Lamar won't play football again until September, 2010, but coach Ray Woodard has

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[Silsbee92]

Nice article. 

Looking forward to Poblano's on Tuesday.  Could be an exciting night to get new members. 

Maybe even me if the checks don't have to be "too big".

See Ya Cardinal Fans

[Guest coachacola]

Highlights from the article:

According to the contract, Woodard will be paid an annual salary of $130,000, with a chance to earn more money through camps and certain incentives. Compared to some other schools in the Southland Conference, Woodard's salary is not a bank-breaking figure. But it's not a barrel-scraper, either.

Over at Texas State, Brad Wright was promoted to head coach in 2007 at a salary of $150,000, according to a report from the university. Clint Conque, head coach at Central Arkansas, earned a base salary of $114,805 last year, according to a report from the school.

As for Woodard, he'll be able to hire six assistant coaches at a total cost of $340,000 in salaries. He will also have at least $40,000 for graduate assistants and player tutors, according to the contract.

But Woodard says he's been thinking ahead. Even at Navarro - before he had the Lamar job in the bag - Woodard started picking the brains of the Division I coaches who came in to recruit his players.

"We'll be playing catch-up for now," he said. "But again, while everybody is preparing their teams to play on Saturday this fall, that's what we'll be doing - recruiting. We'll catch up by the Thanksgiving break. We don't have games, so we'll be caught up and know who we want to offer."

Woodard said he has spoken to other programs within the Southland Conference for advice on how to run a quality walk-on program. His theory is simple: If you have talented athletes trying out, some of them will earn scholarships. Then other walk-ons will feel like they have a chance at their own scholarships, and more good players will flow into the program.

Woodard wants his team to get a taste of the SLC before then, so he'd like to schedule as many Southland opponents as he can during that first year.

To that end, Woodard said he has already spoken to McNeese State about a nonconference game in 2010.

Woodard is also open to playing a FBS money game in 2010.  I hope it would be a team like Rice and not a team like Texas or LSU.

As the coach understands it, Lamar will demolish Higgins Field House soon after the new press box is finished. Once that happens, construction on the new south end-zone facility will begin - and Woodard will have a hand in almost every move, from the colors of the coaches' offices to the brand of equipment Lamar buys.

Are they almost done with the press box?  It'll be exciting when they start building the new south end-zone facility.  My guess is they'll unveil all the details about the stadium renoations this Tuesday.

[TexasTerror]

Woodard is also open to playing a FBS money game in 2010.  I hope it would be a team like Rice and not a team like Texas or LSU.

Woodard can be open to it all he wants, but LU will not be eligible to play a money game until 2011. LU would have to count as a 'counter' which means they'd have to average a certain amount of scholarships (which I believe is over 50) over a two year time frame. That means 2011.

A team from FBS can schedule LU for a money game in 2010, but that team would not be able to count the game towards bowl eligibility. It's a very stupid thing to do, which only one school outside of those who scheduled two FCS games (in which only one counts) was Western Michigan.

Also -- September 2010? Aug. 28, 2010 would seem to be the first day that LU would hit the field.

[DP#1FAN]

TT,Is deep down one of Lamar's most faithfull. 

[TexasTerror]

TT,Is deep down one of Lamar's most faithfull. 

Just trying to educate the fan base a little on FCS. I'm a big time FCS fan. Probably watched the likes of Towson, Montana and Cal Poly more last season than I did any of the FBS schools. Actually covered FCS football for College Sporting News for a short while before having to pull out due to work restrictions.

[Guest abovetherim]

Great article by Mr. Keys.