Next Task for WM - beef up the football schedule

[Dove]

Navy will be a conference opponent in a couple of years.

I believe that Stony Brook (2014) and Villanova (2015) are the only fute FCS (1-AA) opponents we have scheduled. Hopefully that will be the end of it.

Next season BYU & Boise St home Army away (Yankee Stadium).
2015 Tennessee & Army home, BYU away.
2016 Virginia home, Tennessee away
2017 Virginia away
2018 Boise St away

Thanks FairfieldCounty

 

[UCFBfan]

Always amazed at the folks who hold their noses up at playing one offs at places like Notre Dame. Personally, I would rather travel to South Bend 100 times out of 100 than go to 1 home game against Stony Brook or Towson.

I'd be ok with a few one offs as long as we're not getting stuck with a home slate of 1AA, MAC, random low level P5, AAC sched. We need to get some bigger names, if possible on the home slate so interest remains in buying season tickets. I would also prefer one offs to be within road trip/east coast area. Do it with OSU, PSU, ND, etc. Places that would be great road trips for our fans to try and boost fan travel. Don't do one offs with West Coast schools. (Yeah I'm being picky here!)

 

[coachcap]

I'd be ok with a few one offs as long as we're not getting stuck with a home slate of 1AA, MAC, random low level P5, AAC sched. We need to get some bigger names, if possible on the home slate so interest remains in buying season tickets. I would also prefer one offs to be within road trip/east coast area. Do it with OSU, PSU, ND, etc. Places that would be great road trips for our fans to try and boost fan travel. Don't do one offs with West Coast schools. (Yeah I'm being picky here!)

My wish for a 1-off would be to Baton Rouge's Tiger Stadium. Brother (UConn B.S. '75) got his M.S. there. And any game that involves a 70 mile side trip to NOLA for dining is perfect. (Although this desire will be mitigated once UConn has road trips to play Tulane)Need to Zydigo music!

 

[HuskyDogArt]

We need to beef up the schedule ASAP. We need a series with someone in the B1G (the Rutgers series has yet to be officially announced, right?) and a second series with someone in the ACC (Syracuse, Pitt, VT).

I'd also take one of those road openers with Ohio State, Penn State, etc too. We need press. We need to be seen. The strategy to avoid the top 20 programs for OOC games in the past was the right choice for our Big East days, now its more about exposure than avoiding embarrassment.

One team I would leave on their island though is WV. Let them sit out there.

Exit 4, WVU would be a nice series... we need to get a Big XII team here. I'd like to see us get MWC team and maybe a SEC team, too. (Would FSU accept a game at The Rent??)

 

[Dooley]

Navy will be a conference opponent in a couple of years.

I believe that Stony Brook (2014) and Villanova (2015) are the only future FCS (1-AA) opponents we have scheduled. Hopefully that will be the end of it.

Next season BYU & Boise St home Army away (Yankee Stadium).
2015 Tennessee & Army home, BYU away.
2016 Virginia home, Tennessee away
2017 Virginia away
2018 Boise St away

That's definitely a good start to OOC scheduling. I'd still like to get a few more high profile games whether they are one-off types or neutral site stadiums. Home and homes can be found with the lower half teams of the B1G, ACC, and maybe B12. Would love to continue a series with Rutgers while we wait in AAC purgatory too.

 

[tduconn]

RIght - step back for a second though. THe big 10 is playing football at a different level of post season goals than we are though (for now). They have to seriously consider things like "strength of schedule" when it comes to the future post season bowl system, and they are competing with the likes of the SEC for access to that championship bowl system.

We - on the other hand, in the next few years, need to compile as many winning records as we can, so that we can even be in consideration for that kind of level of post season success.

For UCONN, in the forseeable future, scheduling the one FCS game a year, is a good idea, and it's a good idea to make it a game that should be a mismatch in our favor.

When we are in the Big 10, we can stop scheduling FCS games.

 

[Jimdish255]

Exit 4, WVU would be a nice series... we need to get a Big XII team here. I'd like to see us get MWC team and maybe a SEC team, too. (Would FSU accept a game at The Rent??)

You mean Florida State? ACC Florida State that loved the idea so much they spearheaded our rejection along with BC? Sure they would! Sorry I lost my mind if you meant Fresno State, although I'm not sure what would justify the travel for either team.

