Matt Brown: UConn Cuts The Check and Exits- Now What?

[Drew]

 

[Guapo]

I think this sums up what to think based on everything we know so far.

Well done, always been a fan of Matt Brown. Is he no longer with SB Nation?

 

[Pudge]

We are not playing Louisiana Monroe & Louisiana Tech & Southern Mississippi in the same year.

Horse trader Dave coming around the turn.

 

[Guapo]

We are not playing Louisiana Monroe & Louisiana Tech & Southern Mississippi in the same year.

Horse trader Dave coming around the turn.

I’d be ok with playing Southern Miss every year. That’s a good program.

 

[Exit 4]

We are not playing Louisiana Monroe & Louisiana Tech & Southern Mississippi in the same year.

Horse trader Dave coming around the turn.

Its very well a possibility for 2020. If just a few programs say no to us then what are we going to do? Dave is moving boulders here to make a 2020 schedule, not pebbles.

Our 2020 schedule and 2021 might be more stop gap than desired....long run - yes the plan is to not play schools in the Sunbelt and CUSA.

 

[whaler11]

Its very well a possibility for 2020. If just a few programs say no to us then what are we going to do? Dave is moving boulders here to make a 2020 schedule, not pebbles.

Our 2020 schedule and 2021 might be more stop gap than desired....long run - yes the plan is to not play schools in the Sunbelt and CUSA.

Personally if they play 11 FBS games and 6 home games I don’t really see any difference between 80 FBS teams. If they average 2-3 P5 and get a home game a year with one, La Tech seems fine to play.

 

[Guapo]

Personally if they play 11 FBS games and 6 home games I don’t really see any difference between 80 FBS teams. If they average 2-3 P5 and get a home game a year with one, La Tech seems fine to play.

Yeah LA Tech and Southern Miss were weird schools to reference here. Those are solid programs with good fanbases.

They are not the same as Middle Tennessee State etc.

 

[Pudge]

The ideal ...

Georgia & Florida newbies to FBS are far more desirable. Recruiting. And parents of current players. And Northeastern mindset to go trip.

I understand the constraints given ALL the fixed schedules this late.

I think we are going to see some surprises

 

[whaler11]

The ideal ...

Georgia & Florida newbies to FBS are far more desirable. Recruiting. And parents of current players. And Northeastern mindset to go trip.

I understand the constraints given ALL the fixed schedules this late.

I think we are going to see some surprises

Sure I’d rather play Kiffin than Southern Miss, but it takes two to tango.

 

[Guapo]

The ideal ...

Georgia & Florida newbies to FBS are far more desirable. Recruiting. And parents of current players. And Northeastern mindset to go trip.

I understand the constraints given ALL the fixed schedules this late.

I think we are going to see some surprises

Sure I’d rather play Kiffin than Southern Miss, but it takes two to tango.

I can’t believe y’all are making me sit here and sing the praises of stupid Southern Miss football, yet here I am.

I live down here. You’re just going to have trust me when I say that Southern Miss has 10x the following of say, Georgia Southern or FIU (and probably UCF and USF for that matter, historically anyway)

 

[whaler11]

I can’t believe y’all are making me sit here and sing the praises of stupid Southern Miss football, yet here I am.

I live down here. You’re just going to have trust me when I say that Southern Miss has 10x the following of say, Georgia Southern or FIU (and probably UCF and USF for that matter, historically anyway)

I get that. Just we recruit South Florida and we don’t recruit Mississippi.

 

[Guapo]

I get that. Just we recruit South Florida and we don’t recruit Mississippi.

...yet

 

[Pudge]

I can’t believe y’all are making me sit here and sing the praises of stupid Southern Miss football, yet here I am.

I live down here. You’re just going to have trust me when I say that Southern Miss has 10x the following of say, Georgia Southern or FIU (and probably UCF and USF for that matter, historically anyway)

You live in Hattiesburg? Do you see Brett Favre?

 

[Guapo]

You live in Hattiesburg? Do you see Brett Favre?

I don’t live in Hattiesburg, or Mississippi for that matter (thank God).

“Down here” = “the South”

The Southern Miss brand holds some sway.

