(01-20-2013 10:39 AM)AtlantaEagle Wrote:  Probably the best summation is, the programs coming in will be more competitive than current members think.
Conversely, the new members will find C-USA is going to be a lot tougher conference overall than they are accustomed.

Best statement in the entire thread

In my opinion a "lot" tougher is a bit strong. I would go with "tougher."

(01-19-2013 01:21 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  I'll rank football in three tiers to start the nC-USA league:

Tier 1
Tulsa
La Tech
USM

Tier 2
Marshall
UTEP
MTSU

Tier 3
Rice
FIU
UAB
UNT
FAU
UTSA

Surprises are bound to happen (and can historically strong USM make the leap from the bottom of the country back to top tier in one year remains to be seen) but here's how I'd rank the programs 'coming into to the nC-USA.

You might want to read up more on Rice, how we finished in 2012 and the returning players we have for 2013, our expected recruiting class and the upward trend in our recruiting classes, and our historic record against UTEP and USM.

(01-20-2013 12:43 PM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(01-19-2013 01:21 PM)FIUFan Wrote:  I'll rank football in three tiers to start the nC-USA league:

Tier 1
Tulsa
La Tech
USM

Tier 2
Marshall
UTEP
MTSU

Tier 3
Rice
FIU
UAB
UNT
FAU
UTSA

Surprises are bound to happen (and can historically strong USM make the leap from the bottom of the country back to top tier in one year remains to be seen) but here's how I'd rank the programs 'coming into to the nC-USA.

You might want to read up more on Rice, how we finished in 2012 and the returning players we have for 2013, our expected recruiting class and the upward trend in our recruiting classes, and our historic record against UTEP and USM.

Rice should be higher than that...

(01-20-2013 10:39 AM)AtlantaEagle Wrote:  Probably the best summation is, the programs coming in will be more competitive than current members think.
Conversely, the new members will find C-USA is going to be a lot tougher conference overall than they are accustomed.

Sorry, I just don't see it. Up until this year we have been playing in a conference with Boise, Nevada, Fresno and Hawaii. This year we had SJSU and Utah State. Often, these teams would be ranked when we played them. I just don't see any tougher lineup in CUSA. We did not join CUSA because we thought it was an upgrade in competition. We wanted an association with certain schools, particularly from an academic standpoint, and we wanted a more regional conference.
The assumption of this entire thread is that the new schools just don't know what they are getting into because it is such a higher level than what we are accustomed. I certainly don't expect the competition to be lacking, but we are talking about CUSA, not the SEC. I think I can safely say none of the incoming Sun Belt schools are concerned about competing with this group either.

Recognizing early that no matter how good your team is, Southern Miss will probably upset your season.

(01-20-2013 03:45 PM)chess Wrote:  Recognizing early that no matter how good your team is, Southern Miss will probably upset your season.

or UAB. Even our teams that are having down years can reach out and bite you just when you're riding high.

Taking off for a conference game that becomes an OoC game during the flight.

Sorry, I just don't see it. Up until this year we have been playing in a conference with Boise, Nevada, Fresno and Hawaii. This year we had SJSU and Utah State. Often, these teams would be ranked when we played them. I just don't see any tougher lineup in CUSA. We did not join CUSA because we thought it was an upgrade in competition. We wanted an association with certain schools, particularly from an academic standpoint, and we wanted a more regional conference.
The assumption of this entire thread is that the new schools just don't know what they are getting into because it is such a higher level than what we are accustomed. I certainly don't expect the competition to be lacking, but we are talking about CUSA, not the SEC. I think I can safely say none of the incoming Sun Belt schools are concerned about competing with this group either.
[/quote]

With the exception of la tech I'd say that these new schools will struggle with old cusa teams. A few years back UTEP was on the down slide (ain't that always the case) and we played a really hyped up school in ulm in their stadium and as was not anticpated we spanked them. Next year again I believe la tech as has always been the case when we played them in the old wac it was a battle. Much of it was won by them. So I do agree with you as far as la tech is concerned.

