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

[UCsports]

40% chance? not great

He seems to have no inside info. I think something like a 40% chance of a yes vote happening in September is a reasonable prediction, but a 40% chance of it ever happening seems too low. It appears the consulting firm for the big 12 has concluded that adding UConn will be a good long term financial move. But I think the presidents will want to wait to vote until later in the season or after the season partly because they want to do it when UConn football has won some more games in order to appease the concerns of the fans. If UConn had won 7 or 8 games last year after winning 6 games two years ago, then I think UConn would have already got the invite earlier in the summer. Right now football matters tremendously to the schools opposing the addition of UConn.

 

[gsmooth]

He seems to have no inside info. I think something like a 40% chance of a yes vote happening in September is a reasonable prediction, but a 40% chance of it ever happening seems too low. It appears the consulting firm for the big 12 has concluded that adding UConn will be a good long term financial move. But I think the presidents will want to wait to vote until later in the season or after the season partly because they want to do it when UConn football has won some more games in order to appease the concerns of the fans. If UConn had won 7 or 8 games last year after winning 6 games two years ago, then I think UConn would have already got the invite earlier in the summer. Right now football matters tremendously to the schools opposing the addition of UConn.

I think this is what drives UConn fans nuts, or definitely myself nuts. The football was so bad over the last decade-plus and whenever UConn had to right the ship, it just got worse. What you said encapsulates why last year was so deflating. Instead of gaining momentum and building off of the 6-6 season, last year was deep sixed and I knew it during the Georgia State game when UConn was down early in the 2nd half 28-0. Even if they won the Utah St game and the South Florida game, they would have been 5-7 and optically speaking that looks a lot better than 3-9.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think this is what drives UConn fans nuts, or definitely myself nuts. The football was so bad over the last decade-plus and whenever UConn had to right the ship, it just got worse. What you said encapsulates why last year was so deflating. Instead of gaining momentum and building off of the 6-6 season, last year was deep sixed and I knew it during the Georgia State game when UConn was down early in the 2nd half 28-0. Even if they won the Utah St game and the South Florida game, they would have been 5-7 and optically speaking that looks a lot better than 3-9.

This has very little to do with how bad the football team is or has been in recent years. UConn's problem is that the two leagues that regionally make the most sense, the Big 10 and ACC, don't think they need us. The Big 10 has PSU and Rutgers for the northeast, and Rutgers was a huge mistake for them and has probably made them gun shy about going east. The ACC probably knows they don't have the market, but BCU keeps blocking us.

So now we have to convince one of the other two leagues, which are pretty far away, to take us. It will be a challenge.

 

[gsmooth]

This has very little to do with how bad the football team is or has been in recent years. UConn's problem is that the two leagues that regionally make the most sense, the Big 10 and ACC, don't think they need us. The Big 10 has PSU and Rutgers for the northeast, and Rutgers was a huge mistake for them and has probably made them gun shy about going east. The ACC probably knows they don't have the market, but BCU keeps blocking us.

So now we have to convince one of the other two leagues, which are pretty far away, to take us. It will be a challenge.

Respectfully, I am not with you on this one. If one thing conference realignment has shown us is that the team being added to a conference doesn't need to be in close proximity to the rest of the conference members. If UConn Football was great, I know they are not, but if they were, a conference would have added them long time ago and even more recently considering their basketball success. None of the reasons you listed for conferences being hesitant would have blocked UConn.

The thing is UConn Football does not even need to be really good, it just needs to be good enough. What does good enough mean? It means 1) playing competitively on the field and not looking like a team of middle schoolers overmatched going against high school seniors and 2) having an 80% capacity at the Rent for a loud raucous environment that looks and sounds good on TV. With the level of football played in the last decade-plus years, especially the Randy Edsall 2.0 years, would come close to being good enough football for conferences that are looking to add.

 

[noeynox]

Definitely looking more and more likely UConn got played again. It is bad enough with the negativity outside, but when some of our own fans and public figures are so adamant against this move, it is not a good look. Not surprised, but disappointed.

Again, this got leaked to a podcaster for exactly this reason. They knew the sentimentalist would start crying about their beloved bus trips and soon after the Chris Murphy types would crap on a potential move.

Why do i say this? The source went from they "definitely" have the votes to only 8 or 9 votes. That's how you cut this things legs off before they move.

Going forward, Benedict, Toscano and Burton are going to have to be super secretive about this. There are traitors among us.