 

[BoatShow]

My reasonable wish list of teams who would come to the Rent for the next few years.
UNC
WVU
VA TECH
Northwestern
BC
PSU

 

[MattMang23]

If Warde doesn't get Texas, USC and Alabama here within the next three years, he's a failure.

 

[ASweet3781]

Beef up the schedule??? Are you kidding me?

We can't even get to 6 wins with the schedules we have been playing!

The goal right now is the get to 6 wins every year and make bowl games. Nothing else.

 

[HawkHusky]

Beef up the schedule??? Are you kidding me?

We can't even get to 6 wins with the schedules we have been playing!

The goal right now is the get to 6 wins every year and make bowl games. Nothing else.

You also want to get UCONN fans back into the game..future AAC schedules aren't going to help with that. It doesn't need to be powerhouse top 10 teams, but it should at least be good teams from P5 conferences.

And there's no telling how good UCONN will be next year, tough schedule or not...just look at this year's Auburn (12-1) vs last year (3-9). They played the same SEC gauntlet, but thrived under a new coach and system.

 

[ASweet3781]

You also want to get UCONN fans back into the game..future AAC schedules aren't going to help with that. It doesn't need to be powerhouse top 10 teams, but it should at least be good teams from P5 conferences.

And there's no telling how good UCONN will be next year, tough schedule or not...just look at this year's Auburn (12-1) vs last year (3-9). They played the same SEC gauntlet, but thrived under a new coach and system.

UConn is playing BYU and Boise State next year at home. That is more than enough beef on the schedule for where we are currently as a program.

You get fans to the game by winning games.

There are tons of teams this year bowl eligible because they weren't silly enough to schedule 3-4 losable non conference games a year like UConn has been doing.

The non conference schedule if anything has been filled with too many trap games against opponents who are just good enough to beat us. I gladly would have preferred to play a Norfolk State at home as opposed to Western Michigan or Iowa State for example as it would have led to a bowl game with a BCS level opponent at possibly Yankee Stadium. That is how you beef up the schedule. Win and get to a bowl.

 

[HawkHusky]

I agree with you ASweet on UCONN's schedule next year. It's not P5 teams, but it's good FBS teams with name recognition (unlike Towson, Buffalo). I'm talking about future schedules. We don't need anymore Towson, Buffalo, Fordham, Western Michigan type games..those type of games will exist with the bottom of the AAC.

What I disagree with is the aspiration to be a mediocre 6-6 bowl eligible team. If we want UCONN to be B1G, we have to think B1G in terms of winning seasons with better opponents. The AAC will have enough teams at the bottom for those pick-up wins.

 

[freescooter]

hawk,
You need to look at this as a process. Winning is the critical first step. We have BYU, Virginia, Tennessee, Boise State on the schedule over the next few seasons. We'll probably be the underdog in every one of those games unless we show we can win a bunch. What our game plan needs to be is to get bowl eligible next year, and make regular progress toward the ultimate goal of winning titles. You build a reputation by putting up gaudy regular seasons numbers then winning whatever bowl game you go to. Beating a completely disinterested Florida team did more for Louisville's reputation than any win on the schedule. Shocking Oklahoma in the Fiesta is the win that made Boise State. Before that they were just a team that put up gaudy numbers against weak competition. they might play one major name every few years now, but that win was the one that changed the perception. One wonders whether west Virginia would be in the B12 today if they had not knocked off Georgia and Oklahoma in BCS games.

 

[HawkHusky]

hawk,
You need to look at this as a process. Winning is the critical first step. We have BYU, Virginia, Tennessee, Boise State on the schedule over the next few seasons. We'll probably be the underdog in every one of those games unless we show we can win a bunch. What our game plan needs to be is to get bowl eligible next year, and make regular progress toward the ultimate goal of winning titles. You build a reputation by putting up gaudy regular seasons numbers then winning whatever bowl game you go to. Beating a completely disinterested Florida team did more for Louisville's reputation than any win on the schedule. Shocking Oklahoma in the Fiesta is the win that made Boise State. Before that they were just a team that put up gaudy numbers against weak competition. they might play one major name every few years now, but that win was the one that changed the perception. One wonders whether west Virginia would be in the B12 today if they had not knocked off Georgia and Oklahoma in BCS games.

Very true Scooter. I agree with most of your post. Just saying that these scheduled OOC games will be key to UCONN's success if they are stuck in the AAC for who knows how long.

 

[BoatShow]

Beef O'Brady up the schedule!

