DiMauro Opinion Column: The curious case of recruiting football players to the, gasp, AAC

[huskymedic]

The curious case of recruiting football players to the, gasp, AAC

 

[hardcorehusky]

He's not wrong on any counts.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The curious case of recruiting football players to the, gasp, AAC

He oversells it a little. Winning will increase the crowds quite a bit. Especially winning with some style.

But he's not wrong that AAC schools aren't sexy. They aren't going to magically become sexy either. Directional schools and urban publics have a high bar to drive interest, as they will never be as popular as the big state schools in their states. In that sense, UConn stands alone in this league. Navy will always have its unique following, but it is limited.

 

[blue93]

He oversells it a little. Winning will increase the crowds quite a bit. Especially winning with some style.

But he's not wrong that AAC schools aren't sexy. They aren't going to magically become sexy either. Directional schools and urban publics have a high bar to drive interest, as they will never be as popular as the big state schools in their states. In that sense, UConn stands alone in this league. Navy will always have its unique following, but it is limited.

They may not be sexy, but I think there will be a couple of top-25 teams in this conference each year for the foreseeable future. If we get back to being an 8-9 win team consistently, I think we'll see a big bump against the likes of UCF, USF, Houston, etc. when they're good. It's the games against a 3-7 Tulsa or ECU that will never draw - regardless of how good we are.

 

[Palatine]

First, if UConn wins then there will be more butts in seats. Period.

The conference is problematic. BUT... if the football playoff expands to eight and the AAC (and UConn) has a legit shot at a slot that would change everything

 

[uconnbill]

Bottom line winning changes everything and people will come if they win and if they lose, they won't.

 

[noeynox]

Missing out on that last P5 bid, may have been a death knell. The bad football has played a role but the BCS league gave it a sense of “big time”. That is completely gone now.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Missing out on that last P5 bid, may have been a death knell. The bad football has played a role but the BCS league gave it a sense of “big time”. That is completely gone now.

I strongly believe the football played in the AAC is every bit as good if not better than the football played in the Big East when we were part of it.

 

[noeynox]

I strongly believe the football played in the AAC is every bit as good if not better than the football played in the Big East when we were part of it.

I dont disagree, but were talking about perception to recruits. Without BCS P5 designation, you're no different than Middle Tennessee State or the Ohio Bobcats.

It's no accident that the 3 New Years day bowls for this league have been played by UCF and Houston. It's going to be tougher for a northern school like UConn.

 

[upstater]

The AAC not being a P5 is much more of a problem than the fact that urban publics and directional schools dot the landscape. If TCU and Baylor and Kansas State were in the AAC, they'd have the same exact problem. None of these schools is North Carolina or even Missouri but they are at least as sexy as the bottom half of the P5.

UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, Navy, I think these schools could have a "sexy" cachet -- if they were in another conference.

In other words, I blame the NCAA and the monopoly more than I do our cohort.

In terms of prestige, Tulsa is a problem, and maybe East Carolina and Memphis. But not Tulane or USF.

I would also add this: who does Di Mauro think added sexiness in the Big East? West Virginia was the UCF of that conference, but nationally there was a lot of disrespect. Didn't West Virginia have an almost undefeated year when people were talking about how they were not going to get a BCS berth despite their record? Sure, I'd rather see UConn play WV than UCF, but there's not a really a HUGE difference between them. Neither is Alabama.

 

[gioff23]

I strongly believe the football played in the AAC is every bit as good if not better than the football played in the Big East when we were part of it.

What one believes and what is reality, perceived or not, are not the same. Most of the nation has been conditioned by ESPN to believe that there is P5 ball and there is everything else. As if the money and access is not enough, when the orders come down for the P5 conferences to revise their scheduling so that they drop FCS schools, add more in conf games, play another P5 team or 2 a year, etc., you will see a divide not even worth arguing over.

 

[Marty Jackson]

He oversells it a little. Winning will increase the crowds quite a bit. Especially winning with some style.

But he's not wrong that AAC schools aren't sexy. They aren't going to magically become sexy either. Directional schools and urban publics have a high bar to drive interest, as they will never be as popular as the big state schools in their states. In that sense, UConn stands alone in this league. Navy will always have its unique following, but it is limited.

really? houston of two seasons ago challenging the status quo and making the nation conversation wasn't sexy? UCF going undefeated and thrashing Auburn wasn't sexy?

the article is lazy at best. dust off the same copy from 1 or 2 years ago, say the same old crap, rile up the Uconn fans and repeat again in a couple years if the team is still down.

