Thinking about AAC football...

[Drew]

I can't help but think that this conference will actually help UConn make that next step better than the Big East would have. The Big East was tough because there were teams that were definitely more talented and or better than we were, but they weren't elite (except in rare cases, WVU had a year they should've been in the NC, Louisville last year even though we won, USF was number 2 at one point, etc). I think that would have hampered our FBS growth because we were going to have a hard time contending for conference titles regularly, which is extremely challenging to sell to a fanbase that is, at times, lukewarm about UConn football.

Being in the AAC however, UConn should compete regularly for the upper half of the conference/conference titles, along with schools like Cincy, USF, and ECU. This means that we have the possibility of HOSTING the conference championship game at the rent (CCG starting in 2015 is to be played at the site of the highest ranked team). By competing more consistently in the American, and even winning a few (dare I say back to back??) conference titles, it should help to create more buzz around the program within the state. If we are consistently number 1 or 2 in this conference, it helps raise the standards of UConn football. That's when a major conference may come calling. I think there is a TON to be said about the difference of a fanbase expecting to go 7-5 or 6-6 and a fanbase expecting to go 10-2 or 9-3. If we consistently can post records like that, we should be a fringe Top 25 team (depending on our OOC Schedule). That is better for our program IMHO than being middling/lower half in the Big East.

 

[SubbaBub]

Need to be on TV nationally, need to play and beat ranked teams, need to win bowl games and need to be consistently ranked ourselves.

The only way the AAC helps is if we start going 11-1 with good OOC wins. We could have done that in the BE.

For as few people who knew anything about UCONN FB, there will be fewer now.

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[Hoophound]

I think getting more wins would still help. Nationally, a 8-4 American team would probably get more respect than a 6-6 Big East team would have. The American also needs to catch some breaks. The Big East had an uncanny ability to lose close games to the Vanderbilts and NC States of the world when wins were sorely needed. This conference can definitely get a some momentum and be exciting but we are going to need to catch some breaks here and there.

 

[UConn9604]

I think getting more wins would still help. Nationally, a 8-4 American team would probably get more respect than a 6-6 Big East team would have. The American also needs to catch some breaks. The Big East had an uncanny ability to lose close games to the Vanderbilts and NC States of the world when wins were sorely needed. This conference can definitely get a some momentum and be exciting but we are going to need to catch some breaks here and there.

Depends on the 4 losses. If we get blasted by Maryland, Michigan, Louisville and Rutgers, but run the table against everyone else, we'll get a collective "good luck in your new home!" from the conference realignment world.

We just need to impress the heck out of the country, early, in order to remain relevant and a part of the conference realignment discussion. Syracuse and Pitt were added in what, week two of the 2011 season? By the time we beat Louisville last year, it didn't matter -- they were the football powerhouse at 9-2, we were the APR poster children at 5-6.

 

[mattp]

Depends on the 4 losses. If we get blasted by Maryland, Michigan, Louisville and Rutgers, but run the table against everyone else, we'll get a collective "good luck in your new home!" from the conference realignment world.

We just need to impress the heck out of the country, early, in order to remain relevant and a part of the conference realignment discussion. Syracuse and Pitt were added in what, week two of the 2011 season? By the time we beat Louisville last year, it didn't matter -- they were the football powerhouse at 9-2, we were the APR poster children at 5-6.

One day you'll realize performance on the field is not even in the top five of considerations for conference realignment. If it was why were the two teams that were unquestionably the least successful after the first BE raid the first two taken? The ACC wants names, not good football. The top teams in the ACC made their names by putting together 10 win seasons against garbage competition, and I don't think they have any intentions of changing that. The B1G wants television sets, not good football, which is why they picked up two mediocre programs in desirable TV markets. It makes sense considering they're as much a television station as an athletic conference now.

Personally I'm getting used to the idea of the AAC, and I'm starting to like the conference. I think Rutgers fans are going to learn that it's more fun to root for a 7-8 win team in a lesser conference than a 5-6 win team in a better conference.

 

[Hoophound]

In UL's case, on field performance mattered. The ACC had a real perception problem. UL was a better help perception wise in terms of football quality. UL got Strong in there at just the right time and everything fell into place.

UL then goes on to beat UF in the BCS and win the NCAA tourney. Those two events solidified for everyone that UL was the right choice. The ACC caught a few breaks as did UL in terms of timing.

 

[NEforceUConn]

...... UL got Strong in there at just the right time and everything fell into place.

UL then goes on to beat UF in the BCS and win the NCAA tourney......

I pray that Louisville, Cuse, and Pitt catch that dreaded BE-ACC curse - you know the one that Miami and BCU caught - the one that turns your athletic teams to .