(01-20-2013 03:59 PM)EagleX Wrote:  Taking off for a conference game that becomes an OoC game during the flight.

LOL. No kidding!!!

Other than Rice, who are the best baseball teams in C-USA ?

I'm afraid my Blue Raiders want none of Rice on the diamond.

UAB is the defending baseball tourney champion. Losing Tulane really hurt in that sport.

The two most challening things for MT will be


1- facilities improvement to catch up. C-USA budgets are much more in tune with ours. We need hoops arena improvement, indoor football facility, indoor tennis, and several other things.

2- there won't be as many dogs in the conference that just care about one or two sports-- it will be much more difficult to dominate like we did in the Sun Belt (for the All Sports Trophy)

I don't even think we have an all sports trophy. Not widely publicized if we do.

(01-20-2013 11:26 AM)baruna falls Wrote:  

(01-20-2013 10:39 AM)AtlantaEagle Wrote:  Probably the best summation is, the programs coming in will be more competitive than current members think.
Conversely, the new members will find C-USA is going to be a lot tougher conference overall than they are accustomed.

Best statement in the entire thread

Agreed, great statement. But don't be surprised if one of the new teams surprises you. The year before coming into C-USA UCF was 0-11 playing a MAC schedule, but we played for the conference championship our first year in C-USA (which surprised UCF fans more as much as anyone else).

Excluding basketball, football, and baseball I expect Charlotte to be competitive across the board and looking for conference championships. I am not saying we are a shoe-in to win any, but we should be in the hunt for many. We have led the A-10 in championships during our time there and we competed just fine in C-USA 1.0.

We own A-10 baseball and I realize that means absolutely nothing in C-USA. I am glad we are going to be playing in a tougher league and will happily give up the trophy each year for the chance to play against some excellent teams. Give us a couple of years and we will be contenders.

Last night we showed that there are still holes in our basketball team, but anyone that has been paying attention already knew that. The rebuilding is right on track and moving to C-USA will make us look better. I expect to be near the top of the conference right out of the gate.

Football. No clue. I hear you guys about the difficulty of moving from FCS to FBS and I believe you, but my heart says that we could be middle of the conference right out of the gate. Here is why. After two FCS years we will be spread across the classes (Freshmen to Seniors) finally. We will be recruiting kids the next few years that want to play FBS ball because we know we will be there (thanks C-USA!). Our coaching staff is almost all BCS so there is nothing in C-USA that they haven't seen, done, or will scare them. We get something of a pass in recruiting right now because we have no record. I think that is an advantage over teams that have losing records for the last few years. Maybe I am dreaming, but I believe we have a very good shot to be average! :)

IMO anytime a school steps up in competition, there is the idea that they can instantly compete, but thats somewhat of a fallacy. The first thing they face is the "grind" of having a decent/good opponent every week. What they are used to is the one good opponent or a schedule with several "gimmees". That probably won't occur again. So you will have to win some games on form - games you still need to win even when you don't play well.

(01-20-2013 10:05 PM)rabidTU Wrote:  IMO anytime a school steps up in competition, there is the idea that they can instantly compete, but thats somewhat of a fallacy. The first thing they face is the "grind" of having a decent/good opponent every week. What they are used to is the one good opponent or a schedule with several "gimmees". That probably won't occur again. So you will have to win some games on form - games you still need to win even when you don't play well.

Very true, but you forget one main thing (atleast for Charlotte) and that is that we were in this league before your school was and were very successful across the board during a period in which CUSA was better than it is now, sadly. Football, of course we will struggle but basketball will be much weaker than what we are facing in the A10. Baseball will be much tougher than A10 but we play a solid OOC schedule and have had great success, including several recent NCAA bids. We will be mid - pack or better to start I think, depending on who stays. All other sports, we will compete quite well====soccer, golf, tennis, etc.

I not as optimistic as nugget about Charlottes football the first couple if years, but I have seen enough CUSA football to know that 1-7 or 2-6 is not out of the question year 1.

guys, you need to stay away from prognosticating. no good will come of that. the best minds that we had were figuring 6-8 wins for southern miss last year, and look what happened.