Navy and Air Force

[nelsonmuntz]

I am really on the fence with both these schools, and it is clear Navy is getting cold feet too. The mission of these schools is so radically different from every other school in the Big East. Furthermore, an upgrade will not really change their programs much at all, other than put a few more fans in their seats. Recruits that want to go to Navy or Air Force do not really care what league they are in.

Air Force was never able to crack the Top 3 in the MWC, even when those top 3 schools were down. Air Force was 3-12 against BYU, Utah and TCU the last 5 years, and those 3 weren't great every one of those years. A lot of the losses were competitive, but they were still a lot of losses. The rest of the MWC, which was middle of the pack to worse mid-major quality over that stretch, won 4 games against Air Force. AFA went 2-4 against BCS schools, with two razor close losses to Tennessee and Oklahoma, which is respectable.

Navy's track record is 11-12 against the majors, with some nice wins in there (ND 2010, Missouri 2009 Texas Bowl, Wake 2008), although they are both 2-2 against Duke and 3-1 against Notre Dame over that stretch, which is kind of strange. They are decent, but these were the best Navy teams in probably 40+ years. Can they keep that up?

I feel like the upside of Temple or a BYU (just let them keep the rebroadcast rights and we have a good shot at them) is better than Air Force or Navy. It's not clear cut though, and I think you are seeing some of this uncertainty playing out on both sides. Navy doesn't want to join unless everything else, like exit fees, is a slam dunk, and the Big East is not necessarily willing to move heaven and earth for Navy.

 

[NutmegState]

Air Force and Navy are national brands. They will add good money to the football contract. And don't underestimate the "try and take our BCS AQ status away, we dare you", angle. No one is kicking Navy and Air Force out of the BCS. As far as their ability to challenge for the league title, it doesn't really matter. If the worst teams in your league are Navy and Air Force, you've got a damned good league.

I agree on BYU and would love to add them, and would like to add Temple from Philly market (or Nova).

If this works, what's to say we don't add BYU and TU later to get to 14?

 

[NutmegState]

I'll add, should Navy and Air Force decline, yes, 100% go hard after BYU and add Temple. If BYU wants a sweetheart deal, I'm fine with that.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I also am on the fence with these two. I'm not thrilled with the idea of football only membership but this is the only means in which the service academies could ever really be contributing members. I like the national exposure their teams would add but the actual quality of the product will fall short of the exposure the schools receive. If they do accept, we should appreciate the positives they will bring and if they don't, we should accept the fact that we avoided some substantial negatives that each would have brought to the conference.

I think a part of navy's reluctance (all bluster aside) is their concern about the quality of competition week in, week out and the reality that their being in a conference will require all conference opponents to always be prepared for their offense. The advantages they have that allow them to go bowling nearly every season will be gone if they do join the BE.

 

[UConnRock]

If backs out I am all for bringing in Tulane. Great academics, a nice size market and a long history of football.

 

[ZooCougar]

I want them only as full members. This partial membership crap slays me.

If you're on the fence about The United States Air Force Academy and the United States Military Academy as full members but you're all in for a skank like Memphis then you are just plain nuts.

I think the Academies have a legit concern about the quality of competition. A very good buddy of mine who played Running Back for Bob Sutton at USMA, tells me that while Air Force and Navy have been competent, they just wouldn't stand up well in any BCS conference. Some of the Cadets and MidShipmen get to do the Prep route, but they don't get to redshirt. Secondly there are just too many institutional restrictions holding them back.

Even still, I think they are attractive adversaries. They all have great atmospheres, tradition and they can be great partners.

I still think its a shame that we don't play Army every year. They are so damn close to us, heck the Cadets shop at the Mall in Danbury on the weekends, and they go clubbing in Southern CT more often than most people realize.

 

[ZooCougar]

Memphis is last on my last after Hobart and the University of Phoenix Online.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I want them only as full members. This partial membership crap slays me.

You realize Navy and Army would go 0-18 every single year in the Big East? Do you they, or anybody wants that?

 

[ZooCougar]

Not true. When Army and Navy would play, someone would have to win

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Memphis is last on my last after Hobart and the University of Phoenix Online.

Isn't Shaq a Phoenix? They may be able to build a decent hoops program.

 

[ZooCougar]

Isn't Shaq a Phoenix? They may be able to build a decent hoops program.

Plus if we add them then we'll be able to corner the fertile online recruiting territory.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Not true. When Army and Navy would play, someone would have to win

lol. Touche.