We are already up to par as a basketball league, but in football, the gap between the AAC and the other G5 conferences isn't nearly as wide as the gap from the P5 to the AAC. I fear that if we don't earn respect on the field this year then recruiting will begin to slip more and more for all of our schools.

The P5 can already tell recruits that they are likely to break away and that if players don't play in the P5 then they'll be subject to a 2nd class division. I think it is crucial that we make a big splash in the OOC in 2014 in order to stay hot on their trail. We are the hunters and they are the hunted and if we don't do some big things this year then we may never even come close to catching them.

(07-08-2014 09:59 AM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  We are already up to par as a basketball league, but in football, the gap between the AAC and the other G5 conferences isn't nearly as wide as the gap from the P5 to the AAC. I fear that if we don't earn respect on the field this year then recruiting will begin to slip more and more for all of our schools.

The P5 can already tell recruits that they are likely to break away and that if players don't play in the P5 then they'll be subject to a 2nd class division. I think it is crucial that we make a big splash in the OOC in 2014 in order to stay hot on their trail. We are the hunters and they are the hunted and if we don't do some big things this year then we may never even come close to catching them.

I agree with much of this.

I voted "Very Important" versus "Critical" because others factors come into play, such as TV exposure (and bowl exposure) and facilities.

Louisville became more attractive to PC (ACC) when they upgraded/expanded their facilities. Sure other factors may have come into play but it was a big help for them to spend the money. Sometimes you have to spend money (upgrade/expand) to make money (P5 invite).

Not sure what to say about TV exposure other then kids want to be seen by the next level scouts to have the best chance of getting there.

Very Important to win the OOC games. That is about the only selling point Aresco has, not counting Bball, to petition the P5 boys to join the club. (slim hope). Recruiting wise, the AAC is in a good position so long as we can get the Access Bowl slot. Now that is critical! You can tell a recruit that getting in the playoffs is just as good with the American as it is with the lower tier P5. I might even say Better! I really hope one of our top four can run the table or at least qualify for that spot. SMU is not there yet sadly. I'm anxious to see how much SOS affects the Access slot.

(07-08-2014 10:19 AM)AusTxPony Wrote:  Very Important to win the OOC games. That is about the only selling point Aresco has, not counting Bball, to petition the P5 boys to join the club. (slim hope). Recruiting wise, the AAC is in a good position so long as we can get the Access Bowl slot. Now that is critical! You can tell a recruit that getting in the playoffs is just as good with the American as it is with the lower tier P5. I might even say Better! I really hope one of our top four can run the table or at least qualify for that spot. SMU is not there yet sadly. I'm anxious to see how much SOS affects the Access slot.

Obviously getting to the access bowl is intrinsically contingent upon our OOC success. With ECU's, Cincy's, and UCF's tough OOC schedules it is plausible that one of those teams could make it with 2 losses depending on how everything else shakes out but one of those 2 losses would likely have to be a conference game IMO in order to have a realistic shot.

i voted Critical but not for the reasons you named

it is critical because it will define the strength of our league in general, our perception to the media, the significance of our conference games, recruiting in general, it will define our tv deal. and it will move the needle more for casual fans (especially with the majority of our league in major cities)

in short our ooc means more than our conference games..
beating a 8+ win cincy or ecu 5 years in a row will have less significance than beating bama 1 time.
boise didnt become a power because they ran through the mwc

we are outsiders looking in and we'll be defined by how we do versus the insiders

OOC games will be very important, which is why it is important for us to not schedule body bag games. There's two factors here:

1. Avoid FCS games if possible
2. Avoid playing Alabama/LSU/Oklahoma/OhioSt/FSU etc

At least nobody voted .......we're already screwed..........yet.

Very important, but not critical is my vote.

1. Win / or at least be extremely competitive in OOC games. I agree with the poster NothingBuKnight.........we should avoid FCS as much as possible as well the top dogs of the "Contract" conferences. OOC schedules should consist of mid-tier contract conference teams (GT, Va Tech, Miss St, Florida, etc) schools and the top dogs of the non-contract conferences (Boise, Fresno, Marshall, etc.). Winning these type games consistently and playing well in conference should guarantee the Access slot and we might even sneak into the playoff one year. Winning the Access Bowl each year makes a statement all by itself.

2. Attendance. Fans need to show up.......period. TV execs like full / raucous stadium crowds. Traveling to bowl games to support your teams is a must. It doesn't matter what the bowl is. Are you there for the bowl or there to support your team? Personally I travel to support my team and a great destination or bowl is just icing on the cake.