SEC schools even give them 2 for 1’s

 

[billybud]

there is "down here" and Down Here"...

If you draw a line from Shreveport through Baton Rouge to Starkville MS and on through Birmingham to Athens to Clemson to Columbia SC....that line demarcates the "Down Here" deep south football crazies from the more rational fans elsewhere.

My belief is that it is a virus borne by mosquitoes.

 

[Pudge]

there is "down here" and Down Here"...

If you draw a line from Shreveport through Baton Rouge to Starkville MS and on through Birmingham to Athens to Clemson to Columbia SC....that line demarcates the "Down Here" deep south football crazies from the more rational fans elsewhere.

My belief is that it is a virus borne by mosquitoes.

OK .... question for you billybud

All things are not created equal.

IF you - a Florida State fan looks across this landscape, what do you think about the Newbies who have recently raised their Profile Identity in the South to the ones that have existed for 30 + years

Like

Coastal Carolina
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Florida International
Florida Atlantic
South Alabama
Troy
Appalachian State
Old Dominion
Charlotte

v

Southern Mississippi
Louisiana Monroe
Louisiana (Lafayette)
UAB
Middle Tennessee


(of course I am leaving out USF & UCF ... and not mentioning Texas State UTSA)

PART 2.0

I bet you'll see University of West Florida & Kennesaw State & UT Chattanooga go FBS before ... all the Northeast solid CAA programs even thing about it. Do you distinguish James Madison or Villanova or Delaware much from the first list?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Personally if they play 11 FBS games and 6 home games I don’t really see any difference between 80 FBS teams. If they average 2-3 P5 and get a home game a year with one, La Tech seems fine to play.

Exactly. 2020 and 2021 might be kinda gross but look at this way: if we play a riff raff schedule but the #casualfan sees a 9-3 or 8-4 record we might start drawing fans for our epic 2022 season.

 

[Purple Stein]

Personally if they play 11 FBS games and 6 home games I don’t really see any difference between 80 FBS teams. If they average 2-3 P5 and get a home game a year with one, La Tech seems fine to play.

The difference between the 80 schools is only one has coach craptastic running the defense.

Get La Tech on the 2020 schedule now and hope he can hang onto his job until then. What a battle of the titans it will be at the Rent - what Diaco is actively destroying vs what he has already destroyed.

 

[billybud]

OK .... question for you billybud

All things are not created equal.

IF you - a Florida State fan looks across this landscape, what do you think about the Newbies who have recently raised their Profile Identity in the South to the ones that have existed for 30 + years

Like

Coastal Carolina
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Florida International
Florida Atlantic
South Alabama
Troy
Appalachian State
Old Dominion
Charlotte

v

Southern Mississippi
Louisiana Monroe
Louisiana (Lafayette)
UAB
Middle Tennessee


(of course I am leaving out USF & UCF ... and not mentioning Texas State UTSA)

PART 2.0

I bet you'll see University of West Florida & Kennesaw State & UT Chattanooga go FBS before ... all the Northeast solid CAA programs even thing about it. Do you distinguish James Madison or Villanova or Delaware much from the first list?

I have a difficult time answering that but...

I don't believe that the tectonic plates of football have frozen....

When I was in school, FSU was a newcomer rising against the storied powers...Miami was much the same when I was in school.

Newly evolving teams imbedded in a high value recruiting area with a culture supporting football, can emerge as pretty good programs.

UCF is a recent, in football terms, phenomenon (Div I since 1996).

UAB has a puncher's chance but won't, in my lifetime, be a Bama, Auburn, or LSU. But they can be a solid team.

FAU, likewise. They won't be the top team in their state...culture and tradition take decades to build, but they could be solid.

Old Dominion and JMU could really improve as programs, but won't be a perrenial AP team.

The Mocs? I don't see them as FBS...I over nighted in Choo Choo City to watch a game last year...I also drift over to Cullowee to watch Western Carolina...but neither is yet in the league with UAB, the Ragin' Cajuns and such.

Ahhh...How much would I love to see West Florida rise (my hometown team)...but not very likely.

Troy beat a 9 win LSU last year in Baton Rouge....and was within 6 points of Clemson ar Clemson in 2016...a completely different capability.