 

[Exit 4]

By 'Beef Up,' I also meant - fill the holes. Our OOC schedules for 2014 and 2015 look good. Its our 2016+ OOC scheduling that is skinny compared with most P5+ programs as we have far more holes on the schedule than others.

While I fully appreciate the concept of an easy schedule = greater chance of bowl eligibility and more fans in the seats because of the winning, I'm also of the opinion that in order to wake this fan base and garner more attention by the P5 we need to edge a little bolder than we have in the past with strength of schedule. I'm not for going bonkers, but I would love to pencil in one "aspirational" series with a T20 program like we had with Michigan for a far outer date. Its nice to have something like that on the long run calendar, something to aim for and wait for.

That all said, I'm far more worried the reason we haven't heard of a new P5+ football series announcement over the past 18 months is because the conspiracy is in place by the P5 to wind down games with the AAC/MWC/MAAC/etc. Warde has managed to schedule BYU and Boise State, which will be terrific fun, but where's the next ACC/B1G/SEC/B12 series? The current slate against Virginia and Tennessee was scheduled long ago.

 

[weyuo]

That's the thing that bothers me too. Tenn and Virginia were on the schedule before the Big East completely imploded. Since then not a whiff of a game with the ACC, SEC or B1G. Is it that other former Big East teams just need a break from each other after playing year after year or is there something more sinister going on?

 

[huskypantz]

That's the thing that bothers me too. Tenn and Virginia were on the schedule before the Big East completely imploded. Since then not a whiff of a game with the ACC, SEC or B1G. Is it that other former Big East teams just need a break from each other after playing year after year or is there something more sinister going on?

We appear to have inked a home-home with Rutgers, so that's one B1G school. Yes, they're a B1G school. It's going to be tough sailing in the future if the P5 go to 9 game conference schedules. Those schools are going to want one guarantee, one home P5 and one road P5. Many have an OOC rivalry game already. Slim pickings.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Beef up the schedule??? Are you kidding me?

We can't even get to 6 wins with the schedules we have been playing!

The goal right now is the get to 6 wins every year and make bowl games. Nothing else.

whoa!!! don't set the bar too high fella.

 

[Marty Jackson]

hawk,
You need to look at this as a process. Winning is the critical first step. We have BYU, Virginia, Tennessee, Boise State on the schedule over the next few seasons. We'll probably be the underdog in every one of those games unless we show we can win a bunch. What our game plan needs to be is to get bowl eligible next year, and make regular progress toward the ultimate goal of winning titles. You build a reputation by putting up gaudy regular seasons numbers then winning whatever bowl game you go to. Beating a completely disinterested Florida team did more for Louisville's reputation than any win on the schedule. Shocking Oklahoma in the Fiesta is the win that made Boise State. Before that they were just a team that put up gaudy numbers against weak competition. they might play one major name every few years now, but that win was the one that changed the perception. One wonders whether west Virginia would be in the B12 today if they had not knocked off Georgia and Oklahoma in BCS games.

let's see where Boise is without Peterson... I bet by 2018, that game isn't as big as it looks today.

 

[Exit 4]

We appear to have inked a home-home with Rutgers, so that's one B1G school. Yes, they're a B1G school. It's going to be tough sailing in the future if the P5 go to 9 game conference schedules. Those schools are going to want one guarantee, one home P5 and one road P5. Many have an OOC rivalry game already. Slim pickings.

Has the Rutgers series been officially announced? Its been a while since we got wind of the series from that B1G schedule release, but nothing is out officially - is it?

 

[UCFBfan]

UConn is playing BYU and Boise State next year at home. That is more than enough beef on the schedule for where we are currently as a program.

You get fans to the game by winning games.

There are tons of teams this year bowl eligible because they weren't silly enough to schedule 3-4 losable non conference games a year like UConn has been doing.

The non conference schedule if anything has been filled with too many trap games against opponents who are just good enough to beat us. I gladly would have preferred to play a Norfolk State at home as opposed to Western Michigan or Iowa State for example as it would have led to a bowl game with a BCS level opponent at possibly Yankee Stadium. That is how you beef up the schedule. Win and get to a bowl.

