North vs South

Chicken or the Egg argument

I guess I don't have enough to do in practice to keep me busy, but out of curiosity on trying to maybe pinpoint a cause for the reason for discrepancy in quality of football played in the country, I took a look at the EXPECTATIONS / ORIENTATIONS of the demographic culture of football in America, with the underlying root being directed at the proliferation of DI schools in the country.



Using the traditional Mason-Dixon line as the DMZ of college football we split the United States into the "haves" and the "have nots", sort to speak.

Out of 250 total DI (+ sub division) football programs in the 50 States...

57 DI NCAA
58 DI NCAA Sub Division Football programs exist in the "Southern" states, for a total of 115 DI programs in the country.

Nearly 1/2 of all Top College Football programs reside in these 15 "Southern" States.

Is it because this is the hotbed for athletic football talent?

Does so many DI schools raise the level of play at the lower levels in those states?

Does the lack of many DI schools in Northern states diminish the potential talent in their states?

Also, another thing I'd like to consider is the proportion of Military Bases in these states, and their contribution of local tax dollars (as well as a steady influx of families supplying young athletes) to support community football.


Personally, being a Yankee, I have to believe that YES those DI schools DO matter and DO have a significant contribution towards the development and "athletic maturity" of young athletes.

In the North, you have your pick of DIII schools, but the DI program is largely out of reach. In the South, you have your pick of DI schools in your area and the STANDARD for how football is supposed to be played, gives you a good idea of physical expectations of play ( making the likelihood of knowing someone that went to a DI program more likely).