Fake News!

 

[Adios]

The AAC not being a P5 is much more of a problem than the fact that urban publics and directional schools dot the landscape. If TCU and Baylor and Kansas State were in the AAC, they'd have the same exact problem. None of these schools is North Carolina or even Missouri but they are at least as sexy as the bottom half of the P5.

UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, Navy, I think these schools could have a "sexy" cachet -- if they were in another conference.

In other words, I blame the NCAA and the monopoly more than I do our cohort.

In terms of prestige, Tulsa is a problem, and maybe East Carolina and Memphis. But not Tulane or USF.

I would also add this: who does Di Mauro think added sexiness in the Big East? West Virginia was the UCF of that conference, but nationally there was a lot of disrespect. Didn't West Virginia have an almost undefeated year when people were talking about how they were not going to get a BCS berth despite their record? Sure, I'd rather see UConn play WV than UCF, but there's not a really a HUGE difference between them. Neither is Alabama.

UCF claims a championship. WVU doesn't. It was the historic programs, like Pitt, that helped the Big East have a stronger appeal.

 

[Drew]

I agree with the point that there is no “national” brand in football in the American. That kills the AAC. It also happened with the Big East to a lesser extent with West Virginia being the bell cow but not earning much national respect.

My personal opinion is that if the teams keep winning, they can individually develop some cachet. Boise State is a great example of this- nobody thinks the Mountain West is a great conference but Boise State has earned a reputation that supersedes the opponents they play on a weekly basis.

The main issue I have with the article is that it’s seemingly the same article that’s been posted on the league for 5 years. By all accounts the American is at the highest point it’s been at since it’s existence in terms of momentum and public perception. I wish the local media would write articles that try to enhance the image of the league to locals than continue to hammer the idea that the league hasn’t accomplished anything significant. In this regard- I commend the Orlando Sentinel- I enjoy reading their coverage of the league because they don’t go out of their way to trash it for no reason.

UConn has also never recruited at a high level in football. I think we did a study on average ranking on here a couple years ago and found it really isn’t all that different from AAC to Big East. Having this kind of data in these articles would be nice rather than just continuing to spew the same article out that’s been produced since 2013.

Also- why not point out the recruiting wins? Cincinnati had a top 45 class last year and Houston has signed a 5 star potentially has the #1 pick in the draft next year and has landed multiple 4 stars including at least 1 in this class. UCF, USF, Memphis have also landed 4* kids and ECU’s class this year is really solid. UConn has also landed kids that have had P5 offers. It would be nice to see these kinds of things pointed out rather than the continuous bashing of the American- even if everyone has higher aspirations.

 

[whaler11]

It is a bit jarring that there are still people paid a decent wage to write articles like that. Not that he is wrong or right - more that the space needed to be filled with something.

It’s sort of facinating that the New London Day is still published. Mildly impressive for however the trust is set up. Essentially they outlived the Daily News.

The DoubleTree I stayed in this week had USA Todays at the breakfast buffet. There is literally almost nothing inside it.

 

[Scrutineer]

UCF claims a championship. WVU doesn't. It was the historic programs, like Pitt, that helped the Big East have a stronger appeal.

Pitt? You mean from 1975?

 

[HuskyHawk]

really? houston of two seasons ago challenging the status quo and making the nation conversation wasn't sexy? UCF going undefeated and thrashing Auburn wasn't sexy?

the article is lazy at best. dust off the same copy from 1 or 2 years ago, say the same old crap, rile up the Uconn fans and repeat again in a couple years if the team is still down.

Fake News!

In both of those seasons, those two teams were an afterthought in their own states. I'm not saying it isn't fun to play a team that is good, and that those two teams weren't good. But in the case of playing Houston two years ago, A&M would have put more fans in seats. Last year, Florida or Florida State would have, even if UCF was better than either (and it was).

 

[Pudge]

I have traded emails and talked to Mike DiMauro and he is a decent guy serving a small slice of Connecticut.

But he is BC all day everyday. And, that is the rub. They saw the Train coming and they exploited the moment. Long run ... they have reached their zenith; they are an urban Private school that will get thumped 7 times out of 8 as the ACC Publics control. They will lose a lot. And it is worse in hoop. WE - UConn - started too late. We are still a non - tradition football (and the lower division Yankee simply doesn't count). We could have been Rutgers and lost repeatedly and we would be better off. Plus the market thing.

