Univ. of Houston to beef up schedules with Power 5 opponents, no FCS foes

[huskymedic]

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...-schedules-with-Power-5-opponents-6510157.php

>>UH plans to implement more stringent guidelines for future schedules, including playing two non-conference games against Power 5 opponents and no longer scheduling Football Championship Subdivision opponents after the 2016 season, vice president for intercollegiate athletics Hunter Yurachek said Wednesday.

"We think having a quality schedule year in and year out will give us the best chance to play in a New Year's Six bowl and continue to help us build the image of our football program," Yurachek said. "I think a quality schedule is a step in the right direction. And we have to win the games."

UH's schedule model will include eight league games in the American Athletic Conference, two non-conference games against Power 5 opponents, and two more from the Group of Five that includes Conference USA, the Mountain West, the Mid-American and the Sun Belt.<<

>>Yurachek said there have been no discussions among AAC athletic directors and football coaches about making tougher scheduling a requirement, although the third-year league has encouraged more attractive non-conference matchups. "This is a University of Houston decision," Yurachek said. "It's a decision coach (Tom) Herman and I have discussed, and (we) agreed this is the direction we want to head in our football schedule."

Increasing season-ticket sales, Yurachek said, will require a more attractive non-conference schedule at TDECU Stadium. "We've heard loud and clear (from the fan base) they don't want us to play FCS schools," he said.<<

 

[jazyj]

If you want to contend as a non p5 this is what you gotta do or even more

 

[Adios]

So long Yankee Conference foes. Maybe Maine and UNH will step up down the road, if possible.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't see any point to FCS opponents either. We don't have enough ticket demand for more than 6 home games, so there is less need to buy games. With the emphasis on strength of schedule, road games are more palatable to P5 schools than in the past. Also, outside of about 30 schools, most of the P5 has issues filling their stadiums too, so one less home game is not at big a deal.

 

[Srqhusky]

Speaking of which don't we need to get some new games scheduled?? #wheresward

 

[HuskyDogArt]

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...-schedules-with-Power-5-opponents-6510157.php

>>UH plans to implement more stringent guidelines for future schedules, including playing two non-conference games against Power 5 opponents and no longer scheduling Football Championship Subdivision opponents after the 2016 season, vice president for intercollegiate athletics Hunter Yurachek said Wednesday.

"We think having a quality schedule year in and year out will give us the best chance to play in a New Year's Six bowl and continue to help us build the image of our football program," Yurachek said. "I think a quality schedule is a step in the right direction. And we have to win the games."

UH's schedule model will include eight league games in the American Athletic Conference, two non-conference games against Power 5 opponents, and two more from the Group of Five that includes Conference USA, the Mountain West, the Mid-American and the Sun Belt.<<

>>Yurachek said there have been no discussions among AAC athletic directors and football coaches about making tougher scheduling a requirement, although the third-year league has encouraged more attractive non-conference matchups. "This is a University of Houston decision," Yurachek said. "It's a decision coach (Tom) Herman and I have discussed, and (we) agreed this is the direction we want to head in our football schedule."

Increasing season-ticket sales, Yurachek said, will require a more attractive non-conference schedule at TDECU Stadium. "We've heard loud and clear (from the fan base) they don't want us to play FCS schools," he said.<<

We should do the same --a few ACC, B1G, SEC, BIG XII and Pac12 teams, a few MAC, CUSA and MWC teams, too. No more FCS teams, Ward...

 

[pepband99]

Here's to hoping their football coach is heard by their basketball coach - Houston has been the poster child for OOC weakness, and dragging down the conference OOC SOS/RPI.

 

[31GuardTrap]

UConn's Non-Conf sched going forward:
2016-Maine, @UMass, Virginia, Syracuse
2017-UMass, Holy Cross, @Virginia, Mizzou
2018-URI, @Boise State, @Syracuse
2019-Illinois, @Indiana (subject to empty once we join the B1G)
2020-@Illinois, Indiana (see line above)
2021 and beyond.....nuttin
Tennessee.....still listed as TBA
So ...yeah after 2018.....I say no more FCS schools.

 

[tduconn]

UConn for yes has had a very weak non conference schedule of FCS teams........until recently it was the bottom of the barrel FCS. Maine, Holy Cross, Rhode Island.......etc., real barn burning competition. I bet those teams have fans drooling.

