AD David Benedict: UConn 'in a very good situation' as college conference realignment swirls

[bobbyinaz]

At half their current value the Big 12 would still be making more than twice as much as the AAC.

True, but how does that make Kansas and Iowa St attractive to the B1G as some here are saying? Or, any of the remaining 8 attractive to the PAC?

The best thing the remaining 8 can do is force Texas & Oklahoma to stay for the remaining 4 years of the contract. That keeps them earning at a high level vs getting a 50% chop when UT & OK bolt. Otherwise they need to bleed UT & OK for every dime they can on the way out the door and play the exit fee game which we are very familiar with

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Don’t pick on him. He’ll learn. It is a rude awakening for newbies here. I learned a lot when I arrived at the Boneyard 20 years ago. I had no idea there were fans that knew as much or more than I did when I arrived. He’ll read and learn.

Thanks. I’m shocked by all the negativity and a lack of optimism. The disdain for the success of the women’s program and the football program in general by many of the Boneyard members who are mostly male, over 50 (I think), and disrespectful to another’s opinion. It’s almost like it’s not allowed. Lol. This demographic is very, very different from that of the fans I’ve seen at the actual men’s and women’s bball games and the football games.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Thanks. I’m shocked by all the negativity and a lack of optimism. The disdain for the success of the women’s program and the football program in general by many of the Boneyard members who are mostly male, over 50 (I think), and disrespectful to another’s opinion. It’s almost like it’s not allowed. Lol. This demographic is very, very different from that of the fans I’ve seen at the actual men’s and women’s bball games and the football games.

Real bad take.

Not as bad as your Big 12 also tans are as good as top SEC teams bit still pretty bad.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Real bad take.

Not as bad as your Big 12 also tans are as good as top SEC teams bit still pretty bad.

It’s a real bad take when you slightly misquote me to make a garbage point. In any event, thanks for proving my point in my post you were responding to.

 

[noeynox]

Thanks. I’m shocked by all the negativity and a lack of optimism. The disdain for the success of the women’s program and the football program in general by many of the Boneyard members who are mostly male, over 50 (I think), and disrespectful to another’s opinion. It’s almost like it’s not allowed. Lol. This demographic is very, very different from that of the fans I’ve seen at the actual men’s and women’s bball games and the football games.

It's not personal. We've just been nutkicked so often and so bad by conference realignment we don't know how to act. Welcome to the board. All UConn fans welcomed. The busting the chops is itself welcoming.

 

[freescooter]

Welcome aboard. You will occasionally get savaged if you have an opinion that differs from the standard but that’s ok. We are all UConn fans here.

I tend to think Texas and especially OU will struggle in the SEC long term. Finishing 7-5 every year is finishing 7-5 regardless of the opponent. It doesn’t really matter that Alabama and Georgia are the two best teams in the country when the curb stomp you. Gonna be lots of turn over in the head coaching jobs at those 2 schools. It was one thing for A&M. They were pepetual 2nd fiddle to Texas and OU. Now they are 2nd fiddle to Alabama and Georgia. But when you are top dog it isn’t quite the same.

 

[Guapo]

Welcome aboard. You will occasionally get savaged if you have an opinion that differs from the standard but that’s ok. We are all UConn fans here.

I tend to think Texas and especially OU will struggle in the SEC long term. Finishing 7-5 every year is finishing 7-5 regardless of the opponent. It doesn’t really matter that Alabama and Georgia are the two best teams in the country when the curb stomp you. Gonna be lots of turn over in the head coaching jobs at those 2 schools. It was one thing for A&M. They were pepetual 2nd fiddle to Texas and OU. Now they are 2nd fiddle to Alabama and Georgia. But when you are top dog it isn’t quite the same.

What makes you say that about Oklahoma?

 

[shizzle787]

Welcome aboard. You will occasionally get savaged if you have an opinion that differs from the standard but that’s ok. We are all UConn fans here.

