We're discussing this on another board, I figured asked what this board's thoughts were to this article from 247 Sports.

(02-21-2017 03:22 PM)M1T4 Wrote:  http://memphis.247sports.com/Article/Wha...--51407646

Quote:At least one agent inquired in recent days whether 247Sports would piggyback off the Power 5 job rankings with a separate entry for Group of 5 programs.

Ask, and ye shall receive.

In fact, the first five Group of 5 schools below would rank inside the overall top 65 best college football jobs.

It’s not altogether surprising to see that the American conference comprises much of the top 10, though tradition and prestige are assets for some of the non-AAC inclusions.

1. Houston

The administration bumping then-coach Tom Herman to $3 million for the 2016 season launched UH into the middle of Power 5-level pay. According to USA Today, that was better than nearly 30 Power 5 jobs.

Herman’s successor, Major Applewhite, isn’t making anywhere near that figure, but the attempt to keep Herman in place demonstrated what’s available for the right candidate.

Board chairman and influential donor Tilman Fertitta — of restaurant, casino and reality TV fame — is central to both making that decision and helping to fund it.

Partly to woo the Big 12, which has yet to work, Fertitta and Houston’s donor base has also shown enthusiasm for project development.

When 247Sports spoke recently to Applewhite, he was excited by progress toward a new indoor facility. When that’s complete, Houston then intends to add a football office complex as part of the relatively new TDECU Stadium compound.

And regardless how competitive Texas high school recruiting is, proximity to talent still greatly benefits Houston relative to many of its Group of 5 peers.

Fans are weary of seeing coaches leave so quickly for bigger jobs, but it’s actually a compliment to the program.

2. UCF

Granted, the edge between the two Florida-based American schools is slight — but UCF does have it over USF.

The on-campus stadium is a certain advantage, as well as not having to compete for NFL eyeballs.

Pay is inching toward $2 million for Scott Frost, which is above average relative to the tier.

There’s the obvious recruiting advantage for the Florida-based schools, especially considering the admission standard isn’t as high as their Power 5 brethren.

Many coaches do not think the program under George O’Leary touched its ceiling, even with a Fiesta Bowl win against Baylor late in his tenure.

3. USF

As the success of Jim Leavitt and Willie Taggart indicate, it’s a job where it’s possible to win and win relatively big. That’s always of value to coaches.

In fact, some industry sources think it’s rather unfortunate that the program — which was at one point under Leavitt in the top 5 in the polls — was left behind when the Power 5 tier materialized.

“It was close to being a national power,” one agent told us, “and now it doesn’t have a seat at the table anymore.”

The consolation prize is the ability become a giant among mid-majors. Given the roster he’s inheriting, some coaches in the AAC believe Charlie Strong will elevate USF to a new plateau in its Group of 5 era.

If that happens, perhaps the school’s leadership can advance conversations about an on-campus stadium.

4. Cincinnati

Cincinnati is perhaps the most well balanced Group of 5 program, which is probably why it’s talked about most frequently whenever Big 12 expansion buzz surfaces. It has rare brand value among mid-majors: Cincinnati has more in common with Louisville, Pitt and West Virginia — schools that climbed to Power 5 status — than Houston and UCF.

Despite a relative lack of head coaching experience, new coach Luke Fickell will reportedly earn in the same neighborhood, a little more than $2 million per year, as Tommy Tuberville did.

The facilities are not spectacular, though historic Nippert Stadium is seeing some modest renovations. Tradition is better at UC than most at this level, with Brian Kelly and Butch Jones recently cutting their teeth at the school.

5. Boise State

Boise has become Group of 5 royalty in in the past decade, trumpeting a ridiculous 123-21 record since 2006. That includes three Fiesta Bowl appearances (all wins) and regular-season victories against Georgia, Virginia Tech and Oregon.

A $22 million football facility was erected in 2013, and Albertson’s Stadium has seen repeated improvements. Understanding the value of the visibility in the past decade, internal support for success is extremely high.

6. BYU

There are plenty of hurdles here, many of them pertaining to the religious rulebook that impact recruits, current players and coaches. (Our disclaimer on that: It’s the school’s right to legislate however it wants; but it does separate it from how other football programs function.)

But it’s clear that history and fan passion - and a national following - is what makes this a higher-end Group of 5 job.

7. Memphis

Mike Norvell reaped the benefits of Justin Fuente’s program-building labor. Also include AD Tom Bowen and the school’s leadership in the progress that has quickly elevated this job among its Group of 5 peers.

Plans to construct a football complex have moved along slower than expected, but enough progress is being made that it feels safe saying that the program is still on the way up.

