Case for Independence - BYU

[Alum86]

An Indy schedule assumes you will have teams to play. On or around October conference games start and few schools have openings
Who would schedule us in November?

 

[Jericho]

The 2013 BYU schedules looks way better than the 2012 BYU schedule. However, not sure how UConn could replicate BYU. Let's start with the obvious. What kind of money would UConn get for its games? UConn has neither the national appeal nor history that BYU has.

The next issue is scheduling. Once you get past the September games, scheduling becomes difficult. BYU managed to pull two significant wins in this year's schedule. One is getting Notre Dame (another school that needs opponents, or at least did before it quasi joined the ACC). The other is getting Boise (who certainly welcome quality opponents). Middle Tennessee State, Hawaii (the state has its own BYU campus, so this is likely related to scheduling), and Houston are hit and miss. Same for Utah State, which is a questionable rivalry (they are located near each other and do hate each other, but don't necessarily play that often). I don't see how UConn can pull games against Notre Dame or Boise. You replace those two with MAC or Sun Belt teams and it starts to go downhill.

 

[John Greene]

There aren't enough directions in Michigan for UConn to set up an independent schedule.

We'd get eastern, western and central and then have to start asking whether there's a northern and a southern.

Even worse - those mean little duck*ers keep beating us.

Just for a moment consider the other possibility. If we beat all the directional Michigan schools in the same year we could say we beat MICHIGAN.

 

[Pudge]

You're giving up your Rent football tickets?

Good riddance. We have a fairly deep "potential" Fanbase. With a decent plan from the AD & an exciting program (post PP), we can go beyond 40k easy. With that schedule. We are in Football. We are not retrenching. And Indy is crap - you'll never get the excitement the last 6 weeks. We need to make A Plan. Work it. Win. And wait for our opportunity.

 

[businesslawyer]

I really guess its perception of what you think UConn football is. I think the view here is that UConn football can be relevent nationally or even regionally. I no longer agree with this assessment, especially if not in a top 5 conference. I think its clear the administration does not think it is either, since it retained PP.

With all due respect, cut the crap. Notre Dame didn't make a decision not to be big time when it hired a string of inadequate coaches. Bama didn't decide it didn't want to be big time when it hired Mike Shula. And USC didn't decide it didn't want to be big time whenn it hired Lane Kiffin.

Half the hirings made by a program will have below average results. We have enough problems we're dealing with at the moment without stupid and unnecessary crapping on our program by those who think they are fans.

 

[NEforceUConn]

I think going C7 and Indy FB is virtuous (a quality many Universities lack). UConn knows CR is not done and there will be many changes over the next 2 years. Why not be truthful and admit UConn will accept an ACC or B!G invite. The C7 knows that going in and if in 6 months UConn is in the ACC then no hard feelings by anyone. If after CR is over in 2 or more years and UConn is left out then UConn moves FB to the MAC (fb only). End of statement.

I have more respect for institutions that tell the truth and do the right thing, that's why UConn should pursue this route. Now the schools that only care about themselves and have no morals are: ND, Pitt, Cuse, BCU, and WVU.

 

[captainron2]

I think going C7 and Indy FB is virtuous (a quality many Universities lack). UConn knows CR is not done and there will be many changes over the next 2 years. Why not be truthful and admit UConn will accept an ACC or B!G invite. The C7 knows that going in and if in 6 months UConn is in the ACC then no hard feelings by anyone. If after CR is over in 2 or more years and UConn is left out then UConn moves FB to the MAC (fb only). End of statement.

I have more respect for institutions that tell the truth and do the right thing, that's why UConn should pursue this route. Now the schools that only care about themselves and have no morals are: ND, Pitt, Cuse, BCU, and WVU.

 

[captainron2]

The problem is that the C7 know that UConn and Cinn, will jump at the first chance they get, and the ony way this gets consideration is if there is a long term deal that is iron clad unbreakable. If not, what's in it for them?

 

[freescooter]

I still don't get why it would be a good move anyway. It isn't like were talking about the Big East with Louisville, Syracuse, Pitt et al. this is joining a league with Providence, Seton Hall St Johns and Depaulwho among them have 1 NCAA trip since the last expansion of the Big East. OooH they might add Dayton!! Please.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The problem is that the C7 know that UConn and Cinn, will jump at the first chance they get, and the ony way this gets consideration is if there is a long term deal that is iron clad unbreakable. If not, what's in it for them?

They would end up with the Big East name and MSG contract. They would have two high level programs for as long as it takes for those schools to get invites to a Big 5 conference. This is a no-brainer/slam dunk for the C7. There is no downside for them in any way whatsoever. They can always find two more basketball schools. They could add Creighton and SLU and go to 14 now, and slide to 12 if we leave.

The questions are (1) whether UConn and Cinci could find a home for football in the MWC, (2) whether this move would be in the best interest of furthering our efforts to obtain a Big 5 invite and (3) which option is the best at preserving basketball and promiting football. As for independence, we wouldn't be able to field a decent schedule, so it won't work.

 

[frankthetank]

Here's the main rule to surviving as an independent in today's world: is your fan/alumni base tied to something *other* than geography/market/home state?

Notre Dame = Irish Catholics
BYU = Mormons
Navy and Army = Military

They can survive as independents in today's world because being in a regional conference really doesn't do anything for their respective alumni and fan bases. These are legitimately national fan bases. Even then, it can still be tough being an independent, as shown by Navy still apparently committing to coming to the Big East.

Schools like Idaho and New Mexico State aren't independents by choice and they don't have the national fan bases can't deal with that environment.

UConn simply doesn't fit the profile of a school where it makes sense to be an independent. (To be sure, even schools such as Texas and Ohio State don't have the profiles to be independent, either.) I'm not saying it's an easy call since I've been saying from the get go that the Catholic 7 was going to end up getting a much larger TV deal than expected in the now-football-centric conference realignment analysis and, no matter what stats people might throw out there about how the New Big East might be comparable on the court, the national media perception is *strongly* in favor of the Catholic 7 (just as any stats pointing out deficiencies of ACC football compared to Big East football are ultimately irrelevant). However, going independent for UConn would be a football program killer. Now, if you get a Boise State-type offer from the MWC (and Cincinnati does, too), then it at least becomes a little bit more interesting to think about having football in the MWC and basketball in the C7 (even if I personally don't believe that would happen at all).

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Maine
Unh
Fordham
Ccsu
Temple
Ohio
Udel
Townson
Buff
Army
Odu
East mich

Agreed. Alternating years might feature URI, UMass, Akron, Kent State. Yeah that was the promise that was sold to Connecticut when this whole move to D1 football was initiated in the mid-90's.