3. Continue to invest (barring financial struggles). Infrastructure. Advertising. Support to the school and its athletic programs. But spend wisely.

4. Win championships in something other than football. Every school in the AAC has just about as good a chance to win a National Championship in any sport other than football as the contract conferences do (see UConn), that helps to build the "brand" of both the school and the conference.

5. Continue to improve the academic / research standing of each of our universities.

6. Convince BYU / Air Force it is in their best interest to join the AAC to go to 14. Then personally, Colorado St and Army would even the conference out nicely at 16 and place all three of the academies in the American. I agree to some extent with others that have stated it would be more difficult for the contract conferences to blow off the "academies", much less the rest of us, in a breakaway.
BYU / Colorado State / Air Force / Houston / SMU / Tulsa / Memphis / Tulane
USF / UCF / ECU / UConn / Cincinnati / Navy / Army / Temple

Just my thoughts on the subject

It is just a small factor. The AAC is screwed no matter what, however by chance if UC, UCF or ECU can somehow go undefeated they have a "shot" at the playoff and a good chance at the Access Bowl. Long term it is meaningless...

(07-08-2014 09:59 AM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  We are already up to par as a basketball league, but in football, the gap between the AAC and the other G5 conferences isn't nearly as wide as the gap from the P5 to the AAC. I fear that if we don't earn respect on the field this year then recruiting will begin to slip more and more for all of our schools.

The P5 can already tell recruits that they are likely to break away and that if players don't play in the P5 then they'll be subject to a 2nd class division. I think it is crucial that we make a big splash in the OOC in 2014 in order to stay hot on their trail. We are the hunters and they are the hunted and if we don't do some big things this year then we may never even come close to catching them.

While it is important to win OOC games this year, as it will help create the first-impression of the new AAC, I don't think it is as godalmighty critical as many seem to think. Even if we get wiped out this year, it's not like the AAC is folding. We'll play football in 2015 anyway, and if we win a lot that year, then 2014 results will be diminished.

So while I would agree that it's important that we win OOC games over the next several years, i don't think 2014 is super-duper-crucial.

(07-08-2014 11:12 AM)Cali_Cat Wrote:  It is just a small factor. The AAC is screwed no matter what, however by chance if UC, UCF or ECU can somehow go undefeated they have a "shot" at the playoff and a good chance at the Access Bowl. Long term it is meaningless...

I think that's right. The Power 5 has already settled the question for football. And if any one of us gets really good there (football) on an on-going basis they could very well get the call up to the big leagues. Otherwise they'll continue to play in the access bowl.

(07-08-2014 11:21 AM)Tigers2B1 Wrote:  

(07-08-2014 11:12 AM)Cali_Cat Wrote:  It is just a small factor. The AAC is screwed no matter what, however by chance if UC, UCF or ECU can somehow go undefeated they have a "shot" at the playoff and a good chance at the Access Bowl. Long term it is meaningless...

I think that's right. The Power 5 has already settled the question for football. And if any one of us gets really good there (football) on an on-going basis they could very well get the call up to the big leagues. Otherwise they'll continue to play in the access bowl.

completely disagree with both of you..
everythng in college sports in perception and building on that perception.
SEC was being called the greatest before they were the greatest and built off of that till it became true.

lets say we dominate our OOC, beat 80% of the p5, our perception dramatically increases, our conference game will all be given better time slots, all the media outlets will definitely pay attention, we'll have numerous teams in the top 25 .. that will dramatically improve recruiting in this league

and your league probably recruits more than your coaches.

that will definitely imorive our tv value, even games this year, as when its time to renogtiate , we can bring them a list of the teams were are competing with & show them our value. and who you are beating will definitely be important to the networks especially if they intend to brand our leagues name along with their network.

to me ooc means the most in defining our faith, and directly correlates to everything else (you beat the "big boys" more casual fans will show)

and the 4 team playoff is set for 12 years but the access system is only set up for 6, how we perform could potential modify that in 2020

(07-08-2014 12:01 PM)pesik Wrote:  

(07-08-2014 11:21 AM)Tigers2B1 Wrote:  

(07-08-2014 11:12 AM)Cali_Cat Wrote:  It is just a small factor. The AAC is screwed no matter what, however by chance if UC, UCF or ECU can somehow go undefeated they have a "shot" at the playoff and a good chance at the Access Bowl. Long term it is meaningless...