8. SMU

Given its location in the heart of Dallas and relatively deep pockets, this program has serious upward potential. But do those deep pockets care enough to give generously to football? And will a tug-of-war between the school’s academic and athletic leadership continue?

9. Colorado State

Pumping $240 million into a stadium renovation alone gets CSU on the list. The facility, which opens for play this fall, appears to be the finest of any among this top 10. It also includes adjacent academic and support space. Isolation from talent is still a drawback, but the facilities will greatly help.

10. Temple

Al Golden, Steve Addazio and Matt Rhule have also had success at the school, which boasts quality access to in-state and New Jersey recruits. In perception, it takes on a bit of the Philly sports “edge.” It also shares a stadium — and city — with the Eagles, which agents say is both a good and bad thing.

Next, next five: Western Michigan, Fresno State, UConn, FAU, Navy,

Just because WMU had one good year, doesn't mean its a top G5 job. LOL

Going to be hard to beat Houston as far as a list of past coaches who went on to win lots of football games.
Briles, Sumlin, Hermann.

But as far as resources I'd think SMU has a lot of potential.

Some of the names on this list are unusual, and may really be the product of a single head coach more than anything.

(02-21-2017 06:19 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Some of the names on this list are unusual, and may really be the product of a single head coach more than anything.

Which of the top 10 are unusual and are the result of one coach? Memphis and Temple? Norvell seems to have things moving in the right direction in Memphis and Temple was decent before Rhule. The Top 6 have been successful through several head coaches, have fertile recruiting territory (with the exception of BSU) and strong brand recognition-- they are usually always listed among the first when conference expansion is discussed.

Just off the top of my head i'd throw San Diego State on that list. Good recruiting territory down in SoCal, SD is an absolutely gorgeous city and as far as G5 goes it's the top non-power western conference.

(02-21-2017 06:30 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Just off the top of my head i'd throw San Diego State on that list. Good recruiting territory down in SoCal, SD is an absolutely gorgeous city and as far as G5 goes it's the top non-power western conference.

Mr Butthurt himself. LOL.

Before Rocky Long it was 1986 since SDSU won a CC.

Brady Hoke had some success
Chuck Long
Tom Craft
Ted Tollner
Al Luginbill

I don't see them belonging on the list.

(02-21-2017 06:23 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(02-21-2017 06:19 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Some of the names on this list are unusual, and may really be the product of a single head coach more than anything.

Which of the top 10 are unusual and are the result of one coach? Memphis and Temple? Norvell seems to have things moving in the right direction in Memphis and Temple was decent before Rhule. The Top 6 have been successful through several head coaches, have fertile recruiting territory (with the exception of BSU) and strong brand recognition-- they are usually always listed among the first when conference expansion is discussed.

I was really looking at Western Michigan and FAU in the next 5 list, though I did raise my eyebrows at Temple a little.

I see several schools not listed that I could considered better than some of the top 10, and the net 5.

Toledo
Northern Illinois
Bowling Green
Western Kentucky
Arkansas State
UNR
NAVY
Air Force
Appalachian State
Georgia Southern

The next group would be FCS schools that could be among the best.
Eastern Washington
North Dakota State
Sam Houston State
McNeese State
James Madison
Delaware
Villanova
New Hampshire
Northern Iowa
Jacksonville State
Chattanooga

(02-21-2017 06:30 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Just off the top of my head i'd throw San Diego State on that list. Good recruiting territory down in SoCal, SD is an absolutely gorgeous city and as far as G5 goes it's the top non-power western conference.

SDSU is THE team of t-shirt fans in San Diego County (population 3.5 million - bigger than Iowa or Utah). That's a huge asset and it deserves a spot in the Top-10 G5 jobs just based on that alone.

But the stadium situation is atrocious. And CA real estate politics are unlike politics anywhere else - solving the stadium problem could easily take a decade.

And if you think San Diego is beautiful, you've never been outside the tourist areas. But in fact it's the poorest large US city - after adjusting for cost of living, it's fighting for the basement with Jackson, MS - and it shows. The vast majority of the city (including around campus) is tiny run-down ranch houses and strip malls built from the 50s through the 80s (real estate politics have all but stopped new developments since then). And most of the city (including the campus) is a pale brown desert that looks similar to Phoenix.

Maybe a coach won't care about that because they'll live in the rich area. But the campus isn't in Coronado or La Jolla - so they'll be spending most of their time in a dingy neighborhood and dodging homeless people on the way to the office.

I think #1 is probably undisputed.