And why don't we schedule some of the better G-5 teams from the Mountain West, or MAC? The scary concept....those teams looking at strength of schedule and possibility of earning a spot in the FBS playoffs, would they want to schedule UConn?

Traditionally why have UConn recruiting classes been ranked so low? The BE was never highly regarded amongst BCS leagues. That coupled with weak OOC competition really had recruits drooling. And now we are in the AAC.

I pray QB Rose selects UConn. But if he is as good as projected.......advantage Syracuse.......just because he may get to compete against some very good teams.

 

[Dooley]

I pray QB Rose selects UConn. But if he is as good as projected..advantage Syracuse..just because he may get to compete against some very good teams.

Advantage Syracuse?? Did somebody seriously just post that on our board? Doug Marrone is long gone and so are their winning seasons. UConn puts more guys in the NFL and is closer to home.

Syracuse is the one program in the northeast that does not concern me in recruiting.

If he is as good as advertised, he will come to UConn and proteCT. He might even become a legend for his role in propelling us out of this AAC wasteland. Or, he can go to upstate NY, get waxed by mediocre ACC teams in front of empty seats and watch UConn put a few more players in the NFL.

 

[Dooley]

No more FCS would be a good thing. If that's the direction that the B1G is taking, I think it would be in our best interest to do the same.

 

[Afroabe224]

Tennessee.....still listed as TBA

http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/tennessee-postpones-football-series-uconn

>>UConn spokesman Mike Enright said the schools have agreed to reschedule the series for future years, but have not determined when that will happen. He said the schools have until Sept. 26, 2015 to come up with new dates.

Maybe we'll get some Tennessee news next week?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'm guessing (actually hoping) that the decision on a Tennessee series gets kicked down the road for another couple of years as I doubt there will be an answer we would like if the 9/26/15 deadline is enforced.

 

[Afroabe224]

I'm guessing (actually hoping) that the decision on a Tennessee series gets kicked down the road for another couple of years as I doubt there will be an answer we would like if the 9/26/15 deadline is enforced.

I wouldn't be surprised either but I trust Warde at this point. He held Michigan to their contract as has done a nice job of scheduling overall. Aside from the 2018 open slot, we already have 2 P5 games a season 2015-2020 (yes I count #19 BYU) and credit has to be given for not settling for a 2-1 series and actually have 7 home games in '16 & '17.

 

[Pudge]

UConn for yes has had a very weak non conference schedule of FCS teams...until recently it was the bottom of the barrel FCS. Maine, Holy Cross, Rhode Island..etc., real barn burning competition. I bet those teams have fans drooling.

And why don't we schedule some of the better G-5 teams from the Mountain West, or MAC? The scary concept....those teams looking at strength of schedule and possibility of earning a spot in the FBS playoffs, would they want to schedule UConn?

Traditionally why have UConn recruiting classes been ranked so low? The BE was never highly regarded amongst BCS leagues. That coupled with weak OOC competition really had recruits drooling. And now we are in the AAC.

I pray QB Rose selects UConn. But if he is as good as projected..advantage Syracuse..just because he may get to compete against some very good teams.

Simply NOT true.

Your Syracuse boys have played URI twice in the last 4 years. I would say that is KNOWING that you are playing the worst possible team in the CAA. Rutgers lost to Delaware and Villanova early in the last decade ... and then played Howard, Norfolk, Texas Southern as the appetizer every year for a decade.

UConn has obvious rivals in the region; and I have thought it was good to play them in this period. Maybe that time has gone. But, we did target former Yankee Conference that we had a history. Going forward, there is a good reason to continue to play Buffalo, Army, UMass. And for revenue purposes, maybe a UNH or a Delaware or a Villanova. We are simply different than Texas schools. Not enough FBS are around.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I wouldn't be surprised either but I trust Warde at this point. He held Michigan to their contract as has done a nice job of scheduling overall. Aside from the 2018 open slot, we already have 2 P5 games a season 2015-2020 (yes I count #19 BYU) and credit has to be given for not settling for a 2-1 series and actually have 7 home games in '16 & '17.

I personally believe that Warde has done a tremendous job (considering what there was to work with) in terms of scheduling and is abilities are why I see kicking this down the road as a possibility.