 

[superjohn]

Again, this got leaked to a podcaster for exactly this reason. They knew the sentimentalist would start crying about their beloved bus trips and soon after the Chris Murphy types would crap on a potential move.

Why do i say this? The source went from they "definitely" have the votes to only 8 or 9 votes. That's how you cut this things legs off before they move.

Going forward, Benedict, Toscano and Burton are going to have to be super secretive about this. There are traitors among us.

Why would Benedict, Toscano, and Burton not be super secretive now if they want us in the Big 12 and someone from CT leaking it would blow up the deal?

 

[GemParty]

Odd question. I know the football record has been poor. Why haven’t we gone out and overpaid for a Huge name in coaching? Would that soften the stance on record?

Example a std p4 coach makes xxx. Triple that.

Then you get your conference goals. The excitement of they hired so and so. Almost like the Dion Sanders factor.

Whatever names from the NFL you could get.

 

[AllHusky]

Odd question. I know the football record has been poor. Why haven’t we gone out and overpaid for a Huge name in coaching? Would that soften the stance on record?

Example a std p4 coach makes xxx. Triple that.

Then you get your conference goals. The excitement of they hired so and so. Almost like the Dion Sanders factor.

Whatever names from the NFL you could get.

Conflicting priorities and needs. UConn under heavy $$ pressure in last 5-10 years. Upgrading FB was a hard sell, both to donors and the State. People are enjoying the glow of consecutive titles, and coming to the realization that that glow will be in the rear view if we don’t get shipshape(P3/4) asap.

 

[BlueMAB]

Odd question. I know the football record has been poor. Why haven’t we gone out and overpaid for a Huge name in coaching? Would that soften the stance on record?

Example a std p4 coach makes xxx. Triple that.

Then you get your conference goals. The excitement of they hired so and so. Almost like the Dion Sanders factor.

Whatever names from the NFL you could get.

Where is this $15M-$20M/year coming from to pay this head coach and staff?

 

[CL82]

I think this is what drives UConn fans nuts, or definitely myself nuts. The football was so bad over the last decade-plus and whenever UConn had to right the ship, it just got worse. What you said encapsulates why last year was so deflating. Instead of gaining momentum and building off of the 6-6 season, last year was deep sixed and I knew it during the Georgia State game when UConn was down early in the 2nd half 28-0. Even if they won the Utah St game and the South Florida game, they would have been 5-7 and optically speaking that looks a lot better than 3-9.

If you look at the number of games last year that we lost by one or two scores, you can see how close we were to being right around 500 again. I am very hopeful that we can make a statement of sorts this season. Not confident, mind you, because there are so many unknowns, but hopeful.

 

[CL82]

Where is this $15M-$20M/year coming from to pay this head coach and staff?

Connecticut taxpayers.

Thank you!

 

[AllHusky]

Where is this $15M-$20M/year coming from to pay this head coach and staff?

Year 4 for Mora regime. Big one, he proves to be a great grab, or a retread. I’m thinking great grab, let’s hope for some decent luck.

 

[noeynox]

Why would Benedict, Toscano, and Burton not be super secretive now if they want us in the Big 12 and someone from CT leaking it would blow up the deal?

I don't know. But someone leaked it and i doubt it was any of them.

 

[jostar1]

Odd question. I know the football record has been poor. Why haven’t we gone out and overpaid for a Huge name in coaching? Would that soften the stance on record?

Example a std p4 coach makes xxx. Triple that.

Then you get your conference goals. The excitement of they hired so and so. Almost like the Dion Sanders factor.

Whatever names from the NFL you could get.

Because we don't have the money for that. Plain and simple. That's why I question where we will get the money from in the next 7 years to improve the football program for when the Big 12 TV contract comes up in 2031 if we aren't part of the Big 12.

 

[jostar1]

Connecticut taxpayers.

Thank you!

Not if we aren't joining the Big 12.

 

[GG]

I don't think that will have that much of an effect on how the Presidents vote. It will be the other issues: lack of football success, too far away, why do it now?, etc.

Unfortunately, you are not correct. None of the negativity helps, especially when it comes from our fans and political leaders.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Unfortunately, you are not correct. None of the negativity helps, especially when it comes from our fans and political leaders.

This is double-standard nonsense. Go read about Utah fans leading up to their inclusion in the Big12. They were none too happy, nor one of the Arizona schools if I remember correctly.

 

[Ucxc24]

If that's even true, it would mean they are just collecting convenient excuses to use for saying no.

