Per the article above it seems the 2 slam dunks are VMI and Mercer. Neither Kennesaw or ETSU inspiring many. VMI and Mercer get football back to 9 and make the divisions, assuming Davidson is on their way out.

VMI, WCU, Elon, UNCG, UTC, Samford

Furman, Wofford, Citadel, Mercer,

That could work if no other schools are found to be appealing and you wouldn't need divisions, but you still have the CAA out there and a SoCon without App, Ga South, CoC and Davidson might make Elon and UNCG low hanging fruit ripe to be picked.

So it would be wise to go ahead and add ETSU to the north and move Samford to the South. That would solidify UTC, who might be unhappy and open to an OVC package deal with ETSU, especially since they too will miss App and Ga Southern more than others.

If Davidson stays you are set at 12. If Davidson leaves then you have a big choice to make, do you add an upstart Kennesaw, a school like Coastal, a school like Liberty, or do you look for a basketball first school from the Big South or Atlantic Sun to try and replace what you are missing out with Davidson.

Mercer is supposed to be non scholly, KSU, ETSU are going to be scholly

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I wonder if the SoCon's interest in Mercer is conditional upon playing scholarship football under the SoCon flag or if they are willing to let them continue to play in the Pioneer league.

I also wonder if Mercer would say "We can't afford adding 126 schollies"

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Article out of Chattanooga with comments from SoCon Commish regarding yesterday's league conference call discussing SoCon expansion.The league will reportedly be making campus visits to VMI,ETSU, and Mercer by the end of this month.Link at http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013 ... tsu-mercer

Article out of Roanoke also reporting that SoCon will be conducting campus visits at VMI,ETSU, and Mercer later this month at http://www.roanoke.com/sports/colleges/ ... rence.html

I don't really know the history of the SoCon - maybe someone can explain......

ETSU was booted out of the SoCon when they dropped football some years ago.

Yet - Davidson plays in the [non-scholly] Pioneer League, UNC-Greensboro has no football, and neither does College of Charleston (who is departing for the CAA).
Did they relax on this "No Football - No SoCon" policy at some point ?

VMI has an FCS team in the Big South, ETSU must be selling resumption of FCS football, Mercer's got a Pioneer League and has publically discussed going to FCS full-scholly.
If those 3 come in with FCS football, and Davidson leaves for the A-10, the SoCon would be at 11, with only UNC-G not playing SoCon football.
I wonder if any pressure would be exerted ?

Article out of Macon with more comments from SoCon Commish regarding upcoming campus visits for ETSU,VMI, and Mercer at http://www.macon.com/2013/05/03/2465263 ... cials.html

Article out of Asheville with comments from SoCon Commish and UNCA AD regarding possibility that UNCA "may"be considered for "future" SoCon expansion at http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20 ... CFRONTPAGE

Well there will probably be a couple more spots opining up w/ Davidson possibly going to the A10 and I hear the CAA is looking to invite Albany and Elon for all sports. They'd still need a 12th unless the A10 hits the CAA again.

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Article out of Richmond reporting that a SoCon campus visit to VMI is scheduled for tomorrow with similar visits to Mercer and ETSU planned for later this month at http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/col ... affa4.html

Davidson to the A10 tomorrow http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... ource-says

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Indde Mercer is starting up football this fall in the non-Scholly Pioneer League.
However they have been sniffing around for a full-scholly FCS league to join (as a FB affiliate only, if need be), predicated on upgrading their fledgling program over the next few years.
Specifically, I think they and Kennesaw State had been talking to somebody like the Big South for football....
Assuming they are invited to the SoCon, that should solidify those plans.

I don't understand why it the SoCon is not pursuing schools that already have solid FCS football programs up and running. ETSU and Mercer are not going to be ready and this league is down to 7 football members with others weighing their options elsewhere.

I understand ETSU and VMI b/c they were former members but that's the only reason. I woulda added CCU, Jacksonville St. over Mercer, VMI, ETSU

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