 

[Senore]

Louisville's trajectory has been self-motivated from 1985 when we decided to take football seriously - and at a juncture when we very much considered dropping it completely. And even now, with some successes, we are still barely perceived as "legitimate". We also are aware of this and we have few arguments against a system so obviously invested in self-serving for an elite group which protects them in their bad seasons so well.

UConn's strategy - if I may - is well-laid out by the poster who insists on finishing high in the conference on a consistent basis. In some ways, the AAC is perfect for that. Right now, the image/brand of UConn, at least from Louisville, is of a hard-hitting, fierce defensive team, who at their best are at least resourceful on offense. Building a defensive brand is a unique and excellent way to claw one's way upwards. It is just that you now face the same dilemma's of the Louisville's and Boise's who no major teams will schedule unless they perceive weakness. This will at the same time be a weird sort of praise.

Keep your eye on the ball, is my advice, and let the basketball successes continue on. Like Louisville again, hoops can generate more interest than the football fever schools want to acknowledge.

 

[uconnell]

I will miss you Senore as you have been one of my favorite posters over the years, please check in now and then.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Anyone who believes that things will be easier (save the Pat White-WVU/Brian Brohm-UL seasons) in the AAC than they had been in the BE is kidding himself. Granted the top one of two schools in any given year may not be as good as what our best (of the 2005-2012 version of the BE) two or three had been but considering what some of the new opposition has done somewhat recently and where they are located (for recruiting) it won't be a stretch to think the top of the league will be as good as the top of the BE had been (in all but a couple of seasons) during our time there.

Where we may catch a bit of a break (this remains to be seen however) will be in the overall balance (although where we will sit within that balance may also remain to be seen) as as this conference may have a bit more separation (at least early on) between the middle and bottom schools than the BE had over the past few seasons.

 

[SubbaBub]

Louisville's trajectory has been self-motivated from 1985 when we decided to take football seriously - and at a juncture when we very much considered dropping it completely. And even now, with some successes, we are still barely perceived as "legitimate". We also are aware of this and we have few arguments against a system so obviously invested in self-serving for an elite group which protects them in their bad seasons so well.

UConn's strategy - if I may - is well-laid out by the poster who insists on finishing high in the conference on a consistent basis. In some ways, the AAC is perfect for that. Right now, the image/brand of UConn, at least from Louisville, is of a hard-hitting, fierce defensive team, who at their best are at least resourceful on offense. Building a defensive brand is a unique and excellent way to claw one's way upwards. It is just that you now face the same dilemma's of the Louisville's and Boise's who no major teams will schedule unless they perceive weakness. This will at the same time be a weird sort of praise.

Keep your eye on the ball, is my advice, and let the basketball successes continue on. Like Louisville again, hoops can generate more interest than the football fever schools want to acknowledge.

I agree. Though I hope we are shooting a few levels higher than resourceful on offense.

 

[Senore]

You have had some incredible offensive players, don't get me wrong. I'm just talking about a sort of branding and - frankly - I admit that is more my opinion than anything else.

I have grown very attached to UConn. I admire the hoops, the grit in both football and baseball. I have always respected the almost overwhelming majority of UConn fans who act and think reasonably. I honestly and literally have no higher praise.

 

[rich1122]

Need to be on TV nationally, need to play and beat ranked teams, need to win bowl games and need to be consistently ranked ourselves.

The only way the AAC helps is if we start going 11-1 with good OOC wins. We could have done that in the BE.

For as few people who knew anything about UCONN FB, there will be fewer now.

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Need to fill our 25,000 seat stadium - elephant in the room.

I am worried that we have not sold 20,,000 ST even for this year.

 

[Senore]

Winning cures everything.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Whining cures everything.

Fixed it for you (in terms of how too large of a portion of our fan base behaves).

 

[Dooley]

Part of the 3-5 year plan: consistently appear in bowl games and win a few. If anything, the extra practices benefit the program and keep any upward trajectory going. Winning 7-8 games in 2013 is an absolute must. Without a bowl appearance this year, our fickle fanbase cries to drop football or stop supporting football will grow louder. At that point, the only way to regenerate excitement and sell tickets will be to double our coaching budget and bring in somebody with a big staff. There are only so many Tubervilles out there willing to coach a mid-major program (and ours will have a fickle fanbase reputation with declining interest to go along with it).

 

[mattp]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...erence-gets-its-chance-after-brutal-two-years

this article kind of summarized where we're at as a conference. Unfortunately conference stability was made at our expense, but if we can stay at the top of the new conference we'll be fine. Old Big East was dominated by Miami and VTech. When they left, the void of power allowed WVU and Louisville to reach the upper echelon, and helped UConn, Rutgers, Cinci and USF attain respectability. Now that there's another power void we need to make sure we're one of the 1 or 2 teams that fill it. We might be better off without Boise as they'd have clinched that spot. Right now I'd say Cinci is our biggest competition, but we can't sleep on SMU, USF, or a few others either.

