Whit Babcock is in a tough spot.
As the athletic director at the University of Cincinnati – one of three Big East schools left behind when the league broke up last year – he presides over a department whose teams will begin play next fall in the new American Athletic Conference.
It’s his job to find a way to get the Bearcats into one of the five power conferences and out of the American, which, until it proves otherwise, is considered a step down nationally and by the school’s fan base.
That’s why Babcock is in an awkward position. He feels an obligation to do all he can to advance UC’s interests by ushering it into a higher-profile conference, but he also feels a responsibility to be a good partner in the new league.
Mike Aresco, the commissioner of the American, said that’s exactly what UC officials have done as the new league prepares for its first year of existence.
Aresco understands that both UC and Connecticut have made no secret of their desire to be in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but for now they are in the American, with no choice but to make the most of their situation.
“They’ve been helping in every way possible,” Aresco said of UC. “What you do is basically say this is where we all are. Let’s make this the best possible conference. If down the road something changes, then something changes. If things stay as they are, then this is absolutely the best place for them to be.”
That doesn’t stop Babcock from enthusiastically reeling off UC’s selling points as a potential candidate for the ACC or one of the other power conferences.
“What we have to sell is a dynamic athletic department that is certainly on the rise and has a lot of potential,” Babcock said. “We have a fertile recruiting ground. We have very good facilities that will get better. The academic profile of UC is tremendous. Hopefully we’ve got some stability in our coaching ranks. We have a president and a board and a community that seem dedicated to what we do. We try to graduate our student-athletes and we run it clean. You can win championships from here. You can get a degree from here and you can turn pro from here.”
In other words, as Babcock said, “I don’t see any reason why we should be left out.”
UC president Santa Ono, who has been an avid supporter of the UC athletics program, said the following in a statement: “The buzz on UC is both real and reverberating. Student enrollment is up, the list of top-ranked programs is growing, our commitment to experiential learning has never been stronger, and we continue to collect awards for our beautiful campus. Our nationally recognized athletics program only adds to this momentum. It’s a great front door to showcase our school, unify our community and help attract stellar students.”
The first step toward getting UC where it wants to go, Babcock said, is for the school to do a better job of telling its story.
“I believe it’s the humble nature of this town and this community, which I love,” Babcock said, “but every now and then you’ve got to brag a little bit. I do believe that there are still some people who have an outdated perception of what UC is, whether it’s in our fan base or donor base.”
To change that perception, UC has produced an eight-page color brochure entitled “Now Is the Time … This Is the Place.” The brochure is filled with facts about UC’s academic and athletic accomplishments as well as pictures of the campus, including an artist’s rendering of what the proposed $65 million-$70 million Nippert Stadium renovation will look like.
Among the athletic achievements listed in the brochure: UC is one of only seven schools to have 10 or more football victories in five of the past six seasons; over the last five seasons, the Bearcats have won or shared more conference titles (four) than any other BCS program; UC’s six-year BCS average ranking is 16, higher than every ACC school and current or past Big East school except Virginia Tech; the men’s basketball team has made three straight NCAA tournament appearances; and in six seasons under basketball coach Mick Cronin, UC’s Academic Progress Report score has exceeded 980, with two perfect scores of 1000.
Among the academic accomplishments: UC was named a Top 25 Public Research University by the National Science Foundation; the school jumped 17 spots in two years in the U.S. News & World Report rankings – one of the largest leaps of any school in the country; UC is home to 34 academic programs ranked among the Top 50 nationally, with 11 programs in the Top 10.
“I believe we unfairly fight some perceptions from the past,” Babcock said, “but if you look at the facts in the near term, it’s there.”
Babcock said it’s a myth that UC is hindered by subpar facilities and points to the improvements made with the construction of Varsity Village. In addition, UC has built a new football practice facility, complete with an indoor bubble. Babcock acknowledges that UC has work to do to upgrade Nippert Stadium and Fifth Third Arena – the home to its football and men’s and women’s basketball programs – but says the school is working on both of those issues.
“We fight that perception more than what reality is,” Babcock said of the facilities issue. “I believe when most people – even visiting teams and ADs – come onto our campus, this whole Varsity Village concept is a really neat thing. We cannot stand pat on Nippert and Fifth Third (Arena). We just don’t have all the answers on Fifth Third just yet.”
It’s crucial, Babcock, said, that when UC begins to compete next fall in the American along with Louisville, Rutgers, Memphis, Temple, Connecticut, Central Florida, SMU, Houston and South Florida, the Bearcats must be at the top of their game.
“We need to create the story,” Babcock said. “We’ve got to achieve at a high level right now. We’ve got to be winning this league or challenging for it and playing in major bowls.”
Selling UC
• Cincinnati’s media market ranks 29th nationally, according to Nielsen.
• UC just topped $1 billion in its Proudly Cincinnati capital campaign and its endowment ranks in the Top 75 in the nation at $1.004 billion.
• Ohio ranked behind only Texas, Florida, Georgia and California in the number of Division I football signees during the last signing period.
• UC has enhanced its athletics budget, which is approaching $50 million.
• UC is one of only three Tier 1 academic research schools with an end-of-season Top 25 ranking in football.
• UC has spent about $115 million on facilities upgrades over the past seven years and has announced plans for a $65 million-$70 million renovation of Nippert Stadium.
• UC is one of seven schools to have 10 or more football wins in five of the past six seasons.
• UC’s six-year average BCS ranking is 16th, higher than every ACC school and every current or past Big East school except Virginia Tech.
• UC has faced current and incoming ACC schools six times in the past two seasons and has posted a 5-1 record.
