Given the economic turmoil of mass layoffs, salary reductions, and program restructuring at Hocking, I wonder what they think the ROI will be to add athletics. No one goes to JUCO games.
For lack of better term, 'tourism' may be their thinking. With JUCO prospects comes D1 recruiters that stay is hotels, dine at restaurants, fill up their gas tanks, etc. ANY tax revenue created for that area will be a plus.
Let's be honest here, what caliber of JUCO player will attend Hocking College (High end, real prospect) if they are paying their own way???? Now, this does have advantages for a lot of kids who want to still play, get a vocational education or get the basics without the high cost of a liberal arts DIII school. But DI recruitment will be a ways down the road and a bit more of a committment than currently.
I mean, hell they are using as their recruiting site the same site you would register your child for a pee wee football league. ;-)