Unlike the Michigan game (at the Rent), we have not yet played any games in the one and one Tennessee series. There would have been a financial component if Michigan demanded neutral site northeast NFL stadium or nothing. The deal with Tennessee is one either side can walk away from if no agreement is reached. I don't know if we are attractive enough at the moment for Tennessee to put in stone dates for these games but I believe Warde is capable of convincing them to extend the deadline and twelve, fourteen months from now readdressing this. As it sits today, if the deadline passes and no games are scheduled, the deal is dead. I don't believe we are a compelling enough opponent right now for Tennessee to say "we need to get this done!".

 

[31GuardTrap]

http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/tennessee-postpones-football-series-uconn

>>UConn spokesman Mike Enright said the schools have agreed to reschedule the series for future years, but have not determined when that will happen. He said the schools have until Sept. 26, 2015 to come up with new dates.

Maybe we'll get some Tennessee news next week?

A friend of mine was just at the OU/Tenn game last weekend. Said it was loud, loud and loud. Both schools represented themselves very well. I am hoping this series does happen just so I can walk into and out of that stadium with a W!!

 

[Dooley]

Advantage Syracuse?? Did somebody seriously just post that on our board? Doug Marrone is long gone and so are their winning seasons. UConn puts more guys in the NFL and is closer to home.

Syracuse is the one program in the northeast that does not concern me in recruiting.

If he is as good as advertised, he will come to UConn and proteCT. He might even become a legend for his role in propelling us out of this AAC wasteland. Or, he can go to upstate NY, get waxed by mediocre ACC teams in front of empty seats and watch UConn put a few more players in the NFL.

Well that was fast! Common sense prevails...Rose is coming to proteCT!

 

[HuskyDogArt]

UConn for yes has had a very weak non conference schedule of FCS teams...until recently it was the bottom of the barrel FCS. Maine, Holy Cross, Rhode Island..etc., real barn burning competition. I bet those teams have fans drooling.

And why don't we schedule some of the better G-5 teams from the Mountain West, or MAC? The scary concept....those teams looking at strength of schedule and possibility of earning a spot in the FBS playoffs, would they want to schedule UConn?

Traditionally why have UConn recruiting classes been ranked so low? The BE was never highly regarded amongst BCS leagues. That coupled with weak OOC competition really had recruits drooling. And now we are in the AAC.

I pray QB Rose selects UConn. But if he is as good as projected..advantage Syracuse..just because he may get to compete against some very good teams.

We need to upgrade the schedule. Unless URI, Maine, Nova or any FCS teams want to upgrade, we shouldn't have them on the schedule, we need to upgrade and we might have losing seasons...I'd rather have a 2-9 season playing Arkansas, Ohio State, Penn State, WVU, Maryland and Sanford, then a 2-8 season playing Maine, and non-P5 teams. Us being in the AAC is keeping us with weak teams - such as ECU, Tulane or SMU...


Ward, please do something -- or resign...

 

[Stainmaster]

We need to upgrade the schedule. Unless URI, Maine, Nova or any FCS teams want to upgrade, we shouldn't have them on the schedule, we need to upgrade and we might have losing seasons...I'd rather have a 2-9 season playing Arkansas, Ohio State, Penn State, WVU, Maryland and Sanford, then a 2-8 season playing Maine, and non-P5 teams. Us being in the AAC is keeping us with weak teams - such as ECU, Tulane or SMU...


Ward, please do something -- or resign...

Cause I'm sure he isn't trying. He's probably just sitting on his fat behind -- help me out, do I say something about donuts now?

 

[NYUConn]

Ward, please do something -- or resign...

Like getting home-and-homes with Mizzou, Syracuse, BYU, Virginia, Illinois and Indiana?

Do something like that?

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Ok... I'm hoping Ward is doing something behind the scene, like talking to the B1G without the media knowing. I'm sick of being in the AAC. I wouldn't care if we were the lousiest team in the Pac12...at least we can have USC/UCLA/Oregon/Sanford at the Rent....

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

This is exactly what we should be doing too... I don't blame Houston here. Its a smart move. Whyyyy in the hell we are still scheduling FCS cupcakes like Holy Cross and Stony Brook is so beyond me. We HAVE to think bigger than this.

 

[sportsart]

Much easier to get a P5 team to come to Texas than it is to come to CT, for obvious reasons.