Big 12 Non-Expansion: What Does It Mean to the AAC and UConn?

[ZooCougar]

So I'm hardly rah rah AAC. I mean, I would gladly seal the bulkhead and watch those schools drown. But I have to think that shutting down the expansion will give the conference some needed stability.

-Basketball in this conference is still atrocious, and it's hard to see that changing much.

-Football arguably is better than in it ever was in the New Big East (NBE). That alone should be enough to get the TV payout higher but probably not high enough.

-With Big 12 expansion shut down should the AAC actually seize some initiative and raid the best two schools from the MWC?

-If the AAC doesn't get serious about improving basketball and improving the members then UConn should give consideration to leaving.

-The AAC is not powerful enough to tell us to go pound sand if we removed basketball. We could probably get Cincy to go with us just to hold the conference hostage.

As for UConn it is time to stop fooling around with the football program. Diaco needs to feel some heat, and the admin needs to step up and find him some more money to hire some decent assistants.

I'm in the military, I used to plan R&R during combat deployments to see two home games. When I was in Germany for three years, ditto. Not too many other people have flown across the Atlantic as much as I have to watch home games.

I regularly choose not to watch games now, because it's no longer fun to watch. The program is pretty close to losing me and I'm hardly alone.

-Hire an OC or someone capable of scouting and recruiting a few good quarterbacks and start playing attractive football. If this program ever developed some sex appeal it would be SO FRICKING EASY to dominate New England and the Region even with Syracuse and BC being P5. They've been around forever and haven't figured it out, that won't change anytime soon.

-Restructure ticket pricing, make the best seats affordable to the most loyal fans. I'm sick of seeing the best seats empty. And while it's stupid to bitch about attendance, it's still terrible optics.

-This is an opportunity. Last time we were rejected football sucked, this time they raider opted to take an appetite suppressant and we dodged a bullet. And by the way FOOTBALL STILL SUCKS and there is very little reassurance that it will get any better.

-Bottom line, fix football and keep it fixed and we will make it back.

 

[ZooCougar]

Also, if anyone has David Benedict's email handy. I'd appreciate it.

 

[junglehusky]

You identified the problem in your post: paying assistants requires money. Money that we aren't going to have (and before you say Houston, Tom Herman will be gone and their assistants salary pool will dwindle too).

 

[Chin Diesel]

Also, if anyone has David Benedict's email handy. I'd appreciate it.

athleticdirector@uconn.edu


You may get a response from him.

 

[NYUConn]

You identified the problem in your post: paying assistants requires money. Money that we aren't going to have (and before you say Houston, Tom Herman will be gone and their assistants salary pool will dwindle too).

Honestly, there has to be a FCS OC with a gimmick offense that can put up 30-40 consistently in The American.

I will not accept that FV is the best UConn can get at OC.

 

[ZooCougar]

You identified the problem in your post: paying assistants requires money. Money that we aren't going to have (and before you say Houston, Tom Herman will be gone and their assistants salary pool will dwindle too).

Then we need to find it or reallocate. But we're dead in the water otherwise.

 

[Huskyforlife]

The AAC would easily tell us to pound sand if we removed basketball. What value does UConn football bring alone?

 

[WestHartHusk]

The AAC would easily tell us to pound sand if we removed basketball. What value does UConn football bring alone?

Please. What value does Tulane or Tulsa bring with everything?

 

[Huskyforlife]

Please. What value does Tulane or Tulsa bring with everything?

Tulane brings location and education. You got me on Tulsa.

 

[NYUConn]

Tulane brings location and education. You got me on Tulsa.

I maintain that Tulsa should be fired into the sun.

 

[zls44]

Honestly, there has to be a FCS OC with a gimmick offense that can put up 30-40 consistently in The American.

I will not accept that FV is the best UConn can get at OC.

Fordham had a guy with some players running one recently. Wonder where they found them...

 

[NYUConn]

Fordham had a guy with some players running one recently. Wonder where they found them...

That guy was the last time UConn's offense resembled respectability.

Make a run at North Dakota State's OC for crying out loud. You're telling me we couldn't double his salary and give him the prospect of getting the hell out of North Dakota to get him to come here?

 

[VAHuskyFan]

The AAC would easily tell us to pound sand if we removed basketball. What value does UConn football bring alone?

It brings the largest TV market in the AAC. Having us for FB > not having us for FB.

The AAC would still fight us on it simply because having us for BB > not having us for BB.

To get a deal done, we'd need to be able to credibly threaten to take FB somewhere else if the AAC told us to pound sand.

The problem is anywhere else is a step down, so the AAC would just call our bluff unless we could somehow convince them (which would be tough).

