Daily Campus article - why UConn should go to MAC

[ZooCougar]

Getting good players from the portal and recruiting in general I think would take a hit. Also what kind of NIL money would players have chance at getting in the MAC vs remaining an independent with a tougher schedule? Heading for the MAC might have some small advantages but I think the disadvantages far outweigh them.

We don’t get good players in the portal now.

We don’t have much NIL money now.

We don’t recruit that well right now.

Honestly how could it get much worse.

Some dufus on the realignment board said we would take a financial hit LOL.

As if getting $300k from some G5 is so much worse than getting $500k from CBS.

 

[DW1361]

Hmmm, the article is well written at least.

 

[billybud]

Scheduling and the 12 team playoff....selected thoughts:

"To me, the record shouldn't matter as much as the quality of team," said Florida AD Scott Stricklin, a former member of the CFP Selection Committee. "I go back to the basketball [selection] committee example. That happens all the time. Teams whose record doesn't look as good as others, but they played a much better schedule and had a much better resume and got in, got a better seed."

Stricklin is among a small group of Power Five ADs who saw the expanded playoff coming and adjusted their football scheduling accordingly. Florida's non-conference schedule next year includes Florida State and Miami. The Gators also have home-and-home series with NC State, California, Colorado, Arizona State and Notre Dame scheduled through 2032.

"Every AD is going to be watching really closely these first two or three years of the 12-team playoff to see what direction the committee goes," Stricklin added. "If they pick shiny records that may not have been through as tough a schedule over teams that have challenged themselves more in the nonconference, it's going to dictate how teams schedule."
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Sankey said part of the SEC's ongoing conversation about whether to go to a nine-game conference schedule is "a nod" to the expanded playoff.

"That makes an additional loss not a point of removal from consideration," Sankey said. "In fact, playing a stronger schedule may be a point of inclusion in the playoff. There have been teams that made the four-team playoff with an all [Power Five]-type schedule. People are concerned about doing that because of the risk. I think this opens up the ability to play a more aggressive schedule."

 

[BlueandOG]

If we had only 1,000 travel to a game at BC, how many would we get to a game in Ohio....maybe 50-75? Those are mediocre schools with no athletic accomplishments and located in dumpy areas. Akron is a pit. Ohio U has an attractive campus but the town Athens OH is weak. Would rather be back in the AAC if independent status is killed.

Fan attendance is a secondary issue. Getting into a real conference is the primary issue. Past performance in college realignment indicates real conferences do not want us now. We MUST get better at football, and I don't see that happening without conference affiliation.

 

[shizzle787]

Fan attendance is a secondary issue. Getting into a real conference is the primary issue. Past performance in college realignment indicates real conferences do not want us now. We MUST get better at football, and I don't see that happening without conference affiliation.

We literally just went to a bowl game last year.

 

[BlueandOG]

We literally just went to a bowl game last year.

The ground is shifting thanks to the P5/P4 situation and NIL. Things are MUCH shakier now for the last two real independent schools - both of which are among the worst FBS teams in the country. Joining a conference is essential to our future success.

 

[shizzle787]

The ground is shifting thanks to the P5/P4 situation and NIL. Things are MUCH shakier now for the last two real independent schools - both of which are among the worst FBS teams in the country. Joining a conference is essential to our future success.

People have been saying that for 10 years.

 

[cullaville]

We literally just went to a bowl game last year.

While it was good that UCONN went to a bowl game so did 85 other teams, 65% of the teams went to a bowl game. Great for the players, a little bit of recognition for UCONN but overall not a great accomplishment unless you are in the playoffs or some of the New Year day bowls.

 

[giddyup]

All we can do is get better, play the next we can and hope the chips fall out way and the school has people that actually want us in major conference and willing to make the financial subsidy commitment.

 

[Forte]

His premise is somewhat sound.

If we continued to apply our current resources into a conference like the MAC one would think we would be very strong in that conference. Almost like a Gonzaga model.

The only issue I have is that we should have already done this when we were in the AAC.

That was our chance to distinguish ourselves but instead we fumbled the football.

That's not how it works though. See AAC ... how much did being in that style of conference help with our resources.... any of our sports?

