Perspectives - One Man's Out House is Another's Castle

UTSA president Dr. Ricardo Romo stated that since UTSA started football, the dream destination was Conference-USA.  As I've been agitating for since my Houston Cougars announced move to the Big East, their wish came true.  UTSA will start play in C-USA in 2013; the same year the Coogs start Big East play.

Perspectives offer great windows into the thought processes of realignment goals of UH and UTSA.

Houston, formerly of the defunct Southwest Conference, joined C-USA in the wake of Texas, A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech joining up with Big Eight schools to form the Big 12.  At the time, UH football reached a low point following a short run that included nationally ranked teams and a Heisman Trophy winner.  The wheels fell off the program and an already fickle fan base shrank more.  The support sank so low that there was a movement to drop football.

A number of moves by Houston righted the ship and lead to a resurgence of Houston Cougar football.  Athletic Director David Maggard fired Dana Dimel and hired Art Briles.  Briles led the Cougars to new found success that included bowl games.  The Cougars emerged from the depths of the only 0-11 season to a C-USA title in 2006.  Kevin Sumlin then took the Cougars to national rankings and the verge of a BCS bowl game while leading UH to 12 regular season wins.  The program went from the edge of the abyss to national prominence.  With the combination of sustained success, increased fan support, commitment to new or improved facilities and on field success, Houston looked to leave C-USA.  The original goal was the Big 12 after the departures of Nebraska and Colorado.  UH also maintained contact with Mountain West Conference.

Eventually Houston, realizing its goal of leaving C-USA, moved on to the Big East conference.  The motivation of course is money.  TV football money.  UH finally found a home.  Make no mistake about it, if the Big 12 comes calling, and that's a big if, UH will trip over itself taking the invitation.

On the flip side, UTSA wanted to join C-USA.  The goal was to eventually attain C-USA membership while rising up the ranks from Southland to WAC.  The Roadrunners accepted a WAC invitation only to see things break favorably.  C-USA lost Houston, smu and Central Florida to the Big East.  Thus the window opened for UTSA.  After an initial cool reception, C-USA warmed up to the 'runners.  A big push by the school and community made the conference take a second look.  Congrats to UTSA....the will start C-USA play after one year in WAC. The WAC goes on life support with the loss of the football programs.

Houston and its fans viewed C-USA as a holding place until the right time to move on came along after the demise of the SWC.  The Cougars wanted to play the next level up and saw C-USA more of an impediment than an advantage for competition.  The quality from top to bottom in C-USA was lacking respect.  Outside of Houston, Central Florida, Tulsa andSouthern Miss, football languished with anchors like Memphis, UAB, rice and Tulane.  Marshall, UTEP and East Carolina cycled through teams but not on a consistent basis.  Houston felt bigger and better things existed outside of C-USA.

UTSA though, felt that C-USA was an appropriate destination for the fledgling program years down the road.  Things changed quickly and the administration took advantage of the dynamic situation and positioned the 'runners further along ahead of schedule.

Houston's moving on up the Big East side and UTSA gladly took up residence next to Archie Bunker.

I wish nothing but luck to both programs as a San Antonio native but Houston alumnus.

UTSA to C-USA, Status of BCS

Ever since my Houston Cougars officially accepted the move to the Big East, I've been pulling for the UTSA Roadrunners to take UH's slot in Conference USA.  I'm originally from San Antonio and while I never considered going to UTSA, I'd like to see their football program succeed.  Better yet, with them playing rice annually, I hope the beat the ever living crap out of the owls every year.

The Roadrunners move up the football food chain has been incredibly quick.  Within three years of their inaugural season , they will be playing in a NCAA Football Bowl Division conference.

Several obvious factors went into the quick rise up the ranks for the 'runners.  First was timing.  With the  constant reshuffling of football conferences over the last several years, UTSA's program started at the right time.  I seriously doubt the program ascends so quickly with out the chain reaction of realignments.  The size of San Antonio also played a role as well as the location in Texas.  Other than the Spurs, there is no competition for major sporting dollars.  San Antonio also showed up in droves during the first season to support the home games.

Also on the plus side is that C-USA is a craptacular shitastic football conference.  Houston, Southern Miss and Tulsa consistently field good teams with UH and So. Miss finishing the year ranked.  Central Florida also had some ranked teams.  Occasionally UTEP, East Carolina or Marshall put a decent product on the field.  Outside of a one season, rice has been a joke along with Tulane, UAB and Memphis.  If UTSA can recruit well and find a better coach than Larry Coker, they can compete in the next couple of years.

Now the downside.

How strong is the support if the Roadrunners don't succeed right away?  Will San Antonio casual fans come out if they start can't compete?  How long with the novelty last if winning isn't consistent?

Facilities is another issue.  They currently play in the Alamodome.  That place is a barn.  An on campus better designed stadium needs to be built.

So far UTSA's vision for football and conference realignment goals have been spot on.  If they continue on their current path, I see competitive and maybe ranked team in the next five years.

The BCS maybe Dead....But Only In Name?
The big driver in conference realignment has been nothing but the dollar sign.  Traditional rivalries have been cast off.  Regional conferences have given way to national conferences.

Schools left on the outside looking in have tried their best to get in to the Big Six (Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, ACC, SEC & Big East).  Why? Because that is where the TV money and access to the big money bowls are.  In the Big Six and you have better and easier access to the money that the other conferences.

David Dodd, of CBS Sports, writes that the BCS may be dead only in name.  In his article, Dodd writes that the proposed final football four may only increase the line of demarcation between the Big Six and what he calls the Group of Five (MAC, MWC, Sun Belt, C-USA, WAC).

