Conf. realignment and the perception of UConn Football

[CL82]

Conference realignment has, once again, trashed my productivity.

In reading other schools fans comments, I see that UConn isn't mentioned as a desirable target very often. Some of that is all the bad press we've gotten lately but a lot of it is based on the idea that UConn football, well, sucks. So I put together a list of our 1A/FBS results and accomplishments. Given our short tenure, I think we've done well. So here's my talking points. Let me know if you think there are any major mistakes, or omissions.

UConn Football 1A/FBS Record
Year..Record..Conference.....Comments
2002...6-6......Independent.... Includes wins over Navy 38-0 and Iowa State 37-20
2003...9-3......Independent.... Includes win over Wake Forest 51-17
2004...8-5...... Big East........... Motor City Bowl Defeats Toledo 39 -10
2005...5 -6......Big East........... Includes wins over Army 47-13, Syracuse 26-7, Buffalo 38-0
2006...4-8...... Big East........... Includes wins at Indiana 14 -7 and Pitt 46-45 (3OT)
2007...9 -4......Big East........... Conf co-champion - Meineke Car Care Bowl (L to Wake Forest 24-10)
2008...8-5...... Big East........... Wins Virginia 45-10, Baylor 31-28 Internl Bowl (W vs. Buffalo 38-20)
2009...8-5...... Big East........... Wins at Ohio 23-16, at Baylor 30-22, at Notre Dame 33-30
...............................................--Papa John’s Bowl (W vs South Carolina 20-7)
2010...8-4...... Big East........... Conf co-champion Win West Virginia 16-13 Fiesta Bowl (L Okla 40-20)
2011...5-7 ......Big East ...........1st year HC Paul Pasqauloni

Overall 1A/FBS record 70-53 (.569) 2 Conference co-championships. Bowl Record 3-2 (.600)
Wins over SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Notre Dame

 

[CTMike]

I'd be very shocked if this info wasn't part of a comprehensive and slick presentation that's being circulated to the powers that be to shop ourselves around.

 

[UConnJim]

I think what is just as relevant is a school's investment in football facilities in recent years. In the Big East for example, UConn, Louisville, Rutgers, and Cincy have been investing and they have demonstrated a desire to grow. Pitt and Syracuse have not invested in major facilities upgrades and they have been stagnant. Look at schools like UCF, Houston, Boise St, and TCU. They are investing.

If I was a conference, I would like for schools that want to grow, not milk the conference.

 

[CTMike]

I think you gotta show that we are the committed to being the whole package. Basketball, there's no question. Football we've made the investments, and results are showing. Same academically. Throw in whatever evidence, massaged or not, that we have pull nationally/NYC/Hartford/New Haven/All of New England... package it up pretty and circulate it with the various league honchos. We are a good investment, and we can deliver critical exposure for various teams in a densely populated region of the US.

 

[Adios]

We are arguably above Indiana, Iowa State and Vanderbilt. And have a higher ceiling. Vanderbilt was a powerhouse long ago.

 

[UConnDan97]

The ultimate problem is that the other conferences don't want to hear about wins against Army, Indiana, Ohio, Buffalo, Toledo, or even Syracuse. Hell, I'm not even sure they are super impressed by wins against Baylor, Iowa State, or the four or so wins against Pitt. They feel like UConn is only middle of the road because the teams we have beaten for the most part are middle of the road.

Whether it's fair or not (we've only been at it for about a decade), we haven't given them a slew of shining moments, like the wins against ND, WVU, and South Carolina. What we should present to everyone is the fact that we have the financial and fan support of the entire state of Connecticut, and like all the other sports that we have grown to dominate, we won't stop until we do that in football either. That's what we can sell; our hunger for excellence!

 

[CL82]

Actually, right now I'd take a"middle of the road" opinion. I think public perception, our accomplishments nothwithstanding, is far less. I debated listing the 2005 wins over 'Cuse, Army and Buffalo. I put them in to show even in a down year, we're head and shoulders above the weak sisters of FBS football.

 

[UConnDan97]

Actually, right now I'd take a"middle of the road" opinion. I think public perception, our accomplishments nothwithstanding, is far less. I debated listing the 2005 wins over 'Cuse, Army and Buffalo. I put them in to show even in a down year, we're head and shoulders above the weak sisters of FBS football.

The point is that the thread's original premise is a synopsis of how the fans of other conferences see us as an expansion target (your synopsis was "not really", which I agree with). But consider that those fans are looking for the "What team would I love to have if we got 1 team bigger." Right now, these are the most talked about schools:

All Conferences: Notre Dame
Big 12: We'd love to have Fla State / Va Tech / Clemson / kinda like Ga Tech and L'Ville and BYU
Big 10: We'll wait for Notre Dame. We'll consider UNC / UVa / kinda like Maryland
Pac12: We'll wait for Notre Dame and Texas. We'll consider whomever needs to come with Texas
SEC: We'll consider Va Tech.
ACC: We'll wait for Notre Dame. We'll consider Rutgers / UConn / L'Ville / Cincy

So essentially, that's the deal. Does it mean that fans don't think more highly of us than of a Vanderbilt, Iowa State, Kansas, or even BC? I don't think that's the case. We're just not on their Christmas wish-list...

 

[junglehusky]

I'd be very shocked if this info wasn't part of a comprehensive and slick presentation that's being circulated to the powers that be to shop ourselves around.

You mean like #BegHarder?

 

[CTMike]

You mean like #BegHarder?

EXACTLY!!

If there's a marketing perception problem, then it's up to us to fix it.

 

[UCFBfan]

The ultimate problem is that the other conferences don't want to hear about wins against Army, Indiana, Ohio, Buffalo, Toledo, or even Syracuse. Hell, I'm not even sure they are super impressed by wins against Baylor, Iowa State, or the four or so wins against Pitt. They feel like UConn is only middle of the road because the teams we have beaten for the most part are middle of the road.

Whether it's fair or not (we've only been at it for about a decade), we haven't given them a slew of shining moments, like the wins against ND, WVU, and South Carolina. What we should present to everyone is the fact that we have the financial and fan support of the entire state of Connecticut, and like all the other sports that we have grown to dominate, we won't stop until we do that in football either. That's what we can sell; our hunger for excellence!

This is so true! Yes, we've had a few victories over decent teams but our fanbase is the ENTIRE state and more. The ability to get viewers and whatever network you need into this market will happen as soon as UConn is added. Whether it's the BTN or whatever network the ACC makes, CT will want it! The same can't be said for Rutgers in NJ and yet, that crappy school keeps getting mentioned as a target....blows my mind!

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[HartbeatHusky]

Most people just see us as a program that recently elevated from FCS and haven't really watched us play and have not noticed our few signature wins. Hell, even teams that we've beaten like Baylor, South Carolina, and Notre Dame just chalk it up to a few flukes instead of giving us any credit.

 

[UCFBfan]

Most people just see us as a program that recently elevated from FCS and haven't really watched us play and have not noticed our few signature wins. Hell, even teams that we've beaten like Baylor, South Carolina, and Notre Dame just chalk it up to a few flukes instead of giving us any credit.

Don't forget WVU fans. Most will go to their grave believing that they "gave us" the game two years ago. We did not actually win it! Fools......

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[FfldCntyFan]

There's an old adage about celebrity: "if you have to convince someone that you are famous, you aren't!".

That is us as a football program at the moment. Whether we are or aren't as significant of a program as we want to believe we are is completely irrelevant. What matters is where the rest of the college football universe views us and unfortunately too many within this universe are completely unaware of what we have and have not accomplished in football.