we will get a MWC invite soon. I can see the MWC as a long term home, CUSA would be just to get to FBS and hope to move somewhere else ASAP.

[@ronclark9724]

The Sun Belt Conference that Texas State is a member could also be another conference for Tarleton State to land in as well...

[@spartanmike15]

Stay in CUSA.

[@ronclark9724]

@@spartanmike15 Presently Tarleton State is in UAC/WAC... Since they have recently been traveling westwards mostly to Utah and California, the WMC footprint isn't any larger than the UAC/WAC...

[@lukefletcher4689]

Awesome Interview!

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Thx

[@Mr.Ed_Wayner]

My wife has family in Mineral Wells TX which is 40 miles from Stephenville TX, home of Tarleton St. Have driven up 281 and passed by Tarleton St many times.

[@ronclark9724]

I drive through Stephenville to visit my favorite soda fountain serving Sugar Cane Dr. Pepper floats in Dublin...

[@Mr.Ed_Wayner]

Great interview.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Thanks

[@Mr.Ed_Wayner]

Tarleton St is an ag school like New Mexico St.

[@ABQREDorGREEN]

They will have a great basketball program, Billy Gillespie is a great coach. He's been in the top programs of college basketball and was playing at elite levels. This is a no brainer for the MWC, there really aren't any downsides to Tarleton for the MWC.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

💯

[@Joe-m2d]

It would be interesting if you had a roadtrip to visit various facilities in MWC and potential candidates

[@ronclark9724]

All of these universities have videos and images of their campuses on their webpage... Why not surf the web?

[@Joe-m2d]

@ It’s not the same.

[@perrystevenson6364]

i think tarleton state would be a great addition to the MW. the tv market, recruiting aspect all seem like no brainers. I'd even suggest gloria navarez make an offer where the MW would pay the $5 mill fee to move up to the FBS lvl and join the MW. I also like SAM HOUSTON STATE for the same reasons.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Totally agree. Cover the $5M! They are ready to go. This is a home run just like GCU, in our opinion.

[@hunttx19]

I think Sam said no didn’t they?

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Correct. They are staying in CUSA.

[@spartanmike15]

Do not add them, and if we do, the MWC better not pay their $5 entry fee. We’re already stuck with diploma mill GCU. How they got full member status without providing anything of value for football is beyond me.

[@stevenvitte]

It's only a matter of time. Tarleton will be in the FBS within a few years, but they'll likely need to be more patient because of other factors.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Correct. Just a matter of time. But as you know, TBM thinks the time is right for the MWC!

[@thatcollegefootballguy]

It's good to hear that Tarleton State is interested in moving up. I can see why this might be a football only invite at first. Their basketball arena is a bit small. But that's just me.

[@tarletonstateuniversityban7908]

The new 7500 seat arena opens next fall. It is 50% complete.

[@ronclark9724]

The new arena is under construction. There is a KZbin video available of students checking its progress worth watching I shall link. If Tarleton State joined the Mountain West, I suspect it will join in 2026, if not 2025. While Erath County has a population of around 45 thousand, there is nearly 70 thousand in Hood County to the east and 175 thousand in Parker County north of Hood County, and there is 2.6 million in Tarrant County to the east of Parker County. And to the east of Hood County is Johnson County with a population of 200 thousand. Hood, Johnson. and Parker being adjacent to Tarrant County, Fort Worth. Frankly Tarleton State has better facilities than both Sam Houston State and Texas State in my opinion when the new arena is completed... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKWkeoiqesd7ZpI

[@Lawomenshoops]

It’s like you didn’t even hear the interview! They are building a new arena. It has already broken ground and should open by 2026.

[@maadfish1047]

This was a awesome interview, I have been really enjoying listening to these past few weeks. Great work guys.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Thx. Appreciate it.

[@toddlemieux2339]

if we have to take an FCS i hope it’s NDSU for football only

[@pblood40]

I'm very curious, why add Tarleton before New Mexico State?

[@ABQREDorGREEN]

NMSU adds no value. UTEP is in the same market and the market is too small for 2 schools. UTEP has the majority of the population in that market, bigger facilities, etc.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

We feel Tarleton is much more additive for a host of reasons. AD Uryasz mentioned several. MWC had the choice of UTEP or NMST. They chose UTEP. Gotta go elsewhere now.

[@pblood40]

@@TheBigMountainPodcast Sac State estimates that the required increase in scholarships for FBS alone will cost an additional $6 million per year, on top of the $5 million FBS application fee. Plus the growing pains of moving up. A different FBS is likely a much better add than an FCS school

[@spartanmike15]

MWC is already stuck with GCU which is a diploma mill, we don’t want Tartleton St. Preference is NIU and Toledo for football only. If we add anyone, take Sac St.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Agree NIU should be priority.

[@ReisterJP]

SFA would be a good add too

[@wesleyhale4614]

SFA would NOT be a good add, they do not have the facilities and they are too far from a major airport. Whether UT will fund their athletics and build new facilities is questionable. Until they do, they are no where near ready, and location from major airport is a big issue at the FBS level.

[@hunttx19]

SFA’s Facilities are a joke compared to Tarleton or ACU. There’s a reason they left and went back to SLC

[@ReisterJP]

bs too far away SFA is just east of Waco and closer to Austin and Houston and in Texas the have more name recognition too.

[@dgart7434]

Purely selfish comment here, but I think Texas has enough FBS programs. Texas has 13 FBS schools as many as California and Florida combined. Recruits, money, and eyeballs are not unlimited.

[@Txstbobcats2013]

This is a fact. We should've pulled up the ladder before SHSU got in

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Totally understandable comment. They aren’t unlimited, but everyone wants a piece of the pie.