The Group of Five will still have avenues to finish in the final football four play off with something along the lines of the current rules of the BCS.

Dodd quotes Sun Belt conference commissioner Karl Benson:

"There are still going to be five conferences that are set aside,” said Sun Belt commissioner Karl Benson said. “I don't have a problem with that."

Based on Dodd's column, it appears that the Big Six will let the Group of Five tag along and keep the Football Subdivision title but still make it hard for those teams to earn a spot in the big money bowls or the proposed final football four.  The Group of Five also seem to know there is nothing they can do about it.

With TV money the driving force, teams like Houston, TCU, Utah and Boise St. strove for Big Six membership.  They based their claim to the Big Six on either football success, TV market size or both.  Houston and TCU bring the Houston and Dallas markets.  Utah and Boise St. bring consistent football prowess.  Their moves to the Big Six are now complete.

I believe with the latest TV contracts and the football final four playoffs kicking in soon that conference realignment and expansion of the Big Six is over.  The only movement left will be in the Group of Five and some NCAA Football Championship Subdivision teams moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision.  

Houston Cougar Game Day Idle - Coogs To Big East?

With the exception of ESPN, other media outlets report that the Big East will expand by six teams.  The teams include Boise St., Air Force and Navy as football playing members only.  Central Florida, SMU and our dear old Houston Cougars would play as full members in other sports.

So what is the real scoop?  At this point it is really hard to tell.  Initially, a week ago, the Big East was on its death bed.  Pitt and Syracuse bolted for the ACC and TCU jilted the Big East for the Big 12.  UConn desperately tried to join Pitt and Syracuse in the ACC.  Louisville, West Virginia, Cincinnati and Rutgers eyed other conferences as well.  Pending a move by Missouri to the SEC or Big Ten, and a desire of the Big 12 for 12 members, Louisville and/or West Virgina might head to the B12.  Rutgers may or may not be headed to the Big 10. 

Regardless, at stake for the Big East was their automatic qualification to a Bowl Championship Series bowl status (BCS AQ).  The SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East and Pac 12 champs all receive automatic bids to the lucrative bowls and paths to a BCS title game.  All other conferences and independents must meet minimum criteria to get a slot in the country club.  Boise St. and TCU are the two non-AQ schools that consistently earn a seat at the exclusive table but neither has been given a national title shot.

With the loss of Pitt, Syracuse and TCU, the Big East faced the loss of revenues from football and the next TV contract.  With the expected entry of TCU, the Big East hoped to tap the Texas market in TV and recruiting.  The addition of TCU also expected to boost the ranking of the conference to maintain the league's lock to access to a lucrative BCS bowl.  With three schools gone, what next?

Attractive schools abound despite the defections.  BYU went independent after breaking away from the Mountain West Conference (MWC).  Boise St. left the WAC for the MWC in hopes of strengthening its schedule and BCS appeal.  Notre Dame plays in all Big East sports except for football.  The service academies (Navy, Air Force, Army) maintain national followings from their respective branches and the University status of their academies. 

At one point a few years ago, there was speculation that the MWC would either take the Big East's AQ status or force a seventh AQ slot for a conference.  Utah and TCU earned victories to strengthen the conference standing.  Many speculated that adding some stronger non-AQ schools like Houston, Nevada, Hawaii and Boise St. would only enhance a conference could already compete with the AQ conferences.  Then Utah left for the Pac-10/12, TCU went to the Big East/Big 12 and BYU went indie.  A promising conference was left in shambles.  If the Big East raids come to fruition, then the MWC will be further weakened with the losses of Boise St. and Air Force.

Since the break up of the old Southwest Conference, Houston, TCU, SMU and Rice have been on the outside looking in.  TCU earned its place in the new BCS.  Houston, SMU and Rice went through the motions in their respective conferences. 

Houston Cougar fans through the ages always feel slighted.  Playing for years in the 50s, 60s and 70s in smaller conferences or independent, the Cougars enviously eyed the Southwest and Southeast Conferences.  It wasn't until the 70s that the Cougars gained membership into the SWC and the validation they sought.  Three SWC championships in the first four years of membership only proved the Cougars belonged and three Final Four teams in the 80s showed the Coogs weren't just a football school.  So the break up of the SWC and the exclusion in the formation of the Big 12 only opened old wounds for the Coog faithful.

From the depths of the dissolution of the SWC to the exclusion from the Big 12, do the Cougars finally have a home at the BCS Club?  From all indications, yes. 

There is no reason for any school invited to the Big East to turn the invite down.  ESPN tried to play up the MWC/C-USA merger/association as a reason for Boise St. and Air Force turn down the Big East.  Houston, SMU and Central Florida also appeared enticed but a 22 football league.  ESPN reports appear speculation based on old reports and information.  Boise and AF were initially hesitant only due to the fact that they needed reassurance that the league would survive.  Once the football schools said they will raise the exit fees then Boise and AF agreed.  ESPN also floated that AF soured on the idea after Army backed out a deal.  Curiously, only ESPN reports that Army was offered.  Multiple news sources never mention Army.  Navy appears a fence sitter but reportedly the Big East is also working out a custom offer for the Midshipman.

Other early reports stated that three schools were up for two remaining spots.  Houston, SMU and Temple were in play for two spots.  Apparently, Villanova, a basketball school, blocked Temple and that opened up the door for the Texas schools. 

So how does it all break down?  If media reports are accurate, which is a big if, then Big East expansion is set and the moves are all formalities.  Six schools that played decent to great football found a home at the Big Boy Money Club.  Despite ESPN's reports, the schools won't turn down the invites because to much money left on the table. 

So much speculation but so much hope for Cougar fans, let's pray/hope for the best.