Trap games? When these games are scheduled they're done so 5-8 years out usually. Any team can be good any season. To call Buffalo a trap game is insane. They aren't consistently good, they're sometimes decent. We happened to play them on a decent year. Same with Western Michigan. As someone posted above, when we scheduled that Boise St game it looked good. Peterson has left and come 2018, it might not be so great a game. When we scheduled Towson, I doubt they were very good or likely to be good. This is the problem with scheduling, it's done so far out that you never know what you'll get. THIS is why you need some name brand teams. We don't need Top Level but names like Tennessee and the likes are good starts.

 

[huskypantz]

Has the Rutgers series been officially announced? Its been a while since we got wind of the series from that B1G schedule release, but nothing is out officially - is it?

Don't think it's been released - but for whatever reason our schedule is guarded with a veil of secrecy.

 

[Colt house75]

Don't think it's been released - but for whatever reason our schedule is guarded with a veil of secrecy.

With the expansion in 2014 and Navy coming in 2015, probably after the first conference meeting in January, they will decide the number of in-conference games going out which will then set up Rutgers for 2015/2016 or 2017.

 

[UConn Dan]

Don't think it's been released - but for whatever reason our schedule is guarded with a veil of secrecy.

With the expansion in 2014 and Navy coming in 2015, probably after the first conference meeting in January, they will decide the number of in-conference games going out which will then set up Rutgers for 2015/2016 or 2017.

I've said it before, the Rutgers series is a done-deal for 2016 and 2017, but UConn is not going to announce the series until Rutgers and the AAC agree on exit terms. If you recall, Rutgers and the AAC are still actively involved in a lawsuit. The AAC has settled with Louisville for them to leave on July 1, 2014, but not yet Rutgers.

 

[HawkHusky]

I've said it before, the Rutgers series is a done-deal for 2016 and 2017, but UConn is not going to announce the series until Rutgers and the AAC agree on exit terms. If you recall, Rutgers and the AAC are still actively involved in a lawsuit. The AAC has settled with Louisville for them to leave on July 1, 2014, but not yet Rutgers.

The Rutgers series is a great get for UCONN. Not only does it keep an old rivalry in play with a P5 opponent, but it also means despite Rutgers and the AAC fallout, UCONN and Rutgers are on good terms. Hopefully Rutgers can be an ally whenever the next B1G expansion talks take place.

 

[bobbyinaz]

I've said it before, the Rutgers series is a done-deal for 2016 and 2017, but UConn is not going to announce the series until Rutgers and the AAC agree on exit terms. If you recall, Rutgers and the AAC are still actively involved in a lawsuit. The AAC has settled with Louisville for them to leave on July 1, 2014, but not yet Rutgers.

I hope you are right but the President of my company who is a big enough donor at RU that he sits inside the club level for football and has had several 1 on 1 meetings with the new AD says it's not happening. He knows that I'm a UConn fan and I've been to games at Rutgers with him when we have hosted clients. According to him the old AD, Perneti had agreed to the deal w UConn but the new AD has pulled the plug. Supposedly the deal RU is making with the AAC is that they will play some games but they have already announced a 4 yr (2 home/2 away) w Temple and will play games with USF & UCF because they want to keep their Florida recruiting presence alive.

Take it FWIW

 

[Exit 4]

I hope you are right but the President of my company who is a big enough donor at RU that he sits inside the club level for football and has had several 1 on 1 meetings with the new AD says it's not happening. He knows that I'm a UConn fan and I've been to games at Rutgers with him when we have hosted clients. According to him the old AD, Perneti had agreed to the deal w UConn but the new AD has pulled the plug. Supposedly the deal RU is making with the AAC is that they will play some games but they have already announced a 4 yr (2 home/2 away) w Temple and will play games with USF & UCF because they want to keep their Florida recruiting presence alive.

Take it FWIW

Ugh. Your story certainly seems plausible.

 

[Coach Flood]

So I'm going to give an opposing view as to why RU and UCONN should not play together......RU has nothing to gain from the series and I hope you guys see it from a different angle.

Two main points:

1. RU can potentially lose. We already will have one of the toughest schedules in the nation...why not add a cupcake instead of UCONN?
2. Not good if Uconn gets exposure in NJ or on national TV (lets be honest, we tend to get recruits in the north east over UCONN so there is no gain there by playing UCONN).

If you can realistically list a positive for RU then please do so...maybe there is something that I am not seeing. Do I think we're a better team right now? No, you guys kicked our ass last month. But being in the BigTen you can be a bit more selective with who you play, especially when it comes to making decisions in your best interest.