Money does translate into better recruiting we are last in dollars spent every year. Valpo spent 2m in 2013 and they are a consistent winner. To hope and wish you can get a Kevin Mackey type coach is never happening. Upgrade the spending and then in 8 to 10 years we should be a better than average team . Or move out of this conference and compete in a league that spends the same amount of dollars. The Horizon had diminished since Butler left anyways.
UWGB spends $1,399,814/year on MBB. Currently, they are 23-7/12-4, and seeded second in the HL tournament.
YSU spends $1,323,788/year on MBB. That is 94.6% of what UWGB spends. Currently, YSU is 2-14/11-20 (despite a cupcake OOC schedule) and seeded last in the HL tournament.
Can we please dispense with the budget excuses? The reality is an inferior AD who gave a lengthy contract renewal to a D2 HC who is way over his head in D1.
Money helps, but is not the only variable. We are getting a horrible ROI for $$ spent. For example, we are not getting 94.6% of the results UWGB is.
If we truly cannot compete in the HL, then I agree that a conference in our price range makes sense. But I'd like to try another HC first. Tressel was at YSU before going to OSU. Same for Bolden, who I suspect will leave OU in a few years and upgrade further.