I think that's right. The Power 5 has already settled the question for football. And if any one of us gets really good there (football) on an on-going basis they could very well get the call up to the big leagues. Otherwise they'll continue to play in the access bowl.

completely disagree with both of you..
everythng in college sports in perception and build on that perception.
SEC was being called the reatest before they were the greatest and built off of that till it became true.

lets say we dominate our OOC, beat 80%of the p5 our perception dramatically increases, our conference game will all be given better time slots, all the media outlets will definitely pay attention, we'll have numerous teams in the top 25 .. that will dramatically improve recruiting in this league

and your league probably recruits more than your coaches.

that will definitely imorive our tv value, even games this year, as when its time to renogtiate , we can bring them a list of the teams were are competing with & show them our value. and who you are beating will definitely be important to the networks especially if they intend to brand our leagues name along with their network.

to me ooc means the most in defining our faith, and directly correlates to everything else (you beat the "big boys" more casual fans will show)

and the 4 team playoff is set for 12 years but the access system is only set up for 6, how we perform could potential modify that in 2020

Well that's a lot that needs to happen even if you believe it. Honestly, the P5 has arranged it so that next to impossible for a G5 team to play in anything other than the access bowl. Even if undefeated, the P5s strength of schedule keeps that G5 team out of the national playoffs.

(07-08-2014 10:46 AM)NothingButKnight Wrote:  OOC games will be very important, which is why it is important for us to not schedule body bag games. There's two factors here:

1. Avoid FCS games if possible
2. Avoid playing Alabama/LSU/Oklahoma/OhioSt/FSU etc

We have played Oklahoma, almost beat them in Cincy, actually should have picked off Ohio State once. We have 2 more with Ohio State. Lots of chatter that we are going to play Alabama as soon as next season, maybe a home and home.

Winning 80 percent would be a tall order. I'd be happy with being competitive in almost all with a winning percentage north of 50.

have to get rid of AAC MEAC/SWAC challenge

It is absolutely critical. Winning cures nearly everything. If we can show that we can win as big as all of the anointed schools for long enough, then we will eventually be anointed with them.

It is very important for our top teams in conference to win OOC or at least be competitive like UCF was last year against USCe. If our best teams get skulldrug OOC and even our bad teams (like mine) lose to CUSA and MAC schools, we are going to lose the ground UCF made for us beating Baylor last year.

(07-08-2014 09:27 PM)Brian Reading Wrote:  It is absolutely critical. Winning cures nearly everything. If we can show that we can win as big as all of the anointed schools for long enough, then we will eventually be anointed with them.

Is this similar to the 'Beat 80% of the P5 teams Long Enough Plan' mentioned above? If so lets get'er done!

(07-08-2014 12:17 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(07-08-2014 10:46 AM)NothingButKnight Wrote:  OOC games will be very important, which is why it is important for us to not schedule body bag games. There's two factors here:

1. Avoid FCS games if possible
2. Avoid playing Alabama/LSU/Oklahoma/OhioSt/FSU etc

We have played Oklahoma, almost beat them in Cincy, actually should have picked off Ohio State once. We have 2 more with Ohio State. Lots of chatter that we are going to play Alabama as soon as next season, maybe a home and home.

I agree.

Never play an FCS, esp not a top ten one like N Dakota State. If we dp play one we better beat them bad.

We need to avoid everyone in the SECW, FLA, UGa, USCe, Mich, Ohio State, Texas, Oklahoma, FSU, Clemson, Oregon, Stanford, USC, UCLA. Who did I miss. We need to schedule and beat the weak sisters of every big money conf. like a rented mule. Load up on all the old big east schools, lol.

(07-08-2014 09:42 PM)shere khan Wrote:  

(07-08-2014 12:17 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(07-08-2014 10:46 AM)NothingButKnight Wrote:  OOC games will be very important, which is why it is important for us to not schedule body bag games. There's two factors here:

1. Avoid FCS games if possible
2. Avoid playing Alabama/LSU/Oklahoma/OhioSt/FSU etc

We have played Oklahoma, almost beat them in Cincy, actually should have picked off Ohio State once. We have 2 more with Ohio State. Lots of chatter that we are going to play Alabama as soon as next season, maybe a home and home.

I agree.

Never play an FCS, esp not a top ten one like N Dakota State. If we dp play one we better beat them bad.

We need to avoid everyone in the SECW, FLA, UGa, USCe, Mich, Ohio State, Texas, Oklahoma, FSU, Clemson, Oregon, Stanford, USC, UCLA. Who did I miss. We need to schedule and beat the weak sisters of every big money conf. like a rented mule. Load up on all the old big east schools, lol.

YES! YES! YES! Then, if one of ours is chosen, we'll beat the hell out of whatever team the P5 sends to the access bowl!