Meet college football scheduling savant Dave Brown, the secret weapon in UConn’s independent future (Putterman)

[huskymedic]

Hmmm... imagine that



Backdoor view

>>When athletic director David Benedict began contemplating UConn football’s first schedule as an independent program, he had no real doubt whom to call first. He dialed Dave Brown.

“From a scheduling aspect, he was the No. 1 guy,” Benedict said. “There’s nobody who has a better handle, that I’m aware of, than Dave Brown, when it comes to all the potential opportunities there are from a scheduling perspective. He just seems to be in the middle of everything.”<<

>>Brown has relationships across college sports that let him serve as a de facto scheduling broker. Sometimes he’ll refer Benedict to a school or conference that might be willing to accommodate UConn. Other times, he’ll reach out himself.
“He’s able to help kind of tie everything together, with quickly being able to reach out to folks,” Benedict said. “He’s very valuable in the sense that he can provide some reality or context to how realistic is it that you can get this done.”<<

 

[CL82]

“The biggest challenge we have is making all the games fit, having the right home-road balance and getting games in November. Not necessarily getting games,” Brown said. “Because people do want to play them. The stadium is great, it’s right between New York and Boston, it’s close to so many people’s alumni bases, student recruiting.”

 

[UConnTrumbull]

All this while aresco continually complaining about the lack of respect for the self-proclaimed p6 conference #definitelynotmad

 

[Exit 4]

For example, Brown says UConn should look toward the ACC late in the season. The conference’s relationship with Notre Dame means that on any given weekend in November, one of its 14 programs is often facing the Fighting Irish. That leaves an odd number of remaining ACC schools, one of which will be left without a conference game and potentially in need of an opponent.

 

[BlueDogs]

“The biggest challenge we have is making all the games fit, having the right home-road balance and getting games in November. Not necessarily getting games,” Brown said. “Because people do want to play them. The stadium is great, it’s right between New York and Boston, it’s close to so many people’s alumni bases, student recruiting.”

Duh...and the UConn brain trust couldn't figure out how to get us marketed and positioned during CR.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

“... people do want to play (UConn). The stadium is great, it’s right between New York and Boston, it’s close to so many people’s alumni bases, student recruiting.”

Immediately upon declaring independence, these 2 important facts were highlighted and discussed here; the latter 2 + 2 enticing geographic population centers.

 

[CL82]

Duh...and the UConn brain trust couldn't figure out how to get us marketed and positioned during CR.

I think there were factors out of our control that hurt us.

BCU's black balling us in the conference that makes the most geographic sense for us cost us. I'm not sure there was a whole lot we could have done about that.

 

[Palatine]

I think there were factors out of our control that hurt us.

BCU's black balling us in the conference that makes the most geographic sense for us cost us. I'm not sure there was a whole lot we could have done about that.

BCU didn't have enough heft to do anything. Our problem was ACC heavyweights Clemson and FSU neither of which recruits students from the northeast and both of which had reservations about our football program. BCU snuck into the ACC in Miami's butt. The idea that had the muscle to "black ball" UConn is a myth.

 

[businesslawyer]

BCU didn't have enough heft to do anything. Our problem was ACC heavyweights Clemson and FSU neither of which recruits students from the northeast and both of which had reservations about our football program. BCU snuck into the ACC in Miami's butt. The idea that had the muscle to "black ball" UConn is a myth.

Thank you. Everyone knew BC didn't want us in the ACC, and yet the Tobacco Road core schools were telling us we'd be in. It was only when the football schools demanded a school that would help their SOS to come in that we were screwed.

 

[CL82]

BCU didn't have enough heft to do anything. Our problem was ACC heavyweights Clemson and FSU neither of which recruits students from the northeast and both of which had reservations about our football program. BCU snuck into the ACC in Miami's butt. The idea that had the muscle to "black ball" UConn is a myth.

Actually, your denial is BY revisionism.

BC athletics director Gene DeFilippo seemingly confirmed what many had been reporting/presuming over the past month — that BC blocked UConn from receiving an invite to the ACC.

“We didn’t want them in,’ DeFilippo told the Globe. “It was a matter of turf. We wanted to be the New England team.’

Boston College Worked To Keep UConn Out Of ACC

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Thank you. Everyone knew BC didn't want us in the ACC, and yet the Tobacco Road core schools were telling us we'd be in. It was only when the football schools demanded a school that would help their SOS to come in that we were screwed.

I’m pretty sure we had winning records over Louisville, Pitt AND Syracuse while in the Big East.

 

[CL82]

Thank you. Everyone knew BC didn't want us in the ACC, and yet the Tobacco Road core schools were telling us we'd be in. It was only when the football schools demanded a school that would help their SOS to come in that we were screwed.

Correct for Louisville's admission, though BCU joined FSU and Clemson in lobbying against us. But if BCU didn't block us when 'cuse joined we'd already have been in.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Our problem was ACC heavyweights Clemson and FSU neither of which recruits students from the northeast and both of which had reservations about our football program.

In 2012, two college football heavyweights picked their preferred, more sort of southern-influenced football school and perceived stronger respective SOS.

On the other hand, it’s not 1970 in regular student recruiting, e.g., Clemson’s known to recruit a lot of northeast kids and Free Shoes likely recruits some as well.

 

[UC1995]

Thank you. Everyone knew BC didn't want us in the ACC, and yet the Tobacco Road core schools were telling us we'd be in. It was only when the football schools demanded a school that would help their SOS to come in that we were screwed.

It is such a stupid argument on the Football Powers part when the division continues to play teams like Rice, Wiliam Mary, Western Carolina, Richmond, Louisiana Monroe, Western Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, Liberty, Mercer, FIU, Furman, Citadel, Bethune Cookman, Western Kentucky, Elon, and Charlotte (just in first 4 weeks alone).