I tend to think Texas and especially OU will struggle in the SEC long term. Finishing 7-5 every year is finishing 7-5 regardless of the opponent. It doesn’t really matter that Alabama and Georgia are the two best teams in the country when the curb stomp you. Gonna be lots of turn over in the head coaching jobs at those 2 schools. It was one thing for A&M. They were pepetual 2nd fiddle to Texas and OU. Now they are 2nd fiddle to Alabama and Georgia. But when you are top dog it isn’t quite the same.

I completely disagree about Texas. I believe Texas will do better in the SEC than they have in the last decade in the Big 12. Texas is similar to UConn. The better the conference we play in (and the more regional rivals), the more buzz there is around the program and the players, coaches, and recruits feed off of that. The current Big 12 does not provide Texas many rivals. Oklahoma and Texas Tech are their two major rivals in the Big 12 right now, and Oklahoma is coming with them to the SEC. In the SEC, Texas plays Oklahoma, A&M, Missouri, Arkansas, and LSU. The fan base is going to go nuts and the players will feed off of it.

Texas and UConn are outliers. Generally, when a program steps down or plays in a diminished league, they are better relative to the competition (which would make sense). However, when you step down and lose all of your rivals, the fan base erodes and players feel it. We should have been the premier football program in the AAC. We were not because the fanbase wasn't interested in USF, UCF, Houston, or Tulsa-and the players and recruits felt that.

 

[Hskies4Ever]

We should have been the premier football program in the AAC. We were not because the fanbase wasn't interested in USF, UCF, Houston, or Tulsa-and the players and recruits felt that.

This… along with a variety of other factors.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I completely disagree about Texas. I believe Texas will do better in the SEC than they have in the last decade in the Big 12. Texas is similar to UConn. The better the conference we play in (and the more regional rivals), the more buzz there is around the program and the players, coaches, and recruits feed off of that. The current Big 12 does not provide Texas many rivals. Oklahoma and Texas Tech are their two major rivals in the Big 12 right now, and Oklahoma is coming with them to the SEC. In the SEC, Texas plays Oklahoma, A&M, Missouri, Arkansas, and LSU. The fan base is going to go nuts and the players will feed off of it.

Texas and UConn are outliers. Generally, when a program steps down or plays in a diminished league, they are better relative to the competition (which would make sense). However, when you step down and lose all of your rivals, the fan base erodes and players feel it. We should have been the premier football program in the AAC. We were not because the fanbase wasn't interested in USF, UCF, Houston, or Tulsa-and the players and recruits felt that.

I don’t think the fan base hired Bob Diaco.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

We should have been the premier football program in the AAC. We were not because the fanbase wasn't interested in USF, UCF, Houston, or Tulsa-and the players and recruits felt that.

I don't think so...it's all about hiring the wrong coaches. PP could have worked if he hired the right assistants. He had some decent players....but GDL was an anchor. Diaco was beyond awful. He had no idea what he was doing... especially with recruiting.

Fans would have cared if the product was decent...it wasn't.

 

[Waquoit]

I don’t think the fan base hired Bob Diaco.

At he went to a bowl game. What was PP's excuse?

 

[Waquoit]

Fans would have cared if the product was decent...it wasn't.

BB had a decent team and didn't support the product. People forget that FB was sold on playing Top 5 teams with name value like The U. No one signed up for UCF and Houston much less ECU and Tulsa.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

At he went to a bowl game. What was PP's excuse?

The team went to the toilet bowl when Diaco was hired.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

We had trouble beating lousy to mediocre FCS teams at home. That what we had become ourselves.

 

[huskymedic]

Without OU and Texas the recruiting at the other schools is sure to suffer. Also, what if the PAC 12 comes calling? If that happens the Big 12 is done!

I don’t buy that, that’s like saying if Alabama and Auburn left the SEC that recruiting would surely suffer in the SEC.

