(11-24-2016 12:52 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  Let's think about it for a minute. Is CUSA really as bad as the numbers say, or are they being dragged to the bottom of the canal with a cinder block tied to their ankle?
Without even running the numbers (with various combos), it already makes sense that resources are spread thin with more members.
Perception is key. In order to get a better media deal, the conference needs to perform well relative to other fbs conferences. It's extremely difficult to do that when there are so many teams with bad records.
So, when you compound a finite amount of resources with a diminished perception due to excess dead weight, it doesn't seem like this version of CUSA can catch a break. There is really only one good solution.



Thin the herd
CUSA needs a makeover. They can't wait for the MWC to go into Texas. The conference needs to drop 4 teams (enough to play a championship game) and focus all their resources and energy on making their 10 team conference better.
IMO, thinning the herd is essential to survive. Looking at the following map, I'd argue that CUSA could climb back up if they were to choose the following teams to go forward with.

ODU
Charlotte
FAU
WKU
MTSU
UAB
Southern Miss
Louisiana Tech
UNT
Rice

I see this as one of ONLY two ways CUSA can go to do right by their membership. They must go small or they must go large (to 16) to alleviate travel. If they choose the second option, then CUSA should grab Arkansas State and Georgia State and run two divisions of 8 like they are almost separate conferences.

Being at 14 is the absolute worst even number that CUSA can possibly be at.

The migration of the homeless
In a perfect world, UTEP and UTSA are due for an MWC invite, and the Sunbelt would want to get into Florida with FIU. Marshall has history with the MAC, so that's where the Herd would likely go.

(11-24-2016 03:20 PM)bullet Wrote:  The AAC, MWC and CUSA should have added teams at once instead of dragging it out. The net result was that the Sun Belt survived by back-filling with a bunch of FCS teams that are now competing with AAC and CUSA schools for recruits. 6 of the 10 Sun Belt schools have been in FBS 4 years or less as have 3 of the CUSA schools. So that is 9 schools since the raids on the Big 12 and Big East.

CUSA could have ULL, Ark. St. and Troy instead of UTSA, ODU and UNCC and there would be no Sun Belt as only ULM would be left. Appalachian St., Coastal Carolina, Georgia St. and Georgia Southern would not have left their old conferences. USA would not have had a conference to upgrade in. Texas St. (and UTSA) would have only had that one year in the WAC if they moved up at all.

(11-24-2016 03:32 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(11-24-2016 03:20 PM)bullet Wrote:  The AAC, MWC and CUSA should have added teams at once instead of dragging it out. The net result was that the Sun Belt survived by back-filling with a bunch of FCS teams that are now competing with AAC and CUSA schools for recruits. 6 of the 10 Sun Belt schools have been in FBS 4 years or less as have 3 of the CUSA schools. So that is 9 schools since the raids on the Big 12 and Big East.

CUSA could have ULL, Ark. St. and Troy instead of UTSA, ODU and UNCC and there would be no Sun Belt as only ULM would be left. Appalachian St., Coastal Carolina, Georgia St. and Georgia Southern would not have left their old conferences. USA would not have had a conference to upgrade in. Texas St. (and UTSA) would have only had that one year in the WAC if they moved up at all.

The WAC would have survived though then. New Mexico St, Idaho, Texas St, UTSA, and then at least 4 more teams.

(11-24-2016 03:47 PM)bullet Wrote:  And the MWC could have gone to 14 to forestall that. They basically did kill the WAC and eliminated their competition.

(11-24-2016 01:23 PM)stever20 Wrote:  they may need to, but they won't. CUSA totally overreacted after the Big East/AAC raided the conference.

(11-24-2016 04:38 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(11-24-2016 01:23 PM)stever20 Wrote:  they may need to, but they won't. CUSA totally overreacted after the Big East/AAC raided the conference.

Yeah...they rushed to quickly adding Charlotte and Old Dominion.

(11-24-2016 04:33 PM)stever20 Wrote:  The AAC is interesting. Navy has been great so far for the AAC. division champs both years. Possibly even access bowl bound. Tulsa has been bowl bound in 2 of the 3 years including this, and made the NCAA tourney last year. Really only Tulane- and you want to have an even number.

(11-24-2016 05:02 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(11-24-2016 04:33 PM)stever20 Wrote:  The AAC is interesting. Navy has been great so far for the AAC. division champs both years. Possibly even access bowl bound. Tulsa has been bowl bound in 2 of the 3 years including this, and made the NCAA tourney last year. Really only Tulane- and you want to have an even number.

There are other factors at hand here, namely that Tulane and Tulsa are small private schools that don't generate a great deal of buzz in their own markets. Navy is competitive on the field at the moment but the nature of their mission disables them from being able to be a trustworthy contributor long term. They could go 0-12 each year and their administration wouldn't care because their primary goal is molding good officers for the armed forces.

I question their addition. Are they really going to draw in the casual fan that much to where they add something to a conference? Maybe if Army, Air Force and Navy were in the same conference it'd work but I just don't see it by themselves. There's a reason why they're in the Patriot League in everything else and Air Force struggles in some notable MWC sports other than football.

(11-24-2016 05:41 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  But it won't last forever. It's not plausible to expect it to last forever. Before that, aside from maybe a team or two, Navy had been irrelevant for 40 years or so. There's a reason Notre Dame had a winning streak over them that nearly lasted a half century.