From the top

McCaw discusses move to FBS

Liberty Champion graduate assistant Nate Haywood conducted a phone interview with
Liberty Athletic Director Ian McCaw to discuss the football program’s move from the FCS level to the FBS level of competition.

Q: For those who don’t understand all this transition means, in the simplest of terms, what will this transition mean for Liberty, Liberty football and Liberty
athletics?

A: Liberty football will move to the FBS, which is the highest level of competition within the NCAA, over a two-year transitional period.

So we’ll transition in 2017 and 2018 and become a full FBS member in 2019.

That means we will be playing at the highest level of competition and playing the larger brand schools in the sport of football.

We will also be playing as an independent, which means we will not be in a conference, so we’ll need to schedule 12 games each year and that is far and away the greatest challenge we have right now.

But we’ve already begun working on that.

As far as our other 19 sports at Liberty, they are unaffected in terms of the FBS part of the move but certainly with something like this, it causes all boats to rise.

Q: You obviously know how important this kind of transition was for not only Jerry Falwell but his father. What did it mean to you to be a part of the staff that brought their dream to fruition?

A: So many people around Liberty have spoken about Dr. Falwell’s vision for Liberty football to play at the highest level.

That’s 45 years ago that he cast that vision and to see it come to fruition is very exciting.

President Falwell was the driving force behind it.

His leadership and work with the NCAA really over the last five or six years is what enabled this to happen.

It’s just very gratifying to see this take place.

Q: When you pitched to the NCAA you believed Liberty is prepared to become an FBS program, what did you say and what did you believe was the primary selling point?

A: We met with the NCAA strategic vision and planning committee and the football oversight committee along with the NCAA staff and, really, we told the Liberty story which includes everything from the success we’ve had competitively, the attendance marks that we’ve hit, the commitment of the university in terms of scholarships and financial resources, the great facilities of our campus and the beauty of our campus and the overall success of the institution.

Those were all huge factors and coupled with what they believed to be strong leadership in place, (the NCAA) thought that Liberty was FBS ready and granted the waiver request.

Q: Liberty has attempted to join the FBS before and failed each time. What was the biggest difference in this attempt as opposed to the previous,
unsuccessful tries?

A: I think we were able to convince the NCAA that Liberty is unique much like Notre Dame and BYU as private faith-based institutions.

We don’t necessarily naturally assimilate within a public-school conference, and we believe that’s been the biggest impediment in Liberty’s efforts in the past.

So this has given us a unique way to follow (similar) institutions in terms of how they have migrated to the FBS level.

Q: Could you talk about the plans in place to expand Williams Stadium?

A: We need to evaluate the enhancements that we need to make to Williams stadium.

Obviously, as we bring in larger schools with their fan bases, we’ll have a demand for more seating.

So we need to be really wise and strategic in terms of how we expand and what type of seating options we provide.

All of that needs to be studied very carefully, but we need to determine how we’re going to best move forward.

Q: What is your response to those who are critical of Liberty’s decision to transition? Why do you believe Liberty is ready?

A: We are FBS ready.

If you take a look at everything from our budget to our facilities, quality of leadership we have in place, we’re ready to make this move, and we have the infrastructure to do it.

It’s just (a matter of) finally having the opportunity.

We’re very excited about it, and we’re going to be very successful in the long-term.

The thing that is important to realize is that this is not a three, four or five-year decision.

This is a 50-year decision, and you have to take a long-term perspective with it and what this will do for the university, for its brand nationally and certainly for the athletic program will be extraordinary.

Q: What positive impact will this transition have for the football team?

A: It’s going to allow Coach (Turner) Gill to be able to recruit at an entirely different level.

Truly, we’re playing the highest level of college football in the nation.

So this will certainly have a huge impact from a recruiting standpoint.

Obviously, the competitive level changes dramatically.

We will be playing in facilities, both here and on the road, that will be packed with fans and have a great atmosphere.

Q: How will this impact scholarship?

A: We will transition to the FBS level of scholarships, which is 85, from where we are currently, which is 63.

Q: During your press conference announcing the move, you mentioned 14 different FBS teams contacted you about scheduling. Has that number increased?

A: We have a lot of active conversations going on right now.

I’m not even sure I could put a number on it.

But we’re certainly speaking with a lot of schools from a scheduling standpoint.

HAYWOOD  is the graduate assistant.