Should Rust bring college football to Holly Springs

As I sat in my living room and watched some really great college football games this weekend, including my Ole Miss Rebels choking in Baton Rouge, La., I thought about the time when college football once lived in Holly Springs.

It’s been nearly 60 years since collegiate football was last played in Holly Springs. Once home to a few South Central Athletic Conference teams, which is better known today as the SWAC, Holly Springs became one of the biggest college sports towns in Mississippi in the early 1900s. Both programs (Mississippi Industrial) and (Rust) were both suspended and no longer ran in the late 60s and early 70s. So, after the six decades, why bring the program back, you may ask? Out of all the major college towns in Mississippi, each city was at the top of the list when it comes to earnings the city makes annually.

According to Fox Sports, the NCAA generates on average 1.3 billion dollars every season. Rust is currently established in the NAIA, a step under Division 3. A lot smaller than Power 5/Group of 5 schools. But don’t let the NAIA fool you into thinking the competitive talent isn’t there. The Bearcats bringing back their football program would do wonders not for just Holly Springs but for North Mississippi as a whole. Another rewarding fact that college football brings is scholarships for athletes to attend schools free of charge. By rule, the NAIA allows 24 football scholarships to each institution. Imagine talented players ending their careers in high school because they don’t have offers or are uncertain about their futures. The NAIA was the first collegiate sports association to historically include Black colleges as members. They were also the first to offer championships in women’s sports. NAIA programs have fewer practice and competition hours than NCAA programs, which can create a less stressful environment for students to thrive towards their degree.

When you add it all up, it makes too much sense for Rust to have a football program again, and if they ever do reinstate the program, Holly Springs, will definitely shine brighter than it ever has before.