 

[Exit 4]

It means we can expect to have this CRA board running for another 5-8 years. Eventually OU and TX will make their exit if they can't get the P5 media contract/extension they want for 2024+. At that time the B12 leftovers will likely add two. Their natural inclination will be to add two or four from CSU, UH, BYU, Cincy and USF/UCF. Their tv partner will advise them to look at us if they want to maximize revenue. They will flirt with it, but ultimately pass as the additional $$ wont be significant anyway because they are truly a G5 conference regardless without the UT & OU anchors.

The media/TV world will concentrate its resources on the new P4 and its roughly 56-60 teams.

Any many schools will wonder, why is Wake Forest, Rutty, Washington, BC, etc have a seat at the table.

And CRA will be done.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Anyone who persists in the myth that the offensive scheme of our football team is somehow a problem has clearly not watched any games lately. It simply isn't true. Our losses have come primarily from defensive lapses. The statistics suggest that our passing attack is above average.

As to the actual post, we keep playing, win as many football, basketball, hockey and baseball games as possible. Increase attendance across the board. Continue to work toward AAU level research and increase the endowment.

 

[FDNY99]

Also, if anyone has David Benedict's email handy. I'd appreciate it.

he will definitely engage you on twitter.

 

[ZooCougar]

Please. What value does Tulane or Tulsa bring with everything?

Nothing and nothing.

 

[ZooCougar]

Anyone who persists in the myth that the offensive scheme of our football team is somehow a problem has clearly not watched any games lately. It simply isn't true. Our losses have come primarily from defensive lapses. The statistics suggest that our passing attack is above average.

As to the actual post, we keep playing, win as many football, basketball, hockey and baseball games as possible. Increase attendance across the board. Continue to work toward AAU level research and increase the endowment.

So basically keep doing the same thing. Nope.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Nothing and nothing.

You mean the 4-2 Tulsa football team that lost a close game to Houston? That kind of nothing? Tulsa is competitive in both major sports and has strong academics. Tulane is a world class university. It's Memphis I'd kick out if anyone and ECU.

 

[ZooCougar]

Fordham had a guy with some players running one recently. Wonder where they found them...

We had a guy after the death twins... ah well.

 

[ZooCougar]

You mean the 4-2 Tulsa football team that lost a close game to Houston? That kind of nothing? Tulsa is competitive in both major sports and has strong academics. Tulane is a world class university. It's Memphis I'd kick out if anyone and ECU.

Less than nothing.

 

[HoopsFan21]

It means we can expect to have this CRA board running for another 5-8 years. Eventually OU and TX will make their exit if they can't get the P5 media contract/extension they want for 2024+. At that time the B12 leftovers will likely add two. Their natural inclination will be to add two or four from CSU, UH, BYU, Cincy and USF/UCF. Their tv partner will advise them to look at us if they want to maximize revenue. They will flirt with it, but ultimately pass as the additional $$ wont be significant anyway because they are truly a G5 conference regardless without the UT & OU anchors.

The media/TV world will concentrate its resources on the new P4 and its roughly 56-60 teams.

Any many schools will wonder, why is Wake Forest, Rutty, Washington, BC, etc have a seat at the table.

And CRA will be done.

CRA won't be done until they are down to just 20-30 of the top teams in one giant super league that keeps all the money to themselves, can boast of huge match ups every week, pay the best players, and is not constrained by NCAA rules and regs or title 9. That's where it's ultimately going. Eventually Ohio State will not be willing to share its piece of the pie with Rutgers especially when TV is no longer able to support current levels of revenue as people find other sources of entertainment.

 

[Husky pride]

Anyone who persists in the myth that the offensive scheme of our football team is somehow a problem has clearly not watched any games lately. It simply isn't true. Our losses have come primarily from defensive lapses. The statistics suggest that our passing attack is above average.

As to the actual post, we keep playing, win as many football, basketball, hockey and baseball games as possible. Increase attendance across the board. Continue to work toward AAU level research and increase the endowment.

Agreed that our defense hasn't played up to expectations...but if you're happy with the offense, you've got to be kidding yourself. We have the talent to compete against most teams and win the majority of our games, but we lack the coaching needed to put it all together and utilize the talent properly. This could have proven to have been a successful year if not for the overall playcalling...statistics be dammed!!

 

[junglehusky]

UConn is not a good football program today. They might be a perfectly average to decent team in a couple years (or not). And I understand the need to have football improve and sustained. But the reason UConn isn't in the Big 12 today is not because of football. If UConn and Houston traded football resumes, it's not like that clown car of a conference would have reached any other conclusion than they did today.

 

[businesslawyer]

We had a guy after the death twins... ah well.

Please stop. Please. No one knows that Weist has what it takes to be a head coach at a big time program. If anyone (but you) did, he'd have been offered a job after leaving us. What does the fact that he wasn't tell you? And I'm not saying he wouldn't be by the way -- just pointing out that this oversimplified pretense that we had the answer and let him go is just that