 

[noeynox]

I think our toughest obstacle in this conference will be recruiting locally. This is why I want P to succeed. He has gotten the instate kids to bite. Regionally it's gotten tougher not being in a conference with PITT, SU, and RU. If P tanks, they need to get a high energy, dynamic recruiter in here.

 

[huskymedic]

The American Facebook pages/Twitter feeds are pushing the conference pretty hard with multiple daily posts and stories (I get that Facebook/Twitter are what they are but they are aiming @ specific demographics).

Interesting/comical post today...

American_FB 4:04pm via TweetDeck
Check out this comparison of our head coaches. Who do you think will have the best season? #AmericanKickoff
pic.twitter.com/SMbDHUdaJK

 

[junglehusky]

501 wins... and a lot more grey hairs!

 

[whaler11]

The American Facebook pages/Twitter feeds are pushing the conference pretty hard with multiple daily posts and stories (I get that Facebook/Twitter are what they are but they are aiming @ specific demographics).

Interesting/comical post today...

American_FB 4:04pm via TweetDeck
Check out this comparison of our head coaches. Who do you think will have the best season? #AmericanKickoff
pic.twitter.com/SMbDHUdaJK


View attachment 3219

Winning percentage wise the old guys will.

That's actually pretty decent stuff from the league.

 

[huskymedic]

Today's installment:

American_FB 2:00pm via TweetDeck
Nine of the 10 @American_Conf teams return their starting quarterback from last season. #AmericanKickoff

"...In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find another league with the depth and talent that The American has at the quarterback position. Nine of the league's 10 teams return their starting quarterbacks from last year. The only team without last year's starter is USF, which lost the productive B.J. Daniels, but finds no fewer than three players who have seen major college action battling tor the top spot this fall."

http://www.theamerican.org/news/2013/7/16/FB_0716130414.aspx

 

[CL82]

You know even if I get a little nauseous every time I read one of these and think about our CR fate, you have to like that the league is publicly pushing the image issue. Long overdue.

 

[IMind]

At the absolute minimum I'll never have to hear the term 'The Big Least' again.

 

[huskymedic]

Today's posts on Facebook and Twitter... American Stories: Players to watch in 2013

http://www.theamerican.org/news/2013/7/17/FB_0717133701.aspx

The third installment in a two-week series leading up to the American Athletic Conference Football Summer Kickoff looks at some players who could make a big impact for their teams this year.

Blake Bortles, Jr., QB, UCF
Threw for 3,059 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Earned All-Conference USA Second Team honors.
Greg Blair, Sr., LB, Cincinnati
Led the Big East with 138 tackles in 2012 and was an All-Big East First Team choice.
Austen Bujnoch, Sr., OG, Cincinnati
Veteran of 24 career starts who earned All-Big East First Team honors in 2012.
Yawin Smallwood, Jr., LB, UConn
Enjoyed a breakout season that produced 120 tackles and All-Big East First Team honors as a sophomore.
Richie Leone, Sr., P, Houston
Ray Guy Award semifinalist last year after averaging 45.5 yards per punt.
Derrick Mathews, Jr., LB, Houston
Had 126 tackles and 11 tackles for loss on his way to All-Conference USA Second Team accolades in 2012.
Teddy Bridgewater, Jr., QB, Louisville
Earned Big East Offensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore after throwing for 3,718 yards and 27 touchdowns.
DeVante Parker, Jr., WR, Louisville
Big-play receiver who caught 10 touchdown passes and earned All-Big East First Team plaudits in 2012.
Hakeem Smith, Sr., SS, Louisville
A three-time All-Big East selection and the leader of Louisville's defense.
Tom Hornsey, Sr., P, Memphis
Three-time All-Conference USA selection who averaged 43.4 yardds per punt in 2012.
Brandon Coleman, Jr., WR, Rutgers
Had 10 touchdown catches and 718 receiving yards last season, earning All-Big East Second Team plaudits.
Antwan Lowery, Sr., OG, Rutgers
A 305-pound guard who earned an All-Big East First Team nod in 2012.
Garrett Gilbert, Sr., QB, SMU
Threw for 2,932 yards and 15 touchdowns and added eight rushing touchdowns as a junior.
Randall Joyner, Sr., LB, SMU
Had 93 tackles with three interceptions and five pass breakups in 2012.
DeDe Lattimore, Sr., LB, USF
Top returning tackler who had 76 stops and 3.5 sacks a year ago.
Tyler Matakevich, So., LB, Temple
Was the Big East Defensive Rookie of the Year after making 101 tackles in just eight starts