Couple of paragraphs in regards to recruiting in a much larger article on the Big12 in The Athletic today:

-> While there hasn’t been a slew of decommitments for the eight Big 12 members since this news hit, coaches and staffers say an uncertain future is immediately impacting their recruiting efforts. It’s way too easy right now for programs they’re competing with to sow doubt in recruits: Why go there? They’ll end up in a Group of 5 league. “It’s killing us right now,” one Big 12 coach said. “It’s absolutely, no doubt hurting us.”

One would think this is more detrimental for the next recruiting class, since the grant of rights through the summer of 2025 is supposed to ensure recruits in the current 2022 cycle get to play at least three seasons in the Big 12. But it’s hard to have good answers for these prospects and their parents right now about what the future holds.

This is hitting at an especially brutal time, too, with four of these eight programs recruiting quite well this summer. West Virginia has the No. 19 class on 247Sports, Iowa State is ranked No. 25, Baylor is No. 26 and Oklahoma State is currently No. 29 as of Sunday night.

These programs already have a tough enough time building classes that consistently rank at a top-25 level. If you take the last five years of 247Sports class rankings and look at average finish over that span, Oklahoma’s recruiting ranks No. 6 nationally and Texas ranks No. 8. No other member of the Big 12 makes the top 30.

Five-year average class ranking:

TEAM	RANK	BEST	WORST
TCU	31	24 (2020)	53 (2021)
Oklahoma State	34	30 (2021)	40 (2020)
Baylor	39	29 (2018)	50 (2020)
West Virginia	43	35 (2018)	57 (2017)
Iowa State	51	46 (2019)	60 (2021)
Kansas State	59	52 (2020)	66 (2018)
Texas Tech	62	48 (2020)	74 (2021)
Kansas	68	56 (2020)	71 (2017)

How might that change once the two defecting members are gone? Recruiting at Oklahoma and Texas certainly won’t suffer from moving to the SEC. And recent history suggests we may end up living in a world where two-thirds of the blue-chip recruits in Texas are signing with SEC schools. The unknowable question is just how much the Big 12 is diminished in the eyes of recruits. Are these developmental programs going to have an even harder time convincing four- and five-star prospects to play in their league? <-

 

[freescooter]

What makes you say that about Oklahoma?

4 trips to the CFP. 4 losses in the first round. 3 losses the SEC top teams for 1 thing.

 

[Ldandy]

In 2010 the final ESPN college football ranking had TCU at #2, Oklahoma at 6, and Oklahoma State at #13. Texas was not ranked in the top 25. IIRC TCU had several first place votes that year.

2011……..Oklahoma State at #3 or #4 depending on the poll, Baylor finished at #13, TCU finished at #14, Kansas State finished at #15, and Oklahoma finished at #16. Again Texas not ranked in the top 25.

2012……K State finished #12, Oklahoma finished #15, and Texas finished #19.

2013……..Oklahoma finished #6, Baylor finished 13, Oklahoma State finished 17.

2014………Baylor and TCU finished #5 and 6# respectively, and KState finished #11. Oklahoma AND Texas were no where in the final top 25.

2015………Oklahoma finished #5, TCU finished #7, Baylor finished #13, and Oklahoma State finished #20. Again Texas finished out of the top 25.

2016……..Oklahoma finished #5, Oklahoma State finished #11, and West Virginia finished #17.

2017……….Oklahoma finished #3, and Oklahoma State finished #14. Texas again out of the Top 25.

2018……….Oklahoma finished #4, Texas finished #9, and West Virginia #20.

2019…………Oklahoma finished #7, Baylor #13, and Texas #25.

Iowa State finished #10 IIRC this past season.

