I'll try to answer some of the questions on why we are doing more "Campus March-Ins" this year.

1. As has been stated many times on this thread, especially by those who were in the Corps the past yew years, the Corps marches-in to Kyle Field 90 minutes before kick-off, with VERY few people sitting in the stands. They also march around the track dodging footballs being kicked and thrown by both teams already practicing on the field.

2. There are FAR more fans OUTSIDE the stadium, tailgating, socializing, or just standing by to watch the Corps march by on Joe Routt Blvd or Lewis Street before they enter the stadium than there are inside the stadium. Once the Corps passes by, most go back to tailgating, socializing, etc, Some even go home and don't even attend the game. I've even talked to many tailgaters who don't go to the game, but watch it on a satellite TV at their tailgate site. They DO, however, go watch the Corps march by before they enter the stadium.

3. When we joined the SEC, we also had to abide by SEC rules. SEC rules state that once you enter the stadium, you cannot leave and re-enter. In other words, once you enter, you're in for the duration unless you choose to leave for good. That has had a huge impact on the number of fans entering the stadium for the march-in. As some have already mentioned, not too many people want to enter the stadium 1 1/2 hours prior to kick-off, especially when tailgating outside the stadium. Numbers inside the stadium have dropped dramatically since we entered the SEC. The stadium is especially empty whenever we play at 11 am and step-off at 9:30 am.

4. The feedback we have gotten from former students, family members, and fans has been that our March-ins on campus have been VERY popular. More people see the Corps outside the stadium - including visiting fans - and that has been very popular with fans and cadets alike. This year we are also going to do a march-in to West Campus, where literally thousands tailgate but usually don't get a chance to see the Corps. I hope its as popular as the main campus march-in has become.

5. For the Veterans Day game on 11 November, (New Mexico), we are going to do a Corps Pass in Review on Simpson Drill Field in honor of our veterans. That review will replace the march-in we usually do on game day, and will probably take place 90 minutes before kick-off, just like the march-ins. We'll announce the time for the review once we know game time.

6. We will still march-in to Kyle Field on 4 November for the Auburn Game, which is also Rally to the Guidons. We look forward to seeing many of our former cadets marching into Kyle Field that day with the Corps.

I hope this helps to answer some of your questions or concerns. There is never a perfect solution to any of this, but we hope that for the games where we will do an on-campus march-in, that more people will have the opportunity to see the Corps of Cadets on campus, marching outside the stadium, than see the Corps inside the stadium, where very few want to go 1 1/2 hours prior to kick-off. After this season we will reassess and determine what the best course of action will be for each game next season.

Thanks for your love and support of our Corps. Beat the Hell Outta South Carolina!

Wildman15 said it best: Chancellor, President, Vice President, Regents, etc are usually on the reviewing stand, but NOT in uniform, obviously. We have ONE Reviewing Officer each game. He or She is in uniform, but thats usually all thats in uniform on the Reviewing Stand. My staff, the ROTC COLs, and I are all in uniform, and all of us are at the march-in, usually on the track in front of the Reviewing Stand. There are plenty of uniforms at the march-in, I can assure you.

Thanks again for your love and support of our Corps. BTHO South Carolina!

I greatly appreciate the Commandant's comments. They are reasonable and I agree on all points. Thank you, General.

I know you aren't supposed to say this on TexAgs, but this is a new idea that worked. I was in Kyle Filed for the Nichols State game march in and there was no energy. I enjoyed the South Carolina march in much better, and I bet it was easier for the cadets. They had plenty of time to return to the quad and then head into Kyle Field with plenty of time to make the kickoff.