UConn in ACC would have been no different and in the end, would have been much stronger then we are now if we made it in. The great momentum ended the day that Louisville swooped in to take the last spot.

 

[UC1995]

And if they really hated to have a Northern School since they don't recruit there then why let BCU in in the first place. BCU Sucks and will forever suck in the ACC!

 

[CL82]

And if they really hated to have a Northern School since they don't recruit there then why let BCU in in the first place. BCU Sucks and will forever suck in the ACC!

UConn didn't play D1 when BCU defected to the ACC with Miami.

 

[businesslawyer]

Correct for Louisville's admission, though BCU joined FSU and Clemson in lobbying against us. But if BCU didn't block us when 'cuse joined we'd already have been in.

That is true. Although BCU was only effective in getting Pitt in over us because the Tobacco Road schools were fairly indifferent to the choice of UConn v Pitt in the first place.

 

[businesslawyer]

It is such a stupid argument on the Football Powers part when the division continues to play teams like Rice, Wiliam Mary, Western Carolina, Richmond, Louisiana Monroe, Western Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, Liberty, Mercer, FIU, Furman, Citadel, Bethune Cookman, Western Kentucky, Elon, and Charlotte (just in first 4 weeks alone).

UConn in ACC would have been no different and in the end, would have been much stronger then we are now if we made it in. The great momentum ended the day that Louisville swooped in to take the last spot.

It wasn't all about rational arguments. Part of it was that FSU and Clemson thought that the ACC paid to much attention to hoops and deferred too much to the Tobacco Road schools, and they wanted to throw a fit to show they were the new powers. To some degree, we were just ancillary roadkill to a hostile takeover.

 

[UCMB88]

UConn didn't play D1 when BCU defected to the ACC with Miami.

Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and became a full-fledged Division I-A team in 2002. The Huskies played their first Big East conference game on September 17, 2004 when they dropped a 27–7 decision at Boston College. On July 1, 2005, Boston College moved from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

UConn didn't play D1 when BCU defected to the ACC with Miami.

In 2003, UConn was still an independent yet had fully transitioned to FBS. The latter, a decade or so too late.

 

[UConnJim]

BCU didn't have enough heft to do anything. Our problem was ACC heavyweights Clemson and FSU neither of which recruits students from the northeast and both of which had reservations about our football program. BCU snuck into the ACC in Miami's butt. The idea that had the muscle to "black ball" UConn is a myth.

If student demographics were the main criteria for getting into the ACC, CT and the Northeast would have helped UConn get into the ACC over Louisville.

You are not correct about the ACC schools recruiting students from the Northeast. If you have high school/college age kids, Southern schools have become more attractive to Northeastern kids. In fact, look at where Clemson undergrads come from:

1. South Carolina: 12,906
2. North Carolina: 1038 (+18 in last 3 years)
3. Georgia: 793 (+97 in last 3 years)
4. New Jersey: 570 (+86)
5. Virginia: 498 (+37)
6. NY: 380 (+130)
7. Maryland: 350 (-82)
8. Florida: 334 (+37)
9. Pennsylvania: 324 (+37)
10. Massachusetts: 309 (+12)
11. Connecticut: 239 (+31)

Here are the ACC undergrads by state of origin:

Miami: #2 NY, #3 NJ, #4 MA, #8 CT, #10 PA
Syracuse: #1 NY, #2 NJ, #3 MA, #4 PA, #6 CT
Florida St.: #5 PA, #6 NJ, #7 NY, #9 CT
Duke: #3 NY, #5 NJ.
Wake Forest: #3 NJ, #4 NY, #6 MA, #7 CT, #7 PA
Miami: #2 NY, #3 NJ, #7 CT, #9 PA
BC: #1 MA, #2 NY, #3 NJ, #4 CT, #6 PA
Virginia Tech: #3 NJ, #4 PA, #6 NY, #7 MA, #8 CT
North Carolina: #3 NY, #7 NJ, #9 PA
NC State: #4 PA, #6 NY, #7 NJ #10 MA
Pitt: #1 PA, #2 NY, #3 NJ, #8 MA
Virginia: #3 NJ, #4 NY, #5 PA, #9 CT
Louisville: #5 PA, #6 NJ, #8 NY

Out of the 14 ACC schools, Connecticut is in the top 10 state of origin of 9 schools (I included Clemson). Massachusetts is in top 10 for 8 schools. New York and New Jersey are in the top 10 of all 14 ACC schools.

 

[Palatine]

The southern heavyweights do NOT want BCU either. But Miami demanded they be included and had the heft to get them in.

The idea that BCU had any sway doesn't pass muster. DeFillipo's comments were self serving nonsense.

 

[CL82]

That is true. Although BCU was only effective in getting Pitt in over us because the Tobacco Road schools were fairly indifferent to the choice of UConn v Pitt in the first place.

I suspect if they got a Mulligan, they might not be.

Keep in mind that it was a committee that made the recommendation for which schools to invite. BCU director Gene DeFilippo being one of the three twelve member expansion committee had a disproportionate impact on that recommendation.

 

[CL82]

In 2003, UConn was still an independent yet had fully transitioned to FBS. The latter, a decade or so too late.

And there wasn't an FBS yet. But agree with your larger point. If we had made the move sooner, it would have improved the likelihood of our being P5 right now. Oh well.

 

[CL82]

Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and became a full-fledged Division I-A team in 2002. The Huskies played their first Big East conference game on September 17, 2004 when they dropped a 27–7 decision at Boston College. On July 1, 2005, Boston College moved from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

You are right. I had forgotten that BCU did not leave with Miami and VaTech.