My point is, yes The Big 12 will take a hit when Oklahoma leaves, but they will survive. So if you look back at the last 10 years, Texas leaving for the SEC doesn’t hurt the Big 12 like losing Oklahoma in terms of league strength, but they do lose a team with a rabid fan base.
The Big 12 will still have several big time football programs that are tough ball clubs year in and year out. Iowa State, K State, Oklahoma State, TCU, West Virginia, and Baylor. Getting UConn gives the Big 12 a real shot in the arm in men’s and women’s basketball, and a football team with a fan base that travels to many away games. Say Fresno State!!!!!’

If you don't think losing Texas to the SEC does much to The Big 12 I'm not sure what to tell you. If you take Kansas out of the equation the other 7 programs might not be worth what UT is worth alone. The Big 12 is a zombie conference now. It will shamble on aimlessly until somebody puts it out of its misery.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

If you don't think losing Texas to the SEC does much to The Big 12 I'm not sure what to tell you. If you take Kansas out of the equation the other 7 programs might not be worth what UT is worth alone. The Big 12 is a zombie conference now. It will shamble on aimlessly until somebody puts it out of its misery.

God damit!!!! That’s not what I said!!! Read it again Helen!!!

What I said was the following ………“Texas leaving for the SEC doesn’t hurt the Big 12 like losing Oklahoma in terms of league strength, but they do lose a team (Texas) with a rabid fan base.”

How dense can you be? I mean I like Texas too, but hey Vince Young is 38 years old. Lol

Let me make it simple for you, losing Oklahoma to the SEC hurts a lot more than losing Texas. Texas still impacts the conference but not anywhere near as bad as losing the Sooners.

Since 2010, Texas has made the final top 25 poll only three times. #19 in 2012, #25 in 2018, and #9 in 2019. I think the glory years are over. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has been there every single year, most of the time right near the top. Texas isn’t leaving the Big 12, they’re sneaking out on Oklahoma’s coattails, and heading to the SEC to try and reinvigorate it’s program.

 

[Adios]

God damit!!!! That’s not what I said!!! Read it again Helen!!!

What I said was the following ………“Texas leaving for the SEC doesn’t hurt the Big 12 like losing Oklahoma in terms of league strength, but they do lose a team (Texas) with a rabid fan base.”

How dense can you be? I mean I like Texas too, but hey Vince Young is 38 years old. Lol

Let me make it simple for you, losing Oklahoma to the SEC hurts a lot more than losing Texas. Texas still impacts the conference but not anywhere near as bad as losing the Sooners.

Since 2010, Texas has made the final top 25 poll only three times. #19 in 2012, #25 in 2018, and #9 in 2019. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has been there every single year, most of the time right near the top.

Let me help you out.

Translation: Oklahoma is a more well run program and operated more competently than Texas, though Texas is loaded and their fans are still loaded and innumerable. OU football has done more for the Big 12 since 2010, at least.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Let me help you Texas leaving for the SEC doesn’t hurt the Big 12 like losing Oklahoma in terms of league strength, but they do lose a team with a rabid fan base.

Translation: Oklahoma is a more well run program and operated more competently than Texas, though Texas is loaded and their fans are still loaded and innumerable. OU football has done more for the Big 12 since 2010, at least.

Loaded? Loaded how? Texas hasn’t done squat in football in ten years.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Loaded? Loaded how? Texas hasn’t done squat in football in ten years.

I would consider a self sustaining AD with a budget of almost 200MM and profit of 20MM+ while being in a talent rich recruiting state loaded. You should expect some kind of broad based success with those resources. Their budget must be more than OUs by alot.
edit; composite recruiting classes by 247 last 5 years including 2022; 3 ,3, 8, 15, ,10. Their upperclassmen should be asskicking.

 

[freescooter]

God damit!!!! That’s not what I said!!! Read it again Helen!!!

What I said was the following ………“Texas leaving for the SEC doesn’t hurt the Big 12 like losing Oklahoma in terms of league strength, but they do lose a team (Texas) with a rabid fan base.”

