Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[NH Husky]

I’m wondering what this does to our football program. If we start losing recruits and coaches you have to wonder if we lower football and focus resources on men’s and women’s hoops.
P4 options are dwindling. If the national perception is we’ve given up on football might as well make it reality

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Financials and stability long term.. I get it.. and I’m bummed…But man I love playing in the Big East again and for the near term… a lot to be excited about BB wise.

Let's hope we can right the ship and get football on the right track. This realignment will start again since it's not done.

If B1G goes to 20, others will too.

If ACC is smart, they invite us and others to get to 16, 18, or 20. I don't think ACC is forward thinking or smart though.

 

[huskypantz]

This. The presidents/chancellors screwed Yormark. Unless we go to 18 with SDSU, he's not getting that "big NY moment". Utah and ASU agreed to 25 million for first 2 years. I apologize to you all. My information ended up being wrong.

Appreciate you coming here to share. Hopefully we’ll meet up again under better circumstances for us.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Yes. Randy Edsall 2.0 was one of the worst decisions ever by UCONN admin and AD Dave.

This turned out to be a disaster but there were a number of contributing factors.

• Someone posted in one of the threads about the dog and pony show the B-12 ran in 2016 where they pretended to want to expand and ended up standing pat. The truth is they went into that believing we would be a solid addition and needed to determine who to bring in along with us and ended up being stunned at what a mess our football program was, realizing that we wouldn't be competent in a P-5 conference. This was when DB tried to get Diaco to bring in a veteran (I believe Kill) as a mentor to stabilize the program but Diaco refused.
• DB knew he had to fix the football program and was told by a few boosters that he needed someone with experience with our unique situation (basically given a presentation to bring in RE) to fix the program, let Diaco go with a large buyout and hired RE (the trustees were furious about the buyout).
• When DB found out that Pitt was going to interview Dan Hurley, DB asked for approval to buyout KO so we could hire Hurley (if you believe bringing in Hurley was the right move, this was necessary). He was told that he had to wait a year to fire KO (buyout would have dropped) so he took a different approach so he wouldn't lose Hurley. The BOT showed their pettiness after this.
• Even though RE was hired at a discount, the BOT tied DB's hands on money as a means to punish him for putting money at risk in replacing KO with Dan Hurley. We lose an offensive coordinator, RE has to did into his salary to replace him. We lose a second one, we have to have our offensive line coach pull double duty.
• RE unfortunately knew only one way to build a program; rip it down to the foundation and then rebuild. We were in a situation where we really didn't have the time for an RE rebuild. This was compounded when we left the AAC and became independent as RE couldn't conceptualize the move as anything other than abandoning the football program.

 

[aburks41]

I’m wondering what this does to our football program. If we start losing recruits and coaches you have to wonder if we lower football and focus resources on men’s and women’s hoops.

I don't want to say it, but we're getting dangerously close to shuttering the program territory. We'll keep it operating until the ACC falls, but if we still don't get into a power conference after that, we can probably say goodnight.

 

[CTBballfan243]

AD David Benedict and UConn gave it a good fight. We new it was a narrow window for us to get in. We were in it right up until the last few hours. UConn’s day will come. Keep the faith. Now let’s get ready for fun football and basketball seasons. It’s great to be part of Huskie Nation!!!!!

 

[huskypantz]

I don't want to say it, but we're getting dangerously close to shuttering the program territory. We'll keep it operating until the ACC falls, but if we still don't get into a power conference after that, we can probably say goodnight.

That will be the end of elite basketball as well. We’ll be “second division” when the Px break off.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I get it. Always assumed we’d be behind all four corner schools. Only hope was the B1G didn’t act on Washington & Oregon and they’d choose to stay.

Stanford and Cal still out there with us. So my scenario where the ACC wakes &$k up and becomes aggressive is still in play. They are at 15 now. Go to 18.

 

[aburks41]

That will be the end of elite basketball as well. We’ll be “second division” when the Px break off.

Yup. That's why I can't understand how people on twitter are celebrating this news. Was the Big 12 a good fit for us? No, not at all. But what it would have done was save our athletic department and give us options in the future should we want to do some sort of merge with the ACC. I'm not trying to be a doomer, but this is a scary, scary day for UConn athletics.

 

[That Guy]

I get it. Always assumed we’d be behind all four corner schools. Only hope was the B1G didn’t act on Washington & Oregon and they’d choose to stay.

Stanford and Cal still out there with us. So my scenario where the ACC wakes &$k up and becomes aggressive is still in play. They are at 15 now. Go to 18.

At this point it wouldn't even surprise me if the ACC took any combination of the remaining Pac schools and some AAC schools instead of us.

 

[NowInStorrs]

The four corner schools only consist of three of the corners. Just felt like somebody needed to point that out.

 

[mike012]

It’s scary how much of a plague our football team is perceived as, and how little basketball matters.

 

[ZooCougar]

Welp

 

[NowInStorrs]

What if everybody who gets left behind by this wave of realignment starts a football only conference? Travel doesn't matter as much in football so we can have schools from all over the place and everyone can find another home for basketball and Olympic sports. Could work.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It’s scary how much of a plague our football team is perceived as, and how little basketball matters.

We’ve done a terrible job countering the perception of our football team. In the eyes of most our entire existence started with PP and went through RE 2.0.

