Conference Realignment Thread v. 2016

[GoldenWarrior11]

UConn lost to Boston College in football yesterday 30-0.

Bob Diaco is doing his best to try and take the heat off of Kevin Ollie. One month ago, UConn was beating UCF 16-7 in the 2nd quarter - since then, the Huskies have been outscored 106-3. With a $72 million athletic budget, and $1.7 million coming from ESPN, UConn Football has gone 24-48 since 2011. Despite losing a power conference designation from the Big East in football, UConn Football was supposed to be a top program in the AAC - easily capable of competing and being successful against Memphis, Tulane, UCF, Tulsa, SMU, East Carolina and Temple. Instead, the AAC has seen the rise of the football programs of USF, Houston, Navy, Memphis, UCF, Tulsa, and East Carolina - lowering the football program at UConn. Paul Pasqualoni was supposed to be the worst football coach in UConn history, but now that spot has seemingly been taken by Diaco.

I am not advocating for UConn to rejoin the Big East, but as a basketball fan, at some point (which I thought occurred a few years ago), you can no longer mortgage your football aspirations (which will have become mid-AAC football budget with one of the weakest football programs in the conference), by risking your basketball program long-term. If UConn cannot pump in even more resources just to be somewhat competitive, then there is absolutely no reason to keep it going.

I just can't see how UConn Football will be able to recover from Pasqualoni and Diaco. The Northeast is not strong for recruiting purposes, and you aren't winning recruiting battles against UCF/USF in Florida, and you certainly aren't winning them against Houston/SMU in Texas. Pennsylvania is locked up with Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. New Jersey is locked up with other programs.

It also doesn't help that Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Louisville and West Virginia are all making 10x what UConn is. What they will have lost to those schools in TV money will never be recovered. They started a race where their opponents had a substantial head start - and they don't have the speed to catch up.

The Big 12 already decided that they aren't calling. The B1G doesn't need to water down their bottom-half of their football conference even further. The ACC can't afford to add weaker football programs when they are fighting with the Big 12 for superiority. The SEC and PAC-12 certainly aren't calling - ever. UConn Football is on its deathbed.

[admin]

I feel like UCONN is on a downward spiral in basketball. We wouldn't be gaining a program that even remotely looks like the one that won a recent national championship, but instead is presently the equivalent of an upper level mid-major.

I am against any expansion and most definitely don't see the upside to adding UCONN. My 0.02.

[Burrito]

Rutgers football is having a rough time in the Big Ten East Division. The combined score this year against Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State & Penn State: 0-224.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I feel like UCONN is on a downward spiral in basketball. We wouldn't be gaining a program that even remotely looks like the one that won a recent national championship, but instead is presently the equivalent of an upper level mid-major.

I am against any expansion and most definitely don't see the upside to adding UCONN. My 0.02.

I'm been on record saying that I, too, would be against expansion (unless of course it adds more value and money to each member). While I feel that UConn would add value from a money and TV standpoint, would that hypothetical addition make up for the hypothetical loss of the round robin format?

It's just a sad sight to see. UConn was late to the party in football, but wanted to be better positioned for the future in the ACC, so they pumped in countless amounts of money and resources to shorten the gap. That investment had short-term gains (Fiesta Bowl appearance and flashes for potential of a decent football program), but it also exposed many long-term weaknesses that many caught on to (no fans showed up to said Fiesta Bowl, little recruiting in the Northeast, lack of dominance against other regional programs in Rutgers, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Boston College, West VIrginia, etc.). In order to cover up those long-term weaknesses, and hopes to somehow finagle their way into a power conference, they sacrificed their basketball program by aligning themselves with the football-playing Big East members (Cincinnati, USF, Houston, SMU, UCF, Memphis, Tulane, Temple, East Carolina and Tulsa) - a high number of whom have atrocious basketball programs (historically).

The biggest question is whether or not someone in a position of power will realize their mistake, and cut their losses for the betterment of their school and state. If they fire Diaco, which is a strong possibility, they will only be paying more money to a football staff not to coach, as well as a new staff to help them once again turn the corner.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Rutgers football is having a rough time in the Big Ten East Division. Combined score against Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State & Penn State: 0-224.

But Rutgers is secured long-term. They are going to be making, annually, $50 million from TV revenue alone. That goes to their academic programs, their athletic programs, their school, etc. They are also AAU, something that UConn was/is not. They also helped deliver the entire state of New Jersey (hot recruiting area for football - just ask Michigan), and a piece of the New York pie. Their value was definitely higher from an institution stand point over UConn.

[stever20]

I'd totally understand the sentiment that they sacrificed their basketball program if their recruiting was crap. But their recruiting has been very solid. #19 the 2017 class, #8 2016, #39 2015, #44 2014, #40 2013, #27 2012, #33 2011 just looking at last 6 classes. Last 2 classes by far the best(we'll see if they get anyone more in there to maintain that 19). The conference affiliation clearly isn't hurting them getting the players.

Also would say we're looking at it with 3 games in. There's still a lot of ball to go. Just in Maui they could get 1-2 really big wins that could really help them out.

Frankly- if their program was doing what Georgetown has done post split, I'd be far more in agreement about them. UConn in the 4 years since leaving the Big East has gone 78-36, and made the tourney in 2 of the 3 years, and was playing to get in the tourney the other year the conference title game. Georgetown in those 4 years is only 56-46, missed the tourney in 2 of the 3 years. And only 29-40 in games vs winning teams in that stretch(only 9-27 away from home).

[RxJay]

Stever are you a Georgetown fan or a UConn fan? I get very confused when you post like this.

[stever20]

Stever are you a Georgetown fan or a UConn fan? I get very confused when you post like this.

I'm a Georgetown fan. I think if we had a coach with the name of John Smith 3 he would have been gone a long time ago and the program would be better. But right now, the program is on a spiral down. I don't think anyone can dispute that right now. And if UConn's program looked like that, you would have a far better case about the program on a death spiral. I'd take what UConn has done on the floor the last 3 years 1000 times out of 1000.

[GumbyDamnit!]

I agree with Stever on this one. Yes, I said it.

Who has done better since the split? UConn, G'town or Marq?

Secondly, as a BB specific decision you bring in a program that has had better success in March than anyone else except Duke in the past 25 years. UConn is the single best candidate for expansion and #2 is light years away.

Third as Stever points out their recruiting is still very good.

Fourth it's early. There are a lot of games for them to recover.

[stever20]

I agree with Stever on this one. Yes, I said it.

Who has done better since the split? UConn, G'town or Marq?

Secondly, as a BB specific decision you bring in a program that has had better success in March than anyone else except Duke in the past 25 years. UConn is the single best candidate for expansion and #2 is light years away.

Third as Stever points out their recruiting is still very good.

Fourth it's early. There are a lot of games for them to recover.

it's funny- if you make it 24 years(Duke's 2nd repeat title was in '92- or exactly 25 seasons ago)-
Duke- 3 titles (01,10,15), 2 runner ups(94,99), 6 final 4's, 8 elite 8's, 16 sweet 16's
UConn- 4 titles, 5 final 4's, 9 elite 8's, 12 sweet 16's

pretty darn close when you look at it. UConn with extra title and extra elite 8. Duke with 1 more final 4 and 4 more sweet 16's. About as close as you could get I would say.