(02-21-2017 08:35 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  But the stadium situation is atrocious. And CA real estate politics are unlike politics anywhere else - solving the stadium problem could easily take a decade.

Atrocious, for sure. If politics kills the stadium plans of the would-be San Diego MLS owners, Qualcomm Stadium will probably just be torn down because it's costing the city $12 million/year to maintain the stadium and SDSU is paying almost nothing in rent. SDSU athletics doesn't have the money to build a good stadium on its campus, in fact they might not even have room to build a football stadium on campus. Unless they can raise a heckuva lot of money in a big hurry, they are in a very tough spot.

I'm surprised that Southern Miss , Marshall, and Troy aren't on there. Those three are three really good G5 jobs to me.

(02-21-2017 09:17 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(02-21-2017 08:35 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  But the stadium situation is atrocious. And CA real estate politics are unlike politics anywhere else - solving the stadium problem could easily take a decade.

Atrocious, for sure. If politics kills the stadium plans of the would-be San Diego MLS owners, Qualcomm Stadium will probably just be torn down because it's costing the city $12 million/year to maintain the stadium and SDSU is paying almost nothing in rent. SDSU athletics doesn't have the money to build a good stadium on its campus, in fact they might not even have room to build a football stadium on campus. Unless they can raise a heckuva lot of money in a big hurry, they are in a very tough spot.

If SDSU was LASU or SFSU, and if the MLS stadium was to be built in LA or SF, it would be built in hurry. That's how California politics have worked for years until Arnold Schwarzenegger came along. Now that he's out of office, it's back to business as usual.

This looks to be heavily weighed towards money/salary, which is understood.

I'm fine with the top of the list but I'm just not seeing SMU and Colorado State as top G5 jobs. They've struggled to win at those places for years.

I'd have Toledo and Northern Illinois on there instead. Coaches have been in and out of there yet they continue to win.

(02-21-2017 08:35 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(02-21-2017 06:30 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  Just off the top of my head i'd throw San Diego State on that list. Good recruiting territory down in SoCal, SD is an absolutely gorgeous city and as far as G5 goes it's the top non-power western conference.

SDSU is THE team of t-shirt fans in San Diego County (population 3.5 million - bigger than Iowa or Utah). That's a huge asset and it deserves a spot in the Top-10 G5 jobs just based on that alone.

But the stadium situation is atrocious. And CA real estate politics are unlike politics anywhere else - solving the stadium problem could easily take a decade.

And if you think San Diego is beautiful, you've never been outside the tourist areas. But in fact it's the poorest large US city - after adjusting for cost of living, it's fighting for the basement with Jackson, MS - and it shows. The vast majority of the city (including around campus) is tiny run-down ranch houses and strip malls built from the 50s through the 80s (real estate politics have all but stopped new developments since then). And most of the city (including the campus) is a pale brown desert that looks similar to Phoenix.

Maybe a coach won't care about that because they'll live in the rich area. But the campus isn't in Coronado or La Jolla - so they'll be spending most of their time in a dingy neighborhood and dodging homeless people on the way to the office.

LOL. I lived in SD for 5 years. I actually agree with some of this. SD is a profoundly ugly city in a gorgeous setting. I was about the only person there who had a job that allowed me to afford a decent home there.

And you're spot on about the homeless situation. Walking 3 blocks from the parking garage to my office downtown was always a guantlet of agressive panhandlers, and something I dreaded.

That being said, there are pretty areas away from the coast, with prices that aren't too outreagous (compared to the West Coast/Mid Atlantic/Northeast, and the town really does support the Aztecs.

Its easily a top 10 G5 job.

Put SDSU in and take out Memphis.

Make this same list two years from now and Miami may be deserving of a spot on this list. We have a brand new football complex at the level of mid-P5 schools, a two-year old IPF that one NFL scout said was the nicest in Ohio, and we have suites on the horizon. Salaries were second or third in the MAC before Fleck left IIRC, but we have one of the wealthiest alumni bases in the G5 so as we start seeing real results on the field we'll be able to give Chuck Martin and our staff a hefty raise. If we're not on this list, we'll be the top job in the MAC at least. There's a reason Miami is the Cradle of Coaches.

(02-26-2017 10:21 AM)USM@FTL Wrote:  This looks to be heavily weighed towards money/salary, which is understood.

And wealthy alumni who support the AD.

Rice is a sleeping giant in that regard as they may have he most wealthy alumni in the g-5.

(02-21-2017 05:12 PM)utpotts Wrote:  Just because WMU had one good year, doesn't mean its a top G5 job. LOL

Same here...lol!