The commissioner they hired for reasons like this wants us

The consultant who is hired just for this reason wants us

ESPN wants us

This would be pretty radical for those members to vote no considering all this. They have to scrape for reasons

Bingo.

 

[NowInStorrs]

Either the president or AD of ASU was vocal about not wanting this join the Big12 yet they still got in. Who cares what talking heads and fans have to say

Utah had to be brought in kicking and screaming.

 

[shizzle787]

The reason UConn needs to make this move is to not only get into the P4 now but give themselves a chance to get into the Big 10 in 10-15 years. If the SEC and Big 10 go to 24 schools in the future and UConn is at least average in football in the Big 12 (very plausible given previous performance in BCS league), UConn would have a decent shot to be team #23 or #24. That is why you have to make the move. I don't know if the Big 12 is going to add UConn but I know why some Big 12 schools would be opposed and it's not because of football, it's because they fall behind UConn in the Big 10 pecking order if the Huskies are invited.

Teams never sniffing the Big 10:
UCF
Cincinnati
West Virginia
Iowa State
Kansas State
Baylor
BYU
Oklahoma State
Houston

Teams with a chance:
Texas Tech
TCU

Teams with a real opportunity if the Big 10 goes to 24 (obviously some of these schools could get picked off by the SEC as well):
Kansas
Utah
UConn
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado

 

[How Sway?!]

Either the president or AD of ASU was vocal about not wanting to join the Big12 yet they still going invited. Who cares what talking heads and hoi polloi say

Yeah, that sounds like bs to me. Utah is on record saying that joining the B12 was a stepping stone for them and no one batted an eye.

 

[shizzle787]

Yeah, that sounds like bs to me. Utah is on record saying that joining the B12 was a stepping stone for them and no one batted an eye.

It is. They are trying to get into the Big 10 ultimately just like us. We are Big 10 expansion competitions for Kansas and the 4 Corner schools.

 

[gsmooth]

If that's even true, it would mean they are just collecting convenient excuses to use for saying no.

The commissioner they hired for reasons like this wants us

The consultant who is hired just for this reason wants us

ESPN wants us

This would be pretty radical for those members to vote no considering all this. They have to scrape for reasons

This post is correct. The absurdly bad football for UConn over the last decade-plus makes it easier for others to vote them down.

Here is a question for everybody here that is partially rhetorical:
If UConn Football did the following things:

1) averaged somewhere between 6-7.5 wins every year for the last few years
2) played competitive and competent football on offense (offense is the trend football has been moving in for a while)
3) filled the Rent to 80% capacity with loud fans for a good game environment that looks good and sounds good on TV

Would any of these peripheral things such as Chris Murphy tweets, basketball only people making noise, BC objecting profusely (for ACC), even matter? I don't think so, because the conference, Big 12 or ACC, would see value in adding UConn. UConn being a key player in the northeast and bringing their gold gem basketball all matter and probably could've been enough with competent football, but the football has been that bad it causes hesitation.

 

[GG]

This is double-standard nonsense. Go read about Utah fans leading up to their inclusion in the Big12. They were none too happy, nor one of the Arizona schools if I remember correctly.

I guess I would argue the difference is those schools are coveted for all sports, including football. For many good reasons, schools are skeptical to take us because of our football. Combine that with a lack of fan and political support, and it certainly does not look good nor does it help our case.

 

[UC1995]

The reason UConn needs to make this move is to not only get into the P4 now but give themselves a chance to get into the Big 10 in 10-15 years. If the SEC and Big 10 go to 24 schools in the future and UConn is at least average in football in the Big 12 (very plausible given previous performance in BCS league), UConn would have a decent shot to be team #23 or #24. That is why you have to make the move. I don't know if the Big 12 is going to add UConn but I know why some Big 12 schools would be opposed and it's not because of football, it's because they fall behind UConn in the Big 10 pecking order if the Huskies are invited.

Teams never sniffing the Big 10:
UCF
Cincinnati
West Virginia
Iowa State
Kansas State
Baylor
BYU
Oklahoma State
Houston

Teams with a chance:
Texas Tech
TCU

Teams with a real opportunity if the Big 10 goes to 24 (obviously some of these schools could get picked off by the SEC as well):
Kansas
Utah
UConn
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado

I am not sure why you keep putting out these absurd theories about the Big Ten. We’re not AAU they’re not taking us. there are plenty of schools that already have a status that would be ahead of us, but our football is never gonna reach the status that they want even if we could be better than record in the end