Now personally I think they miss that there's a hazard with that way of thinking, which is that you're going to eventually feel the effects of that in recruiting, with players choosing American and even Mid-American schools because, even assuming success (and that's actually not a given, of course), Marshall will have the reputation of never actually getting to an access bowl. I have come to agree that we really need to do something different. And that as fans we really need to be talking about this and attempting to come together to speak with one voice. I think that's what you're trying to say (?).
I understand where you are coming from about an easy schedule, but can not agree with your premise about it being our plan long term. We have historically played very difficult non-conference schedules throughout the last 15 years or so, akways playing at least one former "BSCS" opponent and many years playing 2 of them in the 4 game non-conference portion of our schedule. Everyone is making a huge deal about our schedule being notoriously easy this year, mostly IMO due to the fact that we have what is expected to be the best team we have had since 99. However, no one created or planned for us to have this easy schedule. I'm sure you know that Louisville backed out on us at basically the last minute due to their ACC commitments. That is beyond our control.
Your long term prognosis is what I disagree with. You aren't going to have athletes committing to go to MAC schools over us because of the easy schedules tha we play, ever. We will very likely to lose recruits to AAC programs, as will the MAC and the Sun Belt, but not because of the non-conference portion of our schedule, but instead simply based on the perception of that conference as possibly the strongest out of the non P5 conferences because they have Cincy, UConn, UCF, ECU, and Houston, among others, all generally stronger programs than what we have or what the MAC has.
We aren't going to consistently miss out on the access bowl slot if we are undefeated either, and if we do, it won't be a MAC school beating us out of it, unless there is no undefeated program from the AAC, C-USA, or MWC, and the MAC has an undefeated program.
We have Purdue and OH on the schedule next year, and Louisville in 2016, so just like in years past we are going to get right back to our consistency of having a tough non-conference schedule with a P5 school, 2 MAC/AAC level teams, and an FCS.
Main point, we will never lose recruits to the MAC due to consistently being overlooked for the access bowl, if we aren't able to get there, they won't be able to either. Not will we lose recruits to the MAC due to the ease of our schedule, because their schedule isn't any tougher.
A lot of our conference mates lose recruits to the AAC, because of that conference being perceived as stronger. We are the team in our conference that can fix that, by living up to our expectations, and getting that access bowl bid over them, and winning once we get there. The AAC will be just like C-USA has been over the last 10 years. The strongest mid shoe program a Ross the board, but the too 5-6 teams are close enough in quality and talent level that they will beat up on each other and each team akways seems to end the season with atleast one conference loss. One team is never able to seperate away from the lack and go undefeated because there is true midmajor quality across the border with the top 6-8 schools in that conference.
I don't think we will lose that many recruits to them, and a thang think unlike our conference mates, most seasons I think we will out recruit them, because of our recent and upcoming high levels of success and growth, and the Ace, or Doctor, up our sleeve that we call Doc Holliday!