I compare this year's AAC to the AAC in previous year's. I see a league getting slightly better every year. It takes time. This year UCONN will carry the torch for this league. Long overdue.
This.
The conference finally has it's coaches aligned top-to-bottom. Yes, there were stars that moved on but each coach has done a nice job managing their rosters.
People focus on a program like Houston and say, well they lost Rob Gray... But fail to see that Sampson's recruiting has notched up every year. They just signed with Jordan Brand and open a new arena. Their recruiting may look mediocre to some, but that's a program built on development. Rob Gray wasn't a 5 star, and neither was Damyeon Dotson the year before.
Gregg Marshall has similarly ratcheted up his recruiting, while focusing on development. He also isn't getting the blues, yet, but like Sampson he's beating out power schools for kids now - which he wasn't doing so much in the Valley. Tyson Etienne is an example.
The AAC has benefited by experienced coaches like them, who can put together rosters in more ways than just by getting the best freshmen. So, while each year players may graduate and move on, we'll see players like Armoni Brooks and Corey Davis move into those starring roles, and we may also see solid transfers spread their wings after sitting out.
That's why UConn and Memphis becoming competitive again is the next step. Those are the recruiting giants of the AAC (every conference has their prime recruiting teams that steer the league... the AAC has been missing theirs).
We'll see how many bids come in this year. My guess is it will be in line with the average the conference has always gotten.
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