Is there another realistic candidate with both a solid basketball history and a football program that is on the rise?

WKU basketball is 18th all-time in wins, and the 17 schools ahead of them all started playing basketball before them. 23 NCAA bids (T-39th), 11 top 25 finishes (T-42nd)...

Jeff Brohm has the football team rolling, with a 20-7 record and 2 bowl wins in 2 seasons. Finished 24th in the AP poll last year.

Like NIU, they need a bit more fan support. Not a perfect candidate, but I don't see them brought up very much.

I'd take Witchita St over WKU.

(09-01-2016 08:58 AM)Enviro5609 Wrote:  I'd take Witchita St over WKU.

You've obviously never been to Bowling Green, KY. It's not even the best Bowling Green in the Midwest for god's sake...there is no argument, just no.

(09-01-2016 08:58 AM)Enviro5609 Wrote:  I'd take Witchita St over WKU.

This. I'd also take ODU over them.

(09-01-2016 09:26 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  You've obviously never been to Bowling Green, KY.

This is true.

No.

And they aren't realistic...

They don't generate revenue. The only realistic candidates are the ones that give Aresco something to sell.

Otherwise, he's already said the AAC is staying at 10.

(09-01-2016 08:57 AM)Chappy Wrote:  Is there another realistic candidate with both a solid basketball history and a football program that is on the rise?

WKU basketball is 18th all-time in wins, and the 17 schools ahead of them all started playing basketball before them. 23 NCAA bids (T-39th), 11 top 25 finishes (T-42nd)...

Jeff Brohm has the football team rolling, with a 20-7 record and 2 bowl wins in 2 seasons. Finished 24th in the AP poll last year.

Like NIU, they need a bit more fan support. Not a perfect candidate, but I don't see them brought up very much.

Pass.

(09-01-2016 08:57 AM)Chappy Wrote:  Is there another realistic candidate with both a solid basketball history and a football program that is on the rise?

WKU basketball is 18th all-time in wins, and the 17 schools ahead of them all started playing basketball before them. 23 NCAA bids (T-39th), 11 top 25 finishes (T-42nd)...

Jeff Brohm has the football team rolling, with a 20-7 record and 2 bowl wins in 2 seasons. Finished 24th in the AP poll last year.

Like NIU, they need a bit more fan support. Not a perfect candidate, but I don't see them brought up very much.

Are you serious?

(09-01-2016 08:57 AM)Chappy Wrote:  Is there another realistic candidate with both a solid basketball history and a football program that is on the rise?

WKU basketball is 18th all-time in wins, and the 17 schools ahead of them all started playing basketball before them. 23 NCAA bids (T-39th), 11 top 25 finishes (T-42nd)...

Jeff Brohm has the football team rolling, with a 20-7 record and 2 bowl wins in 2 seasons. Finished 24th in the AP poll last year.

Like NIU, they need a bit more fan support. Not a perfect candidate, but I don't see them brought up very much.

Who?

(That's pretty much the reaction of fans nationwide if we add WKU)

No way is WKU considered for AAC.

(09-01-2016 08:58 AM)Enviro5609 Wrote:  I'd take Witchita St over WKU.

I'll take both. We need to even out Basketball membership.


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(09-01-2016 05:17 PM)PurpleReigns2012 Wrote:  

(09-01-2016 08:58 AM)Enviro5609 Wrote:  I'd take Witchita St over WKU.

I'll take both. We need to even out Basketball membership.


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WKU is a non starter.

If it don't make dollars, it don't make sense.

If we lose two, the only reason to expand is for baseball. Right now we only have 8 teams, so if we lose two, we are in trouble. Can you even have 6 baseball teams?

I like WKU and they'd be an excellent addition...IMO the American should look at trying to become the best eastern conference of the G5

Western Kentucky
Southern Miss
NIU
Old Dominion
Appalachian State
UMass

Consolidate the east

Rice doesn't help do that

(09-01-2016 09:30 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  I like WKU and they'd be an excellent addition...IMO the American should look at trying to become the best eastern conference of the G5

Western Kentucky
Southern Miss
NIU
Old Dominion
Appalachian State
UMass

Consolidate the east

Rice doesn't help do that

Performance and budget, typically, go hand in hand. Rank those teams by athletic revenue / athletic budget, and get back to us.

Another WKU QB (Mike White) throws for 517 and 3 TDs. Thanks USF!

14 straight CUSA wins...

(09-01-2016 09:30 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  I like WKU and they'd be an excellent addition...IMO the American should look at trying to become the best eastern conference of the G5

Western Kentucky
Southern Miss
NIU
Old Dominion
Appalachian State
UMass

Consolidate the east

Rice doesn't help do that

Here's the problem the AAC faces.

Currently, the AAC schools have a pretty solid group that compares very favorably to the rest of the G5---

**all have athletic budgets that exceed at least the 30-35 million level (most are significantly higher)

**all but one are top 200 USNWR national universities

**most approach or exceed 30K in football attendance

**All but one have significant football success within the last 5 years.

**More than half also field excellent to respectable basketball programs creating a solid multi-bid league

**All have committed to paying enough to hire high quality coaching for the G5 level

**All have committed to significantly upgrade facilities.

**All but one brings a large TV market

There are not any more eastern G5's that check all those boxes. In fact, there are very few that check more than a couple of those boxes. The AAC is currently an exceptionally good all around G5 conference based on football performance, brand, basketball performance, TV market, financial commitment, academics, and attendance.

It wont be if it tries to become the "best" football conference. That would require that it sacrifice virtually everything else to bring in schools that may--or may not--continue to excel in football. The best bet is to put together a semi-merger with the top 6 or so MW schools.

The best remaining option is to do nothing. Only add schools that check at least "most" of the boxes. Maybe use the hybrid to rebuild via the very limited use of "football only" schools and "non-football schools". You can dangle full membership as a carrot to get these associate members to build their profile to the point that they check all or at least most of the boxes.

After a 12-2 year including a bowl win, WKU announced a crowd of 19,000 tonight.

No thanks.

(09-02-2016 01:08 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(09-01-2016 09:30 PM)EvilVodka Wrote:  I like WKU and they'd be an excellent addition...IMO the American should look at trying to become the best eastern conference of the G5

Western Kentucky
Southern Miss
NIU
Old Dominion
Appalachian State
UMass

Consolidate the east

Rice doesn't help do that

Here's the problem the AAC faces.

Currently, the AAC schools have a pretty solid group that compares very favorably to the rest of the G5---

**all have athletic budgets that exceed at least the 30-35 million (most are significantly higher)

**all but one are top 200 USNWR national universities

**most approach or exceed 30K in football attendance

**All but one have significant football success within the last 5 years.

**More than half also field excellent to respectable basketball programs creating a solid multi-bid league

**All have committed to paying enough to hire high quality coaching for the G5 level

**All have committed to significantly upgrade facilities.

**All but one brings a large TV market

There are not any more eastern G5's that check all those boxes. In fact, there are very few that check more than a couple of those boxes. The AAC is currently an exceptionally good all around G5 conference based on football performance, brand, basketball performance, TV market, financial commitment, academics, and attendance.

It wont be if it tries to become the "best" football conference. That would require that it sacrifice virtually everything else to bring in schools that may--or may not--continue to excel in football. The best bet is to put together a semi-merger with the top 6 or so MW schools.

The best remaining option is to do nothing. Only add schools that check at least "most" of the boxes. Maybe use the hybrid to rebuild via the very limited use of "football only" schools and "non-football schools". You can dangle full membership as a carrot to get these associate members to build their profile to the point that they check all or at least most of the boxes.