But...my regional bias says that it would be more difficult for a north eastern team to emerge from the shadows....a lot of southern minnows are wanting to grow to a bigger fish and pond.

 

[CL82]

The school seems cautiously optimistic they can get some decent games beyond 2020, and I agree. The going rate for a one-off buy game is between $1.3 and $1.6 million right now, and at that price point, it makes more sense for many schools to just schedule home and homes (or 2 for 1s) to try and save money. UConn does have a few advantages compared to say, UMass, New Mexico State, or Liberty. They have a relatively large athletic brand, they have the ability to tie men’s and women’s basketball games to sweeten schedule deals, and their location might be attractive as a destination for a school with a large alumni base in New York or Boston. Perhaps that is enough to lure Big Ten or ACC teams to play the odd game in Connecticut. The Huskies could probably get BYU to come to campus as well.

 

[History Geek]

The school seems cautiously optimistic they can get some decent games beyond 2020, and I agree. The going rate for a one-off buy game is between $1.3 and $1.6 million right now, and at that price point, it makes more sense for many schools to just schedule home and homes (or 2 for 1s) to try and save money. UConn does have a few advantages compared to say, UMass, New Mexico State, or Liberty. They have a relatively large athletic brand, they have the ability to tie men’s and women’s basketball games to sweeten schedule deals, and their location might be attractive as a destination for a school with a large alumni base in New York or Boston. Perhaps that is enough to lure Big Ten or ACC teams to play the odd game in Connecticut. The Huskies could probably get BYU to come to campus as well.

Think about the amount of maize in the stands for the Michigan game. I have friends who live nearby in south central CT who have been to the Rent once — to see their beloved Wolverines.

 

[billybud]

BYU did a H&H with UMass, ECU, UConn....so why not another series?

 

[Pudge]

I have a difficult time answering that but...

I don't believe that the tectonic plates of football have frozen....

When I was in school, FSU was a newcomer rising against the storied powers...Miami was much the same when I was in school.

Newly evolving teams imbedded in a high value recruiting area with a culture supporting football, can emerge as pretty good programs.

UCF is a recent, in football terms, phenomenon (Div I since 1996).

UAB has a puncher's chance but won't, in my lifetime, be a Bama, Auburn, or LSU. But they can be a solid team.

FAU, likewise. They won't be the top team in their state...culture and tradition take decades to build, but they could be solid.

Old Dominion and JMU could really improve as programs, but won't be a perrenial AP team.

The Mocs? I don't see them as FBS...I over nighted in Choo Choo City to watch a game last year...I also drift over to Cullowee to watch Western Carolina...but neither is yet in the league with UAB, the Ragin' Cajuns and such.

Ahhh...How much would I love to see West Florida rise (my hometown team)...but not very likely.

Troy beat a 9 win LSU last year in Baton Rouge....and was within 6 points of Clemson ar Clemson in 2016...a completely different capability.

But...my regional bias says that it would be more difficult for a north eastern team to emerge from the shadows....a lot of southern minnows are wanting to grow to a bigger fish and pond.

This points out ONE contrasting truth

This FBS system has rewarded traditional FB from the Name Conferences. Yet, a solid Program doesn’t take that long to truly emerge to be uber competitive. You brought up FSU - and most of us wouldn’t put them in the category. But yes ... they should be. And Miami. In my lifetime.

UCF & others are poised. If they were pulling in $35m instead of $5m ... Katie bar the door.

The James Madison & Old Dominion could rise quick. Yet, the Northeast is gonna be constrained. BC are you listening. I think more Programs more Investment ... would lead to juice placed in the regional Prep Schools & Talent would have ways to access new opportunities. No. I am not afraid of CTE. I think technology will find a way.

 

[John Greene]

I am amazed that the Chestnut Hill crowd has hung on as long as it has. If another Flutie or Ryan doesn't show up soon I can see the day when they decide that the real estate under Alumni Stadium is too valuable to keep as a sport venue.

 

[Guapo]

BYU did a H&H with UMass, ECU, UConn....so why not another series?

There is going to be A LOT of BYU in UConn's future. Don't you worry.