Are we looking at the days of Pfeiffer Falcon Football in the not-so-distant future? Some current students, alumni, and boosters seem to think so. But is this a primary reason for Pfeiffer University's Athletics programs to Division III? Only time will tell.

Making a jump in divisions within the NCAA can both help and hurt a university, its student body, and especially the student-athletes. In part 1 of 2 of this series, I reveal why I personally believe that Pfeiffer made the move. In part 2, we will take a look at the pro's and con's of this move for the school and the athletes.

Why Division III?

1. Financial Stability of University

First and foremost, the school's ultimate goal is to survive. Under Division II, there is potential to give athletic scholarships. If these scholarships are no longer available, a percentage of that funding may be used for other and what some may deem more important purposes. Although there is no concrete evidence that the school is mightily struggling financially, there have been murmurings of this issue for several years. Enacting a long-term plan under the Division III umbrella will most definitely extend the life of the school itself if the plan is executed correctly.

2. Re-brand the University

Pfeiffer University has always had a proud athletics program and based its success (and the majority of its student body) on the premise of athletics. During my time at the school from 2009-2011, around 60% of the student body was on a varsity team. With the move to Division III, the school can now re-brand itself as a local, well-rounded, private institution, that provides the option of athletics.

3. Build the Local Community

Sometimes, perception is the reality. As the school re-brands itself, it leads to a more positive light among the local community. The admissions department can now market to a variety of local high schools in a much different light than before. Pfeiffer is now a more viable option for students within a 30-60 minute radius of the university that want to focus on academics, rather than being scared away by the perception of it being a "jock school with limited academic programs." This opens the doors for parents to be somewhat more comfortable sending their kids, especially commuters, to the school for a four-year degree instead of being wary of the "dreaded" athlete.

4. Opportunity For a Well-Rounded Educational Experience

In Division II athletics, the daily grind of practice, class, practice, nap, homework, (insert party here if you would like), and repeat becomes an arduous process. As a Division II athlete, you sometimes felt more like a subject to the team or coaches' command rather than a student-athlete. To be fair, homework, class attendance, and even family time got pushed to the side in favor of practices, games, workouts, and other team building activities.

Although dedication to your team is still high in Division III, student-athletes will have much more opportunities in the likes of clubs, student leadership roles, campus jobs, and more. How do I know? I began my collegiate career at a Division III school in the conference that Pfeiffer is moving to and had a wonderful experience from the athletic side of the spectrum.

5. Football???

In the tagline of my writer's profile, you'll find "hot takes and common sense...you decide which is which!" This time, I'll let you in on which is which. Although I have heard from sources that football is on the university's agenda in the next 5-10 years, I cannot base it on fact at this point. With that said, let's take a look at a couple ideas why this could be true.

--Football is expensive. Unfortunately, there's no way to pay for the resources to field a football program and pay for scholarships at the Division II level when your undergraduate enrollment is around 1,000 students. If you take away the scholarships, that frees other funds for the other projects I spoke of earlier.

--Football entices potential student athletes, especially at the DIII level. With a large amount of quality high school football within a 60-minute radius of Pfeiffer, they could easily add 50-100 students per year based on the potential of making their football team. If the team is successful, I believe you would see enrollment increase among athletes and non-athletes to an extent that would keep the school in business for many years to come.

Having had a great experience in my time at Pfeiffer as a student, athlete, and coach, I want what's best for the university and hope to see it thrive for many years. Making the jump to Division III will have some bumps in the road, but ultimately, some positives. You'll see those in Part 2 of this series next time!