How long will LSC teams remain obligated to travel to the Pacific Northwest?

The Lone Star Conference’s football alliance with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference began in 2022. The move was necessary for both conferences. The LSC had lost Tarleton and East Texas A&M to NCAA Division I, and an already small GNAC took another hit when Azusa Pacific dropped its football program during the pandemic.

In its November 2021 release announcing the alliance, LSC Commissioner Jay Poerner noted that the multi-year agreement made the GNAC schools an associate member of the LSC for football. 

The LSC could undergo another realignment round if any American Southwest Conference schools accept an invite to join the conference when or if one is extended. Adding any combination of East Texas Baptist, Hardin-Simmons, or Mary Hardin-Baylor would allow the LSC to end its agreement with the GNAC schools. 

However, sources have confirmed the GNAC schools will remain part of the LSC football schedule through the 2027 season. Many around the conference are ready to stop paying for travel to the Pacific Northwest every year, and the extra cost could be an issue for the ASC institutions.

While HSU and ETBU would likely accept an invite to the LSC, what route will UMHB choose? Many in and around UMHB remain steadfast in their desire to avoid the LSC and Division II. The Crusaders aspire to transition to Division I and the Pioneer League in the FCS for football or become independent in DIII. Either option would introduce many challenges to remaining competitive, which isn’t likely to sit well with a Cru fan base that demands to win.

Latest on Howard Payne’s coaching staff

When Coby Gipson was named head coach at HPU two weeks ago, there were already a couple of openings on the coaching staff. Both co-defensive coordinators had already departed the program before Kevin Bachtel announced he was resigning to return to Edgewood High School. Gipson quickly found his defensive coordinator, coaxing his long-time friend Will Snyder to leave McMurry for Brownwood. 

Multiple sources have indicated that Gipson has retained Reed Collins. Collins has developed an outstanding reputation as a recruiting coordinator and coached the offensive line for HPU last season. However, assistant head coach Brandon Houston and wide receivers coach Jordan Carroll were not retained, leaving three staff positions to fill.

Sources indicate that HPU’s special teams coordinator and offensive coordinator were graduate assistants on Lamar’s coaching staff last season. The final position is expected to be filled by a former East Texas high school coach who enjoyed a successful tenure as head coach and was a defensive coordinator for a team that reached the state championship game. The entire staff is expected to be finalized around the middle of March.