How dense can you be? I mean I like Texas too, but hey Vince Young is 38 years old. Lol

Let me make it simple for you, losing Oklahoma to the SEC hurts a lot more than losing Texas. Texas still impacts the conference but not anywhere near as bad as losing the Sooners.

Since 2010, Texas has made the final top 25 poll only three times. #19 in 2012, #25 in 2018, and #9 in 2019. I think the glory years are over. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has been there every single year, most of the time right near the top. Texas isn’t leaving the Big 12, they’re sneaking out on Oklahoma’s coattails, and heading to the SEC to try and reinvigorate it’s program.

I do sort of agree with this. Texas is sort of like Miami. They were once a dominant power, now they are just another team, though they get more respect than they deserve. They are hoping a move to the SEC will invigorate the program, though I suspect they will become Arkansas Or Ol’ Miss. I do think OU suffers a similar fate. They aren’t as good as the top of the SEC and if they don’t get there very quickly, my guess is they never will. As I said, it’s different foe A&M. They were never top dog. Not in the Big 12, not in the old SWC. They can go to the SEC and be better perhaps, but if they aren’t their fans won’t care that much. Texas and OU expect to be the belle of the ball, not bridesmaids. When the find they wont be, I think it hurts them quite a lot.

One other note. TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor all have played Texas since the old Southwest Conference which began around 1920. I think that sort of qualifies as long term local rivals.

 

[Guapo]

4 trips to the CFP. 4 losses in the first round. 3 losses the SEC top teams for 1 thing.

Yeah but they have one of the more competent athletic departments out there. There’ll be a learning curve, but I trust that they’ll be competitive eventually. I actually trust that more than I do Texas

 

[Chin Diesel]

God damit!!!! That’s not what I said!!! Read it again Helen!!!

What I said was the following ………“Texas leaving for the SEC doesn’t hurt the Big 12 like losing Oklahoma in terms of league strength, but they do lose a team (Texas) with a rabid fan base.”

How dense can you be? I mean I like Texas too, but hey Vince Young is 38 years old. Lol

Let me make it simple for you, losing Oklahoma to the SEC hurts a lot more than losing Texas. Texas still impacts the conference but not anywhere near as bad as losing the Sooners.

Since 2010, Texas has made the final top 25 poll only three times. #19 in 2012, #25 in 2018, and #9 in 2019. I think the glory years are over. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has been there every single year, most of the time right near the top. Texas isn’t leaving the Big 12, they’re sneaking out on Oklahoma’s coattails, and heading to the SEC to try and reinvigorate it’s program.

I do sort of agree with this. Texas is sort of like Miami. They were once a dominant power, now they are just another team, though they get more respect than they deserve. They are hoping a move to the SEC will invigorate the program, though I suspect they will become Arkansas Or Ol’ Miss. I do think OU suffers a similar fate. They aren’t as good as the top of the SEC and if they don’t get there very quickly, my guess is they never will. As I said, it’s different foe A&M. They were never top dog. Not in the Big 12, not in the old SWC. They can go to the SEC and be better perhaps, but if they aren’t their fans won’t care that much. Texas and OU expect to be the belle of the ball, not bridesmaids. When the find they wont be, I think it hurts them quite a lot.

One other note. TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor all have played Texas since the old Southwest Conference which began around 1920. I think that sort of qualifies as long term local rivals.

Texas is nothing like Miami.

Miami had a nice 15-20 year run in the 80's to early 00's. That's it. Nothing before, nothing since. They also have very little cache outside the south Florida area. It's not uncommon to see a Miami game over the past decade with 30k or less fans actually in their seats. Plus, there is a small alumni base since it is a private school.

Longhorns are Texas. Huge state school, massive alumni base who actively give in good times or lean times, 80k-100k for almost every game. Rich history going back 75+ years.


For those who are simpletons enough to think realignment, future conference affiliation or status depends on the on field product of the last decade.............????????????? I don't know what to tell you. But you sound really bad with your takes.