 

[ZooCougar]

While it was good that UCONN went to a bowl game so did 85 other teams, 65% of the teams went to a bowl game. Great for the players, a little bit of recognition for UCONN but overall not a great accomplishment unless you are in the playoffs or some of the New Year day bowls.

Without an alliance, even with a great record we’re only getting into a terrible bowl game. And no guarantee of getting into any.

 

[pepband99]

We don’t get good players in the portal now.

We don’t have much NIL money now.

We don’t recruit that well right now.

Honestly how could it get much worse.

Some dufus on the realignment board said we would take a financial hit LOL.

As if getting $300k from some G5 is so much worse than getting $500k from CBS.

Taking a 200k/year hit, while playing a midweek game in November in front of 7000 tickets distributed, that's how.

 

[ZooCougar]

That's not how it works though. See AAC ... how much did being in that style of conference help with our resources.... any of our sports?

Well if we didn’t hire three bad coaches and fail to support the program then things might have different.

 

[ZooCougar]

Taking a 200k/year hit, while playing a midweek game in November in front of 7000 tickets distributed, that's how.

Oh no $200k a year! The horror!

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Smh.

If people don’t understand the structure of NCAA divisions then they shouldn’t comment.

Drives me crazy

 

[billybud]

Bowl tie ins 2023

https://collegefootballnews.com/bowl-projections/college-football-bowl-ties-affiliations-for-each-conference-2023-2024

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Ever see the other offers for our commits?

Without fail: Bowling Green, Kent St, Ball St, Ohio…

We are a MAC football team

Joining any conference also repairs the “gave up on football” narrative—which as false as it may be is wide spread across the NCAAFB world. No conference wants to pick up 4-8 Indy football team UConn. 8-4 MAC football/Continued excellence in bball UConn?…

 

[pepband99]

Oh no $200k a year! The horror!

And we would be losing nearly that number per-game in tickets, genius. Do try to keep up.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

And we would be losing nearly that number per-game in tickets, genius. Do try to keep up.

We can close off the upper decks at the Rent, pretend it's not there and don't maintain it. Maybe rent ad space. Still lead the league in attendance. Go to the Camilla or Barstool Bowl... Don't think Ole Miss will come but we can always have UMass as end of year or Thanksgiving rivalry game.

 

[Patman]

Fan attendance is a secondary issue. Getting into a real conference is the primary issue. Past performance in college realignment indicates real conferences do not want us now. We MUST get better at football, and I don't see that happening without conference affiliation.

This is my take. It is hard to get players geeked up for games that largely don't matter if we can't get bowl eligible. Even if we do get bowl eligible. Let's say we go 9-3, pickings will still be terrible. Give the team something to progress towards.

 

[Hoophound]

Since no one is bothering to say it: What if we join the MAC and still go 3-9 or 2-10? We aren’t going to be good in any conference without major staffing changes. At least now we have a good schedule.

I would absolutely not join MAC or CUSA until we’ve tried being Indy with a good OC and DC and competent special teams. I can pretty much guarantee you that if we had a Rhett Lashlee level OC right now, we wouldn’t be having any of these discussions today.

 

[NHRich]

The MAC wants UConn football?

 

[ZooCougar]

We can close off the upper decks at the Rent, pretend it's not there and don't maintain it. Maybe rent ad space. Still lead the league in attendance. Go to the Camilla or Barstool Bowl... Don't think Ole Miss will come but we can always have UMass as end of year or Thanksgiving rivalry game.

That’s better than the bowls we would get invited to now. Actually we have zero bowl tie ins.

You guys don’t get it. What we have right now is pretty garbage.

 

[CL82]

We don’t get good players in the portal now.

We don’t have much NIL money now.

We don’t recruit that well right now.

Honestly how could it get much worse.

Some dufus on the realignment board said we would take a financial hit LOL.

As if getting $300k from some G5 is so much worse than getting $500k from CBS.

That would be 300,000 for all sports. We wouldn't get that as a partial member. But let's say that we did does giving up 200,000 a year sound like a winning play to you? If you are going to say say well will make so much more down the road, be prepared to explain how that will happen.

 

[Vowelguy]

Next week: “why UConn should go to the B10.”

From their series: “ Conferences that have not expressed any interest in inviting UConn.”