Let's talk football.

The countdown is on to the start of the 2016 football season (42 days, 5 hours and 32 minutes - but who's counting?). As we stated in Together We Transform, football "possesses the unique ability to generate revenue through ticket sales and donations, enhance Stony Brook's institutional profile that will help attract strong prospective students and student-athletes, and create a sense of pride that can connect alumni to campus."

In other words, if football is a thriving enterprise of Stony Brook Athletics then all of the other sports - and most importantly, all of our student-athletes - will reap the myriad benefits.

One of the hot topics in the world of college athletics this week has underscored the importance of football on the national level. On Tuesday, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby was given authorization to begin discussions with potential new member institutions. It has been long rumored that the Big 12, which actually has 10 schools, will expand. Now that rumor appears to be morphing into reality. What factors are driving the conference's decision to expand? Football and money.

The money that is being driven to the Power 5 schools through conference television deals is astronomical. Although it's true that money can't buy happiness, it can go a long way toward investing in resources that significantly enhance the student-athlete experience. This is why schools are lining up to make their case as to why they deserve an invitation to join the Big 12. Ultimately, all we can ever control is what happens within our walls. I always talk about working to be the very best Stony Brook that we can be and, if we do, good things will happen.

I know that we are making progress each day toward becoming the best Stony Brook that we can be. Does that mean that we will win a CAA championship this fall? I don't know, but I do believe that we are poised to compete for it in a way that we haven't been before. We have invested wisely in areas of the program that needed it, and my partnership with Chuck Priore is very strong. There isn't a week that goes by where we don't have several conversations about our football program and the direction that we are headed. We might talk about the academic progress of our student-athletes or workouts but we are always on the exact same page.



It goes without saying that this is a very important season for us. The next step in our evolution is to become a consistent CAA title contender. When I spoke to our new group of freshman football players on Tuesday, I talked about their place in our program's history. Over the course of their time at Stony Brook, they will play in an expanded LaValle Stadium, practice in the new indoor training facility and win a lot of football games.

It is important to mention that when I asked each of the freshmen what their goal is for this year, all of them talked about working to be a better student and person. Football is definitely important to them, but they clearly understand what is expected of them as Stony Brook student-athletes.

We are on the cusp of busting through in a major way. I can feel it. Our student-athletes can feel it. Ultimately, our coaches and staff are solely focused on helping Stony Brook be the best that we can be, and I think the sky is limit for what that means.

CAA Media Day



The 2016 football season truly gets underway next Tuesday when CAA Media Day takes place in Baltimore. ESPN3 will carry the two-hour CAA Football Media Day Live show beginning at 10 a.m. from M&T Bank Stadium. Chuck Priore and senior defensive tackle Aaron Thompson will be on hand to represent the Seawolves.

The team reports for fall camp on August 4 and will practice for the first time the following day. For updates throughout the fall, please follow @StonyBrookFB on Twitter.

New StonyBrookAthletics.com Coming Soon

We are currently working on a new Stony Brook Athletics website that will be launched in September. This has been in the works for several weeks and I am very excited about the new design. The website is an important communication vehicle for us and the new design is significantly more user-friendly, making it easier to find information, purchase tickets or make a donation.

On the Horizon

Exciting times are ahead. Over the next few weeks, we will share some exciting announcements that will continue our upward trajectory. As we enter the second year of our five-year vision, we must make tremendous strides forward. Keep your expectations high. Our focus is on sustaining success in every aspect of our department. Let's make this our best year ever!

Together We Transform!

Warm regards,



Shawn