All UConn needs to do, is continue to maintain our pride and investment in being the finest state flagship public institution of higher learning in all of New England, academically, athletically, and facilities wise - and the rest will fall into place. That means continueing to keep all the facilities, programs, academic and athletic top notch and improving, growing the financial resources of the university through the endowment by contributions and grants, and for athletics --- RECRUITING like crazy and winning games.
35 years ago, UConn was speck on the map of the intercollegiate athletics. Jim Calhoun changed that such that 20 years ago, we no longer were just a speck, and UConn basketball gained regional, and then national attention, and the pride in the state U that swelled up around basketball was instrumental in the investment of millions upon millions into the university for the UConn 2000 project. 15 years ago, the UConn Board of Trustees decided in a vote that we were going all in and move to upgrade football to 1-A. Lots of hurdles along the way that could have stopped that upgrade at any time through three long years from 1997 until 2000 until the ground for the new stadium was finally broken.
9 years ago we played our first division 1-A game, against division 1-A competition in a bona fide division 1-A stadium - and won it - it against Indiana. Two years ago, we opened the season against Michigan in football, and finished the season in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. Lost both of them.
We get a rematch with Michigan - next year.
What it all means? Were good enough to beat the Duke's and Indiana's of the world - in both basketball and football......and we're good enough to own our own state in college sports broadcasting in football and basketball, and we're multiple title winners in all sports, but were not good enough to beat Michigan and Oklahoma on the big stage....YET.
The growth curve needs to continue, and in football it most definitely is. Basketball? Lots of question marks for the men's program right now. But football? The most important thing for UConn athletics, in whatever arrangement of conferences we end up in, is that we retain the most freedom we can with our scheduling and broadcasting, such that we can continue to grow our market value in CT, New York, and New England. In that sense, football ranks ahead of basketball now.
It all comes down to one thing - continue to win games.