 

[Rockford]

I thought Yormack wanted a coast to coast league? He doesn't and is missing major markets ....

Would they go to 18? UConn & SDSU. Would make tons of sense. Unsure on TV. Anyhow they're the minor leagues anyways.....without UConn

 

[djct1999]

I’m wondering what this does to our football program. If we start losing recruits and coaches you have to wonder if we lower football and focus resources on men’s and women’s hoops.
P4 options are dwindling. If the national perception is we’ve given up on football might as well make it reality

It’s not just football. The Big East will slowly deteriorate as well. This is a very dark day if you support UConn athletics.

 

[NH Husky]

That will be the end of elite basketball as well. We’ll be “second division” when the Px break off.

I understand the sentiment but I think there’s enough basketball talent to support more teams than just P4.
More likely there will be some separation of football and other sports. There may be a P2 arrangement where non contributors like BC, Wake, and similar are booted. Than a tier 2 level forms. Interesting thing would be there is enough non P2 alumni and talent to provide an entertaining product.

 

[NowInStorrs]

I thought Yormack wanted a coast to coast league? He doesn't ....

Would they go to 18? UConn & SDSU. Would make tons of sense. Unsure on TV.

UConn and Stanford would be better.

 

[Deleted at users request]

The football team is going to be pretty much playing for it’s life this season.

Jim got 6 wins last year with a banged up roster. I have a small bet he ups it to 10 this year at +2600 odds.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I thought Yormack wanted a coast to coast league? He doesn't ....

Would they go to 18? UConn & SDSU. Would make tons of sense. Unsure on TV.

He is employed by the people who make the decisions. They chose to play it safe. I can’t blame them.

 

[GG]

It’s scary how much of a plague our football team is perceived as, and how little basketball matters.

It’s scary how much of a plague our football team is perceived as, and how little basketball

I thought Yormack wanted a coast to coast league? He doesn't ....

Would they go to 18? UConn & SDSU. Would make tons of sense. Unsure on TV.

He does, but the big 12 presidents don’t share (or u deter and) his vision. Wonder if they will end up regretting it.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

I’m wondering what this does to our football program. If we start losing recruits and coaches you have to wonder if we lower football and focus resources on men’s and women’s hoops.
P4 options are dwindling. If the national perception is we’ve given up on football might as well make it reality

I hate to over-react, but I think this may officially be the end of the UConn run at the elite level.

With the supposed iron-clad GOR in the ACC, I don't think we can survive 10 years being at such a sever disadvantage. I give it a year or two until Mora is plucked by a P4 school at this point.

But lets enjoy the next 5-10 year run for our basketball team until we are relegated to D1-AA and slowly become Holy Cross in 30 years time (along with the rest of the Big East teams).

We could give it a shot and continue to invest heavily for a few years hoping that the conference realignment wheels turn again in the next few years and we elevate our football program--but unfortunately, I don't think it will make a difference given the current landscape of minimal movement and likely reduced media dollars availbel to anyone outside of the B1G or SEC going forward..

....or we can just drink heavily!

 

[That Guy]

I thought Yormack wanted a coast to coast league? He doesn't and is missing major markets ....

Would they go to 18? UConn & SDSU. Would make tons of sense. Unsure on TV. Anyhow they're the minor leagues anyways.....without UConn

I think it's far more likely that they go to 18 with Oregon State and Wazzou. Cal and Stanford would likely go independent and easily survive because they're loaded with $$$.

 

[Mora4Prez]

This was the absolute worst case scenario for us. I’m genuinely scared that our football program will shutter in 2-3 years.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Why can't UConn get a break. We have so much to offer a conference.

 

[djct1999]

I hate to over-react, but I think this may officially be the end of the UConn run at the elite level.

With the supposed iron-clad GOR in the ACC, I don't think we can survive 10 years being at such a sever disadvantage. I give it a year or two until Mora is plucked by a P4 school at this point.

But lets enjoy the next 5-10 year run for our basketball team until we are relegated to D1-AA and slowly become Holy Cross in 30 years time (along with the rest of the Big East teams).

We could give it a shot and continue to invest heavily for a few years hoping that the conference realignment wheels turn again in the next few years and we elevate our football program--but unfortunately, I don't think it will make a difference given the current landscape of minimal movement and likely reduced media dollars availbel to anyone outside of the B1G or SEC going forward..

....or we can just drink heavily!

This isn’t an overreaction. We learned today we will never be invited to the big dance. A table with the P5 rejects is not a win.

 

[businesslawyer]

The football team is going to be pretty much playing for it’s life this season.

Jim got 6 wins last year with a banged up roster. I have a small bet he ups it to 10 this year at +2600 odds.

For us non-gamblers, is that 26 to 1 or 260 to 1?

 

[LoyalFanCT]

This was the absolute worst case scenario for us. I’m genuinely scared that our football program will shutter in 2-3 years.

this is what I was worried about for a few years. It's up to Mora now to prove the nation they are wrong.

 

[UConntLose]

It's a moot point now, but I am going to try to get some answers. Not from the UConn side. It was very obvious to me that Mike Anthony did that yesterday when he put out his article - which should have been done way earlier (and there should have been a greater proactive push addressing the UConn football narrative; that shouldn't have to come from me when I am not a journalist).

But I am going to persisently try to get some insight from the Big 12 side. I'm tied of people using the UConn brand and getting away with it. Going to try to hold someone accountable here.