The Brand of UConn is athletic excellence across Programs. Edsall will return us to a solid winning form. I am confident that's the path. And ... while our chances seem improbable ... there might be an opening for us to rise at some point. The attendance and fanbase of UConn Football is on us. And the succeeding generations. It is a good brand of Football when we play well and win. Not PP or Diaco. Gosh that sucked and those weren't awful HC choices (ok they were).

If you think we can never rise out of this hole, give up now. I have been watching UConn sports since the late 60s; there are amazing things that can happen because we have had excellent Program leadership and AD direction.

 

[champs99and04]

Missing out on that last P5 bid, may have been a death knell. The bad football has played a role but the BCS league gave it a sense of “big time”. That is completely gone now.

I'm not sure "big time" is the right term. The old league felt more like college sports, if that's what you mean, but I wouldn't say there was anything big time about it in the later years. I think this league might actually be more respected nationally because of the geography - coaches, analysts, etc. know how good a program you can build simply by taking second tier Florida and Texas kids.

 

[noeynox]

I'm not sure "big time" is the right term. The old league felt more like college sports, if that's what you mean, but I wouldn't say there was anything big time about it in the later years. I think this league might actually be more respected nationally because of the geography - coaches, analysts, etc. know how good a program you can build simply by taking second tier Florida and Texas kids.

Well, BCS was the line of demarcation between the haves and have nots. Now its P5. I was excited as all get out to get BCS football in this state as were many others judging by the number of fans in the stadium. Sure some of it was novelty, but it was also playing against teams like Syracuse and Pitt who had real northeast history in football. The fact that we caught them on the field in no time flat, was a testament to Edsall as well as the fact that he was offering a BCS conference to kids that could have gone to Florida Atlantic, Miami of Ohio, etc.

We offer nothing different than those programs now in terms of football relevance. That's why if I had to guess, Edsall is saying its tougher to recruit here now. What carrot is there for an overlooked kid from Florida to come up to the northeast when he could play for FAU, FIU, UCF, USF, if he doesn't get the P5 offer? Education? I don't think MOST recruits care all that much between a UConn education and an FIU one.

 

[Chief00]

It’s a better football conference at the top than the Big East was. They need a good PR guy.

 

[freescooter]

I strongly believe the football played in the AAC is every bit as good if not better than the football played in the Big East when we were part of it.

College football in some ways is like baseball in that regional games matter. I think even the Bic 10 and SEC are finding out that Florida-Missouri or Michigan Maryland lacks cache. Syracuse didn’t draw much for Southern Cal a few years ago.

 

[Marty Jackson]

In both of those seasons, those two teams were an afterthought in their own states. I'm not saying it isn't fun to play a team that is good, and that those two teams weren't good. But in the case of playing Houston two years ago, A&M would have put more fans in seats. Last year, Florida or Florida State would have, even if UCF was better than either (and it was).

Wow. So now this league sucks because it doesn't have an equivalent to Texas AM or Florida? Pretty high standards...
I would hardly say Houston was an afterthought that year until they lost. They were in contention for a bcs bid.

 

[Adios]

It’s a better football conference at the top than the Big East was. They need a good PR guy.

All the conference needs is more historic bowl wins.

Doing good, so far. The best conference teams down south can hang with the best.

 

[champs99and04]

Well, BCS was the line of demarcation between the haves and have nots. Now its P5. I was excited as all get out to get BCS football in this state as were many others judging by the number of fans in the stadium. Sure some of it was novelty, but it was also playing against teams like Syracuse and Pitt who had real northeast history in football. The fact that we caught them on the field in no time flat, was a testament to Edsall as well as the fact that he was offering a BCS conference to kids that could have gone to Florida Atlantic, Miami of Ohio, etc.

We offer nothing different than those programs now in terms of football relevance. That's why if I had to guess, Edsall is saying its tougher to recruit here now. What carrot is there for an overlooked kid from Florida to come up to the northeast when he could play for FAU, FIU, UCF, USF, if he doesn't get the P5 offer? Education? I don't think MOST recruits care all that much between a UConn education and an FIU one.

I hear you, but how many of those years were filled with incessant groaning from the media about how the Big East is still getting an auto bid? I mean, even the year we went, we knew we weren't that caliber of team. The new conference has quickly established itself as the best of the G5, and all else being equal, their champ is likely to get the nod for that slot.

Whether the new league is good for UConn is another question. I think we can all agree it's not.